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Description
As part of the project, we would like to engage the City of Mrągowo residents in discussions about their needs and ideas for the city. Mrągowo is a town with a population of approx. 22 000 inhabitants, situated in the central part of the Masuria Region. It has unique pre-war architecture of a Prussian resort as well as valuable landscape and natural assets. The above-mentioned factors are taken into account in the current development strategy of the city, but are neglected in the spatial policy, which is a source of conflict between local government and residents. We believe that the problem of the current model of spatial policy is insufficient inclusion of residents in decision-making processes, which results in a number of negative consequences, including: residents'' withdrawal, insufficient number of people participating in consultations, lack of pro-social attitudes and a weak sense of community. The aim of the project is to create a space for civic dialogue that will serve both the local government and the residents. By building a social dialogue we want to protect and shape the local space, care for the environment and build good social relations. We will use public participation to change the model of local policy on urban land use and environmental protection. In order to achieve this, for two years we will be hosting open meetings and workshops for residents under the slogan "Mrągowo Sz(t)uka Dialogu". We will conduct 7 series of facilitated meetings, 15 editions of training sessions and workshops on effective communication, conflict management, facilitation of meetings and basics of inclusive journalism. We will carry out two Civic Picnics. 50 volunteers will be trained in order to set up the youth civic media – the first youth media in Poland to implement the idea of inclusive journalism based on transformative dialogue. Mrągowo will be the first city in Poland to apply the transformative dialogue method to community planning initiatives.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to create a new space for civic dialogue, serving the local government and the community associated with Mrągowo to improve the quality of communication and better co-management of the city. By testing such a space, we gradually introduced changes to the local policy model regarding various topics important to the community. In response to growing conflicts, we initiated the practice of open meetings and workshops under the name "Nasze Mrągowo" based on high standards of public debate and an innovative model of the so-called transformative dialogue. The meetings were animated by facilitators trained in the model from among 15 local leaders. Support was provided by experts from the ALE Foundation from the Center for Dialogue and Conflict Transformation. The main role in facilitating the meetings and subsequent processes resulting from them was taken over by the partner Fundacja Złap Rozwoju, which coordinated the project substantively. Media communication about the project for residents of the city, district and region is the task of trained people volunteers of Youth Civic Media, running the myMragowo.pl portal and MFM TV. They became the first youth media in Poland educated for inclusive journalism based on transformative dialogue.
- Opening campaign
- Training in the transformative model for change leaders and project staff
- Training in the transformative model and the basics of inclusive journalism for MMO volunteers
- NASZE MRĄGOWO - a new space for civil dialogue.
- Open workshops on communication and dealing with conflict in a transformative approach.
- Citizens'' Picnic - two editions
RESULTS:
- 15 change leaders
- 11 trained facilitators
- 31 trained youth volunteers and recruited to the MMO (out of 50 established during the project)
-10 trained people in open workshops (out of at least 70 planned during the project)
-93 participants/number of meetings "OUR MRĄGOWO" (name changed to "Mrągowo Sz(t)uka Dialogu") (out of at least 70 planned during the project).
In the context of changes, we can observe and conclude:
1) breaking the trend of minimalist social consultations - we have led to an increase in the number of direct and open consultations: 7
public thematic meetings, 1 additional meeting, 5 grassroots education and civic activation campaigns, plus a dozen additional
meetings of facilitators, initiative group, stakeholders - one open public debate was held in the last 2 years;
2) increasing the quality of comments in the public consultation procedure - so far there has been no practice of jointly preparing comments as a result of
public discussion, meetings and with the support of experts;
In these phenomena, we see the first effects of counteracting the problem formulated in the proposal, which is insufficient inclusion
stakeholders in decision-making processes, i.e.:
• informing residents through ineffective channels - we and the residents supplement it if the authorities do not do it;
• hindering access to information - we educate and involve as many representatives of the city hall and officials as possible
•during consultations: expert, official, incomprehensible language of information (…) – we introduce and moderate a transformative dialogue, thanks to
why public meetings have a different course,
Residents can see:
-increase in the number of participants/consultation check)
- an increase in the sense of community manifested in joint grassroots initiatives.
The visible change was:
1). greater recognition and popularity - attendance at meetings, interest in social media, and viewership increases
materials and social resonance in various environments;
2). self-organization of residents around the initiative to publicize the proposed changes in the local development plan, and
development and submission of comments to the plan - this grassroots undertaking was on a scale unprecedented in our environment, 18 people were involved
people (except facilitators) who, within 2 weeks, obtained almost a thousand signatures at tables in urban spaces, educating others
residents regarding their rights and possibilities of influencing the decisions of local authorities.