The International Parliament Engagement Network (IPEN) is part of an ongoing project to develop resources that will support parliaments to design, deliver and evaluate public engagement activities.
It involves working with parliaments and public engagement experts to co-create a series of eight guides on citizen engagement.
The guides will focus on a range of public engagement topics to help build parliaments’ capacity to engage members of the public in their work. Initial topics for the resources include principles of parliamentary public engagement, youth engagement, and petitions and citizens’ legislative initiatives.
Other themes will cover education programmes, public consultations, deliberative engagement, parliament as a place and space, and engaging underrepresented groups.
The series has been created through a project collaboration between the International Parliament Engagement Network (IPEN) and INTER PARES. They are produced with the financial support of the European Union as part of the iNTER PARES I Parliaments in Partnership project, implemented by International IDEA.
The Guides have been developed by Cristina Leston-Bandeira (Professor of Politics at the University of Leeds and Chair of IPEN) and Juliet Ollard, (Senior Research and Engagement Officer, IPEN) in partnership with INTER PARES.
To create the Guides, the project team have drawn from extensive academic research and parliamentary practice from across the world – including many interviews with parliamentary officials and academics, and the expert advice of our international Advisory Group and the IPEN Executive Team.
Access the Guides
The eight Guides will be published in stages between June and November 2025. Links will be added to the following list once available:
Principles of Parliamentary Public Engagement (published on 30 June 2025)
Petitions and Citizens’ Initiatives (published on 15 July 2025)
Youth Engagement (launched on 12 August 2025)
Parliament as a Space and Place (launched on 15 September 2025)
Education Programmes
Public Consultations
Deliberative Engagement
Engaging Underrepresented Groups
Advisory group
The Advisory Group is made up of parliamentary staff, academic and third sector representatives. Members include:
Natalie Badcock, Community Education & Engagement Manager, Parliament of South Australia
Ruth Donnelly, Head of Corporate and Engagement Services, Office of the Clerk of Tynwald, Isle of Man
Oke Epia, Executive Director, OrderPaper, Nigeria
Kit Frost, Senior Director of Public Education Programs, Library of Parliament, Canada
Lumina Mentari, Open Parliament expert, Indonesia
Alex Seama, Chief Parliamentary Civic Education Officer, National Parliament of the Solomon Islands
Professor Diana Stirbu, Professor of Public Policy and Governance, London Metropolitan University
Alistair Stoddart, Senior Participation Specialist, Participation and Communities Team, Scottish Parliament
Felicitas Torrecilla, Research Coordinator, Directorio Legislativo, Argentina
Dr Andy Williamson, Centre for Innovation in Parliament, Inter-Parliamentary Union
Image
Design by Research Retold.