1. COMMUNITY X CHANGE WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK COMMUNITY X CHANGE Peter Bryant: consultant WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK

2. COMMUNITY X CHANGE WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK Thirty citizens from rural areas aged between 13 and 83. Four weekends of in-depth sharing and deliberation A voice for marginalised voices: youth

3. COMMUNITY X CHANGE WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK

4. COMMUNITY X CHANGE WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK This was the only thing that was negative about the whole process, by the end of it we started to feel we were being stage managed, that it was just window dressing and another way to say look we are listening to the people now well do what we have always done and youre going to validate it by being there. This made me feel annoyed, angry and mad

5. COMMUNITY X CHANGE WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK The response? –A politicised process –A tool for activism –Closer links with social movements

6. COMMUNITY X CHANGE WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK What next?

7. COMMUNITY X CHANGE WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK Priority recommendations: Youth voice More deliberative processes Community X Change need allies to make sure this experiment in participatory democracy has an impact

8. COMMUNITY X CHANGE WWW.RURALSOS.ORG.UK HOW CAN THE EU LISTEN TO ITS CITIZENS? Rural citizens from Community X Change and the European Citizens Panel will discuss: How to encourage young people to engage in policy making and vote in 2009 How to gain citizen involvement in preparation for 2014-2019? Tuesday November 4th 2008 10.00-12.30 European Parliament (Room details to be confirmed) book at pbinclusion@btinternet.com