'In the energy transition, professionals label residents of districts and neighborhoods as careful, which unintentionally leads to marginalization.'

We recently read an interview in Social Issues with the American professor Albert Dzur, who wrote several books about 'democratic professionalism'. He describes how professionals in sectors such as education, healthcare and justice allow people to participate more in their thoughts and decisions about their work. This democratic professionalism strengthens cooperation, increases involvement and trust, and leads to better supported and more effective decisions. 

Can the energy transition be more successful if democratic professionalism is applied?
A different approach by professionals and the availability of knowledge platforms such as Cuby lays the foundation for the development of a successful neighborhood approach 'from the bottom up'. This promotes a collaborative and inclusive dialogue between professionals and residents, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions that meet the needs of the community in the neighborhood.

What does that mean?
Energy transition professionals should make greater use of democratic tools such as:

1. Participation and Involvement: Encourage professionals to actively involve residents in decision-making processes. This ensures that the community's wishes and needs are heard and that they can participate in developing plans for improving their neighborhood. 

2. Transparency: Promote open communication and transparency to build trust between residents and professionals. This is essential for successful collaboration and for creating support for improvements in the neighborhood. 

3. Knowledge sharing: Share expertise with the community, so that the professional also learns from the local knowledge and experiences of residents. This mutual learning leads to better and more effective solutions that match the specific context of the neighborhood. 

4. Inclusivity: Listen to diverse voices and opinions, including those from vulnerable groups. This reduces inequalities and ensures that everyone benefits from developments in the neighborhood. 

5. Responsibility and Accountability: Be accountable for the areas for which you are responsible as a professional. This strengthens democratic processes and ensures that policies and actions are in the interests of residents. 

6. Concrete perspective for action: Help residents gain independent insight into the structure of their neighborhood and create a clear perspective to work together with the relevant municipal officials on the plans and implementation of the Neighborhood Improvement.

7. Democratic tools: When developing and implementing plans, use democratic tools, such as the decision-making tool Heat Networks from NPLW Map Set, conversation techniques from social work (motivational interviewing, for example Method Description) and of course Cuby. With Cuby, local residents gain access to the practical information needed to collaborate with professionals ánd civil servants in the development of the Heat Plan for their home and their neighborhood.

Are you curious about democratic tools?

Please contact Aart van der Vlist, aart@sblc.nl