Przejawy responsywności i partycypacji w wybranych polskich instytucjach i organizacjach świadczących usługi społeczne. Badania wstępne
Occurrences of Responsiveness and Participation in Selected Polish Institutions and Organisations Providing Social Services. Exploratory Approach

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this article is to present the results of preliminary research on potential manifestations of responsiveness and civic participation in institutions and organisations providing social services in Poland. The study focuses on identifying organisational mechanisms within these institutions and organisations that enable service users to have a genuine impact on the design, implementation, and evaluation of institutional activities. The key research questions concern the existence and nature of participatory structures, the ways in which institutions respond to the voice of citizens, and the extent to which feedback is taken into account in decision-making processes. The presented material is based on qualitative research conducted in the form of case studies of eight diverse institutions. The research includes an analysis of internal documents (statutes, regulations, reports), content from organisational websites, and additionally, structured individual interviews with the leaders of these institutions. The analysis results indicate a wide diversity in approaches to user participation – ranging from formalised participatory structures to individual practices supporting user agency. Notably, greater flexibility and engagement were observed among non-governmental organisations, along with innovative practices involving service users as so-called “experts by experience.” Many institutions still operate within structures that limit genuine citizen influence, and participatory actions often remain ad hoc, lacking allocated financial or organisational resources. The research aimed to analyse how, in practice, institutions describe the possibilities for citizen participation within their structures and how the leaders of these institutions approach this issue. The scientific innovation of this study lies in its analysis of organisational practices from the perspective of a responsive approach – one that is oriented towards the voices and needs of service users and that opens up to their co-creation and co-management of services. The study contributes to a new perspective on civic participation by identifying specific mechanisms and barriers to implementing responsive and inclusive models of public services in a local context. The concluding section discusses the challenges for the education of professionals working in these services (such as staff development and institutional reorganisation aimed at strengthening relationships with citizens).

• Details
• Contents