Trainings on e-consultations held in three hromadas under "Say It Here!" project
In Lutsk, Rozdilna, and Dubovykivske hromadas, training took place as part of the "Say It Here!" pilot project, implemented with the support of the Swiss-Ukrainian EGAP Program. The training helps hromadas engage residents more actively in local decision-making through the e-DEM electronic democracy platform.
More than 100 representatives of local self-government bodies, ASCs, municipal enterprises, educational and cultural institutions, civil society organisations, and local media participated in the training.
The training was conducted by Iryna Stasiuk, national moderator of the e-DEM platform, who emphasised:
"Our goal is to help hromadas engage residents in dialogue and show that e-consultations are an effective tool of e-democracy, useful for both local authorities and residents."
Training participants also shared why implementing e-consultations is a necessity for their hromadas.
"We want to work in a new way and respond to modern challenges. For a hromada that unites 50 settlements, digital platforms are already a necessary tool for communicating with residents," noted Valerii Shovkaliuk, Mayor of Rozdilna.
To support hromadas, the project team prepared a communications package with ready-made materials for information support: a "Say It Here!" video clip, a video guide on using the e-DEM platform, a poster with a QR code, and recommendations for running an information campaign.
Representatives of Lutsk hromada also shared their vision for the development of e-consultations:
"We already have experience in conducting e-consultations; however, it is important to us that they are not a formality, but an effective tool for interacting with community residents," remarked Natalia Khmel, Deputy Head of the Department of Information and Communication Technologies at Lutsk City Council.
Dubovykivske hromada is convinced that high-quality communication with residents remains a key priority:
"Despite all the challenges, our main priority remains preserving the integrity of the hromada and maintaining constant communication with people," emphasised Svitlana Husak, Head of the Department for Economic Development, Investment, and Digital Transformation of the Executive Committee of Dubovykivske Village Council.
The next stage of the pilot project will be the operational roll-out of e-consultations. The project team will support hromadas during the preparation of e-consultations and the conduct of the awareness campaign.
The e-DEM platform is supported by the Swiss-Ukrainian EGAP Program, implemented by East Europe Foundation.