Citizen participation in financial planning

The city of Jyväskylä has been selected to participate in an experimental project funded by Sitra (the Finnish Innovation Fund) aimed at promoting citizen participation. In this project, a randomly selected group of Jyväskylä residents are invited to participate in the Citizens’ Panel. The aim is to assemble a group with residents from different backgrounds and residental areas. The panel members will be briefed into municipal finances. After that they assess the impacts of the budget-balancing measures decided upon in the 2024 budget on the daily lives of citizens. Simultaneously, valuable insights will be generated to support the preparation of the 2025 budget—specifically, what aspects should be considered to prevent disproportionate effects on any population group?  

The Citizens´ Panel will also collaboratively define what principles the city should uphold to ensure that Jyväskylä remains a great place to live—a city that is attractive and appealing to residents both now and in the future. Based on facilitated panel discussions, a jointly considered statement will be crafted. This statement will be presented to the city council as part of the budget preparation process and will also be made public on the city’s website. 

Invitations to the Citizens' Panel

Invitations to participate in the Citizens´ Panel will be sent randomly to residents of Jyväskylä in March 2024. Any Jyväskylä resident aged 15 to 89 has the opportunity to receive an invitation, as the invitations will be sent to 1800 randomly selected individuals. This random sampling approach ensures a diverse panel composition, including individuals who may not have previously participated in municipal decision-making.

The invitation letter will include a registration form, allowing interested residents to express their willingness to join the Citizens’ Panel. Participants will be selected from those who register, aiming for a panel of  30 members that represents the population of Jyväskylä as comprehensively as possible