The cabinet is linking major cutbacks to the decentralisation of AWBZ tasks. There are objections to this, but it also offers opportunities. The practice of the new WMO will stand or fall with active input from clients. We look ahead to the necessary government 2.0 and the new participation possibilities.
From welfare state to participation society
In the coming years, municipalities will have to deal with the above-mentioned transition in healthcare and are logically prepared or equipped to varying degrees to take on the new, decentralised (care) tasks.
These are big words, but at the core of the impending revolution lies the fact turkey mobile phone number list that we are moving from a 'welfare state' to a 'participation society'. The course is firmly anchored in the word participation . No longer automatically assuming that the government will arrange everything, but taking the initiative yourself. Taking care of yourself and others must become the most normal thing in the world again.
In the new structure, municipalities will be responsible for local, social support for citizens (work, income, welfare, care and education and safety). Municipalities must start to steer on the citizens' own efforts and carrying capacity. The local character of the municipality's activities offers the opportunity to integrally connect work, activation and social support.
SWOT Analysis
But it is not so obvious. Not only does the I-era, which is barely behind us, stand in the way of realization. Also the number of people who are in one way or another – wholly or partially – dependent on others is enormous and will continue to grow for the time being.
Simply expecting that municipalities will be able to effectively shape the intended transition within a few years seems wishful thinking . Not only is healthcare facing a necessary transition, municipalities will also have to reform.
Taking over care tasks yourself and among each other
The shift of responsibility towards the citizen is a second hurdle that must be overcome. The municipalities expect that citizens will take over a significant part of the care tasks themselves and among themselves. The success of the new WMO depends on the active input of citizens and only works if the citizen can enter into a well-informed discussion with the municipality. That seems logical, but will have to be organised or at least facilitated in the form of social networks. The Association of Dutch Municipalities ( VNG ) also believes that municipalities should make this possible.
Digital and physical social networks go hand in hand
The ongoing digitalization of society provides part of the solution or mindset. The more people are connected, the easier it is to reach them, communicate with them and help (each other). The world itself has gone through its own (digital) transition. We are connected to each other 7×24 on very different digital platforms.
I see a development to also set up the social environment of citizens who need care digitally. I write this while realizing that not everyone is online or wants to be connected digitally, but expect a substantial percentage of participants.
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Digital networks: promising opportunities for participation
A decade ago, the distribution of digital participation (communities), as can be seen from the image above, was as follows: 1% was very active, 9% contributed to a lesser extent and 90% preferred to watch or no longer visited.
That has changed completely in the past decade. See below the results of a BBC study (2012) on the level of activity on its digital platform(s). In the model, 23% is passive but 77% – to varying degrees – active.
The main reason for this enormous growth in activity is the acceptance of external social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. The use of digital platforms to connect people with each other hardly needs any further explanation. The necessity of social networks in healthcare, after the revolution, is called a prerequisite and this also includes the digital networks that offer excellent opportunities.
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Government 2.0 & citizen participation 2.0
There is no disagreement about the fact that healthcare is in danger of becoming unaffordable. By transferring part of healthcare to local governments, it can probably be cheaper. Physical and digital meeting platforms can play an important role in this revolution.
It is obvious that – once digitally connected – it is an excellent opportunity for the government (municipality) to also consult citizens for other matters. Earlier I wrote an article about citizen participation based on a very successful project in the municipalities of Lingewaard and Overbetuwe, where a digital platform played an important role.
The role of civil servants must also change
Due to the transition of care and the introduction of digitalisation, some civil servants will see their position change. In order to respond well to new forms of participation, active input from citizens and the dialogue between citizens, civil servants will increasingly have to become part of the networks in which citizens or clients are located. The municipality can facilitate these networks physically and digitally. We zoom in on the opportunities that digital social networks offer and the roles that the municipality, and therefore civil servants, must adopt.
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New roles: community manager & community coordinator
The above classification of members of digital platforms has two new roles in addition to the previously mentioned classification of more or less active members. These are the community manager and the community coordinator. Within this function and role, these people monitor, activate and connect all activities that take place within social networks and on digital platforms. Making a community – or digital social network – work does not happen automatically. But consider what a serious commitment of platforms can mean for the active input and commitment of citizens.
Here lies an opportunity for municipalities to support and successfully land the upcoming transitions. By directly utilizing the decentralization of care, in order to make the changing role of the government visible, the road to the participation society has definitely been taken.