Imagine if you got the keys of your hometown for a day. How would you spend the budget? Would you invest in protecting the environment? Would infrastructure or education take priority?
How do you prioritise programmes that will benefit all, if not the most, of your community?
Trust-IT is pleased to contribute to the organisation of the upcoming webinar Navigating Ethical Challenges in Local Government: A New Toolkit for Inclusive and Responsible Policy and Programming. During the hour long discussion, the webinar seeks to address these challenges by introducing a groundbreaking toolkit designed for ethical policy deliberation.
Taking place on November 21, 2024, at 14:00 CET, this webinar will demonstrate the usefulness of the Ethics in Policy Deliberation Toolkit, a framework stemming from a collaborative effort of the University of Warwick and the University of Cape Town. The toolkit brings a new, more considerate lens for decision-makers, helping policymakers and practitioners collaborate on ethical decisions in municipal planning and local governance.
The Significance of Ethics in Policy-Making
Local governments are at the forefront of addressing societal challenges, often managing issues like poverty alleviation, education access, and environmental justice. These decisions inevitably involve ethical dimensions, such as prioritizing resources and ensuring equity. However, the absence of structured approaches to these considerations has historically led to unintended consequences, sparking a demand for solutions that balance competing interests responsibly.
The Ethics in Policy Deliberation Toolkit fills this gap, providing a structured method for recognizing and resolving ethical issues. It encompasses comprehensive materials, including videos, briefings, and presentations, offering local government teams practical guidance to incorporate fairness and inclusivity into their decisions.
Insights from Leading Experts
The webinar will feature distinguished contributors to the toolkit. Professor Keith Hyams, a leading expert in applied ethics from the University of Warwick, will set the stage with a discussion on the fundamentals of ethical deliberation. Dr. Gina Ziervogel, with seasoned experience in resilience planning, will delve into why ethics and fairness are critical for local governments today. Dr. Morten Byskov will introduce the concept of the toolkit itself, highlighting its innovative approach to decision-making in municipal contexts.
Putting theory to practice, Candes-Lee Arendse from Cape Town’s City Risk and Resilience Team,will share reflections on implementing the toolkit in a practical context and its implementation in Cape Town. These insights promise to offer valuable lessons for European policymakers, local governments, or democracy enthusiasts interested in innovative and collaborative resources that address the plethora of social, political, gender-based, or economic challenges local communities can face.
Fostering Responsible Governance
By bridging the gap between academic theory and practical application, the webinar underscores the vital role ethics play in fostering responsible governance. With its user-friendly resources and evidence-based methodology, the toolkit is set to equip policymakers across Europe and beyond with the tools needed to build more equitable and sustainable communities.
As part of University of Warwick’s project ‘Implementing an Ethical Toolkit for a Just Transition and Climate Policy’ , Trust-IT Services provides and facilitates the project-s communication strategy. With project’s goal to demystify democratic processes and its interconnectedness with academic research in the digital age, Trust-IT provides digital marketing efforts and graphical development support.
