On 2 - 4 March Sumy hosted the first workshop/training for representatives of the communities, which will participate in the DESPRO project competition. The topic of the workshop was "Decentralised models of services provision and social mobilisation of communities." The workshop was attended by village activists from Krolevets, Romny and Konotop rayons, as well as by the officials of rayon state administrations who are going to join the rayon working groups and to further coordinate collaboration with the DESPRO.

Sumy oblast is a new, important region for the Swiss-Ukrainian Decentralisation Support to Ukraine Project (DESPRO), and the cooperation with it has just begun. Thus, the project experts felt special responsibility for the preparation of this workshop.

The issues considered during the training were new and interesting for the participants, because it was new experience for the majority of those present to participate in such project when the mobilized community together with local authorities, supported by international donor, would improve the level of public services delivery in their village.

That is why the DESPRO experts and trainers - Vyacheslav Sorokovskyy, Viktor Odynytsya, Lyudmyla Boyko, and Olena Sas – have developed the training programs in such a way that the trainees were able not only to receive all necessary information, but also to make use of it later on; so, along with the theoretical part, special attention was paid to practical tasks in developing projects, social mobilization, public presentation of projects in the communities etc.

Oksana Gryn, Financial and Administrative Manager of the Project, highlighted the financial aspects of project planning and execution within the competition.

In order to establish the most effective cooperation and coordination of work, the representatives of the rayon working groups were provided with computers and Internet connection. Based on the existing practice of DESPRO activities in other regions of Ukraine, one can confirm with all responsibly that all these combined efforts will yield positive results.

According to Andriy Pysarenko, a deputy head of Krolevets rayon state administration, coordinator of the rayon working group, - the work ahead is difficult and long, but this chance must be used, and the reward will be a better life of people and the day when the community, rayon authorities and DESPRO representatives will celebrate together the launch of a water supply system in the village.
The feedback survey results are very encouraging: the workshop participants have appreciated the quality and the use of the materials presented, and they are inspired and eager to use the knowledge gained as well as to share it in their communities in order to make sure that their project applications are implemented in practice.

Developing the community projects will be the first opportunity to use the knowledge and skills gained. The submissions will be examined carefully on a competitive basis and, in case they comply with the conditions of the call for proposals, they will be accepted for cooperation and co-financing.