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Description
Global barometers show an alarming decline in confidence in democracy and a greater gap between the elite and the majority population. In Slovakia, citizens'' satisfaction with the functioning of democracy is declining. At the same time, support for anti-system and extremist parties increased. The number of people believes in conspiracies is increasing - every second Slovak already believes them. Most citizens think that a greater commitment from decent people would help democracy.
The project team has been working closely with various initiatives in Slovakia for years and has noted an increased need for assistance, networking and skills development during the survey.
The project aims to build a sustainable and coordinated network, connecting active citizens and initiatives throughout Slovakia and to provide voluntary assistance for solving local problems with an overlap to the defence of the public interest. The project also focuses on least developed regions, where citizens feel helpless in pursuing the public interest. The project contributes to the return of confidence in democratic mechanisms.
The project aims to contribute to the return of confidence in democratic mechanisms, to contribute to strengthening citizens'' self-confidence and assertiveness - to develop civic and leadership qualities through practice, to translate passivity and disappointment into assertiveness and sense of competence/belief, regions, social classes, strengthen empathy across different environments.
The project will benefit mainly active citizens (civic leaders, formal and informal civic initiatives from the regions), entrepreneurs from the regions of Slovakia (systematic addressing and involvement of entrepreneurs to support the network and its civic members), but also the general public.
Summary of project results
The project made it possible to build and develop the Bystriny platform, which is the only active infrastructure in Slovakia connecting active civic initiatives across regions, themes, but also the stage of their formalization and institutionalization. The platform has created a community background in the online space (Facebook community for fast fulfillment of needs, publication of calls and sharing of experiences, SOLVED platform - which provides all members with an overview of community participants and allows direct connection between initiatives and expert volunteers).
The project helped accelerate the number of consultations, links and practical assistance provided by expert volunteers for membership initiatives, provided the basis for building systemic communication on the importance of civic activism and its results, helped create media partnerships and highlighted positive stories of active citizens. The amplification of positive stories and the inspiration of citizens was one of the main goals of the project, which aims to change attitudes in the long run, creating a standard of personal responsibility for the quality of public space, democracy and society.
The project helped to anchor Bystriny as a living community in which trust is built between the members, who, through cooperation, change the communities in the area. The project created new connections between local entrepreneurs and initiatives, helped the initiatives to gain new financial opportunities (eg social enterprise - sewing workshop in the Monastery in Rožňava won new contracts and financial assistance through a partnership with entrepreneur Jaroslav Chrapek).
The project provided ample evidence for the need for a sustainable network that broadly connects active citizens with experts able to increase their impact, helps expand their financial and organizational sustainability, while creating a great foothold in society for civic engagement and changing standards.