Description
The main objective of the project is to build strong and sustainable citizen groups capable of addressing multiple issues they identify in their communities. The project uses community development as a tool to increasing civic participation in 6 districts of Katowice and 2 in Bielsko-Biała. Local community leaders will be supported and trained by a community development worker on how to actively influence public policy. The project will result in engaging at least 150 local residents in both cities, solving at least 12 local problems (at least 6 jointly with local government) and one problem faced by the whole city. While Bona Fides wants to concentrate on community development in Katowice it is committed to sharing its expertise with organizations in other cities. Hence, the project will also be implemented in Bielsko-Biała, where a partnership organization has been involved in civic participation projects since its inception.
Summary of project results
For several years, the Bona Fide Association has activated inhabitants of Katowice to include them in the process of co-deciding on the most important issues concerning the city and its districts. If we compare the situation in Katowice to the one from several years ago, considerable progress is visible, but average inhabitants are still passive. After several years of searching for appropriate methods to activate greater numbers of inhabitants, in 2011 in one of the districts organistion started to use with some successes a method of social organising. The work with local communities was continued under the project ""Let's organise - building strong local communities"". The main aim of the project was to build groups of inhabitants capable to deal with local problems. Members of the groups enhanced their knowledge in the areas of access to public information, interpersonal communication, and leader abilities. In addition, working with community organisers, they enhanced their competencies also in the field of soliciting resources or building cooperation with local entities. Decisions concerning investments in city districts are more tailored to the needs of inhabitants (e.g. Borki initiative helped to stop the decision to demolish the historical housing complex Borki, and presently a plan for its revitalisation is prepared). Under the project 5 informal groups of inhabitants were created, about 3500 persons were engaged in activities led by the groups, a city platform was created, gathering representatives of NGOs and subsidiary unit councils, 24 local problems were solved, plenipotentiary for NGOs was nominated, and intersectoral working groups associated with the Town Hall were created. The project benefited inhabitants of Katowice and Bielsko-Biała. To develop the method also in other cities the project was implemented in cooperation with the Foundation for Good Changes from Bielsko. The activities of the partner resulted in creating two neighbourhood initiatives that enhanced grassroot activity of inhabitants in their city districts.
Summary of bilateral results