The project responded to the problem of low interest in influencing public affairs and low awareness of public affairs among Poles. Creating the network of local leaders was also a response to low effectiveness of individual persons or organisations in influencing the process of law-making in Poland.
The aim of the project was to include in the regulations created on the central level a local perspective - to take into account the effects of new regulations in the context of local communities and needs of their representatives.
The National Consultation Network of Leaders was created - gathering 68 representatives of local groups who, using the Internet tool http://kskl.eu, can present their opinions on amending regulations passed at the central level. So far, almost 800 persons have participated in consultations led by the National Consultation Network.
During the project, persons gathered in the Network dealt with 5 themes, consulting them in their communities (operation of local sports facilities, challenges for local governments, free handbook, pro-family policy and the role of councillors in municipal self-government). In all, 61 local discussions were organised in 45 localities that gathered 776 persons. 5 reports were developed on local aspects of 5 selected public policies. The reports were presented at conferences with participation of politicians, media and experts, and were widely commented in national and local media.
Beneficiaries of the project were graduates from School of Leaders programme - 68 persons from all over Poland, and indirectly also their local communities where the leaders led their activities.
As a result of cooperation with UCI Young Polish Norwegian Professionals Association, we had an opportunity to be acquainted with practices of building cooperation networks between non-governmental organisations using Internet tools.