Build bridges between separate stakeholder groups

The ambition

This is about introducing and institutionalising (creating formal roles for) people or institutions that mediate or translate between different stakeholders of a project. Translating between civil society groups and governmental actors is especially important. Intermediaries have to be accepted in a way that both civil society groups and institutional/municipal actors feel heard and valued to build trust between stakeholders. Important is not how exactly the intermediary operates but its function. Therefore an intermediary can be of different nature e.g a single project manager, a committee/platform, an open-meeting space or a dedicated organisation.

Check out examples

Anti-gentrification resistance, Rome

The role of anti-eviction platforms was crucial as they contributed to voice the claim of evicted/targeted citizens and mediated between them and the municipality as well as the Housing Authority.

Learn more about his intervention:

• Take a look at the detailed Bottom-up resistance against gentrification in Rome
• Check out the brief governance scenario called Learning from successful community-based actions against gentrification

Vauban neighborhood, Freiburg

The “Vauban city planning council” was a consultative committee consisting of municipal actors, local parliamentarians and citizens. It can be considered as an intermediary as it was a place for discussion and mediation between stakeholders.

Learn more about his intervention:

• Take a look at the detailed Co-creation of a sustainable neighborhood in Freiburg
• Check out the brief governance scenario called Envisioning and co-creating sustainable urban neighborhoods by reaching across institutional boundaries

Bürger Energie Berlin, Berlin

There have been changes in terms of changing how the energy system can be imagined, who owns it and who participates in it. Political documents for example the coalition agreement in Berlin have some changes, particular attention has been given to citizens’ participation in the energy sector. Now there is also legislation for tenants’ energy self-consumption models which the citizen energy movement has contributed to.

Learn more about his intervention:

• Take a look at the detailed Citizens share in Berlin Energy Grid for sustainable energy
• Check out the brief governance scenario called Making local energy systems inclusively sustainable - by ourselves, with a little help by friends

Relation to previous work in UrbanA

This enabling governance arrangement addresses the following drivers of injustice:

• Lack of effective knowledge brokerage and stewardship opportunities. It refers to the ways in which (access to) useful information and know-how around sustainable urban interventions, and their benefits, is not shared effectively or equally among social groups, sectors or disciplines and thus constrain the potential for both sustainability and justice.
• Unfit institutional structures. It refers to those aspects or functions of organizations, public offices, administrations and authorities that deal with urban governance and stand in the way of achieving just outcomes in urban sustainability.