๐๏ธ Tickets are pay what you can. Everyone is welcome.
๐ Day: imaginebelfast.com/event/listen...
๐ Evening: imaginebelfast.com/event/listen...
@imaginebelfast.bsky.social
๐ That evening, journalist Tommy Greene (forthcoming book: 'Troubled Waters') joins civic leaders and traditional Irish storyteller Jim Conway for a conversation about power, protest and what democracy demands now.
We will close with next steps and a ritual of hope. โจ
๐งต๐
โ๏ธ The day includes creative family activities, a participant-led unconference, and a taster Citizens' Assembly: a hands-on experience of making decisions together about the Lough's future.
๐งต๐
๐ Reeds. Fish. Birds. People. Who speaks for Lough Neagh?
On 27th March as part of the @imaginebelfast.bsky.social ยก๐บ๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ! ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ & ๐ฃ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐, Involve is convening a full day of listening, conversation and democratic experimentation in response to the Lough's crisis.
๐งต๐
๐จ Our public engagement training takes place 2 weeks today!
โ Join us to learn the core principles of public engagement, how to design effective processes, and how to build trust through inclusive dialogue.
๐
March 17 - 2-5pm
๐ Read more and sign up below
๐ www.involve.org.uk/news-opinion...
Bringing people in from the start changes that. That's what Involve does.
Find out more about the Summit ๐
www.apse.org.uk/index.cfm/ap...
Why? Because when people feel decisions are being made about them, about their streets, their homes, their local area, without being part of the conversation, trust breaks down. And rebuilding that trust is one of the hardest practical challenges in getting anything done.
๐งต ๐
Steph is leading an interactive session on genuine community engagement on climate change โ sharing a framework for what good looks like, what happens when people are left out, and practical approaches that actually work.
๐งต ๐
She's there speaking on something that often gets missed in energy conversations.
Not: what technology do we need? But: how do we make sure communities are part of the decisions? ๐ค
๐งต ๐
๐ข Our Interim CEO Steph Draper is in Birmingham today at The Big Energy Summit 2026, the only energy event focused solely on local government, run in partnership with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. A room full of the councillors and officers doing this work on the ground.
๐งต ๐
๐ Have you signed up yet? ๐
๐ Ready to unlock the transformative power of inclusive public engagement?
We run regular training sessions that equip you with the tools and confidence for meaningful public engagement in decision making.
๐ Take a look at our upcoming training sessions ๐
๐ www.involve.org.uk/news-opinion...
Looking forward to this weekend, the Assembly will come together online for Session Four, taking the next step to start developing a strong set of draft principles that respond to the key challenges facing the Gallery today.
Follow along:
www.involve.org.uk/our-work/our...
Bird eye's view of people working together around a table, with notes and coloured paper.
๐ Weโre officially more than halfway through the NG Citizensโ Assembly & the journey is continuing.
๐๏ธ In late Jan, Members met at the National Gallery for Session 3, reconnecting w/the collection, learning from staff & community groups, & beginning to shape principles for the Galleryโs future.
๐งต๐
๐ Happening tomorrow!
๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ Weโre hosting Democracy Drinks, a friendly, informal gathering to connect, swap ideas, and unwind together.
๐๏ธ ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฑ๐ฝ๐บ
๐๏ธ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ:
๐ค Whether youโre working on democratic innovation, citizen participation, policy, or simply care about democratic life in Scotland, join us for friendly conversation.
๐๏ธ ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฑ๐ฝ๐บ
All welcome, free to attend.
๐๏ธ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ: luma.com/ekwkaa14
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐
Weโre hosting Democracy Drinks, a friendly, informal gathering to connect, swap ideas, and unwind together.
๐งต๐
๐ Read DemocracyNext's paper here ๐
๐ www.demnext.org/uploads/Demo...
๐บ Watch the 'Scaling Democratic Innovations' webinar here ๐
๐ www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J4W...
๐ See ScaleDem's framework here ๐
๐ scaledem.eu/insights/the...
๐ Read our latest blog from our interim CEO, Stephanie Draper on what this means for practitioners as we move beyond one-off processes and build the systems change that real democratic renewal requires.
๐ Read Steph's blog here ๐
๐ www.involve.org.uk/news-opinion...
๐งต ๐
๐ก DemocracyNext's paper on scaling offers thoughtful answers. This - alongside ScaleDem's scale framework - help us see that scaling isn't just about reaching more people. It's about embedding deliberation across institutions, deepening cultural roots, and building infrastructure.
๐งต ๐
๐ญ Scaling deliberative democracy has to be about more than numbers.
๐ค Many practitioners and researchers working in democratic innovation have been thinking hard about what scaling really means, and how we can grow participation without losing depth, trust, or connection...
๐งต ๐
๐จ Closing this Sunday, 18th January
Recruitment for our new CEO closes on Sunday. If you're someone with a deep commitment to social justice and the role that Involve can play in improving the lives of citizens, then we want to hear from you.
๐ Read more and apply: micro.green-park.co.uk/involve/
๐ค This is a rare opportunity for communities north and south to shape the future of a shared landscape โ balancing nature, economy, and community.
๐ฃ๏ธ Please help us to make sure every voice has the chance to be heard.
More info: ๐ involve.org.uk/.../carlingford-lough
๐ Residents can learn more and register their interest here:
๐ sortitionfoundation.org/carlingford_lough_2026
Or call the freephone number: โ๏ธ 1800 100 061 (8AMโ8PM every day)
๐๏ธ Deadline extended: Friday 23 January 2026
๐จ This is urgent โ and we donโt want anyone to miss the chance to take part.
If you know anyone in Greenore, Omeath, Carlingford, or anywhere along the southern shore, please help us spread the word today ๐ฃ๏ธ
Over Christmas, 5,000 invitations were sent to households around the Lough to take part in shaping its future.
While invitations reached the northern shore as planned, a postal delay means many on the southern side might miss out before the deadline. ๐ฌ
๐ A once-in-a-generation cross-border project is happening at Carlingford Lough โ and we need your help.
A Citizensโ Jury is bringing people together to help decide the Future of Carlingford Lough โ yet a postal delay means some households may not receive their invitations in time.
๐งต ๐
๐ Insights from the Net Zero Living Programme
๐ค Join us next week where we'll be sharing insights from our work as part of Innovate UK's Net Zero Living Programme, supporting local authorities to engage citizens effectively in the journey to net zero
๐ iuk-business-connect.org.uk/events/insig...
Weโre proud to be supporting the delivery of the new Cairngorms 2030 Communities Fund panel: an exciting initiative that hands real decision-making power to communities.
Read more ๐
Weโre launching the Cairngorms 2030 Communities Fund, an investment in communities โ with a twist. People who live in and love the National Park are invited to design the whole process of handing out ยฃ1 million in funding from start to finish.โฏ
Learn more โก๏ธ bit.ly/3YpW27F
