Innovative practices in Bulgaria
Sharing innovations for improving local self-government
Developing and publishing A Guide to Municipal Protocol
National Association of Secretaries of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria
Background
The project is developed and implemented by the National Association of the Secretaries of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NASM RB) within FLGR s programme Support for the Local Government Reform , with the financial support of USAID. Executive Director of NASM RB, Vassil Pancharov, co-ordinated the project. The idea for the publication answers a need felt by the secretaries of municipalities (and especially those from middle- and small-size municipalities) for such guide. Lacking classified information and experience, the secretaries and their teams occasionally face circumstances when they have to improvise and frequently, they are not especially successful.
The project is developed and implemented by the National Association of the Secretaries of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NASM RB) within FLGR s programme Support for the Local Government Reform , with the financial support of USAID. Executive Director of NASM RB, Vassil Pancharov, co-ordinated the project. The idea for the publication answers a need felt by the secretaries of municipalities (and especially those from middle- and small-size municipalities) for such guide. Lacking classified information and experience, the secretaries and their teams occasionally face circumstances when they have to improvise and frequently, they are not especially successful.
Practice
The project focuses its efforts towards municipal specialists in the Protocol from the Mayor s Office or Departments such as Culture etc.; secretaries of municipalities; heads of departments and specialists faced by similar issues in their everyday work.
The activities to achieve the project goals can be classified as follows:
1. Organisational activities:
building a team and creating an optimal working environment;
organizing consultations and discussions with experts from various institutions;
recruiting people to process the feedback cards and the response to the publication.
2. Technical activities:
research and selection of materials;
arranging the topical content and classifying the materials accordingly;
editing and preprinting;
dissemination of the guide together with a feedback card.
3. Financial and other project-supporting activities
These activities, arranged according to the project s logic, are in fact the work plan approved by the team.
Special interest was incited by the innovative approach of development, using the advantage of computer networks. For example, participants in the general meeting for discussing the first draft of the guide had the opportunity to give their corrections and suggestions simultaneously, using such computer network.
In the course of project implementation a fruitful partnership was established among local authorities (the partner municipalities Gabrovo, Varna, Kazanlak, Plovdiv and Rousse) and partner NGOs ( Economics 2000 Club and Central Balkans Regional Association of Municipalities).
The Guide to Municipal Protocol was promoted by the regional cable operator Gabrovo Cable .
The project focuses its efforts towards municipal specialists in the Protocol from the Mayor s Office or Departments such as Culture etc.; secretaries of municipalities; heads of departments and specialists faced by similar issues in their everyday work.
The activities to achieve the project goals can be classified as follows:
1. Organisational activities:
building a team and creating an optimal working environment;
organizing consultations and discussions with experts from various institutions;
recruiting people to process the feedback cards and the response to the publication.
2. Technical activities:
research and selection of materials;
arranging the topical content and classifying the materials accordingly;
editing and preprinting;
dissemination of the guide together with a feedback card.
3. Financial and other project-supporting activities
These activities, arranged according to the project s logic, are in fact the work plan approved by the team.
Special interest was incited by the innovative approach of development, using the advantage of computer networks. For example, participants in the general meeting for discussing the first draft of the guide had the opportunity to give their corrections and suggestions simultaneously, using such computer network.
In the course of project implementation a fruitful partnership was established among local authorities (the partner municipalities Gabrovo, Varna, Kazanlak, Plovdiv and Rousse) and partner NGOs ( Economics 2000 Club and Central Balkans Regional Association of Municipalities).
The Guide to Municipal Protocol was promoted by the regional cable operator Gabrovo Cable .
Results
Project aims are achieved due to good organisation and co-ordination of the work of the team. The analysis of the feedback, as well as the orders for copies of the Guide coming from various institutions and NGOs prove the project s success. The interest provoked by the publication, printed only in 500 copies, raises the question about a second, probably expanded, edition.
Two-day workshops are scheduled in NASM RB Work Plan for 2000, which will include solving cases in municipal protocol, based on the Guide and other materials.
Project aims are achieved due to good organisation and co-ordination of the work of the team. The analysis of the feedback, as well as the orders for copies of the Guide coming from various institutions and NGOs prove the project s success. The interest provoked by the publication, printed only in 500 copies, raises the question about a second, probably expanded, edition.
Two-day workshops are scheduled in NASM RB Work Plan for 2000, which will include solving cases in municipal protocol, based on the Guide and other materials.
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