Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
Cooperation Agreement Between Nongovernmental Organizations and Local Government
Knowledge Association
Background
The lack of experience and organization of the work of NGOs and local government in Bulgaria in respect of the solution of current municipal problems are the main premises for the creation of a special project for overcoming the problem. The project is developed by several organizations: Knowledge Association - Lovech in cooperation with the municipal administration and 12 local NGOs. The Building Sustainable Mechanisms for Cooperation Between NGOs and Local Authority in the Municipality of Lovech project is funded by the Phare Program through the Foundation for Civil Society Development.
The lack of experience and organization of the work of NGOs and local government in Bulgaria in respect of the solution of current municipal problems are the main premises for the creation of a special project for overcoming the problem. The project is developed by several organizations: Knowledge Association - Lovech in cooperation with the municipal administration and 12 local NGOs. The Building Sustainable Mechanisms for Cooperation Between NGOs and Local Authority in the Municipality of Lovech project is funded by the Phare Program through the Foundation for Civil Society Development.
Practice
The cooperation agreement signed between NGOs and local authority is a result of the one-year efforts of the local non-governmental organizations, local government and media representatives. The chosen strategy for preparation of the agreement is for it to emerge as a final product from the relationships and based on the concrete experience obtained in the process of the project. For this purpose, three main focus groups are formed. They deal with problems connected with the health of women, work with mentally and physically disabled children and effective use of the municipal property.
The united potential of the organizations and the efficient cooperation between them, and the attraction of business partners from both private and state companies are the main premises for achieving good results.
The groups achieve excellent results:
- opening a mamologic consulting office in the United Regional Hospital in the town after conducting prophylactic examinations over more than 800 women threatened by cancer of the lacteal gland;
- reaching an agreement for night shift duties in the disabled children`s home; - conducting a municipal residential fund inspection; - opening an information reception room on the problems of the municipal property.
Due to the united efforts of many people, systematic activity for forming a new type of health culture in the women from the town and for socializing of disabled children is achieved. Representatives of the local businesses and of the twin-city of Lovech - the German town of Erfurg, are attracted as donors.
Having as a background successful practices and good relationships, local government and NGOs can more easily overcome existing problems such as:
- lack of successful mechanisms allowing NGOs to be a corrective of the local government;
- ineffective usage of the potential of NGOs by the local authorities;
- insufficient coordination and preparation of citizens organizations for upholding their own interests;
- insufficient mutual information and coordination of activity;
- low cultural level of the established relationships, due to the lack of knowledge about the non-governmental organizations.
The cooperation agreement signed between NGOs and local authority is a result of the one-year efforts of the local non-governmental organizations, local government and media representatives. The chosen strategy for preparation of the agreement is for it to emerge as a final product from the relationships and based on the concrete experience obtained in the process of the project. For this purpose, three main focus groups are formed. They deal with problems connected with the health of women, work with mentally and physically disabled children and effective use of the municipal property.
The united potential of the organizations and the efficient cooperation between them, and the attraction of business partners from both private and state companies are the main premises for achieving good results.
The groups achieve excellent results:
- opening a mamologic consulting office in the United Regional Hospital in the town after conducting prophylactic examinations over more than 800 women threatened by cancer of the lacteal gland;
- reaching an agreement for night shift duties in the disabled children`s home; - conducting a municipal residential fund inspection; - opening an information reception room on the problems of the municipal property.
Due to the united efforts of many people, systematic activity for forming a new type of health culture in the women from the town and for socializing of disabled children is achieved. Representatives of the local businesses and of the twin-city of Lovech - the German town of Erfurg, are attracted as donors.
Having as a background successful practices and good relationships, local government and NGOs can more easily overcome existing problems such as:
- lack of successful mechanisms allowing NGOs to be a corrective of the local government;
- ineffective usage of the potential of NGOs by the local authorities;
- insufficient coordination and preparation of citizens organizations for upholding their own interests;
- insufficient mutual information and coordination of activity;
- low cultural level of the established relationships, due to the lack of knowledge about the non-governmental organizations.
Results
The agreement signed is a unique experience for our country. It helps the overcoming of the existing problems by:
- discussing future joint activities;
- participation of NGOs in the initiatives of the local government;
- participation of NGO representatives in the established permanent committees and temporary bodies of the Municipal Council;
- active partnership for educating citizens on the problems of local self-government and stimulating their motivation for finding solutions of municipal problems;
- cooperative research on important social problems;
The Municipal Budget for 1999 has allocated funds for supporting the activity of the non-governmental sector, related to the problems of the municipality.
The agreement signed is a unique experience for our country. It helps the overcoming of the existing problems by:
- discussing future joint activities;
- participation of NGOs in the initiatives of the local government;
- participation of NGO representatives in the established permanent committees and temporary bodies of the Municipal Council;
- active partnership for educating citizens on the problems of local self-government and stimulating their motivation for finding solutions of municipal problems;
- cooperative research on important social problems;
The Municipal Budget for 1999 has allocated funds for supporting the activity of the non-governmental sector, related to the problems of the municipality.
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