# Welcome Welcome to the CitiObs Leave-No-One-Behind (LNOB) Toolkit. This toolkit contains practical guidance and resources from across Europe’s citizen science community to help Citizen Observatories (CO) and Citizen Science (CS) initiatives consider ways that they can reach and engage with a more diverse, inclusive, and representative group of participants and stakeholders. The aim of the **LNOB Toolkit** is to help you to: * **Consider issues of inclusion, diversity, equity, and justice** in the context of your initiative and its activities, * **Reflect on what communities and groups of people may be left behind** in your context, and explore ways to include them in your activities, * **Identify ways you might reach and engage** a broader range of participants and communities, and groups who may be under-represented, * **Create an inclusive environment** to involve people with a stake in the issue you're investigating, or those disproportionately impacted by it. * **Consider ethical issues** when you are planning your outreach and engagement activities, such that they are respectful and supportive of diverse communities. Unsure of what a 'Citizen Observatory' is, or what 'Citizen Science' is? *Head to* [*our Glossary* ](/readme/glossary-of-terms)*for definitions of a range of terms we use in this Toolkit*
# Introduction ## About this Toolkit This toolkit aims **to enable you and your community to reflect on diversity and inclusion in your own context, and move beyond just awareness and dialogue towards concrete actions that lead to a more inclusive, diverse, and representative community of participants**. Keeping in mind that every Citizen Observatory (CO) is different, and the range of issues being investigated will affect different groups of people and stakeholders, we have endeavoured to collect a range of relevant resources developed by the European community of citizen science practitioners. The contents of the LNOB Toolkit include: * **Workshop materials** that introduce the concepts of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and the pledge to "Leave No One Behind' along with guidance on how to run this workshop with internal stakeholders; * Descriptions of **workshop facilitation methods** to reflect and discuss how these concepts might be relevant in the context of one's own Citizen Observatory (CO) along with guidance on running such workshops with a wide range of stakeholders; and * **Sign-posted guidance for a range of tools or methods** that can be applied towards enabling or improving diverse and representative inclusion throughout the activities and lifecycle of the CO. ### How this toolkit approaches diversity & inclusion Rather than focusing on groups of people according to specific characteristics that could signal that they are marginalised, such as their gender, ethnicity, or mobility, the Toolkit seeks to encourage awareness of different vulnerabilities and factors that can cause people to be 'left behind'. A contextual understanding of the ways in which these factors intersect allows more effective measures to be designed and taken to bridge these gaps and short comings. Depending on the scope and intention of any given CO, different communities could be contacted and invited to participate actively, and ways can be found to ensure that the unequal impacts of the environmental factor under investigation are being taken into account (such as poorer air quality in disadvantaged zones of the city), such that the needs of people thus affected are addressed. It should be emphasised that **it is not possible to engage all groups in the activities of any given CO** (let alone all COs), **nor should that be the aim**. It may not be possible for people to engage in the core activities of the CO for a variety of reasons, such as lack of time and resources, or much more urgent issues in their day to day lives. Guidance on how to ensure that their voices and needs are also represented is thus also contained within the Toolkit. ### Why is diversity & inclusion relevant? Reasons for wanting to achieve more diverse engagement within COs include the importance of including people who are unequally (or inequitably) affected by the environmental issue being investigated, as a matter of environmental justice, and the improved effectiveness of actions taken to tackle environmental justice when there is a broader representation of both the needs and contextual insights of those affected This can be done by: 1. raising awareness of and interest in environmental issues amongst a wider range of residents from across more areas of the city, 2. involving a diverse and representative range of people in observing their environment and sharing these data and insights towards more robust and effective action taking, and 3. enabling diverse and representative involvement in citizen-led actions, and co-created solutions to tackle environmental issues, 4. paying particular attention to the needs of minoritized groups who may be inequitably impacted by environmental issues and have a stake in the outcomes of any actions taken to address those issues. # Navigation ## How to Navigate this Toolkit This toolkit has been designed to make it easy for the reader to move about freely, and jump to any particular section as needed. However, we have attempted to organise it along a logical sequence (inspired by the [NESTA Open Book of Social Innovation](https://www.nesta.org.uk/report/the-open-book-of-social-innovation/)) that roughly represents the life-cycle of a project or an initiative:
1. REFLECTION - turn to this section to read about the 'Leave No One Behind' pledge and reflect the concepts of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion 2. DIALOGUE - this section 3. INSIGHT GATHERING - this section 4. PLANNING - this section 5. OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT - this section 6. CO-CREATION & CO-PRODUCTION - this section 7. EVALUATION - this section ### Section Structure The title page of each section introduces the topic with a description of its contents, followed by question-led sub-pages that: * describe why that question is relevant, and * how to get started, * list useful resources * provide example case studies (when available), * provide links to other relevant sections of the CitiObs Toolkits, and * provide a list of references Over time we will continue to add resources and case study examples, and welcome any contributions that you might have, or suggestions of what might be missing. Just [drop us a note in this form](https://citiobs.eu/contact/), and we'd be be thrilled to add your suggestions to the toolkit! # About CitiObs This toolkit is one of several being produced in the EU-funded **CitiObs** project ('*Enhancing Citizen Observatories for healthy, sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities'*) that aim to foster inclusive, diverse, and stable citizen participation in the observation, monitoring, and protection of urban environments. Alongside the **Leave-No-One-Behind Toolkit**, you can also find guidance for strengthening stakeholder collaboration and resolving conflicts in the **Citizen Observatory Participation Dynamics Toolkit**, access tools for organizing impactful community-led environmental actions with the **Citizen-Led Action Toolkit**, and find out more about tools and approaches for environmental monitoring in the **Environmental Monitoring Toolkit** , inlcuding practical advice for utilizing environmental sensing devices effectively, ensuring data quality, interoperability, and accessibility. ​ The aim of all of these tools is to: * Enhance existing and new Citizen Observatories to engage people from a diverse range of communities * Add value to environmental observations in the urban context * Increase and validate citizen observations of the urban environment as part of the existing in-situ Earth Observation systems, * Provide materials and guidance for co-creating inclusive local actions for sustainability * Provide guidance and tools to help aggregate standardize and validate data of the Citizen Observatories such that it can be easily accessed, referenced and reliably used for decision-making and policy development towards the objectives of the European Green Deal
# Glossary of Terms This handy glossary of terms has been compiled with the help of the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) Working Group for Empowerment, Inclusiveness and Equity (EIE). **Accessibility** – Openness, the quality of being approachable, available in practice. The term also describes the ability to comprehend the language of a service or activity, and the distance between service or activity and potential users due to various resources such as time and money. (Porta, 2023). **Citizen Observatory (CO)** - A community-based environmental monitoring and information system that involves the participation of citizens in observing and reporting on their environment, often using technology like mobile phones or the web. **Citizen-led Actions** - An initiative or a series of actions primarily conceived, organized, and delivered by citizen communities within a Citizen Observatory, often focused on addressing local environmental concerns and creating positive change without necessarily relying on external processes. **Citizen Science** - There are a wide range of participatory research and community science practices that fall under the umbrella term 'Citizen Science', sometimes also referred to as 'Community Science'. Their shared characteristic is **the active involvement of the public in scientific knowledge co-production**. More information can be found in the [ECSA 10 Principles of Citizen Science](https://www.ecsa.ngo/10-principles/), and [ECSA's Characteristics of Citizen Science](https://ecsa.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ecsa_characteristics_of_citizen_science_-_v1_final.pdf). **Co-creation** - A collaborative process where multiple stakeholders, including citizens, researchers, and other relevant parties, work together to jointly develop ideas, solutions, and actions, ensuring diverse perspectives are integrated. **Consent** – Agreement by choice, made freely without duress or deception, and with sufficient capacity and legal competence to give it. (Law, 2022). **Bias** – A conscious or unconscious attitude towards people or the interpretation of a phenomenon that can lead to (positive or negative) prejudice, discrimination, and/or representation. (Chandler & Munday, 2020). **Diversity** – The existence of variations of different characteristics in a group of people. These characteristics could be anything that makes us unique, such as our cognitive skills and personality traits, along with the things that shape our identity (e.g. race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, cultural background). (Hinsenkamp et al., 2020). **Digital Literacy** – Having the skills necessary to access information and participate online such as using a computer keyboard, navigating to a website, or using a search engine. (McArthur et al., 2018). **Disability** – An umbrella term covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions that are not just related to health but are also complex reflections of the interaction between features of a person’s body, and features of the society in which he or she lives. Walking, seeing, hearing and cognition are all considered essential in determining disability. (Hinsenkamp et al., 2020). **Dis/ability** – A term used by dis/ability studies academics and activists to counter the word ‘disability’ (spelled without the slash). Some argue that the use of the term ‘disability’ (spelled without the slash) suggests that a person is represented, or identified, by what they cannot do, rather than what they can do; and it ignores the various individual and collective processes that intersect with disability. (Goodley, 2018). **Discrimination** – In its most current use, it refers to the differentiation between people based on gender, colour, sexuality, dis/ability or class. (Rai, 2018). **Empowerment** – To increase the ability of an individual or community to do things for themselves. (Park & Allaby, 2017). **Engagement** – Forms of one-way or two-way information exchange between stakeholders and researchers/innovators. This may include forms of communication, consultation, or participation. (Giannelos et al., 2021) **Environmental equity (environmental justice)** – The extent to which all groups of people in a region or country (regardless of race, ethnicity, economic status, or income) receive equal treatment and protection under environmental statutes, regulations, and practices. (Park & Allaby, 2017). **Ethics** – The philosophical study of moral values and rules, that inform decisions about wrong and right. (Park & Allaby, 2017). **Ethnicity** – The term ethnicity was coined in contradistinction to race, which is often seen in biological terms. Members of an ethnic group may be identifiable in terms of racial attributes, but they may also share other cultural characteristics such as religion, occupation, language, or politics. Individuals who consider themselves, or are considered by others, to share common cultural characteristics that differentiate them from the other collectivities in a society, and from which they develop their distinctive behaviour, form an ethnic group. (Scott, 2014). **Exclusion** – A process by which individuals or households experience deprivation, either of resources (such as income), or of social links to the wider community or society. (Scott, 2014). **Equity** – Fairness arising from the equal use and allocation of resources. (Park & Allaby, 2017). **Equality** – The state of being the same in terms of quantity, value, or status. (Park & Allaby, 2017). **Feminism** – The view that women and men should be treated equally and the advocacy of women’s rights. Feminism encompasses a wide range of political and social movements, theories, and positions which share the focus on women and women’s rights from diverse perspectives. (Griffin, 2017). **Gender** – Gender refers to the characteristics of woman, man, or other identities that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, or non-binary gender identities, as well as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time. Gender interacts with but is different from sex, which refers to the different biological and physiological characteristics of females, males and intersex persons, such as chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs. Gender and sex are related to but different from gender identity. Gender identity refers to a person’s deeply felt, internal, and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond to the person’s physiology or designated sex at birth. (WHO, n.d.). **Inclusion** – The action or state of including or of being included within a group or structure. (Mayhew, 2015). **Intersectionality** – A perspective of power relationships that considers the various social variables (such as sex, age, ethnicity, dis/ability, immigration status, nationality, and physical/mental/emotional conditions) that have an effect on individuals’ spheres of influence, perceptions, and actions. (Kuran et al., 2020). **Justice** – Fairness, the quality of being fair or just. (Park & Allaby, 2017) **Representation** – The substitution of an individual or class in place of a person (such as a sibling of a severely ill person who is not able to express her/his own preferences). Representation needs to be fair, but the precise meaning of fairness is context dependent. This may mean that some contexts require additional efforts to include particular stakeholders. (Giannelos et al., 2021) **Social exclusion** – Exclusion from the prevailing social system and its rights and privileges, typically as a result of poverty or the fact of belonging to a minority social group. (Hinsenkamp et al., 2020). **Socio-economic groups** – Different groups of persons where the members of a particular group are, on the one hand, reasonably homogeneous and, on the other hand, fairly clearly distinguished from members of other groups in respect of their social, economic, demographic and/or cultural circumstances and behaviours. (Hinsenkamp et al., 2020). **Socio-economic status (SES)** – An economic and sociological combined total measure of a person's work experience and of an individual's or family's economic and social position in relation to others. When analysing a family's SES, the household income, earners' education, and occupation are examined, as well as combined income, whereas for an individual's SES only their own attributes are assessed. (Hinsenkamp et al., 2020). **Vulnerability** – the susceptibility of suffering risk and damage due to relative disadvantage that is the result of an intersection between different factors such as social class, race, gender, sexual identity, age, and disability among others. Vulnerability is not a static condition, nor will it be the same to all members of a social group. Finally, it is important to note that social vulnerability is not a natural condition but the result of systemic inequalities and oppression. (Kaijser & Kronsell, 2014; Kuran et al., 2020; Tierney, 2019) # REFLECTION ## Why is it relevant? A recurrent challenge for Citizen Science projects and initiatives is the lack of diversity amongst participants. The causes for this can relate to limited capacity or reach on the part of project leaders, and a lack of resources on the part of potential participants such as time to participate, or the money to acquire equipment. However, the causes can be much more complex and intersectional with regard to gender, age, socio economic status, literacy levels, religious affiliation, dis/ability, and other factors. Taking the time to reflect on who might be left behind or experiencing barriers to participation, and the factors causing these inequalities and inequities, is crucial for understanding how initiatives and projects can be more inclusive in their outreach.
*Graphic illustration created by Ruth Graham from a community discussion on inclusion and equity by the ECSA working group on Empowerment, Inclusion and Equity and others in February 2026.* # What does 'Leave No One Behind' mean? ## The UN pledge to leave no one behind In 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations pledged to ensure “no one will be left behind” and to “endeavour to reach the furthest behind first” when they approved the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN, 2015a & 2015b). The intention of this pledge is for Member States to take explicit action to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of individuals and humanity as a whole, as well as to fast-track progress for those furthest behind.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which works with countries to implement the 2030 Agenda, has defined five key factors that help to understand who is being left behind and why, as shown in the figure above, namely: Discrimination, Vulnerability to shocks, Governance, Socio-economic status, and Geography. People at the intersection of these factors face reinforcing and compounding disadvantage and deprivation that can cause them to be among the furthest behind (UNDP, 2018): *"People get left behind when they lack the choices and opportunities to participate in and benefit from development progress. All persons living in extreme poverty can thus be considered ‘left behind’, as can those who endure disadvantages or deprivations that limit their choices and opportunities relative to others in society". (UNDP, 2018, p 3.)* The concept of ‘Leave No One Behind’ recognises that to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined in the 2030 Agenda (UN, 2015a & 2015b), it is necessary that the people who are being left behind become full and equal agents in achieving these goals, with meaningful participation in decision making, underpinned by safe and inclusive mechanisms for their engagement. ## Why is it relevant? The pledge to “leave no one behind” in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aligns well with the inclusive and participatory nature of citizen science, particularly in citizen science, community science, and CO initiatives that have the objective to improve the living environment of people in urban areas by investigating issues such as air, water and noise pollution, heat stress, biodiversity loss, and other topics that directly impact human health and well-being. There are often complex causal factors behind these issues that relate closely to the five factors that can cause people to be left behind —discrimination, geography, governance, socio-economic status, and shocks or vulnerability—and these factors also affect the ability participate in such environmental monitoring efforts. By considering and addressing these factors in their own context, CO leaders will be better equipped to ensure that their projects engage diverse communities, include marginalized voices, distribute resources equitably, and produce data that truly represents all populations and ecosystems. This not only strengthens the legitimacy and impact of their initiatives but also contributes meaningfully to achieving the SDGs in a fair and inclusive way. ## How can our CO engage with the LNOB pledge? The UNDP has defined three mutually reinforcing “levers” that UN member states, local leaders, and change agents can deploy to ensure that no one is left behind, namely (UNDP, 2018): 1\. **Examine:** disaggregated and people-driven data and information, 2\. **Empower:** civic engagement and voice, and 3\. **Enact:** integrated, equity-focused SDG policies, interventions, and budgets. Given the urgency of achieving the SDGs, the UNDP encourages countries to implement approaches to move all three “levers” forward simultaneously by improving what is known about who is left behind, where they are, and why. They furthermore encourage leaders in all walks of life to become agents of change, challenging and disrupting business as usual, building national consensus on the policies the pledge requires, making hard choices and finding innovative ways around trade-offs. COs and citizen science or community science initiatives can take inspiration from these levers by considering their role as change agents for positive change for a healthier and more sustainable living environment for all: 1. **Examine by gathering, analysing, and using data and evidence** of the environmental factors that impact peoples' lives; 2. **Empower by expanding the opportunities to engage** as city residents and members of civil society with local and regional decision makers who can act on that data towards the achievement of the SDGs; and 3. **Enact via co-developed and co-promoted policies and interventions** that will improve both their living environment and opportunities for the furthest behind people, groups and communities. ## References United Nations (UN). (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. \[online] Available at: \[Accessed 8 August 2024]. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN). (2015a). *2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development*. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2018). *What does it mean to leave no one behind? A UNDP discussion paper and framework for implementation*. United Nations General Assembly. (2015b). *Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development*. Doc. A/RES/70/1. UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). (2022). *Operationalizing Leaving No One Behind. Good Practice Note for UN Country Teams*. UNICEF. (2021). *A guidance Note for Leaving No One Behind (LNOB)*. UNICEF. # What does 'JEDI' mean? ## The JEDI acronym stands for Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion As citizen observatories continue to make important contributions to environmental monitoring and governance, it is crucial to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion into their fabric, such that the collaborative and participatory practices of COs can achieve long-lasting and sustainable outcomes that benefit all of society. **Equity** Unlike equality that limits itself to providing the same access to resources and opportunities to people, equity seeks to address the barriers that some people or groups face which impedes them of making use of the same resources and opportunities. Equity lies at the heart of building a fair and just society. Citizen observatories can promote equity by ensuring diverse groups have equal access to participation opportunities, resources, and benefits. To achieve this, observatories should actively seek to facilitate the engagement of diverse communities, including marginalised and vulnerable groups. Collaboration with community-based organizations, grassroots movements, and local leaders can help identify and address barriers to participation. Furthermore, the co-design of projects and the integration of diverse perspectives in decision-making processes can ensure that the outcomes reflect the needs and aspirations of all stakeholders.
**Diversity** Diversity refers to the inclusion and recognition of different perspectives, knowledge systems, and experiences. Citizen observatories can embrace diversity by encouraging the involvement of individuals from various socio-cultural backgrounds, age groups, genders, ethnicities, and abilities. Efforts should be made to create inclusive spaces where participants feel safe and respected. By adopting flexible and inclusive activities, citizen observatories can tap into the wealth of local knowledge and enhance the quality and relevance of the data collected. Moreover, collaboration with diverse stakeholders can foster interdisciplinary approaches, enriching the understanding and interpretation of environmental issues. **Inclusion** Inclusion involves creating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and actively engaged. Citizen observatories can promote inclusion by adopting participatory methodologies that empower people to co-create and co-govern projects. Emphasizing transparent and accessible communication channels can facilitate the exchange of ideas and ensure that information is disseminated in a manner that is understandable and relevant to diverse audiences. Building capacity and providing training opportunities can enable individuals from marginalised and vulnerable communities to actively contribute to monitoring efforts, data analysis, and decision-making processes.
**Benefits of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion** By actively engaging with equity, diversity, and inclusion, citizen observatories can reap numerous benefits. Firstly, they can enhance the quality and reliability of data by capturing a broader range of perspectives and knowledge systems. This inclusive approach can uncover unique insights, improve the accuracy of findings, and inform more robust decision-making. Additionally, citizen observatories can foster social cohesion by facilitating interactions between diverse groups, promoting dialogue, and fostering mutual understanding. For example, inviting local residents from diverse backgrounds to co-facilitate the trainings and workshops were found by Rickenbacker et al. (2019) to be crucial in promoting environmental justice among peers and empower participants. In addition, according to Turbridy et al. (2022), there are important issues surrounding the measurement and production of knowledge about air pollution that directly connects with inequality and power. ## You may also be interested in... [What does Leave No One Behind (LNOB) mean?](broken://pages/WOsEawIHqFrWoF9yAnov) [How can we ensure that our outreach and engagement activities are ethical?](/planning/how-can-we-ensure-our-outreach-and-engagement-activities-are-ethical-1) [How can we ensure our Citizen Observatory practices are equitable, diverse and inclusive (EDI)?](/planning/how-can-we-ensure-our-citizen-observatory-practices-are-equitable-diverse-and-inclusive-edi) [How do we engage specific communities/groups in our Citizen Observatory?](/outreach-and-engagement/how-do-we-engage-specific-communities-groups-in-our-citizen-observatory)
## References Bond. (2023). *Anti-racism and decolonizing. A framework for organisations*. Chase, J., Russo, P., Roche, J. (2023). *GlobalScape Workshop Materials: Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in Science Communication*. Collective Impact Forum. (2023). *Racial Equity Toolkit*. (Requires sign-up) Diversci. (n.d.).*First Aid Kit*. Diversci. Diversci. (n.d.). *Our Community*. Diversci. Diversci. (n.d.). *Spark Evaluation Workshop*. Diversci. Diversci. (n.d.). *Strategy: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Indicators in your organisation (checklist)*. Diversci. Partos. (n.d.). *Community of Practice on Inclusive Communication*. Partos. Partos. (n.d.). *Leave No One Behind Platform*. Partos. # DIALOGUE ## Why is relevant? Meaningful progress on equity, diversity, and inclusion in citizen science cannot be made from the outside looking in. The barriers that prevent people from participating are often invisible to project organisers, and assumptions made at the design stage about the core activities of the initiative might unintentionally exclude particular groups of people. Understanding and learning what these barriers might be is a core part of creating the conditions for diverse inclusion, yet this requires deliberate effort: a critical hurdle in broadening participation is often an absence of alignment between community priorities and research objectives. Dialogue, storytelling, and collective action are among the most powerful methods for surfacing the perspectives of underrepresented groups. They can also help to establish trust and drive meaningful social change. Establishing dialogue and co-creative practices early on between the public, local governments, academia, and other stakeholders has the potential to enhance active and inclusive participation, not just by making projects more accessible, but by reshaping them around the needs and concerns of those most at risk of being left behind. # How can we engage with the LNOB pledge? ## Why is it relevant? In today's world, one of the major environmental concerns that has emerged as a significant global challenge is that of air quality, one of the most common topics investigated by Citizen Observatories. Air pollution has diverse causes that can be seen across the world, such as expanding urbanisation, intensive agriculture, and increasing industrialisation. The adverse effects of poor air quality on human health and the environment, which relate to the range of Sustainable Development Goals shown in the image below, demand urgent action and collective efforts. In this context, the United Nations' concept of 'leaving no one behind' becomes crucial when inviting community participation in air quality monitoring. This principle, promoted under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasizes inclusivity, equity, and equal access to participation and benefits, ensuring that the most vulnerable and marginalised populations are not overlooked when engaging people and communities in COs and therefore that their needs are considered for policy and decision making.
#### **Equity in Exposure and Vulnerability** Air pollution affects people from all walks of life, but its impacts are disproportionately borne by marginalised communities. The exposure to air pollution is closely linked to poor housing conditions, closeness to polluting industries, and road infrastructure, thus also linked to socio-economic inequalities and discrimination (Buzzelli et al., 2003; Corburn et al., 2006; Mullen et al., 2022, Turbridy et al., 2022)*.* Vulnerable groups, including residents in low-income neighbourhoods or informal settlements, those with lower levels of education, ethnic minorities, dis/abled people, religious minorities, and gender nonconforming individuals, tend to face higher exposure to pollutants due to discriminating housing policies which result in greater exposure to pollution sources and limited access to green spaces (Kaÿmierczak, 2018, 6). Not only are these communities more exposed to air pollution, a study by Mullen et al. (2022) revealed that the number of PurpleAir air-quality sensors (a community system of PM (10, 2.5, 1.0) low-cost sensors measuring particulate matter) per capita were significantly reduced in areas with higher percentages of Hispanic, Black, and lower income residents in Los Angeles County, making a double burden for these marginalised communities. By incorporating the principle of 'leaving no one behind,' community participation in air quality monitoring can ensure that these groups are not overlooked, and their concerns and experiences are adequately addressed. #### Empowering Local Communities Engaging communities in air quality monitoring processes and resulting actions can foster a sense of ownership and empowerment. Bottom-up approaches, starting at individual- and community- level, are as important as seeking policy-based approaches to reduce emissions and environmental injustice (Rickenbacker et al., 2019). However, Mullen et al (2022, p.9) argued that “the self-organizing nature of a non-governmental air quality monitoring network such as PurpleAir can be exclusionary and may reproduce patterns of environmental injustice.” Without the principle of inclusivity, certain voices may be marginalised or excluded, perpetuating existing power imbalances. Residents of low-income and racialised neighbourhoods also seem to have reduced access to information about local air pollution (Mullen et al., 2022). ‘Leaving no one behind' ensures that all community members, regardless of their socioeconomic status or background, have equal opportunities to engage in decision-making processes, shaping policies that directly impact their lives. (For guidance on the participation dynamics aspects of these latter activities, see the *CitiObs D1.6 ‘Participation Dynamics Toolkit’*). #### Enhancing Data Quality and Representativeness Accurate and representative air quality data is crucial for informed decision-making and effective policy interventions. However, although appropriate to meet legal provisions, the concepts and indicators used by governments rarely resonate with the lived experience and local experiential knowledge of people living in polluted areas (da Schio, 2022; Gabrys, 2017; Ottinger, 2013; Turbridy et al., 2022). Without diverse participants, monitoring initiatives may fail to capture the full range of local conditions and experiences. Neglecting certain communities undermines the quality and representativeness of the data, potentially leading to skewed analyses and inadequate policies. By embracing the principle of 'leaving no one behind,' community-based monitoring initiatives can collect more comprehensive and representative data, providing a more accurate understanding of air pollution patterns and impacts. #### Co-Designing Solutions Community engagement is not limited to data collection; it should also extend to the co-designing of solutions. Embracing the concept of 'leaving no one behind' ensures that decision-making processes consider the unique needs, priorities, and knowledge of all community members. Studies have shown that local communities engaging with researchers in a practice of perceiving and documenting air pollution are “responding to environmental problems and creating political capacities” (Pritchard & Gabrys, 2016, p. 368) and marginalised communities have been seen to create new knowledge about local effects of air pollution emissions (Ottinger, 2017, Mullen et al., 2022). By actively involving marginalised groups, air quality interventions can be tailored to address specific challenges faced by these communities, fostering more effective and sustainable solutions for everybody. ## How to get started #### Start by familiarising yourself with the LNOB concept, and the factors that can lead to people being left behind The UNDP document ‘[What does it mean to leave no one behind?’](https://www.undp.org/publications/what-does-it-mean-leave-no-one-behind) provides a framework to enable and accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It describes five factors that are key to understanding who is being left behind and why, namely: discrimination; place of residence; socio-economic status; governance; and vulnerability to shocks. The factors can be used as guiding notions to examine the disadvantages people face; empower those who are being left behind \[or who are at risk of being left behind]; and to enact inclusive, far-sighted and progressive actions. Take the time to consider which groups of people in your local context might be left behind and in what ways, and who among them is likely the most affected (UNSDG, 2022): * Seek locally available data and statistics that might reveal these gaps. Your municipality can advise on where to find this data. * Include data and information from a range of sources, including from national statistical offices, national human rights institutions, international human rights mechanisms, labour organisations, and civil society organisations (particularly organisations of marginalised communities such as women’s or migrants), as well as community-level data, and citizen science initiatives. You can also approach your local higher education institution and enquire whether similar projects are being carried out by them or if they can share literature from scientific journals. * Seek feedback and input from diverse stakeholders, including vulnerable groups, throughout the process, from initial gathering of data to review and analysis. ### USEFUL RESOURCES **FRAMEWORK/PAPER: UNDP's What does it mean to leave no one behind?** This paper proposes a framework that governments and stakeholders can use to take action to leave no one behind in a way that enables, reinforces and accelerates progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). \[AS3] **FRAMEWORK/PAPER: The Brookings Institute book 'Leave No One Behind',** looks into the LNOB pledge and aims to translate that global commitment into an action-oriented mindset, focused on supporting specific people in specific places who are facing specific problems. While the whole book is interesting, the most relevant chapters to become familiarised with the concept and some specific cases are: * Chapter 1, Getting Specific to Leave No One Behind on Sustainable Development, introduces the LNOB concept, how it is used in some official documents, and describes indicators that are used to measure who is being left behind. * Chapter 2, Women on the Move. Can We Achieve Gender Equality by 2030?, focuses on the challenges to achieve gender equality. * Chapter 3, Breaking Out of the Poverty Trap, describes the microeconomic and psychological reality of what it means to be ultra-poor. While most of the chapter focuses on policies that can tackle this issue, the first part is relevant to advance an understanding of the complex set of interrelated causes of poverty. * Chapter 4, No Refugees and Migrants Left Behind, looks into the vulnerabilities that refugees and migrants face, and argues that including them in activities and policies can help achieve lasting sustainable and development goals. * Chapter 13, Left Behind or Pushed Behind? Redistributing Power Over the Sustainable Development Goals, discusses various notions of power and proposes to use the approach of redistributable power. **FRAMEWORK: The UN's SDG 5-Factors Framework in What does it mean to leave no one behind?** is a framework that stakeholders can use to gather and analyse information within and across the five factors. The text suggests key foci of existing data and information to consider. Information across the five factors can show who is left behind, how, and to what degree. . **TOOLKIT: The Leave No One Behind Partnership's toolkit** aims to equip civil society and other stakeholder organisations, groups, and individuals with relevant information and tools to enable them to understand and carry out campaigning and advocacy activities on the ‘Leave No One Behind’ commitment. Most relevant sections for understanding LNOB are Part 1 (Understanding the SDGs) and Part 2 (Examine: understand ‘Leave no One Behind’). ### REFERENCES Kharas, H., McArthur, J. W., & Ohno, I. (2019). *Leave No One Behind. Time for Specifics on the Sustainable Development Goals*. Brookings Institution Press. The Global Goals for Sustainable Development. (n.d.) Leave No One Behind Toolkit. United Nations Development Programme. (n.d.). *What does it mean to leave no one behind? A framework for implementation*. United Nations Development Programme. (2018). *What does it mean to leave no one behind? A UNDP discussion paper and framework for implementation*.

*** \[1] There are strong linkages between air pollution exposures and human health effects and the World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2021) estimates that annually, air pollution causes 7 million deaths and other health issues worldwide. Air pollution ‘increases morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and from lung cancer, with increasing evidence of effects on other organ systems’ (WHO, 2021, p. xiv). Common sources of air pollution include emissions from combustion using fossil or biomass fuels for transportation and energy production. Domestic heating is also a major source of air pollution in many parts of the world (WHO, 2021). According to the WHO, “more than 90% of the global population in 2019 lived in areas where concentrations exceeded the 2005 WHO air quality guideline” (WHO, 2021, p. 6). # LNOB Workshop Slide Deck The CitiObs LNOB Workshop materials introducing the pledge to "Leave No One Behind' and the concepts of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) take the form of a slide presentation, along with interactivity materials, and guidance for the use of both with key stakeholders at different stages of the CO lifecycle. As we develop this slide deck, we have been creating made-to-measure versions for workshops with our Frontrunner Cases, to test their contents in our own reflections sessions. These interim versions can be found in the CitiObs Zenodo repository: * [The LNOB workshop with the Dublin-based front runner cases](https://zenodo.org/records/13919897) - October 2024 * [The LNOB workshop at the SciVil citizen science network day](https://zenodo.org/records/13896021) - October 2024 * [The LNOB mentoring workshop with front-runner cases](https://zenodo.org/records/17680335) - June 2025 The final version of these slides will be uploaded to Zenodo and contained in the LNOB Toolkit and CitiObs Cookbook.

Slidedeck of the LNOB workshop

# LNOB Workshop Structure ### Workshop Preparation The suggested time allotment for the workshop is 3 hours, to allow for reflection and discussion, and to leave time for interactive activities and a break in between. The objective of the workshop is to introduce key concepts around Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) and the pledge to ‘Leave No One Behind’; to develop a shared vocabulary and understanding as a group; and to provide a foundation for further consideration of these concepts in the context of the Citizen Observatory or Citizen Science initiative. We recommend running the workshop in person, when possible, to aid connection and discussion, but recognise that this is not always possible, and therefore the materials are in a format that can also be used online. We additionally recommend that some light reading is provided to participants before the workshop, to already begin to familiarise themselves with the LNOB pledge and concepts, such as those contained in Section 1 of the Toolkit as an introduction to LNOB. *If any introductory reading is foreseen, it needs to be distributed to participants at least 1 week prior to the session. (It would need to be only 1 or 2 pages, just to start with some shared knowledge)* **Materials**: · Presentation Slide Deck · Facilitators Guide · Workbook · Potential background reading for workshop participants ### Workshop objectives: * To explain what is meant by the terms: justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) * To explain the ‘Leave No One Behind’ (LNOB) concept and pledge. * To recognise the importance of prioritising JEDI in Citizen Science and participatory research practices. * To explain of how diverse and equitable practices can increase inclusion in the activities of Citizen Observatories. * To describe how the activities of Citizen Observatories can be used to address issues of social justice. * To facilitate a reflection of their relevance to the specific case and context of the FRC and together discuss how these missing or under-represented groups of people might be engaged * As a result of these conversations, specific guidance and other resources within the LNOB Toolkit will be pointed to, or a plan made to address that gap in the Toolkit. ### Workshop Structure: Total session length: 2.5 hours (3 hours max), ideally in person but virtual is also possible
Agenda ItemTimingIntrActivities
Intro & Agenda10Welcome
nullBrief overview of session objectives
nullIntroduction of facilitators and attendees
Introduction of Tools10Brief overview of all toolkits under development, their purpose, and how they might be applied in the case of this FRC in relation to the needs that they have identified
nullIf future Toolkit sessions have been scheduled, refer to those plans here. Brief discussion of how the other Tools might be relevant and applied.
nullProvide a sense of a continuum of mentoring/support events planned. Take any questions
Energizer Session – What's the Knowledge in the Room?10

What are your experiences with diversity?

What groups do you already work with or have knowledge of?

nullThe goal is to find out who is in the room, what hats they wear, and their viewpoint on LNOB oriented topics is – but most importantly what knowledge and experience already exists in the group
Introduction to EDI, JEDI & LNOB 30Presentation introducing the concepts of EDI, JEDI, and LNOB, and doing some small exercises to aid discussion of these concepts
null

30

Introduction of the core concepts, and what we mean when we say ‘Leave No One Behind’.

Conversation aids to spend some time together considering these concepts.

Toolkit leader(s) / Facilitator

Workshop Slides.

Pre-printed templates and other workshop materials where needed.

Break 10
Facilitated discussions in Workshop format 20

· Toolkit leader/Facilitator explains the method for the workshop, and what is requested of the participants.

· Participants ask clarifying questions (5 minutes)

· The workshop commences according to the method

· METHOD WILL BE SELECTED IN DISCUSSION WITH FRC CONTACT POINT

Introduce the reflection facilitation method, experience in practice how the method works, and observe how the participants get on.

Assess the suitability of the method for facilitating useful reflections.

Toolkit leader(s) / Facilitator

Sticky notes, Word document or Miro Board

copies (digital or print) of the toolkits. Consider language needs.

Second stage of facilitated discussions in Workshop Format 20

· Toolkit leader/Facilitator explains the next step to be taken in the workshop, and what is requested of the participants.

· Participants ask clarifying questions (5 minutes)

· The workshop commences according to the method

· METHOD WILL BE SELECTED IN DISCUSSION WITH FRC CONTACT POINT

Takes a next step from reflection-mode to consideration of what can be done, how it might be done, how that can fit in the FRC planning, and what would be needed.

Assess the suitability of the method for facilitating the move from reflections to action planning.

Break 10
Feedback gathering 10

Toolkit leader & Facilitator ask the participants:

· What stood out for you from these discussions?

· What did you find confusing or maybe even confrontational?

· What did you like about the workshop structure itself?

· What did not work as well? Do you have some suggestions about how that could be addressed?

· What would have liked to cover, that you feel is missing?

· How should this workshop be ‘packaged’ to make it DIY?

· Do you have ideas of another context or group that you would want to run this workshop with? Can we support you in planning that? (or facilitating again?)

Feedback gathering for ongoing improvements and fine-tuning. FRC Contact Point/Facilitator
Wrap up & next steps 5 Overview of timeline for FRCs, reminder about evaluation form, group photo. Set expectations about next steps for FRCs and how this information will be used by CitiObs.FRC case contact point
### 1.3 Workshop Guidance As the CitiObs project enters the phase of testing and further developing the Beta version of the LNOB Toolkit via mentoring sessions with the CitiObs Frontrunner Cases, and trialling these workshop materials in practice, we will develop guidance for future users of the Toolkit to run these workshops themselves. This guidance material is therefore not yet developed. # How can we engage with the concepts of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)? \[before, during] ## Why is it relevant? As citizen observatories continue to make important contributions to environmental monitoring and governance, it is crucial to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion into their fabric, such that the collaborative and participatory practices of COs can achieve long-lasting and sustainable outcomes that benefit all of society. By actively engaging with equity, diversity, and inclusion, citizen observatories can reap numerous benefits. Firstly, they can enhance the quality and reliability of data by capturing a broader range of perspectives and knowledge systems. This inclusive approach can uncover unique insights, improve the accuracy of findings, and inform more robust decision-making. Additionally, citizen observatories can foster social cohesion by facilitating interactions between diverse groups, promoting dialogue, and fostering mutual understanding. For example, inviting local residents from diverse backgrounds to co-facilitate the trainings and workshops were found by Rickenbacker et al. (2019) to be crucial in promoting environmental justice among peers and empower participants. In addition, according to Turbridy et al. (2022), there are important issues surrounding the measurement and production of knowledge about air pollution that directly connects with inequality and power. ## You may also be interested in... [What does Leave No One Behind (LNOB) mean?](broken://pages/WOsEawIHqFrWoF9yAnov) [How can we ensure that our outreach and engagement activities are ethical?](/planning/how-can-we-ensure-our-outreach-and-engagement-activities-are-ethical-1) [How can we ensure our Citizen Observatory practices are equitable, diverse and inclusive (EDI)?](/planning/how-can-we-ensure-our-citizen-observatory-practices-are-equitable-diverse-and-inclusive-edi) [How do we engage specific communities/groups in our Citizen Observatory?](/outreach-and-engagement/how-do-we-engage-specific-communities-groups-in-our-citizen-observatory) ## References Bond. (2023). *Anti-racism and decolonizing. A framework for organisations*. Chase, J., Russo, P., Roche, J. (2023). *GlobalScape Workshop Materials: Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in Science Communication*. Collective Impact Forum. (2023). *Racial Equity Toolkit*. (Requires sign-up) Diversci. (n.d.).*First Aid Kit*. Diversci. Diversci. (n.d.). *Our Community*. Diversci. Diversci. (n.d.). *Spark Evaluation Workshop*. Diversci. Diversci. (n.d.). *Strategy: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Indicators in your organisation (checklist)*. Diversci. Partos. (n.d.). *Community of Practice on Inclusive Communication*. Partos. Partos. (n.d.). *Leave No One Behind Platform*. Partos. # ...by preparing for an internal dialogue? A good way to start to prepare the members of your CO or core team of partners is to discusse setting aside dedicated time to explore these themes in more detail, in an open dialoge with each other. ✓ Organise a CO and team meeting to have structured conversations on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion through workshops. ✓ Select an online MOOC or video workshop to watch together as a team, such as the **GlobeScape “Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in Science Communication” workshop** listed in the resources below. ✓ Place equity and inclusion at the heart of your communication and engagement strategy and setting clear strategic priorities for overcoming structural inequalities when planning activities. ✓ Use the concept of centering racial equity to advance the CO strategy, build understanding, strengthen relationships, and support in reaching collective goals. * Dialogue Tools you can consider using: * [The Inclusion Wheel](https://inclusivity.toolkit.citiobs.eu/how-can-we-engage-with-the-concepts-of-equity-diversity-and-inclusion-edi/the-inclusion-wheel) * [The Diversci Spark Self Evaluation Workshop](https://www.diversci.eu/evaluation-workshop/) * [The GlobeScape “Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in Science Communication” workshop](https://global-scape.eu/portfolio/training-workshop-materials-justice-equity-diversity-inclusion-in-science-communication/) * [The DiverSci EDI Strategy Development Checklist](https://www.diversci.eu/strategy/) * [Racial Equity Toolkit](https://www.fsg.org/resource/racial-equity-toolkit/) # ...by learning more from local groups in the community? One way to learn more about the equity, diversity and inclusion in your own local context is to seek out community groups or societal initiatives that are active on these themes, who you can reach out for insights and collaboration. ✓ Seek local groups or Communities of Practice (CoP) in your city, location, or country to join where you can share ideas and learn about these topics. ✓ Seek international/global CoPs that you might want to join, such as the [ECSA EIE Working Group](https://www.ecsa.ngo/working-groups/empowerment-inclusiveness-equity/), the [Diversci CoP](https://www.diversci.eu/our-community/), the [Partos Platform Leave No One Behind](https://leidenuniv1.sharepoint.com/sites/CitizenScienceLab-CitiObs/Shared%20Documents/CitiObs/Deliverables/Leave%20No%20One%20Behind%20Platform), or the [Partos CoP on Inclusive Communication](https://www.partos.nl/werkgroep/community-of-practice-inclusive-communications/). ## Useful resources **COMMUNITY:** The **Diversci Community of Practice** (CoP) provides opportunities for peers to share both good practice and failed attempts through a participative dynamic, in which everyone is welcome. The CoP meets regularly in an informal and open setting, discussing and sharing ideas, point of views and testimonies that allow each of the participants to find their own approach to an equitable, diverse and inclusive organisation. . **COMMUNITY:** The **Partos Platform Leave No One Behind** from PARTOS consists of organisations and actors in the field of development cooperation. They develop, share and promote knowledge, innovative solutions and policies that contribute to ending poverty and exclusion. The Platform meets regularly to discuss several issues related to the topic Leave No One Behind. . **COMMUNITY:** The **CoP on Inclusive Communication** from PARTOS is a community where participants can explore ways to make communication work more ethical, inclusive and equitable in all senses. Members and partners can explore the impact and value of inclusive communications relative to their vision, mission, goals, relations and target audiences, as well as concerning the sector through various activities. . **CHECKLIST:** The **DiverSci EDI Strategy Development Checklist** consists of strategy indicators of progress in the organisation to place equity and inclusion at the heart of the organisation's strategy. It also contains direct actions that you can take with respect to your strategy and several resources for more in-depth reading. **TOOLKIT**: The **Racial Equity Toolkit** is designed to support backbone staff and partners to operationalize racial equity throughout their collective impact work. Through a mix of personal reflection exercises, conversations, and activities, this toolkit will help teams explore how centering racial equity can advance their strategies, build understanding, strengthen relationships, and support in reaching their collective goals. Please note that the website requires sign-up. . **TOOLKIT**: Bond's **Anti-racism and decolonising. A framework for organisations**. This framework maps out how racism cuts across all areas of our organisations and shows the necessity of an anti-racist and holistic approach to decolonising our organisations to create a fairer, more equitable and racially just sector. **TOOL:** The **DiverSci First Aid Kit**. This short guide offers a quick fix for situations that have been encountered frequently: Do you need help right now? Where to start? How to convince your team on diversity and inclusivity? **WORKSHOP**: The **DiverSci Spark Self Evaluation Workshop** is a tool for collective reflection and internal evaluation. It helps organisations to have structured, yet difficult conversations on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and to measure their institutional knowledge and practices regarding social justice. Spark is not just a self-evaluation tool: it is a means to committing to and implementing change. . **WORKSHOP:** The **GlobeScape “Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in Science Communication” workshop** is intended to be an opportunity for science communicators from different regions of the world to see how issues of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion can factor into their practices. This resource has formed the basis of our own LNOB Workshop slide-deck, adjusted to the context of Citizen Observatories and their activities rather than that of Science Communicators (as described in Section 1.1.). The original source material contains workshop templates to augment the workshop slides, and a complete filmed version of the workshop that can thus be followed online in one's own time. # The Inclusion Wheel The Inclusion Wheel was developed by the Association for Science and Discovery Centres in the UK as an accessible tool for science centre practitioners to use for internal reflection about their organisation and how it is structured, and discussion of how it might be changed. This tool addresses elements of inclusion across different areas of an organisation including; leadership & strategy, evaluation, content, partnerships, staff diversity, training and accessibility. SOURCE:
**The Inclusion Wheel for Organisational Reflection** * [ASDC Inclusion Wheel (English) (PDF, 957.9kB)](https://inclusion.sciencecentres.org.uk/documents/37/ASDC_Inclusion_wheel.pdf) * [ASDC Inclusion Wheel (Deutsch) (PDF, 946.3kB)](https://inclusion.sciencecentres.org.uk/documents/35/ASDC_Inclusion_wheel_German.pdf) * [ASDC Inclusion Wheel (Dutch) (PDF, 1013.0kB)](https://inclusion.sciencecentres.org.uk/documents/38/ASDC_Inclusion_wheel_Dutch.pdf) * [ASDC Inclusion Wheel (Português) (PDF, 961.0kB)](https://inclusion.sciencecentres.org.uk/documents/36/ASDC_Inclusion_wheel_Portuguese.pdf) # The Equity Compass The Equity Compass is a reflection tool produced by the [YESTEM project](https://yestem.org/) in the context of engaging young people with science, with the aim of supporting socially just practice. The tool helps partners to reflect on how they work with underserved young people and to think about how they might introduce more participatory approaches, improve professional development and better articulate where they want to be going. The Compass is made up of eight different dimensions describing a different aspect of equity, which are designed to help you think and discuss equity from a different perspective. SOURCE:
**The Equity Compass resources include:** * [The Equity Compass Guidance (PDF, 960.3kB)](https://inclusion.sciencecentres.org.uk/documents/39/EQUITY-COMPASS-YESTEM-INSIGHT.pdf) * [The Equity Compass Worksheet](http://yestem.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Equity-Compass-worksheet-editable.pdf) * [The Equity Compass Fortune Teller](http://yestem.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Equity-Compass-Fortune-Teller-COLOUR.pdf) * The Equity Compass insights for different audiences * The Equity Compass - [Teachers edition](http://yestem.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Equity-Compass-Teacher-Edition.pdf) * The Equity Compass - [School leaders and governors edition](http://yestem.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021-YESTEM-Insight-Equity-Compass-School-Leaders-and-Governors-Edition.pdf) * The Equity Compass - [STEM Ambassadors edition](http://yestem.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-YESTEM-Insight-Equity-Compass-STEM-Ambassadors-Edition.pdf) * [Video resources](https://yestem.org/tools/the-equity-compass/#video) * A free, self-paced online course on the Future Learn platform: [**Equity in Informal STEM Learning: Using the Equity Compass**](https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/equity-informal-stem-learning-using-the-equity-compass/1) # INSIGHT GATHERING # How can we gain insights into LNOB or JEDI in our own context? We have selected a short-list of effective workshop facilitation methods to aid reflection and discussions of the relevance of the JEDI and LNOB concepts to the context of one's Citizen Observatory, based on our own experience of using them and the feedback of the European Citizen Science practitioner community gathered during the ECSA2024 Conference joint-workshop on Diversity & Inclusion in April 2024, and the online workshop with the ECSA EIE Working Group. The selection was made based on their suitability for facilitating a reflection of one’s own context and citizen science initiative, who is included or excluded, and what groups or communities risk being left behind. In the section below we briefly introduce and describe the selected methods, along with images of the Method Cards that were utilised during the method feedback selection workshops. Descriptive documentation will be developed during the upcoming testing phase with the Frontrunner and Alliance Cases. The final LNOB Toolkit will contain this more detailed documentation, along with guidance for the application of these methods with different stakeholder groups, at different stages of the CO lifecycle. # ...by considering lived experience in the living environment The 'Sensitise' collection of methods in the Waag Co-Creation Navigator The aim of this collection is to develop empathy and understanding by gaining insights into the lives and contexts of others, to help you better understand the context of your participants and/or stakeholders before embarking on a co-creative process. It invites you to observe physical surroundings and consider whether and where your assumptions might need to be adjusted. Curated, tested, and further-developed by the Waag Smart Citizen Lab for inclusion in the Citizen Sensing Toolkit and online Co-Creation Navigator their objective is to help citizen science initiatives and citizen observatories gain a better understanding of the issues faced by their participants, local partners and stakeholders in the aims of the initiative, and how any barriers to participation might be removed.
Within this collection, the **Walk Shop Method** invites you to explore the context of a neighbourhood and the people in it, by taking a walk around it in a deliberate and observant fashion, to gain a better concrete idea of the case area. The **Photo Safari Method** is based on the principle of ‘shadowing’ by joining someone, or a group of people, as they live their everyday life, or go about their daily work to better understand the environment they are part of. Literally taking photos is optional, but recording your observations will allow you to capture the contextual details that can influence a person’s behaviour and motivations. The **Guided Tour Method** gathers insights by asking a participant or community member to give you a Guided Tour of their home, workplace, or daily activities to not only reveal the physical details of the person’s life, but also their routines, habits and interactions with their environment and context. (**Source:** ) ## The Shadowing Method Template
The Shadowing Method developed by NESTA and contained in their Development Impact & You (DIY) Toolkit aims to gain insights into the daily realities of someone’s life by shadowing them (with permission) for the day. It is the same basic principle as the methods described in the Waag Co-Creation Navigator above, but also provides a useful template for capturing observations about the daily work, environment and contextual details of the person you are shadowing. Doing some shadowing at the start of a project can help you to familiarise yourself with a certain practice or group of people. People’s everyday life can be so habitual that some issues may not be as apparent to them - sometimes observing them can reveal hidden aspects that might be the core issue or even possible solution. These observations can act not only as inspiration but also a guide to help reach the core of how your work impacts people. (**Source:** ) ## The Story World Method Template
The Story World Method developed by NESTA that is also contained in their Development Impact & You (DIY) Toolkit aims to gather insights from participants and community members along with qualitative data collected through interviews and observations. It is similar to the Guided Tour method described in the Waag Co-Creation Navigator collection, but also provides a useful template for documenting insights in a structured way, and highlighting the most relevant ones for the activities of the CO. It helps you do this without being overwhelmed with details, showing you how to structure your documentation so that the discussions you have afterwards are in tune with further co-creation activities. The tool enables you to bring part of a person’s world with you once you start designing the activities of the CO and allows you to create stories that make people easier to relate to. (**Source:** ) ## The Empathy Timeline Method Also developed by Waag Smart Citizen Lab for the Citizen Sensing Toolkit, the aim of the Empathy Timeline method is to gain insights into the complexities of the issue at hand by asking community members to collaboratively draw an empathy timeline.
Drawing an empathy timeline helps stakeholders to better understand each other and to look at different sides of the problem and how it is experienced. Using this method helps community members to become aware of their own subjective viewpoints on environmental problems, to think about their own personal perceptions, and to consider what their own role in the issue might be. This reflexivity can be achieved by having community members talk about the ways that they are affected by the issue, but also the ways that they contribute to it. An empathy timeline facilitates community building by bringing people together to discuss issues and consider them in a way that they perhaps have not often done before. (**Source:** ) ## The Experience Mapping Method
This method developed by Adaptive Path aims to gain insights into the experience of a group of people or neighbourhood regarding the issue under investigation, and the complex factors at play. The process of experience mapping is just as important as the outcome and should be conducted collaboratively with key stakeholders in the project and representatives of the relevant group or neighbourhood. The discussions experience mapping fosters, the consensus it builds, and the shared reference it creates will be critical to push your initiative toward embracing new insights and taking action: The method incorporates three main components: (1) 'The lens' is an overriding filter through which you view the journey, such as a persona, more general experience principles, or a value proposition, (2) 'The customer journey model' depicts the range of interactions customers have across channels, touchpoints, time, and space in pursuit of satisfying one or more needs, and (3)'The takeaways' summarize key findings from the experience mapping process. (**Source:** ) # ...by considering the geographical context ## The Geographical Mapping Method
The aim of this method contained in the Citizen Sensing Toolkit is to gain new insights about the location and geographical context of a citizen science initiative or citizen observatory by visually mapping out issues of concern in collaborative workshops. In the early stages of an initiative this method helps identify the nature and location of problem hotspots, which can then be cross-referenced with helpful data, such as proximity to resources, schools, hospitals and neighbourhood associations, as well as to the participants themselves. At the stage of initiating monitoring activities, the collaboratively created map can help devise a sensing strategy by visually representing the location of the sensors to be deployed or measurement activities to coordinate. The key with geographical mapping is to make it a hands- on affair, with a diverse range of participants and stakeholders discussing and mapping the issues themselves, so that they too can highlight issues and concerns, while also coming to a more complete picture of the issue at hand. (**Source:** ) ## The Painted Layers on the Map Method
The aim of this method, developed by the Citizen Science Lab at Leiden University for the CitiObs project, is to gain insights into the different factors at playwithin the physical environment of place-based initiatives, by drawing, marking or painting them on a map of the city. After printing out a high-resolution satellite images of the location of the place-based citizen science or citizen observatory on A3 or larger, gather a wide range of information about the city such as formal environmental monitoring data, demographic data, population statistics etc, and also provide this in visible form (printed or otherwise). Choose paint or highlighter colours to represent specific contextual information that is relevant for the initiative, such as areas of high traffic pollution vs the location of schools and playgrounds, mark these directly on the map, and consider questions such as: * What is known about various neighbourhoods or neighbouring areas? * What areas of the city have become ‘Sacrificial Zones’? * Where is formal and informal data already gathered, and where is it missing? * Who experiences higher impacts? * What communities are left behind? * Where are the community meeting places. # ...by consideration of Roles and Inequities ## The Stakeholder Roles & Responsibilities Map The aim of this method, developed by Waag Future Lab and the Citizen Science Lab at Leiden University, is to make (needed) relationships and degrees of involvement visible by mapping who the stakeholders are, how they relate to each other, and their degree of involvement.
The method guides you through visualising these relationships and connections as a way to discuss the roles and involvement of various actors, which helps offer clarity within an existing cooperation, and highlight who is missing. Collaborations are often not based on contracts or formal agreements that define roles and involvement, and the number of involved is sometimes large. The circles on the map help distinguish between the more and less intensively partners involved and highlight who might be missing. (**Source**: (in Dutch) ) ## The Equity Compass
The Equity Compass developed by the Youth Equity & Stem project (YESTEM) is a framework that aids reflection on the ethics of your current practice and helps develop social justice mindset. It comprises eight dimensions of equity, each designed to apply a different lens to improve equitable experiences. Each axis has a set of associated Guiding Questions to help you to reflect on your policy and/or practice. You can apply the Equity Compass either generally or specifically, using it to consider anything from an organizational top level policy down to a single session within a programme. (**Source:** ). # PLANNING # How can we ensure our outreach and engagement activities are ethical? # Page 1 # How can we ensure our outreach and engagement activities are ethical? \[before, during, after] ## Why is it relevant? There is increased attention for improving the diversity of participants in citizen science initiatives and citizen observatories, and a general movement to engage with broader audiences across a range of demographic categories. This is especially the case when the topic under investigation in the CO particularly impacts certain groups of people inequitably or unjustly. Such endeavours must necessarily start with actions to communicate with and reach out to currently under-reached groups of people and inviting them to participate in the activities of the project or initiative. As citizen observatories aim to engage with a more diverse and representative range of participants and community members, it is crucial to consider how these outreach and engagement activities can also be conducted in an equitable and ethical fashion, such that people are not further disadvantaged or marginalised. ## How can this be done? During the planning and preparation stages of CS initiative or CO, it useful to turn to guidance that provides a framework for considering the ethics of these activities. One such guidance document is the PRO-Ethics Framework and Guidelines, which the CitiObs project has adapted to the context of Citizen Observatories and their activities. \[This adapted ethics framework is contained in Appendix II of this deliverable, and will be further woven into the final LNOB Toolkit's sign-posted guidance]. ## Case study *(not yet identified)* ## Useful resources **FRAMEWORK & GUIDELINES**: The **PRO-Ethics Framework and Guidelines \[1]** provide structured guidance to support the ethical implementation of engagement and participatory processes in the activities of research funding organizations (RFOs), who wish to engage citizens and societal actors in design, execution and evaluation of research funding programmes. These guidelines were developed via an iterative process within the EU-funded PRO-Ethics project and tested in practice by 10 participatory pilots in different countries, incorporating best practices and insights identified along the way. The framework is structured to reflect different stages of the participatory process (i.e. before, during, and after) and aid RFOs in identifying and addressing the ethical challenges and limitations that might arise. **FRAMEWORK & GUIDELINES**: The **CitibObs adaptation of the PRO-Ethics Framework and Guidelines \[2] (see Appendix II)** *(more resources pending)* ## You may also be interested in… [What does Leave No One Behind (LNOB) mean?](broken://pages/WOsEawIHqFrWoF9yAnov) [How can we engage with the concepts of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)?](/dialogue/how-can-we-engage-with-the-concepts-of-equity-diversity-and-inclusion-edi) [How can we ensure our Citizen Observatory practices are equitable, diverse and inclusive (EDI)?](/planning/how-can-we-ensure-our-citizen-observatory-practices-are-equitable-diverse-and-inclusive-edi) [How do we engage specific communities/groups in our Citizen Observatory?](/outreach-and-engagement/how-do-we-engage-specific-communities-groups-in-our-citizen-observatory) ## References \[1] Wiarda, Giannelos, Schuerz, Reber, & Doorn. (2023). Ethics Framework and Guidelines for Participatory Processes in the Activities of Research Funding Organizations. Zenodo. \[2] Wiarda, Giannelos, Schuerz, Reber, & Doorn. (2023). Ethics Framework and Guidelines for Participatory Processes in the Activities of Research Funding Organizations. Zenodo. # How can we ensure our Citizen Observatory practices are equitable, diverse and inclusive (EDI)? \[before, during, after] ## Why is it relevant? EDI is not simply a buzzword or a box to be checked; it is a fundamental value that should underpin all the activities of a CO. Understanding and embracing the principles of EDI will contribute to the success and impact of the CO. By investing time and effort into these areas, communities can foster a culture of fairness, respect, and collaboration that enables them to jointly tackle complex challenges with greater effectiveness and create a more just and inclusive society. Striving for equity means recognizing and addressing the systemic biases and barriers that exist within our society. By understanding and acknowledging these disparities, we can actively work towards creating a level playing field, where everyone has an equal opportunity to participate, contribute, and benefit from the initiatives of the CO. This involves promoting inclusivity and ensuring that marginalised voices are heard and valued. Furthermore, embracing diversity enriches our collective experience and fosters innovation and creativity. By actively seeking out and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences we can tap into a wealth of knowledge and insights that would otherwise remain untapped. This leads to more robust decision-making, increased adaptability, and a greater capacity for problem-solving. On a final note, it is important to keep in mind that the roots of inequity and injustice are systemic and cannot be solved with a single action. Nevertheless, being aware of the different issues and striving for equity and inclusion are some of the necessary steps to create a cultural change. ## How can it be done? Perform an EDI ‘health check’ within the CO ✓ One of the first steps is to examine how your CO is currently dealing with inclusivity. There are checklists that can support the team in reflecting how equitable and inclusive the current processes are. Other tools can help the team discuss key questions about user involvement and how they relate with priorities from the community. ✓ Discuss key questions with your team/CO to find out about your inclusive user involvement. ✓ Design the programme in line with community priorities. ✓ Examples (in resources): * SOCIO-BEE Inclusion and Non-discrimination Checklist * BTUS Practical Guide: Towards inclusive user involvement * BTUS Electronic Guide: Some Key questions for inclusive involvement * Pandya’s Framework for engaging diverse communities in Citizen Science Review communications and activities for inclusive language and the removal of barriers The language, design, and format used in your CO communication plays a significant role in accessibility. Using inclusive communication will increase awareness of barriers to inclusivity in general, which in turn will ensure your activities and development work are also inclusive. Inclusive language goes beyond the use of different languages (such as Greek, Catalan, Spanish, English, Dutch and Swedish in the case of the CitiObs Frontrunners) and focuses also on registers and the vocabulary used. This is not only to appeal to different groups but to ensure no offensive or discriminatory language is used. Next to the contents of the text, the way in which it is presented can have a huge impact on inclusivity. The fonts and colours used should be accessible for different groups. For example, the colours should be chosen so that the design is accessible to colour-blind people; or having large fonts to facilitate reading for those who cannot read small letters. All communications must be fit for purpose, which entails considering the COs audience and the groups the team wants to reach out to. COs can train their teams on inclusive communication and to be aware of the language used as well as accessibility considerations such as fonts and colours. This awareness on inclusiveness extends to how activities are organised and the work of the CO in general. Given that language plays such a big role in shaping our views and the world around us, focusing on it will aid the CO's team to become more aware of how inclusive the activities are. ✓ *Make your communication and activities inclusive* * Train your team about inclusive (science) communication. * Create consent forms that are easy and accessible. * Check that your use of language is inclusive. * Take into consideration accessibility issues (fonts, colours). * Be mindful of the different backgrounds of participants when recruiting and onboarding. * Organise activities (e.g. meetings, events, workshops, training) as inclusive as possible considering the physical space, the background knowledge that is assumed people have, and the language that is used. * Examples (in resources): * The GlobeScape “Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in Science Communication” workshop * The SensJus Visual Consent Form * The OXFAM Inclusive Language Guide * The CitiMeasure Guidelines on Competencies for Digital Inclusion * The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) * Making a Change: A guide to running successful and accessible workshops and training * BTUS Practical Guide: Towards inclusive user involvement * BTUS Electronic Guide 2: Making activities accessible * BTUS Electronic Guide 3: Positive meetings and get togethers ## Case study *(Not yet identified*) ## Useful resources **CHECKLIST:** The **SOCIO-BEE Inclusion and Non-discrimination Checklist** is designed to help Citizen Science projects reflect on inclusion processes and equality at all stages. The aim of this questionnaire is not only to encourage reflection and debate on the need to take into account the criteria of inclusion and equality in citizen science but also to help projects and the people involved in them to improve their dynamics of participation and management of the knowledge generated. *\[Clarification on the missing link – the checklist is currently under its final review and will be published later this year in the SOCIO-BEE website. We will add the proper link in the online version of this toolkit].* **GUIDE:** The **BTUS Practical Guide: Towards inclusive user involvement** is a report which purpose is to offer practical help to develop more inclusive involvement for the future so that everyone who wants to be involved has equal opportunities to do so. . This guide also includes several interesting electronic guides and other resources: * The **BTUS Electronic Guide 1: Some Key questions for inclusive involvement** contains several key questions to ask yourself and discuss in relation to your CO. . * The **BTUS Electronic Guide 2: Making activities accessible** contains recommendation about communication of the activity, travel, accommodation and the venue. . * The **BTUS Electronic Guide 3: Positive meetings and get togethers** highlights important issues and experiences of involving a diverse range of services users during events. . * The **Shaping Our Lives Venue Accessibility Checklist** helps ensure that rooms and facilities for meetings and gatherings are accessible to all- . **GUIDE**: The PARTOS **Inclusive Communication Guiding Principles** provides an overview of 10 principles to keep in mind to ensure the communication in your project is inclusive. **FRAMEWORK/PAPER**: The **Pandya’s Framework for engaging diverse communities in Citizen Science** is a framework for designing citizen-science programs that align with community priorities. The focus in on the US and the absence of alignment between community priorities and research objectives. . **WORKSHOP:** The **GlobeScape “Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in Science Communication” workshop** is intended to be an opportunity for science communicators from different regions of the world to see how issues of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion can factor into their practices. However, it can easily be adapted to other practices such as Citizen Observatories. **TOOL:** The **SensJus Visual Consent Form** is a tool where you can access and edit template forms that combine visuals and text for consent forms and for informing participants of the project. The aim is to address participants who may have a low literacy level, for whom the standard consent forms and information sheets might fail to achieve an aware participation and informed consent. The forms also illustrate to prospect participants their rights as (research) data subjects according to the GDPR. These forms, co-developed by the SensJus project with a visual artist, are available as non-commercial creative commons resources. . **GUIDE**: The **OXFAM Inclusive Language Guide** is a resource that helps us be aware of how the way we write can subvert or inadvertently reinforce intersecting forms of inequality that we seek to end. The recommendedations are drawn from specialist organisations which provide advice on the language preferred by marginalised people, groups and communities, and by OXFAM’s staff and networks, to support you to make choices that respectfully reflect the way they wish to be referred to. . **TOOLKIT/INITIATIVE**: The **W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)** is an initiative that develops guidelines, supporting materials and resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities and help you understand and implement accessibility. You can use W3C WAI resources to make your websites, applications, and other digital creations accessible and usable to everyone. . A couple of examples: * Introduction to Web Accessibility - * Resources for Getting Started with Digital Accessibility - * Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - * Making Audio and Video Media accessible - * Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - **GUIDE:** The **Making a Change: A guide to running successful and accessible workshops and training** is a guide based on the evaluation of a programme of workshops that were part of the Standards We Expect Project in 2007. The workshops were aimed at a wide range of service users taking part in the Project. The organisers wanted everyone to be able to take part equally but found it difficult to set up training and workshops. They also found that there was no pre-existing guidance on what to do when setting up training or workshops. This guide was put together to answer that absence. The guide includes all the stages of setting up a training programme: it starts with deciding on what training is needed and goes all the way through to evaluation. It gives general advice and examples of what was done in the Standards We Expect training programme and outlines how to ensure everyone is included in the training and everyone has an equal say. **FURTHER READING**: The **CitiMeasure's Guidelines on Competencies for Digital Inclusion** aim to advance the understanding of the issue of ‘competencies‘ for inclusion in increasingly digitised Citizen Science initiatives. They are primarily developed to guide those who are interested in identifying, understanding, and enhancing capacities and competencies required for digital inclusion of different actors in Citizen Science projects. This includes cities, organisations, researchers, and practitioners who are involved in initiating a Citizen Science project or those who aim to study or improve current actor inclusion practices in existing Citizen Science initiatives. ## You may also be interested in… [What does Leave No One Behind (LNOB) mean?](broken://pages/WOsEawIHqFrWoF9yAnov) [How can we engage with the concepts of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)?](/dialogue/how-can-we-engage-with-the-concepts-of-equity-diversity-and-inclusion-edi) [How can we ensure our Citizen Observatory practices are equitable, diverse and inclusive (EDI)?](/planning/how-can-we-ensure-our-citizen-observatory-practices-are-equitable-diverse-and-inclusive-edi) [How do we engage specific communities/groups in our Citizen Observatory?](/outreach-and-engagement/how-do-we-engage-specific-communities-groups-in-our-citizen-observatory) ## References Beresford, P. (2013). *Beyond the usual suspects. Towards inclusive user involvement*. Shaping Our Lives. Beresford, P. (2013). *Beyond the Usual Suspects Electronic Guide 1 Some key questions for inclusive involvement*. Beresford, P. (2013). *Beyond the Usual Suspects Electronic Guide 2 Making Activities Accessible*. Beresford, P. (2013). *Beyond The Usual Suspects Electronic Guide 3 Positive meetings and get togethers*. Chase, J., Russo, P., Roche, J. (2023). *GlobalScape Workshop Materials: Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in Science Communication*. CitiMeasure. (n.d.). *Guidelines on Competencies for Digital Inclusion*. Glynn, M., Branfield, F., Beresford, P., Bewley, C., Croft, S., Fleming, J., & Postle, K. (2011). *Making a Change: A guide to running successful and accessible workshops and training*. Shaping Our Lives. Oxfam. (2023). *Inclusive Language Guide*. Pandya, R.E. (2012), A framework for engaging diverse communities in citizen science in the US. *Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment*, 10: 314-317. Partos. (n.d.). *Inclusive Communication Guiding Principles*. Partos. SensJus. (n.d.). *Our visual consent forms now out as Creative Commons*. Shaping Our Lives. (n.d.) Venue accessibility checklist. Shaping Our Lives. SOCIO-BEE. (2023). Inclusion and Non-discrimination Checklist. *Document under review, link will be placed at a later stage.* W3C. (n.d.). *Resources for Getting Started with Digital Accessibility*. # OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT # How do we engage specific communities/groups in our Citizen Observatory? \[before, during, after] ## Why is it relevant? Every person, regardless of their gender identity, dis/ability, nationality, and socio-economic or cultural background, has the right to participate in citizen science. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "Everyone has the right freely (…) to share in scientific advancement and its benefits” (UNDHR, Article 27). Reviews of and experiences from citizen science projects (Blake et al., 2020; Pateman et al., 2021), show that most participants tend to be homogenous in their demographics. In the context of environmental pollution issues such as air quality, when diverse communities are not represented, their voices and concerns are likely to be poorly represented within the city or region in question, and therefore any measures taken to address those issues may exclude them from the benefits of those actions. Efforts need to be taken to redress this balance. Some people may face obstacles for joining a CO. They may not be aware of its existence as it has not been advertised through channels they use. Some may not be available to join when the CO holds its meetings. Others may find the technical aspects too complicated. Seeking to engage various communities will benefit the CO beyond impact. However, some people may not be able to join due to a lack of time. In that case, it is important to involve their voices in the CO; diversifying perspectives will make knowledge more accessible and share the benefits of the CO widely. ## How can this be done? A first step for engaging diverse communities is mapping the coverage of the CO: which areas are being covered through measurements, and which areas in the neighbourhood/region are not represented by participants or are not being measured? For this step we must be aware of not collecting personal data which can infringe on the privacy rights of people. The mapping should thus rely on local knowledge from participants aided by online map tools. Such as, which areas from the city/region are not covered by sensors? Do these areas overlap with areas which are known to have high air pollution (for example next to a road with heavy traffic)? Are the members of our CO as diverse as the members of the city/region? The next step is to determine which communities the CO could seek to engage. This might result on a long list. The CO can prepare a strategy of which communities will be approached first, based on the resources available such as time and volunteers, and on whether said communities have their own organisations. Approaching community leaders can facilitate contact points, as they are aware of the needs and issues their communities face. An open and honest listening attitude is of high relevance during all the exchanges. It is important to note that engaging diverse communities is an ongoing process that develops slowly. Building up connections with communities that are not yet participating takes time and requires dedicated attention. It is possible that the various communities will not be represented in a CO. However, it is important to stay open to all groups and make sure the interests and voices of the community at large are well represented in the CO. On a final note, it is worth to note that it will be impossible for a CO to engage all the communities, however the toolkit offers various resources that cover specific groups which can be used when required. ## Case study *(not yet identified)* ## Useful resources **TOOLKIT**: The **CitSci4All Toolkit** contains a variety of tools for planning and constructing Citizen Science for climate change initiatives with **Deaf and hard-of-hearing adults (DHH)**. While the kit includes the basics on Citizen Science and Citizen Science for Climate Change in sign language, there are specific tools on DHH involvement: * Unit 3: **Deaf and hard-of-hearing adults Involvement in Citizen Science projects** * Unit 4: **Technologies for Deaf and hard-of-hearing adults** * Unit 5: **Engaging Deaf and hard-of-hearing adults with Citizen Science projects** **TOOL**: Roger Hart's **Ladder of Youth Participation** A tool to think about the levels of **youth voice** that programs incorporate. **GUIDELINE**: The **CitSci4All** project has worked on guidance for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) engagement in citizen science projects based on the input and insights gathered from DHH trainers and citizen science experts. We have prepared a shorter version of their document with ways to facilitate inclusion OF DHH adults in citizen science projects. *\[The document can be found on Appendix IV; it will be uploaded in the online version of this toolkit].* **GUIDELINE**: Best practices for a diverse and inclusive project. This guideline has been extracted from a deliverable by the EU Horizon2020 project CSI-COP focusing on Guidelines for Diverse Citizen Science Recruitment. *\[The document can be found on Appendix V; it will be uploaded in the online version of this toolkit].* **PAPER**: In **The Politics of Tek: Power and the ‘Integration’ of Knowledge**, Paul Nadasdy reflects on power imbalances that can prevail when projects seek to integrate **aboriginal or indigenous knowledge**, and how communities are forced to express themselves in ways that conform to what policy makers and scientists see as useful data. **PAPER**: The **YouCount project's Inclusive & transformative Citizen Social Science with young people** report. The document summarises learnings from webinars on “Citizen Social Science with young people” in which co-creation, inclusiveness and transformative impacts were the guiding topics. It includes insights in the work of practitioners active in Y-CSS, and the presentation and discussion of co-created webinar topics as issues of concern to people active in the field. **PAPER**: Oxfam's **Beyond Consultation: Unpacking the most essential components of meaningful participation by refugee leaders**. This paper proposes actionable recommendations for community leaders on how to operationalize the concept of ‘meaningful refugee participation’ to go beyond tokenistic participation and to genuinely empower refugees. **FURTHER READING**: CitiMeasure’s **Guidelines on Competencies for Digital Inclusion**. These guidelines unpack 27 clusters of skills, knowledge, and attitudes for digital inclusion of different actors in citizen science projects, as well as 32 specific recommendations on how to enhance those competencies better. ## You may also be interested in… [What does Leave No One Behind (LNOB) mean?](broken://pages/WOsEawIHqFrWoF9yAnov) [How can we engage with the concepts of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)?](/dialogue/how-can-we-engage-with-the-concepts-of-equity-diversity-and-inclusion-edi) [How can we ensure that our outreach and engagement activities are ethical?](/planning/how-can-we-ensure-our-outreach-and-engagement-activities-are-ethical-1) [How can we ensure our Citizen Observatory practices are equitable, diverse and inclusive (EDI)?](/planning/how-can-we-ensure-our-citizen-observatory-practices-are-equitable-diverse-and-inclusive-edi) ## References CitiMeasure. (n.d.). Guidelines on Competencies for Digital Inclusion. CitSci4all. (n.d.) *Toolkit for Citizen Science for climate change initiatives with Deaf and hard-of-hearing adults (DHH)*. Fletcher, A. (2008). *Hart’s Ladder of Participation*. Nadasdy, Paul. “The Politics of Tek: Power and the ‘Integration’ of Knowledge.” *Arctic Anthropology*, vol. 36, no. 1/2, 1999, pp. 1–18. . Oxfam (2022). *Beyond Consultation: Unpacking the most essential components of meaningful participation by refugee leaders*. YouCount (2022). *Inclusive & transformative Citizen Social Science with young people*. # CO-CREATION & CO-PRODUCTION # EVALUATION # How can we evaluate our efforts to be more diverse and inclusive? # Evaluation Hints & Tips It is important to take a moment mid-way through our journey, or at the completion of key milestones or events, to take the time to reflect on how things went, and to evaluate whether our objectives have been met, or are being met. This process should be more than a check-box exercise, and not done simply to make a funder, investor, or outside party happy. It is rather an opportunity to check-in with your progress in comparison with your aims, and to make adjustments along the way where needed. And ultimately, it is a good way to hold a leadership team or partnership accountable to those who have a stake in the issue. It is therefore important to include key stakeholders in your evaluation process, to gather crucial feedback and insights, but also to ensure that we are being inclusive and equitable in our actions. The Association for Science and Discovery Centres in the UK advises its members and partners to take a strategic, long-term approach to setting up evaluation frameworks, and to assist them in this has developed handy list of hints and tips. These aim to help ensure that the expectations of stakeholders and participants are be adequately explored and met. "*Enabling all stakeholders to take part in the evaluation process in an open and transparent way is the key to embedding the learning process for all participants. It reduces the risk that participants become subjects of someone else’s observation and research or are ‘left hanging’ at the end of a project without suitable feedback or understanding of their participation*." 1. The first step is to think about who should be involved in the reflection and evaluation process, 2. Make sure that you have clearly stated your aims and objectives as a project or initiative, 3. Discuss these with key partners and stakeholders from the very beginning, to ensure that their aims and objectives are also accounted for, and that your activity planning is well aligned with these aims, 4. It can be helpful to lay out a logical series of steps that describe how to achieve the impacts or outcomes you are aiming for, both the aims and those steps can thus form the basis for evaluation of whether things are on track SOURCE:
**The UK Association for Science & Discover Centres Evaluation Hints & Tips** * [Programme Evaluation leaflet (PDF, 1.6MB)](https://inclusion.sciencecentres.org.uk/documents/33/ASDC_Evaluation_leaflet_final.pdf)