On September 16-18, 2015, another Local Self-government School started working in the form of a three day on-site course for representatives of different local authority levels from different oblasts of Ukraine.

This year’s school focused on such issues as territorial community amalgamation, constitutional changes, electoral legislation, as well as increasing capacity of amalgamated territorial communities (ATC), and their role in promotion of decentralization reform. The best local self-government specialists and experts were involved in the School’s work as trainers.

During the three days participants studied according the following training modules: foreign experience of development of ATC Associations, practical issues of legislation on local elections, strategic planning of community development, resource management in territorial communities, local finances, and effective interpersonal communication. Beside that, as part of the School a meeting of participants with the representatives of the secretariat of Verkhovna Rada Committee for state construction, regional policy and local self government, took place. During the meeting interaction between LSB and Verkhovna Rada Committees was discussed.

Local Self-government School – Note:

The key objective of the Complex educational programme is to form an effective and highly professional local self-government in Ukraine, as provided by the European Charter of local self-government, through improvement of qualification of local self-government leaders and deepening of their understanding of the essence of the key social reform.

Target audience of the Complex training programme is divided into three groups:

· Heads of village and settlement councils, representatives of the executive committee of All-Ukrainian association of village and settlement councils;

· Heads of raion councils – members of Ukrainian association of raion and oblast councils;

· Mayors of small cities – members of Association of small cities of Ukraine.

Studies are conducted according to common themes, adapted to the needs of each target group. Training process includes the following components: two in-class training sessions (where local self-government reformation and ways of enhancement of associations’ institutional capacity are discussed) as well as remote online courses on project management and authority decentralization aspects (taking place between training sessions).

Studies are conducted in the form of workshops, trainings, round-table discussions, presentation of “living cases”, distance learning, discussions, as well as training visits. In the intermissions between lectures and during free time School participants have the opportunity to have discussions with lecturers and exchange experience.

While workshops are held, the most active representatives will be selected from every target group, in order to be trained as potential trainers. It is assumed that as a result of the course, participants will develop their training and moderating competencies, and plan educational classes on the most relevant topics for different target groups from LSB.