Anna Zenarolla

The paper suggests a reflection about participation in making social policies, moving from the results of a research focused upon the Piani di Zona, the instrument wanted by L. n. 328/2000 for planning social policies, in Friuli Venezia Giulia (a Region in the Nord Est of Italy). The paper reflects upon the main questions of the research that is how to incentive and maintain the partecipation of local associations, cooperatives and citizens in making social policies, overcoming to set against approaches that promote participation and approaches that promote deliberation and without falling in rethoric. The reflection remarks the necessity to incentive participation in making social policies, the importance of sharing the sense of participation and of organizing the partecipation and, at last, the fundamental role of public administration in ensuring a participation rappresentative and transparent. Key words: participation, social planning, active citizenship, coordination