Participation and knowledge of the "users" and the people to whom the policies are addressed

Abstract

Since 2002, the participation of people affected by the activities of the social and socio-sanitary field has been regulated in France in order to the assessment of the functioning of the institutions, activities and programs in these fields and in order to the elaboration of proposals. Since then, it has been food for thought and reflection to define, substantiate and promote it, and to adapt its development to the different areas and characteristics of the different agents that may be involved. The article identifies obstacles that make it difficult to participate in the institutional context in relation to the people affected, the professional teams and the institutions themselves, and it puts special attention to the way the issues of hierarchy and “power” can interfere with the development of participation proposals, even when what is supposedly intended is to foster the autonomy of the people being worked with. Finally, reference is made to innovative experiences and, in particular, those that value “experiential knowledge”, which may be of special interest for the training of professionals, but also for those involved in decision-making bodies. In this regard, the author refers to recent proposals that value and incorporate the knowledge of the people to whom the policies and interventions in the social and socio-health field are addressed.