Know your network: Andreas Pavlou
Job title: Network Lead
Org: Involve
Location: London
Network Member since: October 2017
Contact me at: [email protected]
How would you describe your job to a child?
I help bring together people who want to change the UK to make it more open and fair.
What does the concept of open government mean to you?
Open government to me has three essential components – a transparent government and administration, an active citizenry who can participate and influence decision making processes beyond just elections, and a system that ensures that those in power are held to account.
What would your autobiography be called?
I don’t know, there is so much I still want to do before even considering writing an autobiography!
Why did you become involved in the Open Government Network?
I am the coordinator of the UK Open Government Network since I joined Involve back in October 2017 – but my relationship with open government in general started much earlier when I was a campaigner for a European pro-transparency organisation based in Spain.
Tell us one thing you’d like this Network to do in the next 6 months
It would be fantastic for the Network to get at least a couple of big commitments in the upcoming open government national action plan for Scotland.
What does a typical day look like for you?
At the moment it is consumed by the UK Open Government Action Plan development…and the London commute, grrr.
What breed of social media user are you?
I’m probably a Lurker, but that sounds horrible.
What three things could members of this network get in contact with you about?
-Everything related to transparency/FOI/Open Government Network
-Being part of a movement to transform democracy so that people are put at the heart of decision making,
-…and although it is completely unrelated to this, anything about Cyprus.
The link to the one website/blog/online community that you cannot live without, and nor should others:
The sensible answer would be the OGP Newsletter, but completely un-related to open government, but I do find maps fascinating – old ones, weird ones, data visualisation ones, maps of random places. One blog I always go back to periodically is: http://bigthink.com/articles?blog=strange-maps
Is there a particular area of open government that you’re interested in? Or, do you have a question you’d like network members to respond to?
I guess the most obvious aspect of open government, to me, is the transparency side of things, although I am always interested in learning about new mechanisms to better engage citizens in decision making processes – particularly if they can be transformative if replicated elsewhere.
Where do you see the open government movement in Scotland in three years?
I think that in three years, the network can really build itself up to be a dynamic and essential player in modernising democracy in Scotland. It would be fantastic to see measurable evidence that the ambitions of those inside the network are on their way to being fully realised.
Biggest like:
Creative civic activism
Biggest Dislike:
The Pirate Ship ride at theme parks. I hate them.