From Theory to Practice: Challenges of implementing Meaningful Participation in small NGOs in Attica Region, Greece
Author
Volmari, Lea Maria
Term
4. semester
Education
Publication year
2024
Abstract
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan små NGO’er i Attika-regionen i Grækenland omsætter idealet om meningsfuld deltagelse til praksis i arbejdet med mennesker med levede erfaringer med fordrivelse. Med udgangspunkt i et konceptuelt rammeværk om meningsfuld deltagelse og aspekter af organisatoriske forandringsteorier anvendes en induktiv, kvalitativ tilgang baseret på otte semistrukturerede interviews med både personer med og uden levede erfaringer, suppleret af litteratur- og desk research samt eksisterende deltagerobservationer fra feltarbejde i Athen. Den græske kontekst er præget af skiftende rammevilkår for civilsamfundsaktører, herunder restriktioner i og omkring lukkede modtagecentre, skærpede registreringskrav og en urbanisering af behov i Athen. Resultaterne viser, at ingen af de undersøgte organisationer opfylder alle dimensioner af meningsfuld deltagelse: der mangler ofte økonomisk kompensation, reel deltagelse i beslutningsprocesser, indflydelse på strategi og inklusion på højere niveauer. Organisationerne fremhæver finansielle begrænsninger, magtubalancer, kulturelle forskelle og mangel på tid til refleksion og implementering som centrale barrierer; netop tid og ressourcer er afgørende for forandring, men er knappe. Afhandlingen peger på behovet for medledelse, meddesign og medejerskab samt interne organisatoriske ændringer, understøttet af et bredere skifte i finansieringssektoren og en bedre allokering af ressourcer for at muliggøre mere meningsfuld deltagelse.
This thesis examines how small NGOs in Greece’s Attica region translate the ideal of meaningful participation into practice when working with people with lived experience of displacement. Drawing on a conceptual framework of meaningful participation and elements of organizational theories of change, it employs an inductive qualitative design based on eight semi-structured interviews with both people with and without lived experience, complemented by literature and desk research and existing participant observations from fieldwork in Athens. The Greek context features shifting operating conditions for civil society, including restricted access to closed reception centers, stricter registration requirements, and a concentration of needs in urban Athens. Findings indicate that none of the organizations meet all dimensions of meaningful participation: financial compensation is often absent, participation in decision-making and influence on strategy are limited, and inclusion at higher levels is weak. Organizations report financial constraints, power imbalances, cultural differences, and a lack of time for reflection and implementation as key barriers; yet time and resources are essential for change. The thesis argues for a move toward co-leadership, co-design, and co-ownership, alongside internal organizational changes, supported by shifts in the funding landscape and better resource allocation to enable more meaningful participation.
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