We bumped into the following while browsing Serco's website:

"Serco engages in partnership with a range of stakeholders and providers and in particular with The Third Sector, adding value to our work with local communities".

Anybody know what the "Third Sector" is?

We Googled it, and came up with this:

"Third sector, community and voluntary groups

The Government defines the third sector as non-governmental organisations that are value driven and which principally reinvest their surpluses to further social, environmental or cultural objectives. It includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, social enterprises, cooperatives and mutuals. We also include housing associations within the third sector.

The Government recognises the value of the diversity of organisations in the sector providing voice for under represented groups, in campaigning for change, in creating strong, active and connected communities, in promoting enterprising solutions to social and environmental challenges and in transforming the design and delivery of public services.

Communities and Local Government, and many in the third sector, share the same broad vision and aims of prosperous and cohesive communities. We work closely with the Office of the Third Sector who have lead responsibility for the third sector within Government. The Office of the Third Sector and HM Treasury are currently undertaking a joint review of "The future role of the third sector in social and economic regeneration". This will set out the Government priorities for enabling an independent and thriving sector over the next three years.

We asked you for views on our Departmental draft third sector strategy, which aims to set a framework for effective, on-going engagement with the sector. The deadline for responses was 20 September 2007".

This led on to:

"Community empowerment

Community empowerment is the process of enabling people to shape and choose the services they use on a personal basis, so that they can influence the way those services are delivered. It is often used in the same context as community engagement, which refers to the practical techniques of involving local people in local decisions and especially reaching out to those who feel distanced from public decisions.

About community empowerment

Giving people and communities more of a say on the services they receive and where they live

Community empowerment means getting people more involved in the decisions that affect their lives.

Communities and Local Government wants to give people and communities more say on the services they receive and the places where they live. In the recent Local Government White Paper we set out a number of ways to do this.

This will include simplifying the process for setting up tenant management organisations. We have set up a review to look at how communities can play a bigger part by managing or owning community assets - such as buildings.

A key part of giving communities more say is to have local councillors from a more representative range of backgrounds. We will be looking at the factors which encourage or prevent people from serving on councils.

More people will be able to get their community concerns addressed with the support of their councillors through a new 'community call to action'.

Communities and Local Government is also involving communities in a wide range of issues. This includes getting Asian women involved in their community and supporting council tenants to develop their own tenant management organisations. We are leading on the Together We Can plan - a government action plan in which 12 departments have committed themselves to involving citizens in specific projects.

Empowerment means making sure people have the knowledge and skills they need to be able to influence public services. We aim to spread good practice within government and public services.

We are working with local government and community organisations to identify and promote good practice and are developing the Together We Can website www.togetherwecan.org.uk to provide information for people who work in this area or want to find out how they can go about improving life in their communities.

We have identified a number of Civic Pioneers - local authorities which lead the way on getting their local communities involved.  We have piloted training on adult citizenship and set up a Take Part learning network on adult citizenship which offers advice to trainers wanting to run adult citizenship courses. For more information visit www.takepart.org

There are also a number of Guide Neighbourhoods - successful communities and organisations which have turned around their local areas. These are inspiring examples of good practice and areas are acting as mentors for other areas.

Read more about the community empowerment work of Communities and Local Government or find out more about the Together We Can action plan, Civic Pioneers, Guide Neighbourhoods on our communities and neighbourhoods policy site.

Community Empowerment commitments in the Local Government White Paper

Responsive service and empowered communities is the second chapter of the White Paper. It proposes:

• More choice for local people in the way local services are designed and delivered
• A new duty for councils and other best value authorities to 'inform, consult, involve and devolve'
• People will have more and better information about their local services and how their public authorities are performing
• People will have the right to an answer when they put forward suggestions to their councils or ask for action 
• The Community Call for Action already a success in tackling anti-social behaviour will be extended, giving Councillors more power to demand action on behalf of their communities 
• More neighbourhood management
• More opportunities for communities to take on the management and ownership of local facilities and assets, with a new fund to encourage them
• An independent review, the Quirk Review, looking at how to overcome the barriers to community ownership and management of assets.
• More opportunities for Tenant Management Organisations
• A new 'power of well-being' means that Quality Parish Councils will be able to respond better to their communities' needs
• Local charters in which communities and their councils can agree the services to be provided
• More co-ordinated support for citizens and community groups to help them take advantage of empowerment opportunities

This led to:

Participation of citizens in local public life

Council of Europe

Committee of Ministers

Recommendation Rec(2001)19 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the participation of citizens in local public life

(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 6 December 2001 at the 776th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 15.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe,

...

Considering that participation of citizens is at the very heart of the idea of democracy and that citizens committed to democratic values, mindful of their civic duties and who become involved in political activity are the lifeblood of any democratic system;

Convinced that local democracy is one of the cornerstones of democracy in European countries and that its reinforcement is a factor of stability;

...

Aware that public expectations have evolved, that local politics are changing form and that this requires more direct, flexible and ad hoc methods of participation;

Considering that, in certain circumstances, the level of trust people have in their elected institutions has declined and that there is a need for state institutions to re-engage with and respond to the public in new ways to maintain the legitimacy of decision-making;

Recognising that a wide variety of measures are available to promote citizen participation and these can be adapted to the different circumstances of local communities;

Considering that the right of citizens to have their say in major decisions entailing long-term commitments or choices which are difficult to reverse and concern a majority of citizens is one of the democratic principles common to all member states of the Council of Europe;

Considering that this right can be most directly exercised at local level and that, accordingly, steps should be taken to involve citizens more directly in the management of local affairs, while safeguarding the effectiveness and efficiency of such management;

Reaffirming its belief that representative democracy is part of the common heritage of member states and is the basis of the participation of citizens in public life at national, regional and local level;

Considering that dialogue between citizens and local elected representatives is essential for local democracy, as it strengthens the legitimacy of local democratic institutions and the effectiveness of their action;

Considering that, in keeping with the principle of subsidiarity, local authorities have and must assume a leading role in promoting citizens' participation and that the success of any "local democratic participation policy" depends on the commitment of these authorities;

...

Recommends that the governments of member states:

1. frame a policy, involving local and - where applicable - regional authorities, designed to promote citizens' participation in local public life, drawing on the principles of the European Charter of Local Self-Government adopted as an international treaty on 15 October 1985 and ratified to date by a large majority of Council of Europe member states, as well as on the principles contained in Appendix I to this Recommendation;

2. adopt, within the context of the policy thus defined and taking into account the measures listed in Appendix II to this recommendation, the measures within their power, in particular with a view to improving the legal framework for participation and ensuring that national legislation and regulations enable local and regional authorities to employ a wide range of participation instruments in conformity with paragraph 1 of Recommendation No. R (2000) 14 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on local taxation, financial equalisation and grants to local authorities;

3. invite, in an appropriate way, local and regional authorities:

- to subscribe to the principles contained in Appendix I to this recommendation and to undertake the effective implementation of the policy of promoting citizens' participation in local public life;

- to improve local regulations and practical arrangements concerning citizens' participation in local public life, and to take any other measures within their power to promote citizens' participation, with due regard for the measures listed in Appendix II to this recommendation;

4. ensure that this recommendation is translated into the official language or languages of their respective countries and, in ways they consider appropriate, is published and brought to the attention of local and regional authorities;

...

Appendix I

Basic principles of a local democratic participation policy

1. Guarantee the right of citizens to have access to clear, comprehensive information about the various matters of concern to their local community and to have a say in major decisions affecting its future.

2. Seek for new ways to enhance civic-mindedness and to promote a culture of democratic participation shared by communities and local authorities.

3. Develop the awareness of belonging to a community and encourage citizens to accept their responsibility to contribute to the life of their communities.

4. Accord major importance to communication between public authorities and citizens and encourage local leaders to give emphasis to citizens' participation and careful consideration to their demands and expectations, so as to provide an appropriate response to the needs which they express.

5. Adopt a comprehensive approach to the issue of citizens' participation, having regard both to the machinery of representative democracy and to the forms of direct participation in the decision-making process and the management of local affairs.

6. Avoid overly rigid solutions and allow for experimentation, giving priority to empowerment rather than to laying down rules; consequently, provide for a wide range of participation instruments, and the possibility of combining them and adapting the way they are used according to the circumstances.

7. Start from an in-depth assessment of the situation as regards local participation, establish appropriate benchmarks and introduce a monitoring system for tracking any changes therein, in order to identify the causes of any positive or negative trends in citizen participation, and in order to gauge the impact of the mechanisms adopted.

8. Enable the exchange of information between and within countries on best practices in citizen participation, support local authorities' mutual learning about the effectiveness of the various participation methods and ensure that the public is fully informed about the whole range of opportunities available.

9. Pay particular attention to those categories of citizens who have greater difficulty becoming actively involved or who, de facto, remain on the sidelines of local public life.

10. Recognise the importance of a fair representation of women in local politics.

11 Recognise the potential that children and young people represent for the sustainable development of local communities and emphasise the role they can play.

12. Recognise and enhance the role played by associations and groups of citizens as key partners in developing and sustaining a culture of participation and as a driving force in the practical application of democratic participation.

13. Enlist the joint effort of the authorities at every territorial level, with each authority being responsible for taking appropriate action within its competence, according to the principle of subsidiarity.

Appendix II

Steps and measures to encourage and reinforce citizens' participation in local public life

A. General steps and measures

1. Ascertain whether, in a complex and increasingly globalised world, the relevance of local action and decision-making is made clear to the public by identifying core roles for local authorities in a changing environment.

2. Give proper emphasis to these roles and ascertain, if necessary, whether the balance of powers exercised at national, regional and local levels is such as to ensure that a sufficient capacity for local action lies with local authorities and elected representatives to provide the necessary stimulus and motivation for civic involvement. In this context, make use of every opportunity for functional decentralisation, for example by delegating more responsibilities with regard to schools, day nurseries and other facilities for children or infants, care facilities for the elderly, hospitals and health centres, sport and recreation centres, theatres, libraries, etc.

3. Improve citizenship education and incorporate into school curricula and training syllabuses the objective of promoting awareness of the responsibilities that are incumbent on each individual in a democratic society, in particular within the local community, whether as an elected representative, local administrator, public servant or ordinary citizen.

4. Encourage local elected representatives and local authorities, by any suitable means including the drafting of codes of conduct, to behave in a manner consistent with the high ethical standards and ensure compliance with these standards.

5. Introduce greater transparency into the way local institutions and authorities operate, and in particular:

i. ensure the public nature of the local decision-making process (publication of agendas of local council and local executive meetings; meetings of the local council and its committees open to the public; question and answer sessions, publication of minutes of meetings and decisions, etc.);

ii. ensure and facilitate access by any citizen to information concerning local affairs (setting up information bureaus, documentation centres, public databases; making use of information technology; simplifying administrative formalities and reducing the cost of obtaining copies of documents, etc.);

iii. provide adequate information on administrative bodies and their organisational structure, and inform citizens who are directly affected by any ongoing proceedings of the progress of these proceedings and the identity of the persons in charge.

6. Implement a fully-fledged communication policy, in order to afford citizens the opportunity to better understand the main issues of concern to the community and the implications of the major political decisions which its bodies are called upon to make, and to inform citizens about the opportunities for, and forms of, participation in local public life.

7. Develop, both in the most populated urban centres and in rural areas, a form of neighbourhood democracy, so as to give citizens more influence over their local environment and municipal activities in the various areas of the municipality. More specifically:

i. set up, at sub-municipal level, bodies, where appropriate elected or composed of elected representatives, which could be given advisory and information functions and possibly delegated executive powers;

ii. set up, at sub-municipal level, administrative offices to facilitate contacts between local authorities and citizens;

iii. adopt, in each area, an integrated approach to the organisation and provision of public services, based on a willingness to listen to citizens and geared to the needs which they express;

iv. encourage local residents to become involved - directly or via neighbourhood associations - in the design and implementation of projects which have a direct bearing on their environment, such as the creation and maintenance of green areas and playgrounds, the fight against crime, the introduction of support/self-help facilities (childcare, care for the elderly, etc.).

...

C. Steps and measures to encourage direct public participation in local decision-making and the management of local affairs

1. Promote dialogue between citizens and local elected representatives and make local authorities aware of the various techniques for communicating with the public, and the wide range of ways in which the public can play a direct part in decision-making. Such awareness could be developed through the publication of guidelines (e.g. in the form of a charter for public participation at local level), the holding of conferences and seminars or the establishment of a well-maintained website so that examples of good practice could be posted and accessed.

2. Develop, through surveys and discussions, an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the various instruments of citizens' participation in decision-making and encourage innovation and experimentation in local authorities' efforts to communicate with the public and involve it more closely in the decision-making process.

3. Make full use, in particular, of:

i. new information and communication technologies, and take steps to ensure that local authorities and other public bodies use (in addition to the traditional and still valuable methods such as formal public notices or official leaflets) the full range of communications facilities available (interactive websites, multi-channel broadcast media, etc.);

ii. more deliberative forms of decision-making, i.e. involving the exchange of information and opinions, for example: public meetings of citizens; citizens' juries and various types of forums, groups, public committees whose function is to advise or make proposals; round tables, opinion polls, user surveys, etc.

4. Introduce or, where necessary, improve the legislation/regulations which enable:

i. petitions/motions, proposals and complaints filed by citizens with the local council or local authorities;

ii. popular initiatives, calling on elected bodies to deal with the matters raised in the initiative in order to provide citizens with a response or initiate the referendum procedure

iii. consultative or decision-making referendums on matters of local concern, called by local authorities on their own initiative or at the request of the local community;

iv. devices for co-opting citizens to decision-making bodies, including representative bodies;

v. devices for involving citizens in management (user committees, partnership boards, direct management of services by citizens, etc.).

5. Give citizens more influence over local planning and, in a general manner, over strategic and long-term decisions; more specifically:

i. give citizens the opportunity to become involved in the various stages of the decision-making process concerning these decisions, notably by dividing this process into several stages (for example programming, drafting of projects and alternatives, implementation, budgetary and financial planning);

ii. illustrate each phase of the planning process by means of a lucid, intelligible material that is readily accessible to the public, using, if possible, in addition to the traditional methods (maps, scale models, audiovisual material) the other media available through new technologies (CD-Rom, DVD, electronic documentary bases accessible to the public).

6. Develop systematic feed-back mechanisms to involve citizens in the evaluation and the improvement of local management.

7. Ensure that direct participation has a real impact on the decision-making process, that citizens are well informed about the impact of their participation and that they see tangible results. Participation that is purely symbolic or used to simply grant legitimacy to pre-ordained decisions is unlikely to win public support. However, local authorities must be honest with the public about the limitations of the forms of direct participation on offer, and avoid arousing exaggerated expectations about the possibility of accommodating the various interests involved, particularly when decisions are made between conflicting interests or about rationing resources.

8. Encourage and duly recognise the spirit of volunteering that exists in many local communities, for example through grant schemes or other forms of support and encouragement for non-profit, voluntary and community organisations, citizens' action groups, etc., or through the forging of contracts or agreements between these organisations and local authorities concerning the respective rights, roles and expectations of these parties in their dealings with one another.

D. Specific steps and measures to encourage categories of citizens who, for various reasons, have greater difficulty in participating

...

4. As regards young people in particular:

i. develop the school as an important common arena for young people's participation and democratic learning process;

ii. promote "children's council" and "youth council" type initiatives at municipal level, as genuinely useful means of education in local citizenship, in addition to opportunities for dialogue with the youngest members of society;

iii. encourage youth associations and, in particular, promote the development of flexible forms and structures for community involvement, such as youth centres, making full use of young people's capacity to design projects themselves and to implement them;

iv. consider the reduction of the age for voting in or standing for local elections and for participating in local referendums, consultations and popular initiatives;

v. consider the various other types of initiative suggested by the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Municipal and Regional Life adopted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe in 1992.

5. As regards foreigners in particular, encourage their active participation in the life of the local community on a non-discriminatory basis, by complying with the provisions contained in the Council of Europe's Convention on the participation of foreigners in public life at local level of 1992, even when its provisions are not legally binding on states, or, at least, by drawing inspiration from the mechanisms referred to in this Convention.

Extracts taken from the Government website: http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/communityempowerment/