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Description
We are directing our project to people in three neighborhoods of Łódź: Polesie, Śródmieście, and Widzew. According to the research conducted in 2016, individuals living in those neighborhoods face many social issues and are characterized by low civic engagement. Our experience suggests that the problem is related to low self-esteem, lack of relationship building skills and a sense of agency over one’s environment. In response to the problem, we will organize a series of workshops on personal development combined with civic education. The workshops will be conducted in the spirit of Nonviolent Communication (NVC), and we will invite other, already established NGOs operating in Łódź, to participate as well. Forty-eight individuals living in the listed neighborhoods will be invited to participate in our meetings. We will divide them into six groups. The participants will come up with their original ideas and will receive support in implementing them back home. The project will conclude with a presentation and evaluation of the implemented initiatives.
Summary of project results
The project was directed at the citizens of three districts of the city of Łódź: Polesie, Śródmieście, and Widzew. According to a study from 2016, these three communities face many social problems and are characterized by a low civic engagement. Our experience suggested the lack of engagement is related to low self-esteem, lack of lasting relationship building skills, and a lack of the sense of agency within their environment. We addressed these problems by completing a series of workshops focused on self-development and civic education. The classes were conducted according to the tenants of Nonviolent Communication. We have also invited other NGOs working in Łódź. Recruited citizens presented their own ideas for civic initiatives and received our support in implementing them in their local communities. The project finished with a presentation and evaluation of the completed initiatives.The project managed to activate 48 citizens of Łódź. Post-project surveys and conversations suggest that the participants became more engaged, tolerant, and open towards others. They are also more attuned to the needs of their immediate environment. The participants also learned how to counteract the burnout effect and increase the morale and motivate other participants in local initiatives.
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