WIREDGOV

Independent Welsh think-tank the IWA last night (26th Jan) launched an innovative eight-week project to engage the public in a debate about Wales’ future using ‘crowdsourcing’.

Just days after the Prime Minister, David Cameron, published plans to devolve extra powers to Scotland, the IWA’s ‘Constitutional Convention’ will consider what Wales wants.

“We are taking areas where Scotland is getting extra powers and discussing what is means for Wales. Is there an appetite for us to follow suit? Could our politicians and civil servants cope with extra powers? And is the debate over powers the main issue facing Wales , or are there greater issues around performance, capacity and quality that we need to address first?” IWA Director Lee Waters said.

Using an innovative crowdsourcing website the cross-party think-tank is aiming to reach beyond the political elites to address the question ‘What kind of Wales do you want for your children?’.

“We’re going into this Constitutional Convention with open minds and want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to engage with the issues” he added.

The convention will begin with a focus on the role of the UK, then discuss the economy, welfare state and issues such as England, Europe and the way Wales is funded. Throughout each of these phases, there will be cross cutting themes of; performance to date, barriers to progress, capacity and calibre, and powers.

The debate will be taken up by the IWA’s partners: NUS Wales, Wales TUC, Federation of Small Businesses Cymru, Electoral Reform Society Cymru, Community Housing Cymru and Media Wales.

The convention has been funded partly from crowdfunding platform and the crowd have been involved with the development of the conversation, having fed back on the initial plans published on the IWA site www.clickonwales.org throughout the past week.

As well as almost £4000 being raised from public donations for the project, the convention is being supported by the UK’s Changing Union Project.

The eight week convention will coincide with the Secretary of State’s announcements on Welsh devolution, set to take place around the St David’s Day deadline he outlined in a speech to the IWA in November.

The convention’s launch will take place on the 26th January 2015 at an exciting event from 6pm at the Abacus in Central Cardiff, with the crowdsourcing website going live at iwaconvention.co.uk

Notes to Editors

For questions or interview requests please contact:

Jessica Blair

07773555390

jessica.blair@iwa.org.uk

The full plan for the IWA’s constitutional convention can be found below:

Part 1-

http://www.clickonwales.org/2015/01/help-shape-our-constitutional-convention/

Part 2-

http://www.clickonwales.org/2015/01/a-more-prosperous-wales-part-ii-of-constitutional-convention-plans/

Part 3-

http://www.clickonwales.org/2015/01/a-fairer-wales-part-iii-of-constitutional-convention-plans/

Part 4 and 5-

http://www.clickonwales.org/2015/01/the-future-of-the-uk-part-iv-of-constitutional-convention-plans/

A link to the IWA’s crowdfunding site can be found here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iwa-s-constitutional-convention-part-2

The crowdsourcing platform is being built on a Dialogue app hosted by Delib LTD. For more information please visit their website: http://www.dialogue-app.com/info/

For more information about the IWA please visit our website: www.iwa.org.uk