About Us

What We Do

admin — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:01:00 GMT

The Hansard Society is the UK’s leading independent, non-partisan political research and education charity. We aim to strengthen parliamentary democracy and encourage greater public involvement in politics. At the heart of our work is the principle that civic society is most effective when its citizens are connected with the institutions and individuals who represent them in the democratic process.

We inform decision makers and engage the public in politics by:

providing a platform for debate on current issues around Parliament, constitutional affairs, participation and engagement
generating wide-reaching recommendations to improve parliamentary and legislative processes through timely and rigorous research
pushing the boundaries of new technology and its abilities to engage the public with policy makers
creating and promoting fresh and accessible resources to help teachers present the citizenship curriculum in an innovative and interesting way
running training sessions for teachers and policy professionals to enable them to understand a range of political issues and processes effectively
bringing students from across the globe to study the British political system and to gain experience through internships in a wide variety of political organisations

Our programmes of work

Citizenship Education – Our dynamic Citizenship Education Programme works with teachers and young people to educate and inform them about parliamentary democracy and develop original ways to involve them in participatory democratic activities. It has a strong reputation for producing innovative and accessible teaching resources and student centered projects to improve engagement and knowledge of the political process.

eDemocracy – Our groundbreaking eDemocracy Programme examines how democratic institutions can adapt to an age defined by digital technology and a knowledge-based economy. We reject exaggerated claims about the internet making representation obsolete and introducing ‘push-button democracy’. Instead our interest is in strengthening representation through better communication between decision-makers and the public, and the enhancement of opportunities for engagement in political institutions and processes.

Hansard Society Scotland – Our pioneering Hansard Society Scotland Programme provides a non-partisan platform in Scotland to consider issues relating to the Scottish Parliament and the implications of devolution for the whole of the UK. It also produces a variety of citizenship resources to enhance engagement amongst young people with the devolved institutions.

Parliament and Government – Our authoritative Parliament and Government Programme works on all issues relating to the reform of Parliament, engagement between Parliament and the public and promoting effective parliamentary democracy. We set the agenda on parliamentary reform through our work with MPs, Peers, journalists, clerks, academics and other stakeholders, and our recommendations to improve parliamentary processes are regularly adopted.

Study and Scholars – Our internationally recognised Hansard Scholars and Hansard Research Scholars Programmes operate study courses, in association with the London School of Economics, aimed at improving accessibility and understanding of the British political system. They bring together future leaders from around the world to gain first-hand experience of the British political system, academically and practically through internships in Parliament and with political organisations. Our study courses offer increased knowledge of Parliament and the parliamentary system to journalists, public affairs managers, parliamentary and corporate affairs staff, lobbyists and others working within the political arena.

How our work is funded

As a registered charity, the Hansard Society relies on funding from individual donations, grants from charitable trusts and foundations, corporate sponsorship, and donations from individual parliamentarians from Westminster and the devolved institutions who contribute to our Parliamentary Patrons scheme. Our network of members and supporters come from all major political parties and from the public, private and third sectors. Those who support and work with us do so because we are independent and non-partisan, and our projects and programmes of work have genuinely made a difference to the democratic processes in the UK and beyond.

If you are interested in supporting the Hansard Society, please click here.

What people say about us….

“You don’t have a partisan agenda to push.”

“The Hansard Society keeps Parliament honest.”

“Thorough, enthusiastic, authoritative.”

“In terms of delivery, there are no competitors.”

“The Hansard Society is Parliament’s mirror and our critical friend.”

“Hansard Society is well connected.”

Who We Are

admin — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 20:59:00 GMT

The Hansard Society is supported by our President, Rt Hon Michael Martin MP, Speaker of the House of Commons and our Vice Presidents, Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Rt Hon David Cameron MP and Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP.

For biographies and email addresses of members of staff and the council please click on the links below.

Fiona Booth - Chief Executive

Staff

Advisory Council

Our History

admin — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 18:49:00 GMT

The Hansard Society was established in 1944 to promote the ideals of the parliamentary system of government and to ensure that democracy would be safeguarded by being understood, debated and improved by parliamentarians and the public. Our first members were Winston Churchill and Clement Attlee, and since then the Prime Minister of the day and leaders of the main opposition parties have publicly supported the work of the Hansard Society. The Speaker of the House of Commons is the President of the Hansard Society and the leaders of the three major political parties are our Vice Presidents.

From its inception the Hansard Society has promoted the importance of political education in schools and among our most well-known activities are our Mock Elections, which provide an informative and hands-on way for young people to gain a taste of the electoral process. This work has developed over the years to include forums and debates held online to enable engagement with young people through the use of new technology. The Hansard Society's pioneering work in schools led to what is now called Citizenship Education and we continue to ensure that teachers have free access to knowledge, training sessions and stimulating resources.

Since the 1970s the Hansard Society has organised and published research on many aspects of parliamentary democracy, critically examining social and political developments that affect Parliament, seeking to provide authoritative analysis of problems and suggest practical improvements. One important mechanism for this has been the establishment of independent Commissions of Enquiry chaired by eminent parliamentarians or academics. These have included pioneering work on electoral reform, representation of women, reform of the legislative process and the role of scrutiny in Parliament.

In 1985 the Hansard Society established the prestigious Hansard Scholars and Hansard Research Scholars Programmes in association with the London School of Economics. These programmes attract future political leaders from across the globe, to study and work in Westminster. Since it's creation, the study programme has expanded to include training for charities, journalists, companies and other organisations that need to understand how the parliamentary system works. The innovative and forward thinking eDemocracy Programme was created in 1997 to explore the possibilities, through research and pilot projects, for greater connections between new technologies and politics. The Programme focuses on ways in which democratic institutions can adapt to an age defined by digital communications and how new technology can improve public engagement with politics.In 2000 the Hansard Society extended its work to include issues of devolution and an office in Scotland was set up to respond to the changing political circumstances in British politics. The Hansard Society Scotland Programme holds fringe events at the Scottish National Party's Conference and provides a platform for debate about issues relating to devolution and the Scottish Parliament. It also provides free resources on Citizenship Education to Scottish schools and has recently expanded to include a Hansard Society Scotland Scholars programme in association with the University of Edinburgh.

More than 60 years on, the Hansard Society is universally recognised as the independent and non-partisan authority on Parliament and democracy. Today, our work encompasses a wide range of areas, from citizenship education to the role of Parliament, from devolution to the impact of new media on politics. In addition, we organise events in Westminster with high-profile speakers, host influential seminars and hold popular fringe events at Party Conferences.

Supporting the Hansard Society

admin — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 07:47:00 GMT

As a charity, the Hansard Society relies on funding from individual donations, grants from charitable trusts and foundations, corporate sponsorship, and donations from individual parliamentarians from Westminster and the devolved institutions who contribute to our Parliamentary Patrons scheme.

Our network of members and supporters come from all major political parties and from the public, private and third sectors. Those who support and work with us do so because we are independent and non-partisan, and our projects and programmes of work have genuinely made a difference to the democratic processes in the UK and beyond.

There are a variety of ways in which you or your organisation could support the Hansard Society and work with us. You could become a member, your company could join our Corporate Supporter Programme, you could become a Parliamentary Patron, or sponsor an event.

Message from our President

admin — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 21:02:00 GMT

Welcome to the Hansard Society website

The role of the Hansard Society is to promote effective parliamentary democracy through education, information and opportunities for participation. The internet, as it develops as a communication and information tool, brings fresh opportunities to connect citizens to the democratic institutions which serve them.

The Hansard Society is the leading player in the interactive use of communication technologies to strengthen democracy as our eDemocracy Programme demonstrates. As the electronic media enters a new digital era, The Hansard Society will be highlighting new opportunities, bringing together parliamentarians, broadcasters and citizens in a common effort to improve the channels of political communication.

Our website introduces you to our wide range of educational programmes, publications, conferences, commissions and research programmes. I hope you will take up the opportunity to participate – as a school student taking part in our mock elections, a parliamentary intern studying with the Hansard Scholars Programme, an organisation taking part in our seminars and round table discussions, a supporter attending one of our conferences or Democracy Forum meetings or a contributor to our online consultations.

I hope that you find the site informative and interesting and look forward to receiving your feedback.

Rt Hon Michael Martin MP
Speaker of the House of Commons

Internships

admin — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 13:56:00 GMT

Hansard Society Internships
The Hansard Society has a long tradition of supporting interns in beginning or further developing their political careers. Many that have worked for us have gone on to distinguished careers in a variety of sectors and organisations including the civil service and Parliament, public affairs consultancies, NGOs and charities, the media and some have attained permanent positions within the Hansard Society. We really appreciate their immense efforts and hard work over the years and attempt to welcome all interns in the same way as any other member of staff. We feel we are able to provide a spring board into a political career through our broad network of contacts and wealth of experience of the political system.

We have a number of internship opportunities available throughout the year working with different programmes and issue areas - please see below for more details. Hansard Society internships are advertised on this page as well as www.w4mp.org when there are positions available.

We hope to give our interns as wide an experience of our area of work as possible and some new challenges. If you don't believe us why not read some testimonies below.

What you can expect as a Hansard Society intern....

Citizenship Education
An intern in the Citizenship Education department's primary role is to maintain the news section of the Being Heard website, aimed at making news accessible for young people. This involves web based research of news stories and the writing and formatting of articles. Other duties include processing orders for citizenship resources, managing databases and research for HeadsUp debates. Attending and supporting other staff at events and external meetings may also be required. Those wanting to work in educational policy and training or with young people would benefit from this type of internship.

Communications
As an intern in the communications department your work will be divided amongst fundraising, events and communications work. Work is widely varied and will allow you to gain an understanding of the breadth of work that the Hansard Society undertakes. You will attend Hansard Society events at the Houses of Parliament, produce daily round-ups of news articles for all the members of staff and edit material for the website, amongst many other things. Interning in the communications department at the Hansard Society will give valuable experience to those wishing to pursue a career in public affairs, events planning or fundraising.

eDemocracy
The eDemocracy programme undertakes a variety of cutting edge research, trying to understand and advance the role of digital technologies around parliament and government. As an intern, you’ll be working with on real projects, undertaking literature reviews and supporting the research team. The eDemocracy programme prides itself on being rigourous, innovative and forward thinking, which makes this an ideal role for someone with an interest in politics, policy and the internet that would like a hands-on introduction to research.

Parliament and Government
The main tasks for interns within the Parliament and Government Programme are conducting background research for current projects from a variety of sources and assisting at events - often within Parliament. Other work may include researching biographies for speakers or contributors to publications and monitoring the work of Parliament. This internship would suit those wishing to pursue a career in research, policy or public affairs.

My Experience of the Hansard Society....

Karishma Desai - eDemocracy Intern 2008
I have had a thoroughly enjoyable three months at the Hansard Society. I was given a substantial project to work on during my time in the e-Democracy team. Being given my own project made me feel that I was part of the team as well as that I was actually undertaking work of some importance. It was fascinating to see the large amount of thorough research that was needed for a particular project. By the end I had a very good understanding of the subject matter as well as having discovered the different and most efficient ways of undertaking research. I also was taught how to use the research computer programme, Invivo, where I coded the material I had researched to ascertain the main themes of the area.

There were also always Hansard Society events to attend. I have been to a drinks reception at the House of Lords where I got to meet a number of Lords and Baronesses and their staff. I attended a debate on ePetitions in Westminster and have also been invited to the Hansard Society Reception in the House of Commons. For an internship where you are able to thoroughly develop your research skills on very topical political issues in a friendly and professional environment, the Hansard Society is an excellent choice.

Dana Peters - Citzenship Education Intern 2006
As an intern on the Citizenship Education Programme I supported a range of educational projects designed to promote political awareness and participation among young people. From day one I enjoyed a good degree of responsibility and was welcomed as a full member of the team. Primarily writing for a youth websites Being Heard and HeadsUp, I was charged with the challenge of engaging young people with difficult and controversial questions on such issues as education, religion and world affairs. This involved communicating complex information clearly and simply and presenting subjects in a balanced way - no easy task when dealing with hotly debated topics like Iraq!

The Hansard Society provided the perfect platform from which to progress a career in politics. My internship was hugely enjoyable and I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for positive political experience in a friendly environment.

Clare Helm - Citizenship Education and Parliament and Government Intern 2007
My internship experience with the Hansard Society has been nothing but enjoyable. I have benefited from having my time split between two programmes, as this has helped me to gain a greater insight into the work of the Society. The staff have made every effort to ensure my internship has been engaging and allowed me to expand the work in my own areas of interest. Being able to attend seminars and a reception at the Speaker's House were highlights of my internship.

My enthusiasm for research has grown through this experience and I think an internship with the Hansard Society would be of great value to anyone who is interested in, and keen to work around, politics.

Will Hoyles - External Relations Intern 2007
Interning at the Hansard Society has been a completely different experience to other internships. I was immediately treated as part of the team and it was obvious that while I was here I would be thought of as a full member of staff. At first this was quite intimidating and I had a very steep learning curve but I think I've gained more from the experience, and contributed a lot more, as a result. On my first day I went to a drinks reception with the Speaker of the House of Commons and I've since spent time at seminars attended by cabinet ministers and written copy for important advertising materials.

Everyone has been incredibly supportive and made sure that I've got what I wanted out my time at the Hansard Society, and I have been given a lot of help in trying to find paid employment when I leave, including arranging meetings with senior people at organisations I'd like to work for. I'd recommend interning at the Hansard Society to anyone who wants to gain a broad knowledge about the way political organisations work.

Jenny Stevens - Parliament and Government Intern 2007
Working as an Intern within the Parliament and Government team at the Hansard society has been an exciting, illuminating, and thoroughly enjoyable experience. I was immediately made to feel part of the team, and treated less as an intern, but as a permanent member of staff. The work was engaging, challenging, and worthwhile. I felt that my knowledge and skills were encouraged, enabling me to develop a good understanding of Parliament and the political environment.

The Hansard Society's Parliament and Government team were incredibly supportive of all aspects of my work, and I was given help and support with job applications and careers advice in a professional environment. I would highly recommend an internship to anyone serious about working in a political environment, who wants to work for an excellent organisation and a wonderful team.

Vacancies

admin — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 13:11:00 GMT

Director, Parliament and Government Programme

The Hansard Society is the UK's leading independent, non-partisan political research and education charity. We aim to strengthen parliamentary democracy and encourage greater public involvement in politics.

The Hansard Society wants to recruit a new Director for our influential Parliament and Government Programme. This is an exceptional opportunity for a dynamic individual looking to make their mark in the political and research world.

The Programme works closely with MPs, Peers, clerks, academics, civil servants and other political organisations. The successful candidate will manage a programme of research, projects, events and publications. You will need an in-depth understanding of Parliament and Government and first class communications and management skills.

Salary range £33,600 - £37,700 plus pension and generous annual leave.

To download an application pack please click here

For an informal and confidential discussion about the post you can ring the Chief Executive, Fiona Booth on 020 7438 1212.

Closing date: Monday 8th September at 5pm

Annual Report

admin — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 09:34:00 GMT

The Hansard Society is the UK’s leading independent, non-partisan political research and education charity.

We aim to improve public understanding and involvement with parliamentary democracy, especially among young people, and improve the effectiveness of political institutions.

If you would like to read the Hansard Society's Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2007 please click here.