Your opinion counts! Potsdam-Mittelmark district starts survey on the future

Your opinion counts! Potsdam-Mittelmark district starts survey on the future

Citizen participation in Potsdam-Mittelmark is getting a breath of fresh air! The district has launched the campaign "Our district. Our future. Your opinion." launched to hear the voices of residents. This exciting participation campaign aims to: Online survey to capture the opinions and needs of citizens. No matter how long you have lived in the district, every resident is invited to voice their concerns. The main themes are simple and essential aspects for the future, such as safe cycle paths, fast transport connections and community meeting points.

Another plus point: the survey is anonymous and easy to use. Participants can fill out these on their smartphone as well as on tablets or computers. You only have to invest a few minutes to express your opinion. The feedback will make a significant contribution to identifying relevant topics for the coming years and thus further developing the district.

Digital participation platform as a supplement

At the same time, Potsdam is launching the digital participation platform Help shape.Potsdam.de. This platform is intended to provide information on citizen participation and participatory budgeting. It bundles the previous online offerings and offers citizens a variety of functions. Ideas can be submitted, defects can be reported and surveys can be carried out. Heike Bojunga, head of department, emphasizes the user-friendliness and efficiency of the new system.

In addition, the defect reporter will be integrated into the platform and the existing Maerker format will run in parallel until the changeover is completed. From April 2024, Mitgestalten.Potsdam.de will only be used. A particularly important aspect of the platform is the direct dialogue with the mayor, which is digitized. An event calendar will also bring together all participation formats and a special area for children and young people will also be set up.

A look into the future of local participation

The research project “Success factors of local e-participation” examines the opportunities and challenges of digital participation models in Germany. The aim of the survey is to identify successful processes and to develop a multimodal digital dashboard that visualizes the data collected and can be used to compare and optimize participation processes. This could be a big step towards more inclusive and effective citizen participation in various municipalities.

These initiatives clearly show that the voice of the citizen is highly valued. The new digital channels and committed campaigns make it easier for the residents of Potsdam and the district to actively participate in shaping their living environment. A good hand for the future – that’s what those responsible have made it their mission!