The plain language movement concept in social participation processes

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present the concept of plain language in the processes of social participation in Poland. The participation of citizens in public co-decision is part of the implementation of the idea of a civil society. Social participation contributes to the inclusion of residents of local government units in joint decision-making In legislative practice, the strengthening of legal forms of social participation is observed. How- ever, one of the main barriers to citizens’ participation in public life is the low level of active citizenship. The reason for this may be a specialised official language that is incomprehensible to the average citizen In this connection, the concept of plain language is being implemented, which can contribute to encouraging citizens to take part in public consultations. In addition, it will allow them to understand the actions taken by public administration bodies. The work will present the concept of social participation, dialogue, and consultation as the basis for communication between the administration and citizens. Next, the issue of defining the official language will be addressed. The author will also present activities for the introduction of the plain language concept and good practices in this area In the last part, the basics of using a non-specialist language in social participation will be demonstrated.