The idea for the elaboration of a Municipal Social Strategy is an initiative of the Business centre Peshtera, which has been strongly supported by informal community leaders: doctors, teachers, employers, roma people, representatives from the disabled people, state and municipal authorities institutions, organisations and people having direct interest to resolve the existing social problems for the citizens, especially of those with disabilities.

The elaboration of the Municipal Social Strategy for the disabled people of the municipality has been a long process, which required joint efforts for its successful development and further implementation. The process also required effective mobilisation of the citizen potential, while at the same time applying the partnership principle, equality of rights and drafting a set of concrete measures through which the solving of the social problems would be achieved in line with the local social environment and conditions.

The project implementation started with a broad announcement of the initiative among the citizens through the local media. The initiatives provoked the interest of the community and the future members of the Community Council (established within the project).

The preparation for the formation of the Community Council, an advisory body within the process of formulation and implementation of social policies, started through a series of meetings and debates with representatives from the roma community and its informal leaders, teachers, doctors, syndicates` representatives, experts from the state and municipal authorities, disabled people. They were motivated to be part of the Community Council at the municipal level and participate in the future implementation of the Strategy. These community representatives were presented among the stakeholders together with the overall objective of the project. The Community Council was established on a voluntarily basis. Together with community representatives, members of the Council were 5 Municipal Councillors. The established Community Council regularly presented its recommendations to the Municipal Council.

The next step within the process has been the training and capacity building of the members of the Community Council, focused on improving the skills of the members to develop a social strategy and get familiar with the mechanisms encouraging citizen participation. A survey has been done among the various representatives of the disabled people, which aimed at identification and analyses of the most urgent demands and problems of these people. The final results from the survey were the building blocks for the municipal social strategy and helped the formulation of adequate measures and policies.

Another initiative within the project was the formulation of several working groups in the following areas: healthcare, education, employment, minorities, infrastructure and housing policy, disabled people. In order to ensure better and efficient coordination, each work group has its chairperson responsible for the results of the group and helping the coordination between the work groups. There was also a working schedule of the sessions. The results from the survey were presented to the work groups in order to help them in the process of formulating priorities and strategies leading to overcoming the problems of the target groups. Additional aspect of the work was the definition of the necessary financial, human and material resources to implement the strategy and its measures. The work groups had regular weekly sessions. The idea to select a chairperson of the workgroup turned out to be a successful model, which made easier the overall effective coordination of the process. During each meeting of the Community Council the workgroups presented the results from their work and practical recommendations. All meetings were in fact public debates, with the active participation of community representatives.

During the last month of the work on the Strategy, the Community Council organized a final summarizing meeting, which gave the opportunity to the work groups to present their written formulations and policy recommendations, conclusions from their work, as well as the necessary financial and human resources. The results and information shared has been structured in the following manner: presenting the information and conclusions from the work group discussion and final approval of the proposals and policy formulations.

On this final event the Community Council took the decision to continue its activities in the future, acting as a consultative body in the field of social policy and its members agreed to have regular monthly sessions and monitor the implementation of the Strategy.

After the summarising seminar of the Community Council and based on its conclusions, the final Municipal Social Strategy has been developed and presented for adoption to the Municipal Council Peshtera.

A Municipal Social Strategy has been elaborated and officially adopted by the Municipal Council in May 2006. The Strategy is an integral part of the Municipal Development Plan of Peshtera.

The interest of the disabled people and various sectors of the civil society were fairly represented through the establishment of the Community Council, which main function was to consult the local decision makers in the process of formulation of a social strategy taking into consideration the interest of all interested social groups. This also helped the increased sense of participation in the public policy-making process on behalf of the disabled people.

Through the popularisation of the work and activities of the Community Council, the general awareness and understanding of the community regarding the problems and demands of the disabled people has changed. The role and the capacity of the local institutions and organisations have increased.

The partnership initiatives and joint efforts of the municipality, the non-governmental organisations and community representatives worked as a successful model for the balance between the interest of the various civic groups and their most urgent demands.

Contacts:

Nadya Turpova

Business Centre Peshtera

Municipal Social Strategy Project

[email protected]