The project Engaged citizens for quality local public services is carried out by the Romanian Academic Society, in partnership with Act For Tomorrow Association and Vellenes Fellesorganisasjon and benefits from a non-reimbursable financing of 249,989 euros through EEA Grants 2014-2021 – Active Citizens Fund Romania program – funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The content of this website does not necessarily represent the official position of the EEA and Norwegian Grants 2014-2021; for more information visit www.eeagrants.org. Information about Active Citizens Fund Romania is available at www.activecitizensfund.ro.
Why do we need active citizens for quality local public services?
In recent years, civic engagement has increased yet, overall, the degree to which citizens influence local level decision-making is still low, particularly among the youth. As such, local public services for citizens are still deficient according to studies, particularly the European Commission’s country reports, with negative impact on quality of life in urban areas.
The project aims to increase the capacity for mobilization and civic involvement, especially among young people, by developing a set of methods and tools for monitoring and advocacy in order to improve the quality of services provided by local public administrations in urban areas.
Specifically, education, local public transport, respectively waste management are targeted, areas that will be monitored through activities that will follow relevant indicators at the level of 47 municipalities (40 county residences, Bucharest + 6 sectors). This monitoring will be done by involving 80 recruited and trained citizens, 24 local and 3 national advocacy campaigns, as well as 3 debates on improving the public policy framework for the monitored public services.
The process will primarily aim at complying with the regulations in force regarding the three public services, namely the Law on national education, local public transport services, the normative package on waste, but also the secondary regulatory framework. Also, specific tools will be developed to monitor the quality of public services and citizen involvement through watchdog activities and advocacy campaigns at the local level, as well as a transfer of community mobilization best practices – with the help of the partner Vellenes Fellesorganisasjon. At the same time, with the support of Act For Tomorrow – the partner organization involved in monitoring and conducting waste management advocacy campaigns – a series of civic and environmental awareness sessions will be organized.
What are our goals?
• Citizens’ involvement in improving the quality of urban life by monitoring local public transport services, education and waste management in 40 county seat municipalities and the municipality of Bucharest (general mayor’s office and district mayoralties);
• Developing the capacity for civic involvement of citizens, especially young people, in municipalities from each development region, by: (1) transferring best practices from Norwegian communities, (2) organizing 8 training sessions and (3) conducting 24 advocacy campaigns at local level, in order to improve the quality of monitored public services;
• Increasing the institutional capacity of the Romanian Academic Society by conducting organizational evaluation, training and coaching sessions in order to implement efficient management procedures and transparent and accountable organizational governance procedures.
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The project is carried out by the Romanian Academic Society, in partnership with the Act For Tomorrow Association and Vellenes Fellesorganisasjon and benefits from a funding of 249,989 euros through the Active Citizens Fund Romania program – funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The content of this website does not necessarily represent the official position of the EEA and Norwegian Grants 2014-2021; for more information visit www.eeagrants.org. Information about Active Citizens Fund Romania is available at www.activecitizensfund.ro.