In the combat against exclusion, and to the extent that exclusion affects all, and in particular certain groups, participation is at one and the same time a value (a human right), part of the strategy (it is the excluded who are most interested in the combat) and an aid (an educational function, a source of motivation). Without participation, exclusion cannot be eliminated in a sustainable manner, though there are critics to this idea. "Participation" is more relevant in relation to belonging, ownership and involvement. It can be a process by which excluded people, groups and territories reclaim their resources and identity, intervene in social, political and cultural life and make their voices heard more insistently when de­cisions are taken. There are countless participative methods more suitable to different times and places. An overview of the initial situation in respect of participation is necessary.  Participation can also differ depending on whether the project emerges from the bottom up, from the top down, or as a result of external factors, which affect the strategies to be adopted.  

This document gives more information on the opportunities and risks of participation and on the conditions for good participation.

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