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Description
The project addresses the problem of insufficient influence of residents of the city of Elbląg on local policies. Our goal is to provide the residents with knowledge about the mechanisms of public participation and to increase the community''s influence on the decisions made at the local level. The project is addressed to people of different ages (children, young people, adults) and to representatives of NGOs. We will conduct workshops for young people, informal groups, and leaders from NGOs. Public consultations and consultation meeting will be carried out. We will run civic cafes and prepare leaders from the NGOs to launch their own local initiatives. Thanks to this project, the participants will learn about the tools and procedures of local policies, as well as how to interpret information from various sources. They will obtain the necessary legal knowledge and skills to influence the decisions of the local government. They will also learn how to monitor the effectiveness of participatory activities in shaping local policies. The project will contribute to increasing the awareness of Elbląg residents concerning democratic mechanisms.
Summary of project results
The main problem addressed by the project was insufficient influence and participation of Elbląg residents in decision-making at the local level, resulting mainly from:
- insufficient awareness of Elbląg residents about participatory processes;
- insufficient knowledge of the inhabitants of Elbląg regarding methods and procedures of influencing
decision-making at the local level;
- inappropriate approach of local authorities to consultations with residents;
- insufficient number of local leaders active in the field of civic participation;
- insufficient civic education of children and youth.
The following activities were carried out as part of the project:
- 20 democratic and information workshops with a total duration of 60 hours,
- 20 consultation meetings attended by a total of 322 people,
- 12 civic cafes were held, attended by a total of 175 people,
- as part of the School of Social Participation, five 3-day meetings for 12 people were held, lasting 120 hours,
- 48 civic lessons were conducted for a total of 840 students of Elbląg schools,
- 19 local initiatives were implemented and settled,
- during the project implementation, graphics and a film/spot promoting public consultations were created,
- 1 issue of the Non-governmental magazine was published (Kwiecień no. 2, year of publication 2023) (printed copy and PDF).
A group of 12 people participating in democratic and information workshops improved their skills in conveying content using various media. They acquired or improved their knowledge about social participation and the possibility of residents'' participation in co-management, as well as the ability to analyze information and its sources.
A group of 840 students acquired basic knowledge about participation, opportunities and benefits of taking actions together - both as informal groups and associations, which they will be able to establish on their own in the coming years.
A group of 12 people participating in the educational cycle of the School of Social Participation improved their knowledge in the field of law, the possibility of influencing local government decisions, shaping policies, measuring the effectiveness of activities and the role of leaders in conducting participatory activities.
Direct recipients (175 people participating in cafes and 322 people participating in social consultations) and indirect recipients, through activities planned and implemented as part of the project, had a positive impact on raising awareness of social participation and influence on the creation of local policies.