Description
The project’s aim is to support civil participation in sustainable cooperation, including activities for strengthening governance of NGOs and participation model, as well as participation in creating action policy. The project provides for a shift from representing interests to active participation of society promoting principles of good governance to raise public awareness and reduce the gap between inhabitants and decision-making institutions in municipalities. Within the project a Baltic expert cooperation network will be created, a series of articles and researches will be developed, expert discussions will be organized, and the best practices of other countries will be identified and analyzed. Based on the results a pilot project will be elaborated and implemented in five municipalities. The target group is new scientists, experts, lecturers, students, and cooperation organizations.
Summary of project results
Active participation and participatory decision-making are at the core of sustainable cooperation between public sector bodies and NGOs and commitment of both sides is needed. This is in line with wider policies to strengthen the capacity of NGOs as important stakeholders across various policies. The aim to strengthen the institutional capacity in relation to civic participation and enhanced cooperation with public sector and other organisation abroad was achieved. BIRDhub promoted moving from the representation of citizens’ interests to active participation as part of the good governance approach. The project succeeded in providing tools for further actions towards strengthening the competence in various thematic fields and enhancing participatory decision making and provided access to international networks. Strengthened capacity of BIRDhub to work with new participatory decision making tools. BIRDhub will use gathered practices, developed action plan model that was discussed in 4 cities and established network of experts for further cooperation with local authorities in Latvia and expanding activities abroad. Main outputs: established network of experts, member in 4 international organisations (ECAS, RSA, FranceXP, InterRegioNovation) and 1 national, completed survey on participatory methods, developed new action plan model, concluded 5 memorandums of understanding with local authorities as basis for further cooperation and one with Jean Monnet association. BIRDhub and its’ associated members, cooperation organisations and their members, students, new scientists and experts participated in delivering project activities and continue to benefit from participation in four international networks and in established network of experts.
Summary of bilateral results