User-involvement, citizenship and social policy

Abstract

User-involvement is emerging as a key concern in social policy. So far debates have largely been framed in narrow social administration terms. The idea embraces conflicting conceptions of consumerism and self- advocacy. Here it is considered in the broader context of citivenship and human need. Beginning with people's own experience and ideas about them, the article explores their relationship with an empowering approach to involvement which enables us to become producers rather than consumers of our own welfare.