Description
The project addresses the need for greater transparency in policy-making and greater engagement of NGOs at local and national level. The project aims at promoting greater civic engagement through a methodology to study the NGO environment. First, the methodology to study the NGO environment, the instances and impact of civic engagement will be developed. Second, 36 NGO representatives and 6 regional coordinators will be trained to use the methodology. Then they will collect data about the local practices in the 36 municipalities. Third, the collected data will be presented in a report on the existing environment. Next, the report will be disseminated among NGOs via an interactive application on the applicant’s website and NGOs will learn to use the methodology via a webinar. Finally, biennial conferences on civic engagement will be held. The project will benefit the NGO sector. The partner will support the project with its extensive expertise in the NGO legislation.
Summary of project results
The need for the project has been determined by the low efficiency of civic engagement in the country, due both to low activity of NGOs in advisory processes and the formalization or disrespect for these processes by the institutions. The project was targeted at promoting greater involvement of NGOs in decision-making and their results thereof. The goal has been achieved to a great extent which can be seen from the active involvement of NGOs across the country in the assessment of the Municipality Index (more than 150 NGOs) and dissemination of the findings. The main project output is the online Civic Engagement Index based on a survey of 450 representatives of active NGOs by means of a tailored methodology. The preparation of the Index involved more than 20 experts, more than 200 NGOs from Sofia and the country and more than 40 representatives of the central and local government which further boosted the NGO involvement and motivation. The assessment of the Index on national and local level allowed the participants to take stock of their work, communicate with colleagues and draft joint recommendations for the development of civic engagement. The specific assessments by country districts are also important as an incentive in the future work of NGOs and the local administration. The very process of assessment was important (focus groups) because of the greater sense of purpose which it contributed to the work of the organizations and institutions and their partnership. For more information:
http://index.fgu.bg/ and the Facebook page of the Forum for Civil Participation.
Summary of bilateral results