Project Aim
E-voice intended to enhance the interest and the engagement of European citizens in general political issues within a representative democracy. The project developed, tested and advocated the multi-media dialogue approach: the combination of the strengths of the 'old' media (newspapers, radio, television, (mobile) telephone, libraries, etc.) and the 'new' ones (internet, e-mail, electronic chat-rooms and forums, sms, mms, etc.) in all phases of the policy cycle.
Project implementation and results
Pilot projects
The e-voice project has developed the multi-media dialogue approach, including an extensive inventory and thus successfully presented a number of tangible and measurable ‘lighthouse projects’, applying the multi-media dialogue approach in various lighthouse projects, including the extensive user-manual.
For instance, the pilot project in Zwaagwesteinde, the Netherlands has succeeded in creating realistic conditions in making democracy work on youngsters own their terms and conditions. The lighthouse project was recognised at a meeting of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg in 2007, where the project was presented.
In this framework, the e-voice project partners at Uddevalla (SE) and Bremen (DE) developed and implemented large document handling systems to enable citizens to access the system via the internet. The Municipality of Groningen (NL) was very successful with the award-winning eLoket with 25 eServices with transactions and 325,000 visitors and 170,000 transactions per year. In Leiedal (BE) three multi-channel and multi-level product catalogues were set up and a single contact point was established.
Impact of the project
Long term achievements
The results of the multi media approach was described in a user manual. This provides guidelines and recommendations for setting up a multi media dialogue approach, indicates suitable multi media or M-tools (applications, techniques and protocols), describes best practice, gives practical examples, and offers suggestions as to which selection of means of communications is most appropriate for a specific situation. In this context, the project has fostered new developments and improved access to government through ICT.
Dissemination
The project has successfully implemented the extensive dissemination campaign of e-voice in terms of making the project widely recognised throughout a number of significant arenas for eParticipation and eDemocracy. This has certainly been highlighted and recognised through the various national awards that the project has received during the project: The eLoket SAM Award, the Belgian e-Governance Award in 2006 and the award winning voters' campaign 'Its not about politics, it's about you' in Norfolk, UK. |
Voters campaign in Norfolk County, UK
Partners Intercommunale Leiedal, BE
Freie Hansestadt Bremen (Free Hanseatic City of Bremen), DE
Municipality of Uddevalla (also representing Ale and Härryda), SE
Municipality of Groningen, NL
Norfolk County Council, NL
LP:
Municipality of Dantumadeel
Project Manager
Jan Walburg
Bureau Walburg Smaragdstoep 21
NL-9403 SE Assen
The Netherlands
bureau.walburg@iaf.nl
www.evoice-eu.net
Tel: +31 592 406570
Measure: 2.5
Start Date: 27 February 2004
End Date: 01 June 2008
ERDF Grant:
 2.325.000,00
Total Eligible Sum:
4.650.000,00
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