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Description
Project is meant to solve the problem of limited participation of Lithuanians residing abroad in the public life of Lithuania with belief that there are groups of diaspora with has obvious though insufficiently satisfied needs.
The first target group of the project are diaspora professionals as a group prone for civic engagement with a need for result oriented and comprehensive tools that are currently absent.
The second target group are Lithuanian organizations of non-governmental and public sectors with the need to expand their target audience and/or specific skills and experiences.
The main goal of the project is to create an environment for civic participation of diaspora professionals in Lithuania.
During the project, the applicant along with partners will create an ecosystem for civic activation of Lithuanian professional diaspora.
The ecosystem will be based on a platform designed as one reference point for connection of target groups for the cooperation. The role of applicant is to actively summon and curate task force groups around the expressed needs of target groups in order to create success stories and work out best practices and recommendations for cooperation.
We expect at least 2.500 diaspora professionals and over 30 organizations of non-governmental and public sectors to register within the platform over the course of the project. They we form over 20 task force groups, with at least 10 of them reaching their pre-set goals.
We expect target groups to comprehend the value of cooperation, as well as each other’s needs and expectations better by the end of the project as a qualitative result. The internet platform is intended to become a space for constant new connections even after the project finishes.
Summary of project results
The project "Professional diaspora citizenship implementation ecosystem" was necessary because Lithuanians living abroad passively participate in Lithuanian public life, there are groups that have specific needs, and their needs are not met sufficiently. The main goal of the project was to create conditions for the involvement of the professional diaspora in public life in Lithuania. The proposed solution to the problem was an ecosystem for the implementation of the citizenship of the professional diaspora, which consists of four parts: a digital platform, initiative groups, events and communication.
1. A system/online platform for engaging diaspora professionals in active citizenship through Lithuanian NGOs and institutions has been established and developed. The implementation of this objective is best reflected in the events organised, working groups implemented and resolutions or other formats of proposals prepared to state institutions. All planned quantitative targets achieved
resulting in: 1 online platform and database ;1 clearly described system with rules; At least 2500+ diaspora professionals Database ; 30+ registered and demanding organisations and/or institutions.
2. Good practices and habits for cooperation of public organisations and institutions with the professional diaspora have been developed.
The practices developed during the implementation of this task have resulted in success stories that encourage institutions, NGOs and diaspora professionals to act in a particular model, which gives the freedom to turn to each other as the need arises and to solve problems together. All planned quantitative targets achieved
resulting in: 20+ Steering Groups formed linking target groups; 15+ Steering Groups achieved their set objectives during the project period; 1 recommendation to target groups package.
3. Communication campaign for the system/online platfrom was held resulting in 20 steering groups being featured on the ecosystem''s website; 80+ news stories claimed on Project promoter social
media accounts; 20 newsletters distributed, each reaching at least 5000 recipients.
4. Four Partnership forums organized with 357 participants, at least 8 resolutions or other proposals to state institutions prepared.
5. More than 10 networking events organized with more than 300 participants. The target groups established informal relationships, discussed issues of importance to them; An ecosystem community was formed, a tradition of meeting was established and this created the basis for the continuation of the ecosystem after the project.
6. More than 20 debates for civic engagement were organized with 600+ participants. Results - More direct outreach to the diaspora, a call to action; increased awareness of the ecosystem and what it offers; awareness of the ecosystem and the opportunities it offers.
During the project, an online platform was created, which works as a one-stop shop for the merger and cooperation of target groups, and the applicant''s work in convening and mentoring initiative groups is aimed at creating good practices, success stories and habits. Using communication support will ensure the continuity and sustainability of the project. During the project period, Project promoter had about 2,500 diaspora professionals, 30 non-governmental and public sector institutions registered on the platform. An important and qualitative change at the end of the project - the target groups will better understand the meaning of cooperation, the benefits and each other''s needs and expectations, and the online platform is used as a space for new connections to be made even after the project ends.
Summary of bilateral results
Throughout the project,active communication with a partner Lithuanian Norwegian Chamber of Commerce helped to share experiences in mobilising diaspora professionals. The partner was responsible for testing the ecosystem and organising and implementing several project events in Oslo. The events contributed to the development of the diaspora by Global Lithuanian Leaders (GLL) and the partner professionals, which helped to strengthen GLL as an organisation. The communication and cooperation will be further developed after the end of the project, as it is beneficial for both organisations to expand their Diaspora professionals and through the use of the ecosystem database created during the project.