Norwegian Financial Mechanism Programme

Programme Summary

Why is the programme needed? Well-functioning public institutions contribute to social and economic development. Malta’s local government needs to be less centralised while professional capacity should be vested in its local councils. Developing public sector capacity at local level is crucial for building sustainable localities and enhancing quality and efficiency of service delivery for citizens and businesses. Prison overcrowding is a growing challenge in Malta with the prison population having swelled considerably over the past few years. Malta also has one of the EU’s highest rates of young offenders amongst its prison population. However, juvenile offenders are currently housed in a youth section alongside adults in the country's only correctional facility. A dedicated facility with specially trained staff catering specifically to the needs of young offenders, particularly the female population which is increasing and not properly addressed, is urgently needed. What will the programme achieve? In the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the Parties agreed that due to the size of the allocation to Malta, the support will be provided through a flexible funding set-up. Therefore, the Norwegian Financial Mechanism programme in Malta will include two pre-defined projects: - A Partnership for Creative Governance under Programme Area 25 - Capacity-building and Institutional Cooperation between Beneficiary State and Norwegian Public Institutions, Local and Regional Authorities; - Renewing the Young Offenders' Unit of Rehabilitation Services (YOURS) under Programme Area 32 - Correctional Services, including Non-custodial Sanctions The main aim of the first pre-defined project, A Partnership for Creative Governance, is the development of human resource capacity in public institutions as well as in local and regional authorities, resulting in improving quality services for the communities concerned. The project aims to launch a National Training Strategy based on a comprehensive assessment of training needs, to establish a Performance Management Programme, to set up a Leadership Academy Programme and to launch a Strategy for Innovation and Good Governance at local level and the European Label for Good Democratic Governance. The main aim of the second pre-defined project, Renewing the Young Offenders' Unit of Rehabilitation Services (YOURS), is the relocation of the YOURS from the current premises and the subsequent restructuring of the internal running of the Unit. In this respect, the objectives are two-fold: the physical objective that will involve the construction of a new facility and the therapeutic objective that will involve the restructuring of the YOURS programme to enhance service delivery in line with current international juvenile crime policy. How will it be achieved? This will be achieved through: - Developing several strategies for innovation and good governance at local level in accordance with European standards while also conducting a National Training Strategy and establishing a Leadership Academy; - Constructing new premises for the YOURS while also training the correctional staff and adjusting the rehabilitation programme in accordance with European standards. How will bilateral relations be strengthened? The programme will facilitate networking, exchange, sharing and transfer of knowledge, technology, experience and best practices between the two project promoters of the pre-defined projects and relevant entities in Norway through the use of the bilateral fund. The Norwegian Association of Local Municipalities (KS) and the Council of Europe (CoE) will be actively involved as donor project partners in the implementation of the pre-defined project under Programme Area 25.