Mainstreaming Social Inclusion

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Key Steps in the Policy-making Process

(Based on Guidelines for Community Planning of the Czech Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs1)

1. Where to start?

  • Establish a working group;
  • Define the stakeholders;
  • Gain political support;
  • Develop an information strategy.

2. Set up a management structure:

  • Involve stakeholders;
  • Set up an organisation and management structure;
  • Define the rules for action.

3. Understanding of the problems in the community:

  • Define the objectives, interests and needs of the stakeholders;
  • Create and publish mechanisms for the active engagement of the public;
  • Analyse the needs and assess the existing resources;
  • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the existing social services system;
  • Identify opportunities and threats and outline trends.

4. Proposal for the development of social services:

  • In what direction will the social services develop?
  • What are the priorities?
  • What are the obstacles to be overcome?
  • What regional and national resources are available?
  • Is the vision of the social services development accepted by all the stakeholders?

5. Strategy for social services development:

  • A plan of gradual steps and tasks to meet defined objectives and priorities;
  • A system for monitoring the implementation of the community plan;
  • Prepare the final draft of the community plan;
  • Publish the plan for comments by the public and stakeholders;
  • Get approval from the Municipal Council.

6. From planning to implementation:

  • Implement the plan;
  • Inform the public;
  • Engage the partners;
  • Mechanisms to enable change to the original community plan.

* * * * * * * *

Along the same lines, the Strategic Policy-Making Team in the UK Cabinet Office suggests a model of policy-making which has four basic steps:2

Stages of Policy Development

There needs to be an understanding of the problem to be addressed;

  • Defining the problem;
  • Resolving tensions;
  • Identifying stakeholders and deciding their roles.

Solutions need to be developed by:

  • Collecting information and evidence;
  • Consulting widely;
  • Working with other involved individuals and organisations;
  • Managing risk;
  • Developing options / choices;
  • Estimating the cost for each option.

Implementing solutions;

  • Communicating policy;
  • Supporting service providers (training, advise)
  • Testing different options.

Testing success;

  • Evaluating;
  • Adjusting.


Graphic illustrating Effective Policy Development

1 Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic, Prague (2002) Community Planning - A Public Matter

2 UK Cabinet Office, London, (1999) Modernising Government A White Paper.