Project management
Working procedures, detailed project plan with financial, human, technical, logistical resources, assignment of tasks, responsibilities and deadlines necessary to achieve the assumed objectives and indicators etc. will be developed. The achievement of objectives and indicators within each activity will be monitored in compliance with the control loop – respectively monitoring-control-re/monitoring.
Information and communication
The communication plan will detail the communication messages, the target groups, the materials and channels used, as well as a the time schedule for the implementation and monitoring of the information and communication actions and results.
Visual identity packages will be created – promotional and informative materials, the guide to civic involvement etc.
Events:
• 1 conference to launch the national report Diagnosis of monitored local public services;
• 8 local press conferences;
• 3 national debates organized on the topic of each monitored public service;
• 8 information and awareness sessions organized at local level;
• 24 advocacy campaigns at local level;
• 1 final project conference.
Development of tools for monitoring and advocacy
Tools will be developed through which public institutions can be monitored and petitioned:
• Development of the application “Take the State to Questions” – www.iastatullaintrebari.ro;
• Development of the monitoring platform for local public services, which should generate 1 comparative and interactive map on the quality of the 3 monitored public services;
• Elaboration of a guide of civic involvement at local level;
• Carrying out a video course on monitoring the activity of the authorities and the advocacy process at local level.
Monitoring local public services (education, public transport and waste management)
Monitored qualitative and quantitative indicators:
• education: (1) granting/ amount of scholarships for students, (2) ensuring the security of educational institutions, (3) the amounts allocated for investments, repairs and consolidations, (4) the existence and degree of endowment of school medical and dental offices, (5) the accessibility for people with disabilities.
• public transport: (1) territorial accessibility, (2) capacity, (3) fleet, (4) metropolitan service, (5) granting subsidies and (6) providing access for vulnerable groups.
• waste management: (1) selective and separate collection, (2) reuse and recycling, (3) implementation of the “pay as you throw” mechanism, (4) the existence of WEEE and DBA collection, textiles, furniture and industrial construction solutions, (5) informing the population, (6) the existence of separate collection bins in schools, (7) the existence of storage and sorting stations and their capacity.
Diagnosis of monitored local public services
Analyzes will be made on each type of public service at the level of the monitored municipalities and the following will be produced:
• 141 analyzes and 47 reports on the quality of local services (for each administrative territorial unit);
• 1 interactive and comparative map on the quality of local services;
• 1 national diagnostic report on the quality of the 3 municipal public services;
• 1 final diagnosis focused on the quality of the 3 municipal public services provided within the 8 selected localities.
Organizing a training of trainers in Norway and preparing the transfer of good practices
A Training of Trainers (ToT) session will be organized with the Norwegian partner, so that the applicant’s trainers and partners can internalize the Nordic model of citizen involvement and identify the transferable elements in Romania at the local level. A model of civic involvement at local level will be drafted, which will contribute to the development of transferable methods of mobilization and involvement at the level of local communities in Romania.
Establishment of Local Involvement Groups (GIL)
8 local coordinators and another 72 public service monitors will be recruited for the establishment of 8 GILs that will carry out advocacy campaigns for improving the quality of local public services. The GIL will include as monitors people from student associations / county student councils, parents’ associations, citizens living in underserved areas, citizens living in areas affected by poor quality of transport or waste management service or who have previously been involved in relevant civic actions.
Training of GIL members and establishment of local Citizen Action Plans
8 GIL training sessions will be organized, 80 members will acquire the notions and tools necessary to carry out an advocacy campaign. Following the sessions, 8 Citizen Action Plans will be developed to improve the quality of monitored public services.
Carrying out advocacy campaigns
80 members of GIL will be involved, as well as local communities and participants in information and civic awareness sessions. Campaigns, based on watchdog activities, are:
• 24 advocacy campaigns at local level;
• 3 national advocacy campaigns;
• 3 debates on improving the public policy framework;
• 8 information sessions on the quality of public services.
Carrying out strategic litigation to improve monitored public services
Litigation will be launched against local authorities who either do not respond to FOIA requests or refuse to enforce the law. The 80 GIL members will be involved in identifying the reasons and formulating the actions in court.
Strengthening the activity of GIL• 8 local meetings organized;
• 8 monitoring reports on the changes registered following the intervention of the project;
• 8 competitions with prizes on the quality of local public services;
• a national debate on the outcome of monitoring and advocacy activities.
Organizational development of SAR
Through this activity, SAR aims to strengthen the transparent and responsible procedures of organizational governance, but also of the management procedures, through an organizational evaluation session, a training and coaching session for the procedures design and implementation.
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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.