Description
The purpose of the project is to set up a mechanism for collecting local opinion and involving local leaders in debates on key public policy areas and legislative frameworks in Poland mainly in areas of education, social and cultural policy, environment and local government. The project will lead to the establishment of a National Leadership Consultation Network preceded by pilot activities. The role of the Network will be to: Provide decision-makers with input on the views of local community groups on the consulted policy. The Network will involve 60 local leaders; they will use an online consultation tool based, among others, on the resources available on www.konsultacje.gov.pl and websites of government departments; Create a local public policy debate forum to elicit opinions from residents and stakeholders. Opinions will inform the Network’s positions and advocacy efforts.Partnership with UCI Young Polish Norwegian Professionals Association will provide support with IT tools to create a cooperation system for leaders in the Network.
Summary of project results
"The project responded to the problem of low interest in influencing public affairs and low awareness of public affairs among Poles. Creating the network of local leaders was also a response to low effectiveness of individual persons or organisations in influencing the process of law-making in Poland. The aim of the project was to include in the regulations created on the central level a local perspective - to take into account the effects of new regulations in the context of local communities and needs of their representatives. The National Consultation Network of Leaders was created - gathering 68 representatives of local groups who, using the Internet tool
http://kskl.eu, can present their opinions on amending regulations passed at the central level. So far, almost 800 persons have participated in consultations led by the National Consultation Network. During the project, persons gathered in the Network dealt with 5 themes, consulting them in their communities (operation of local sports facilities, challenges for local governments, free handbook, pro-family policy and the role of councillors in municipal self-government). In all, 61 local discussions were organised in 45 localities that gathered 776 persons. 5 reports were developed on local aspects of 5 selected public policies. The reports were presented at conferences with participation of politicians, media and experts, and were widely commented in national and local media. Beneficiaries of the project were graduates from School of Leaders programme - 68 persons from all over Poland, and indirectly also their local communities where the leaders led their activities. As a result of cooperation with UCI Young Polish Norwegian Professionals Association, we had an opportunity to be acquainted with practices of building cooperation networks between non-governmental organisations using Internet tools."
Summary of bilateral results
The partner organisation was UCI Young Polish Norwegian Professionals Association. The Grantee established a contact with that organisation during previous projects. The aim of cooperation with the partner organisation from Norway was to share the knowledge and expertize on buidling networks. Representatives of the partner organisation took part in the first part of the project. They lead the workshop during the introductory training course when they described the approach to use of information technology in the creating networks of leaders. They also shared very practical advices that may be important while working with leaders via Internet. It was very important knowledge that the Grantee used in the process of creation of KSKL (National-wide consultative network of local leaders). For UCI YPNPA visit in Poland and opportunity to cooperate with Polish local leaders was also important part of the project. They had the chance to learn from School for Leaders how to cooperate with the big network of Alumni’s and what are ways to maintain the communication within the network.