Description
The project "Capacity Building for NGOs and Informal Groups" addresses the problematic of informal groups in Romania by the means of a research and improvement recommendations on their general operating legal framework. It proposes the set-up of a Resource Centre meant to provide training and consultancy services to associative structures to support the development and efficiency of operations. In order to seize the opportunity and respond to the expertise need, The foundation for an open society is adapting its activity to the last years' social developments during which, the role of informal groups has reached a significant importance at global and national levels. The main activities of the project are: research on informal groups in Romania; an analysis of the Romanian legal framework and European practices with regard to the functioning and financing of informal groups and drafting recommendations for a Policy Brief; the set-up and running of a Training and Consultancy Resource Centre; constant public communication on improving informal groups' functioning and on promoting the services provided by the Resource Centre.
Summary of project results
The problem addressed by the project was the need for support of the Romanian non-profit sector, in terms of stimuli for associativity and training resources. The project started with a sociological research on the informal groups in Romania, which substantially contributed to an increased knowledge about the youngest forms of associativity in our country. The promoter also conducted an analysis of the Romanian and European practices and legal frameworks regarding the way informal groups of citizens are functioning and are funded. The conclusions of both studies substantiated the advocacy measures carried out. In order to extend the consultation process, a public hearing was organised; it collected 13 depositions of different stakeholders, NGOs, informal groups. The conclusions underlined the lack of civic education in formal and informal environments and the need for financial support from the local public authorities. Besides the public hearing, other advocacy tactics were: letters to public institutions, such as the Ministry of Education, asking for a relevant civic education curriculum and also letters to 3 mayors from 3 cities: Buzau, Ramnicu Valcea, Craiova, asking for more transparent funding procedures of the non-profit activities under their circumscriptions. Another advocacy initiative was a petition addressed to the Romanian government, focused on the access to public information. The second part of the project paid particular attention to the training needs of NGOs and informal groups’ members. A resource center was set up and provided 20 trainings for 202 members of NGOs and informal groups, 124 volunteers and 78 employees of the non-profit sector. The Center organized 20 webinars and the experts offered 320 consultancy hours. The topics of the trainings and webinars were themes of interest for grassroots NGOs and informal groups, such as: How do we activate civic involvement? Civic involvement toolkit for informal groups, PR and communication, Project management, financial planning, How to communicate online- social media for NGOs and informal groups etc.
Summary of bilateral results