At our final conference: Co-creating human-centred policies – for a better Europe, we will explore how to co-create and design the future through responsible, inclusive and innovative methods and co-design a manifesto to improve our policy-making practices. Join us online between the 3-7 May.

The pandemic has amplified already pressing economic, social, and environmental problems, challenging institutions and policymakers to find innovative solutions together with citizens. Over the course of five days we will explore five thematic areas:

1. “Developing a culture of co-creation with citizens” – Design can play a key role in the development of advanced forms of citizen engagement and participation, a necessary step in the implementation of better European policies. The new Bauhaus, with its combination of sustainability, aesthetics and inclusiveness and the implementation of the Green Deal are examples of this approach. In this session, participants will be invited to explore key considerations around local experiments that make use of design methodologies for co-creation and their link to European policies.

2. “The power of empathy – design for policy” – Participants to this session will explore how policy-making can benefit from the practices and methodologies of design. They will dive into the power of empathy and experience concrete and thought-provoking examples from the field and explore the potentials of design for policymaking with leading European experts. The audience will experiment with concrete design methods and discuss pressing challenges with like-minded people.

3. “Letting go of power. How do we make sure EVERYONE is involved in the co-creation process?” – Together, participants will analyse how co-creation practices can become more equitable, inclusive and socially just. They will delve into strategies and tools to ensure no one is left behind, that power asymmetries are taken into consideration, and that we really create safe spaces for experimentation, where everyone feels welcomed.

4. “Co-creation ecosystems: Enabling collaboration for sustainable cities” – What does a supportive co-creation ecosystem look like and how can it contribute to the sustainability of cities? Participants will learn about the latest research results in the field of co-creation and exciting practice examples. The day examines different co-creation cases in-depth with a focus on complexity, requirements, limits of co-creation as well as the potential for social innovation and reference to the Urban Agenda for the EU.

5. “Co-creating a manifest for future policymaking” – A better Europe requires policies that respond better to societal needs. As a conclusion of 3 years of research and experimentation, SISCODE consortium has worked on a draft manifesto to call for a more responsible, inclusive and sustainable European policy-making practice based on co-creation with citizens. The audience is invited to discuss and amend this manifesto together with policymakers, civil servants and other influential European actors within public sector innovation.

Register here!