Resident panels

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Democracy and InclusionResidents

Resident and user panels are groups consisting of local residents that are involved in the preparation of city services and projects.

Resident, customer and user panels are groups consisting of local residents that are involved in the preparation and development of city services and projects. Resident panels help increase understanding of various phenomena and empower local people. 

In a resident panel, a group of local residents meet to discuss and exchange views on a specific subject, usually 2–4 times, and provide a statement on the issue on hand, in which the residents express their ideas and views. This statement helps prepare the issue for further processing. 

Vantaan vaikuttajat resident development group 

In spring 2021, Vantaa established a resident development group that forms resident panels as part of the preparation and development of issues concerning different sectors. The resident development group was formed by sampling 2,000 persons from the population register, and more than 100 persons signed up for the group. In summer 2021, the first resident panels were launched as part of the preparation of the Osallistuva Vantaa programme, the new council term strategy and the resource wisdom road map. 

The members of the Vantaan vaikuttajat development group participate in the preparation and planning of the city’s services. The group forms project-specific resident panels to discuss, consider, comment and work on the plans and projects under preparation. Panel members are selected on the basis of their interests, while ensuring the best possible representation. We want to strengthen the idea that local residents can make their voices heard and feel like the city represents them, regardless of their background, age and life situation. 

Participation in a municipal resident pool is a great way to influence the city's future. The panels provide city’s officials, representatives and administration with valuable information and local residents’ ideas and perspectives for planning and decision-making. The themes of the 2021 resident panels concerned, for example, Vantaa’s future strategy, sustainable urban development, inclusion programme and resident well-being.