Innovative practices in Bulgaria
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The activity of the Sustainable Development Center of Teteven Municipality
Center for Sustainable Development of Teteven Municipality
Background
The idea of establishing the Sustainable Development Center of Teteven Municipality (SDCTM) was born during the sessions of the Public Forum a project of the Swiss Government and the municipalities from Central Stara Planina Region. It was aimed to answer the need of institutionalization of the citizen potential of the municipality. The Association was founded on April 2, 2001, by 21 legal entities and 7 individuals, including the Municipality, NGOs, schools, culture centers, state institutions, businessmen, and citizens.
The idea of establishing the Sustainable Development Center of Teteven Municipality (SDCTM) was born during the sessions of the Public Forum a project of the Swiss Government and the municipalities from Central Stara Planina Region. It was aimed to answer the need of institutionalization of the citizen potential of the municipality. The Association was founded on April 2, 2001, by 21 legal entities and 7 individuals, including the Municipality, NGOs, schools, culture centers, state institutions, businessmen, and citizens.
Practice
The Sustainable Development Center of Teteven Municipality (SDCTM) has set itself the ambitious task to work for revival and stable growth rates in all spheres of public life in Teteven Municipality, through the mobilization of local resources and partners, for the better future of all citizens of the municipality.
The activities planned by the SDCTM included: identify acute local problems, compose programs for their resolution, fund and help the measures selected; develop and implement project ideas of common importance; work in cooperation with local authorities, business circles and NGOs; serve as a unification factor and driving force for the implementation of the Development Strategy of Teteven Municipality; provide specialized support to everyone who, aiming at his or her personal development, contributes to common interests.
In its first year, the association oriented its activities towards institution building and priority areas public awareness, tourism, environment, and education. Learning from the experience of other NGOs and analyzing the reasons for their members and leaders loss of energy and enthusiasm, the SDCTM reached the conclusion that, in order to achieve goals and keep the trust of citizens, institutions and administration, a permanently operating structure is needed. They agreed on a number of criteria for the appointment of an Executive Director, and invited representatives of Balkan-Assist, Capacity 21, the FLGR, the Municipal Council and municipal administration to join the selection committee.
After registration, the SDCTM performed a number of significant activities: it participated in the preparation and discussions on the Development Strategy of Teteven Municipality; submitted a project proposal Alternatives for Socialization and Employment of Young Bulgarian Muslims from Teteven Municipality to the Civil Initiatives in the Bulgarian Village Program of the Open Society Foundation; prepared a project for a Web site of Teteven Municipality, to present public structures, companies, tourism opportunities, bookings, and others a project financed by the Swiss Government; developed and is implementing a program for effective management of municipal property: this was done together with the municipal administration, which was a new way of action, a new attitude to municipal assets. This program aimed to stop the one-off activities and to set a clear long-term goal for the optimum use of municipal assets, so that they contribute to its financial sustainability. The SDCTM also took part in a project for the town center aesthetic improvement; it served as an information center on funding programs for culture centers, schools and NGOs.
Partnership between the association and the municipal administration underlies the Statutes of the SDCTM. One of the members of the Management Board is supposed to be the Mayor of the municipality or another representative chosen by him. Common care for the future of the municipality and trust between the two structures became obvious at the time of the Municipal Strategy preparation the SDCTM was appointed as the implementing institution for many of the initiatives in the Action Plan. An example of NGO-local government cooperation was also the fact that Teteven Municipality asked the SDCTM to prepare a project for Municipal Citizen Services Center it to the Citizen Services Improvement Program of the FLGR. The project was approved and is currently in progress. This was yet another opportunity for joint work of Teteven Municipality and the SDCTM, for improvement of quality, optimization of the process of offering administrative services to local people, and the establishment of a friendly behavior to citizens. New joint activities of the partners have been included in the Action Plan for 2002.
The SDCTM keeps partnership contacts with the Chance-1 Youth Association, the Association of Craftspeople and Entrepreneurs, the Associations of Teteventsi, Vita-Tourist, and Nature, with schools, village mayors and other state institutions within the municipality.
Practical support provided by the SDCTM to other bodies: to the culture center of the village of Gorni Izvor for the preparation of a project proposal for the Citizen Initiatives in the Bulgarian Village Program of the Open Society Foundation; to the Georgi Benkovski School, the Association of Craftsmen and Entrepreneurs, and the Chance-1 Association, for the development of a demonstration project within the Action Plan of the Municipal Strategy for Sustainable Development, prepared with the support of the Capacity 21 Program; to the school at Glogovo Village for the project entitled Living Environment Main Factor for the Development of Sustainable Individuals ; to the mayors of Cherni Vit and Divchovoto Villages for participation in the FLGR funding program.
The Sustainable Development Center of Teteven Municipality (SDCTM) has set itself the ambitious task to work for revival and stable growth rates in all spheres of public life in Teteven Municipality, through the mobilization of local resources and partners, for the better future of all citizens of the municipality.
The activities planned by the SDCTM included: identify acute local problems, compose programs for their resolution, fund and help the measures selected; develop and implement project ideas of common importance; work in cooperation with local authorities, business circles and NGOs; serve as a unification factor and driving force for the implementation of the Development Strategy of Teteven Municipality; provide specialized support to everyone who, aiming at his or her personal development, contributes to common interests.
In its first year, the association oriented its activities towards institution building and priority areas public awareness, tourism, environment, and education. Learning from the experience of other NGOs and analyzing the reasons for their members and leaders loss of energy and enthusiasm, the SDCTM reached the conclusion that, in order to achieve goals and keep the trust of citizens, institutions and administration, a permanently operating structure is needed. They agreed on a number of criteria for the appointment of an Executive Director, and invited representatives of Balkan-Assist, Capacity 21, the FLGR, the Municipal Council and municipal administration to join the selection committee.
After registration, the SDCTM performed a number of significant activities: it participated in the preparation and discussions on the Development Strategy of Teteven Municipality; submitted a project proposal Alternatives for Socialization and Employment of Young Bulgarian Muslims from Teteven Municipality to the Civil Initiatives in the Bulgarian Village Program of the Open Society Foundation; prepared a project for a Web site of Teteven Municipality, to present public structures, companies, tourism opportunities, bookings, and others a project financed by the Swiss Government; developed and is implementing a program for effective management of municipal property: this was done together with the municipal administration, which was a new way of action, a new attitude to municipal assets. This program aimed to stop the one-off activities and to set a clear long-term goal for the optimum use of municipal assets, so that they contribute to its financial sustainability. The SDCTM also took part in a project for the town center aesthetic improvement; it served as an information center on funding programs for culture centers, schools and NGOs.
Partnership between the association and the municipal administration underlies the Statutes of the SDCTM. One of the members of the Management Board is supposed to be the Mayor of the municipality or another representative chosen by him. Common care for the future of the municipality and trust between the two structures became obvious at the time of the Municipal Strategy preparation the SDCTM was appointed as the implementing institution for many of the initiatives in the Action Plan. An example of NGO-local government cooperation was also the fact that Teteven Municipality asked the SDCTM to prepare a project for Municipal Citizen Services Center it to the Citizen Services Improvement Program of the FLGR. The project was approved and is currently in progress. This was yet another opportunity for joint work of Teteven Municipality and the SDCTM, for improvement of quality, optimization of the process of offering administrative services to local people, and the establishment of a friendly behavior to citizens. New joint activities of the partners have been included in the Action Plan for 2002.
The SDCTM keeps partnership contacts with the Chance-1 Youth Association, the Association of Craftspeople and Entrepreneurs, the Associations of Teteventsi, Vita-Tourist, and Nature, with schools, village mayors and other state institutions within the municipality.
Practical support provided by the SDCTM to other bodies: to the culture center of the village of Gorni Izvor for the preparation of a project proposal for the Citizen Initiatives in the Bulgarian Village Program of the Open Society Foundation; to the Georgi Benkovski School, the Association of Craftsmen and Entrepreneurs, and the Chance-1 Association, for the development of a demonstration project within the Action Plan of the Municipal Strategy for Sustainable Development, prepared with the support of the Capacity 21 Program; to the school at Glogovo Village for the project entitled Living Environment Main Factor for the Development of Sustainable Individuals ; to the mayors of Cherni Vit and Divchovoto Villages for participation in the FLGR funding program.
Results
The organizations and individuals members of the Association, have gained useful experience, and their qualities and skills have built the capacity of the SDCTM. As a result of the formation of a good working team, the Association succeeded in achieving a number of significant results in quite a short time:
The executive body of the SDCTM became a desired partner and consultant in many spheres of public life.
The SDCTM continued to stimulate public processes, provoked by the work of the Public Forum.
Schools, culture centres, and NGOs continue to look for information and support for the implementation of ideas.
The Association publishes a monthly newsletter with the support of its partners and has prepared a project for the opening of a local public radio, which would build a bridge between citizens and institutions. The SDCTM is currently looking for funding in order to implement this idea.
The SDCTM established a Talented Young People Fund to support the development of gifted boys and girls from the municipality. The Association works in partnership with the Cooperation Department of the Swiss Embassy, the FLGR, the Capacity 21 Program of UNDP, Balkan-Assist, the Stara Planina Regional Association of Municipalities, the Regional Tourism Association of Stara Planina, the Agency for Economic Development in Stara Zagora, the Center for Business and Information of Velingrad, and many others.
The organizations and individuals members of the Association, have gained useful experience, and their qualities and skills have built the capacity of the SDCTM. As a result of the formation of a good working team, the Association succeeded in achieving a number of significant results in quite a short time:
The executive body of the SDCTM became a desired partner and consultant in many spheres of public life.
The SDCTM continued to stimulate public processes, provoked by the work of the Public Forum.
Schools, culture centres, and NGOs continue to look for information and support for the implementation of ideas.
The Association publishes a monthly newsletter with the support of its partners and has prepared a project for the opening of a local public radio, which would build a bridge between citizens and institutions. The SDCTM is currently looking for funding in order to implement this idea.
The SDCTM established a Talented Young People Fund to support the development of gifted boys and girls from the municipality. The Association works in partnership with the Cooperation Department of the Swiss Embassy, the FLGR, the Capacity 21 Program of UNDP, Balkan-Assist, the Stara Planina Regional Association of Municipalities, the Regional Tourism Association of Stara Planina, the Agency for Economic Development in Stara Zagora, the Center for Business and Information of Velingrad, and many others.
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