How to attract additional resources for community development discussed in Chernihiv

On July 4, a round table was held in Chernihiv on the topic “Solving Current Problems of Local Communities by Attracting Additional Resources”.

Opening the event, the program manager of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights

Natalia Kulikova

emphasized that within the framework of the decentralization process, an important aspect of the development of territorial communities is the existence of a strategic plan of the community, priority areas of activity, the existence of a “map of problems” and mechanisms for their resolution. For this, it is necessary to systematically monitor problems to identify the current needs of the community.

“In this situation, the assistance and transfer of experience from public organizations, as well as expert and financial support from international organizations and funds, are very important,” noted

Natalia Kulikova

.

Natalia Hudok

, a representative of the Department of Economic Development of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration, emphasized that in Chernihiv region, the experience of local communities in participating in projects began in 2008 with the support of the United Nations Development Program. Today, territorial communities are already taking part in writing many applications and grants. The Department constantly analyzes projects and grants implemented in Chernihiv region and disseminates this information about the possibilities of attracting additional resources among interested parties.

Budget Consultant of the Office of Reforms at the Chernihiv Regional Branch of the Association of Ukrainian Cities

Mykola Silenko

told the audience about funds for the development of united territorial communities (UTCs). He noted that usually these are grants, credit resources, the state budget and the community’s own resources.

“In order to do something in the community, you need to understand why. And that is why the Community Development Strategy plays a very important role,” – noted

Mykola Silenko


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.

He also spoke about innovations in subventions for infrastructure development, namely, now the UTC will be able to spend the subvention on the repair of roads of national importance.

His words were supplemented by economic development consultant

Valeriy Vorobey

, who emphasized that the first steps of local governments should be to create structural units, conduct an inventory and transfer of property, and develop an ATC Economic Development Strategy.

Also,

Valeriy Vorobey

showed everyone present resources where ATC representatives can find interesting grant programs.

Legal Consultant of the Reform Office

Dmytro Ivanov

spoke in more detail about the State Fund for Regional Development (SFRD), namely the correct writing of project applications. He told those present about the requirements that the SFRD puts forward for applications and emphasized that applications must be of high quality.

Secretary of the Mensk City Council

Yuriy Stanilchenko

emphasized that despite the fact that the unified territorial community in Mensk was recently created, the community already has experience in implementing projects and programs, because without consistent actions it is impossible to solve all the problems and needs of the community. But it is necessary to understand that each community should have separate employees who will deal with the direction of community development, and not overload the existing ones with a new direction of work. Today, communities have many issues and problems, ranging from inconsistency of legislation to different subordination of structures in communities.

Mayor of Grodno

Andriy Bohdan

emphasized that in the conditions of decentralization, the state has transferred everything to the places and does not help communities, therefore it is relevant to review some of the functions of state bodies, regional state administrations to address the needs of the community.

During the round table, the Deputy Director of the Regional Center for the Provision of Free Secondary Legal Aid in Chernihiv Oblast

Olesya Pyrkovska

told the audience about the legal aid system.

Since September 1, 2016, newly created departments of local centers for the provision of free secondary legal aid – legal aid bureaus – have begun operating in 19 districts of Chernihiv Oblast. The work of the Bureau is aimed primarily at strengthening the legal capacity of communities and ensuring equal access of every citizen to free legal aid.

The main tasks performed by the legal aid bureau are legal education; provision of free primary legal aid (legal information and consultations); ensuring access to free secondary legal aid (defense, representation of interests in court, preparation of procedural documents); ensuring access to electronic services of the Ministry of Justice.

The Director of the Chernihiv Local Center for the Provision of Free Secondary Legal Aid,

Volodymyr Bobruyko

.

“Today, we are successfully implementing several Programs with the communities of Kozeletsk and Slavutych districts. Thanks to the work of mobile consultation points by our specialists, legal aid is provided to the residents of the Kyptivska and Desnyanska united territorial communities,” – noted

Volodymyr Bobruyko

.

In general, all participants agreed that today the communities lack specialists in development, strategic planning or writing grants, projects and programs, so they, first of all, need expert and training support, as well as information on where to find opportunities for the implementation of ideas.

The event was organized by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights with the assistance of the Reform Office at the Chernihiv Regional Branch of the Association of Ukrainian Cities, the Regional Center for Providing Free Secondary Legal Aid in the Chernihiv Region and the Legal Development Network within the framework of the implementation of the project “Strengthening the Legal Capacities of Local Communities of the Chernihiv Region” with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation.