The days when all decisions about a town’s development were taken exclusively behind the closed doors of offices are passing. Today, a successful community is one where the authorities and residents work together. In Ladyzhyn, the project “Just Transition of the Ladyzhyn Community: Development through Participation and Partnership” is under way. One of its main goals is to give people real tools for influencing what their town will be like tomorrow.
This is a global and European practice that has proved its effectiveness over decades. Ukraine is no exception. For example, according to a 2024 Kyiv School of Economics study on community resilience, communities where the local authorities actively engage business, civil society organisations and residents in dialogue and partnership turned out to be better prepared for the challenges of war.
Tools for influencing decisions in the community
There are many ways to influence community development, and quite convenient tools for doing so already exist. The simplest is to take part in public hearings or consultations: hearings are official meetings with the authorities before an important decision is taken, while consultations are a more informal format for discussion and gathering opinions. In both cases, it is a chance to put forward your idea or draw the authorities’ attention to a problem. Another effective way is electronic petitions: if you collect enough signatures, your proposal will be officially considered. Residents can also join working groups to influence important decisions directly.
For Ladyzhyn this is especially relevant right now, because ideas are currently being collected for the Just Transition Plan. Do you have a vision of how to improve a particular area, solve a long-standing problem or create a useful project? It is time to shape it into a concrete initiative. The best proposals will be included in the official document and will get a chance at funding – from the state, donors and international organisations.
For all the tools mentioned above to work without hitches or excuses, the community needs a high-quality Charter. It is a kind of local “constitution” that clearly enshrines residents’ right to take part in community life.
At present, the community is working on updating this document in order to make participation mechanisms as accessible and modern as possible. Taking part in its discussion is extremely important, because it is residents who can make sure that the rules are written for people, not “for show”.
From an idea to your own project
Proposing ideas is great, but putting them into practice is even more important. Creating your own social projects or starting a business is one of the best forms of active participation in community life. A new business creates jobs, civic initiatives help solve local problems, and active residents make the community stronger and more attractive to investment.
What often stops people is not a lack of ideas but not knowing where to begin. In that case, it is worth seeking consultations, taking part in training programmes, looking for partners and learning about grant support opportunities. Today there are many programmes that help turn a good idea into a successful project.
For example, within the project “Just Transition of the Ladyzhyn Community: Development through Participation and Partnership”, on the initiative of the Civil Society Development Forum NGO, a training programme, the “Academy of Participatory Just Transition”, is planned. It will provide expert support to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), initiative groups and representatives of the Ladyzhyn City Council in developing ideas and projects. The initiative is intended to help the public deepen their competences, build cooperation with the local authorities, and jointly prepare and successfully carry out development projects for the Ladyzhyn community.
An additional resource is Ladyzhyn’s membership of the Association of Coal Communities of Ukraine, which brings together territorial communities that depend on coal mining or thermal power generation. The Association supports entrepreneurs from coal communities free of charge in finding and applying for grants. The Association’s specialists help choose a funding programme, shape a project idea, prepare a grant application, a business plan, a budget and other necessary documents, and also accompany applicants during the submission of their applications.
It is also worth regularly following the training programmes, master classes and other events held in the community with the support of our European partners, in particular GIZ Ukraine.
The community’s future depends on everyone
Genuine community development is impossible without openness, trust and cooperation. That is why the decision-making process must be clear to everyone, and interaction between the authorities and residents must be constant, not only when problems arise.
Every proposal, every idea, every project launched or discussion joined is a contribution to the future of the Ladyzhyn community. When people see that their opinion is taken into account, they are more willing to join in common work, and the community gains even more opportunities for development.