Will you be part of Local Democracy Week 2019?
Join us for Local Democracy Week 2019
Local Democracy Week is a way of helping people to be part of civic life and to have a voice in the issues that really matter in our local communities. We’re encouraging our citizens, councillors and local organisations to get involved by organising an event or activity anywhere in Kirklees during October 2019 that helps people to get involved in local democracy.
We will help you to promote what you’re doing, and we’ll also be running some events ourselves. Join our email list for the latest updates.
When is Local Democracy Week?
Local Democracy Week is held around 15th October every year. Local Democracy Week 2019 runs from 14th to 20th October. Our programme will also include events happening any time in or around October 2019.
Who can take part?
Local Democracy Week is for everyone. In previous years we’ve been proud to work with our citizens and with many local organisations, including community groups, schools, the University of Huddersfield, libraries, museums and local businesses, as well as national partners. Most of the events in our programme are open to everyone, but we’re also always keen to include events for children and young people, events for staff, and activities that include our local councillors.
What kind of activities and events can be part of it?
All kinds of events can be included in the programme – from a gathering in your local neighbourhood to an event in one of our town halls. Anything that helps people to be part of local democracy and civic life is relevant. Here are a few ideas…
1. Getting together – can you help people to meet their local councillors by organising an afternoon tea or any other get-together where you live?
2. Celebrating our democratic heritage – can you share stories to help inspire people to get involved in our local democracy? Previous events have included exhibitions, suffragette walks, talks and exploring local archives.
3. Fun ways to learn – could you organise a fun and informative evening in your community? Popular activities so far have included Community Cinema evenings and quizzes with Countdown-style conundrums.
4. Creative workshops – could you help people of all ages to explore local democracy through music, creative writing, drawing or drama?
5. Discussions or debates – can you get people talking and help people to get their questions answered? Previous events have included question and answer sessions and a debate about democracy in music (which was held in a record shop).
Are you already planning an event around this time that helps people to have a voice, get involved in their community or learn about local democracy? Please let us know what you’re planning so we can include your event in our promotion.
How to get involved
We’re keen to hear from local organisations and others who might want to be part of Local Democracy Week in Kirklees. Interested? Let’s work together to promote local democracy.
Please email us at: kirkleesdemocracy@gmail.com
We welcome new ideas for local democracy events and activities. Please email us or tweet us @kirkdemocracy if you’ve got something to share.
We’d love to hear your ideas.
European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) was launched to foster citizen participation and promote democracy at the level that’s closest to citizens. This year’s theme is:
Local democracy: building trust
– Co-designing local democracy together with citizens
– Practising open government
We think this fits in well with the aims of the Kirklees Democracy Commission – we’ve made a commitmdent to grow a stronger local democracy here in Kirklees, from the ground up.
We hope you’ll want to be a part of it.