Good councils for Łódź
Civic participation
Completed
łódzkie
Łódź
2014-10-30 - 2015-12-31
274 035,93 PLN
244 048,91 PLN
local government
Project description
Estate councils mark the lowest level of municipal authorities. In Łódź they cooperate with the Town Council and the President of the City and engage themselves in lives of local communities. Yet, very rarely they take part in participatory processes, such as public consultations, participatory budget, or local initiatives. Citizens are not familiar with their role or scope of responsibilities.
The project strives to enhance the quality of participatory processes in Łódź via development of cooperation of 11 Łódź-based estate councils with citizens.
The project has had a positive impact on the number of applications for the participatory budget and the turnout during the 2015 voting. The overwhelming majority of councilors who contributed to the project submitted at least one application. The bulk of councils took up the effort to promote tasks they want to achieve and collect votes.
A qualitative study was conducted to identify the presence and the power of involvement vested in councils that engage themselves in participatory projects. Nine local diagnoses were made in cooperation with councilors and animators. Representatives of 11 selected estate councils (24 councilors) took part in four trainings addressing such issues like community diagnosis, citizens’ involvement, implementation of local initiatives. A study visit was made to the GFIS Foundation to explore community housing projects in the district of Orunia in Gdańsk and get an insight into cooperation of Gdańsk City Hall with District Councils. 11 information toolkits and videos were developed to provide citizens with an overview of the role played by selected estate councils. The project activities resulted in nine major estate-based initiatives (a running event for citizens of Ruda; Green Smulsko - a tree-planting campaign within the estate; installing 50 homes for insects) attended by more than 2,700 people altogether. Recommendations were submitted to councils and officials during the final meeting that took stock of project deliverables.
Beneficiaries of the project were estate council members, Łódź City Hall and the local community engaged in the rollout of local initiatives.
We use the grant for capacity building
The project strives to enhance the quality of participatory processes in Łódź via development of cooperation of 11 Łódź-based estate councils with citizens.
The project has had a positive impact on the number of applications for the participatory budget and the turnout during the 2015 voting. The overwhelming majority of councilors who contributed to the project submitted at least one application. The bulk of councils took up the effort to promote tasks they want to achieve and collect votes.
A qualitative study was conducted to identify the presence and the power of involvement vested in councils that engage themselves in participatory projects. Nine local diagnoses were made in cooperation with councilors and animators. Representatives of 11 selected estate councils (24 councilors) took part in four trainings addressing such issues like community diagnosis, citizens’ involvement, implementation of local initiatives. A study visit was made to the GFIS Foundation to explore community housing projects in the district of Orunia in Gdańsk and get an insight into cooperation of Gdańsk City Hall with District Councils. 11 information toolkits and videos were developed to provide citizens with an overview of the role played by selected estate councils. The project activities resulted in nine major estate-based initiatives (a running event for citizens of Ruda; Green Smulsko - a tree-planting campaign within the estate; installing 50 homes for insects) attended by more than 2,700 people altogether. Recommendations were submitted to councils and officials during the final meeting that took stock of project deliverables.
Beneficiaries of the project were estate council members, Łódź City Hall and the local community engaged in the rollout of local initiatives.
