Evidence library

Since September 2018, with Participatory Budgeting funds from the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) has supported over 1000 disabled people to contribute over 8,000 hours to help shape and drive forwards a flagship Equalities approach to Participatory Budgeting in Glasgow, to ensure no-one is left behind. Participatory Budgeting can play a transformative role, but the focus on 'place' and place-based community engagement work routinely fails equalities groups and unintentionally risks widening inequalities. This report tells the story of GDA work and 'Making Space for Thematic Communities' through 4 case study areas, and sets out what needs to happen so that disabled people can be included in decisions about their communities.

SUMMARY Disabled people in all 4 wards highlighted significant mainstream services as top priorities for change, in particular: Housing – Transport – Social Care and Services – Social Security - Accessible jobs and learning – Human Rights. Many of these issues would be difficult if not impossible to meaningfully address through the small grants model of PB. GDA firmly believe that Second Generation PB, building on the Christie Principles by involving communities in decisions about wider public service reform and how all our resources are spent – will be key to empowering communities and tackling inequalities to achieve a Fairer Glasgow and Scotland.