Background

Given the difficult environment in which the municipalities operate, finding alternative funding sources for municipal infrastructure improvement projects and programs, for guaranteeing the social and economic rights of the citizens and for incentives to local businesses, has become extremely important.

Practice

In its operations, Municipality of Nova Zagora s management has sought cooperation and behalf of NGOs, youth organizations, the Labor Bureau and private businesses. The idea for the establishment of municipal development unit that would unify young people s efforts for sustainable municipal development, came as a natural result of the desire for full-scale partnership.

The Municipal Development Unit was established in March, 2000. It is staffed by young experts hired under the temporary employment program. The Unit staff work on projects of public significance. The Municipal Development Unit provides full cooperation to all public organizations or companies that are interested in implementing their own projects related to economic development and job creation. The idea is to have the unit transformed into an independent non-profit association that would be self-sustainable and would employ more experts in different areas. So far, the staff of the Unit have developed:

Municipality of Nova Zagora Development Strategy through 2006;
an project application for a Japanese Embassy grant to provide water-supply to a group of villages within the Municipality of Nova Zagora;
cleaning and afforestation programs for areas with prevailing Roma population.

Results

Prerequisites for the utilization of young people s capacity in the development of projects and long-term sustainable development programs were created. Effective partnership relations with local businesses and NGOs were established.