The first training program for community and local government leaders and civic initiatives from the think tank We Build Ukraine and ZMIST. Center for Policy Analysis with the support of the Charitable Foundation “Together with Kernel”
During the course “CAPABLE”, Anna Yurchenko and Oleksandra Azarkhina, co-founders of “We build Ukraine”, Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure (2022-2024), together with the participants, analyzed in detail the practical issues in the implementation of reconstruction projects, as well as the challenges in attracting investment in communities, including from international partners.
Almost 500 participants from 250+ communities and 24 regions of Ukraine worked on:
challenges in implementing digital solutions and technologies in recovery projects;
an overview of EU programs and funds that support the development of infrastructure, green economy, education, and culture;
issues of interaction with international organizations and donors;
analysis of partnership models that can be implemented at the community level, as well as their advantages for implementation;
development of grant project concepts and budgets;
practical cases in project management, including regular reporting and monitoring, etc.
According to Oleksandra Azarkhina, territorial communities have the potential to become key drivers of recovery and development, but they need to have the necessary tools. The key here is high-quality strategic planning, the ability to attract and manage investments. At the same time, Anna Yurchenko emphasizes that for effective cooperation with international organizations and donors, one must be able to formulate strategies and set priorities, and know how to implement projects. It is also important to develop effective digital systems for project implementation and monitoring, as this will increase accountability and reliability in cooperation with partners.