Created on: 13 Jan 2022 | Last modified: 04 Aug 2022
PDF – Counting in the Community: a Case Study in Participatory Budgeting in a Scottish Secondary School
Word Document - Counting in the Community: a Case Study in Participatory Budgeting in a Scottish Secondary School
Author
Graeme Keir
This enquiry explores how participatory budgeting (PB) can be adapted to a school setting to increase community engagement and support effective decision making in relation to Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) funding. PB was found to be potentially transformative for community engagement and empowerment, and likely to aid transparency around decision making.
A literature review, and interviews conducted as part of this enquiry, suggests a lack of transparency and accountability around PEF decision making and evaluation. While it is outside the scope of this study to compare the efficacy of decisions made by PB versus the decisions made by Headteachers, the report makes clear why this is an area worthy of further study.
Drawing on this case study and the work of other practitioners, this report provides a guide to good practice when planning PB projects, including the use of online platforms and social media.
This report and project provides a ‘proof of concept’ for the use of participatory budgeting as a method for distributing PEF money. It may additionally support practitioners to explore related challenges and solutions regarding PEF, community engagement, and other uses of participatory budgeting in schools.