Local Administration in the Process of Social Participation (Based on Urban Cities of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship)

The aim of the article is to assess city offices' involvement in creating proper conditions for inhabitants to cooperate with the usage of various forms and tools of social participation. The research results show that cities with poviat rights in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship use social participation because they are well acquainted with the benefits it provides. They collect inhabitants' opinions and at the same time it provides them with information of public character in the sphere of local government functioning. Public consultations are carried out as a sign of cooperation and local communities can co-decide on certain issues concerning public life. Cooperation with non-governmental organizations in many areas is also undertaken and citizens' initiatives are supported. Additionally, local authorities use civil budgets to mobilize citizens to act for a given territorial unit development