Description
The aim of the project is to increase public involvement in environmental decision-making. We intend to achieve this through professionalization of local civic leaders and initiatives by increasing their skills in soft participatory methods and application of these methods in specific projects affecting the environment of local communities.
Summary of project results
In the project we managed to increase public involvement in environmental decision-making process through the professionalization of local civic leaders and initiatives, increasing their skills in participatory methods and applications of these methods in specific projects affecting the environment of local communities. This target was defined on the basis of available information about the public participation in Czech Republic, including barriers to access to information and decision-making which we generated from both analyzes and media, and from our own experience. We educated 14 persons from 11 initiatives during a workshop on methods of public participation. 4 initiatives subsequently implemented concrete participatory processes in their communities. Professionals from the fields of architecture and facilitation guided the leaders through the whole process, so that in the future they are able to use similar techniques to engage the public in decision-making process. We issued a publication which summarizes the used methods. We propagated it in the print and online media, which will reach out other hundreds or thousands of people. Another initiatives we have supported by consulting - we provided consultation for at least 10 cases and answered almost 100 questions. We communicated with an informal platform of Brno civic initiatives (15 initiatives) and local governments in order to promote and to guard the urban planing process and to involve the public to its preparation, as well as to the preparation of the Mobility Plan and the Program of improving air quality in Brno agglomeration. Implementation of the project contributed to greater public participation in decision-making processes by training 14 local leaders who will spread their know-how in their communities. The methods have been applied in 4 local projects (208 joined public meetings) in the cooperation with local authorities, so it showed them how useful similar methods are. The spread of knowledge was supported by published methodics and by networking of initiatives. The project contributed to the improvement of environmental quality in 4 communities where the local projects took place. It supported the sustainable development of settlements in Czech Republic by providing consultation to citizens across the country and to local government in Brno. The project helped to increase the capacity of the organization by educating its workers (27) and by preparing a strategic plan and PR strategy.
Summary of bilateral results