What works to promote community engagement: Strategic plan for volunteering and participation in Andalusia (Spain)

Abstract

This article describes the design of the “First Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Volunteering and Citizen Participation in Andalusia,” which establishes the priorities and strategies for promoting citizen engagement in the Autonomous Community of southern Spain. The drawing up of the strategic plan was developed in two phases. First, a theoretical analysis of the effective practices for promoting citizen participation was conducted. Second, the opinion of a total of 35 representatives of Third Sector organizations was obtained. The review of evidence-based practices made it possible to identify 13 basic strategies for community awareness, education for participation, volunteer management, and the development of inter-organizational networks. Next, 19 interviews were conducted with representatives of the most prominent social entities in the region and two participatory workshops with 16 leaders of the volunteer movement in Andalusia were held. The results showed the existence of a consolidated social fabric, with a “community of practice” constituted over two decades in which awareness-raising and training strategies have been effectively combined to promote volunteering. Representatives of the Third Sector consider educational strategies for participation as a priority, such as service-learning, early participation experiences during adolescence and the training of volunteers and members of associations. On the other hand, although social organizations are aware of the need to adapt to new forms of participation (more individualized, one-off, or episodic), they generally defend strategies that contribute to a higher level of organizational commitment. The resulting plan integrates measures to promote participation and volunteering through cross-cutting actions.