The impact of the “Academy of Participation” (AoP)

Citizens

  • are helped to become more active and involved in the decision-making process at the local level;
  • are helped to improve skills, acquire new habits and apply them while working in their own community;
  • are helped to develop engagement mechanisms in their community – particularly, they are equipped to communicate effectively, to identify their own needs, and to overcome challenges;
  • are helped to become more aware of their  rights and responsibilities;
  • are given the opportunity to participate in both planning and implementation of the municipal activities.

Citizens

  • acquire relevant and applicable knowledge and skills in the field of participation with the help of invited experts, local practitioners, qualified trainers and the Solidarity Fund PL in Georgia team;
  • support and/or advise on adequate planning and implementation of  the participatory  processes given local context and resources.
  • are helped to become more active and involved in the decision-making process at the local level;
  • are helped to improve skills, acquire new habits and apply them while working in their own community;
  • are helped to develop engagement mechanisms in their community – particularly, they are equipped to communicate effectively, to identify their own needs, and to overcome challenges;
  • are helped to become more aware of their  rights and responsibilities;
  • are given the opportunity to participate in both planning and implementation of the municipal activities.
  • acquire relevant and applicable knowledge and skills in the field of participation with the help of invited experts, local practitioners, qualified trainers and the Solidarity Fund PL in Georgia team;
  • support and/or advise on adequate planning and implementation of the the participatory  processes given local context and resources.

Municipality :

Municipality :

  • has risen public trust and social mandate of  the local institution;
  • is given the opportunity to demonstrate self-government activities and implement open, accountable governance;
  • is given an opportunity to better understand the needs of the citizens and the community;
  • is better equipped to cope with local challenges by means of different participatory tools and strategies;
  • gain supporters and the goodwill of the population;
  • has an opportunity to become certified and implement engagement mechanisms in its area
  • is provided with an opportunity to address local problems through participatory budgeting with citizens involvement;
  • is encouraged to manage participatory processes according to the globally recognized standards and best practices, and if it is successful it is awarded the municipal certificate;
  • has shared international experience;
  • is encouraged to invest into competent staff staff members able to held a dialogue with local population even more effectively;
  • is encouraged to apply LEADER approach, which implies bottom-up-planned governance
  • is supported by active civil society that values trustworthy relationship between the government and the citizens
  • gains theoretical and practical experience proven to be successful in Georgia in the curse of the AoP program;
  • receives recommendations how to improve the PB processes in the municipality in the framework of the Certification of Municipality;
  • receives assistance from the recognized and experienced experts of the “Academy of Participation” (AoP)  in the development and implementation of participatory mechanisms;
  • receives on-going and ad-hoc consultations of the Solidarity Fund PL in Georgia team and internationally-recognized experts.

Democratic changes

More aspiration towards decentralization by introducing these processes. Active civil society
and strengthening of democratic processes in the country.

Improving the environment

Improved infrastructure and community-oriented self-governance.

The “Academy of Participation” in numbers

The total number of applications – 85

The beginners course – 63

The advanced course – 22

The total number of participants – 49

The beginners course – 32

The advanced course – 17

The total number of graduates – 45

The beginners course – 31

The advanced course – 14