In a world where the pace of change is constantly increasing, the ability of communities to adapt and develop is becoming a key success factor. The Kazankivska community in Mykolaiv Oblast has demonstrated how an innovative approach to strategic planning can become a powerful tool for the development and restoration of territories. This was largely facilitated by cooperation with the Centre for Innovations Development within the framework of the project “Strengthening Democratic Processes in Territorial Communities”, supported by the USAID Democratic Governance in Eastern Ukraine Project.
The Kazankivska Hromada faced the challenge of how to effectively develop and implement a development strategy that covers various areas of life, from housing and communal services to human capital development It became obvious that no single department or specialist would be able to cover all areas of development and that the maximum number of specialists should be involved! And not only specialists from all structural units of the executive committee, but also representatives of business structures, educational institutions, NGOs, other institutions and even individual residents – all those interested in the sustainable development of the community.
This usually raises several questions:
- forming a group of specialists in each of the project areas who are interested and able to work together to identify the best ways to overcome existing problems and achieve the results for which the project is being developed;
- identify project managers who can prepare a project description in accordance with the existing requirements;
- providing training and consulting support to project teams;
- organising parallel activities of project teams to simultaneously develop the entire set of projects required to form an action plan for the implementation of the strategic planningdocument being created.
To address all of these issues , on 21 March, during the expert event “Strengthening Democratic Processes at the Local Level during the War” in Kyiv , representatives of the Kazankivska community, including representatives of local authorities, the public, IDPs, and businesses, decided to establish the Energy of Growth Network Project Office.
Given the large territory of the community (over 1000 square kilometres), it was decided to organise the office’s work remotely using the Zoom video conferencing system. This allowed us to involve the maximum number of representatives from all villages and towns of the community. In total, three training and discussion meetings were held in the format of video conferences for all members of the Network Project Office and more than 80 individual consultations with project initiators by phone and e-mail.
At the same time, the activities of the Network Project Office were organised according to the SMART model (Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, Time-related), according to which each project must meet the following requirements: the project must be specific; the project goal must be measurable; the project must have an executor; the project goal must be realistic; and the project implementation must be time-limited. The requirements defined in the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of 18 July 2023 No. 731 “Procedure for the Development, Implementation and Monitoring of the Regional Recovery and Development Plan and Territorial Community Recovery and Development Plans” were used as the format for the initial project description, and the detailed project description was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the state digital recovery management ecosystem – DREAM.
The Network Project Office was attended by 70 community representatives. These were not only specialists from various structural units of the executive committee, but also representatives of business, educational institutions, NGOs, and active residents – all who expressed a desire to participate in the development of projects for the restoration and development of the Kazankivska community. When filling out the registration form in Google Docs, everyone could decide for themselves whether to become a project manager of the project they were interested in or to be just a team member during the discussion and detailing of the individual components of the project they had chosen.
The result of this joint work was the development of 66 projects that were included in the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Comprehensive Recovery Programme for the Kazankivska Community. These projects covered all key areas of community life, ensuring: the restoration of housing, social infrastructure, utilities, and road transport infrastructure; environmental protection; and the development of energy infrastructure and the local economy. The projects include: “Establishment of a boarding house for IDP children and schoolchildren from low-income families in Novodanylivka on the basis of a non-operational kindergarten”, “Road to the Future” – overhaul of the public road of local importance (regional) O151204 between the settlements of Mykhailivka village – Novofedorivka village. Novofedorivka – c.Troianka”, “Construction of a pumping station with a 1000 cubic metre clean water tank in the village of Kazanka”, “Creation of a smart household waste management system in the territory of Kazanka settlement territorial community”, “Creation of a creative economy hub in the reconstructed basements of Mykhailivka and Troitske-Safoniv clubs, Troitsko-Safonivsky and Vesela Balka clubs”, “Construction of a uranium mining complex based on the Safonivsky uranium ore deposit using the technology of in-situ leaching”, “Construction of a wind power plant by Kozak Energy”, “Establishment of the Agency for Social and Economic Development of the Kazankivska Community “Energy of Development”.
However, the main achievement was not only the number of projects developed. The creation of the Network Project Office had a much broader impact on the community:
- It has become a platform for cooperation, where different specialists have been able to join forces to identify the best ways to overcome existing problems.
- The project development process helped to increase the competencies of local specialists in project management.
- The active participation of residents in project development helped to increase their involvement in community development processes.
“The project office helped us reduce duplication of work, optimise resources, and ensure more efficient project implementation. Thanks to the assistance of participants located in different parts of not only the locality but also the country, we were able to improve the quality of projects and achieve better results. The project network office also facilitated the training and development of project managers, which helped to improve their skills and competencies. This is a great tool for strategic planning of community development and identifying priority areas,” says Natalia Dovhin, chief specialist of the financial department of the Kazankivska Hromada.
The experience of the Kazankivska Hromada demonstrates how an innovative approach to strategic planning and efficient use of local resources can become a powerful tool for sustainable development and restoration of territories. The establishment of the Network Project Office not only allowed for the development of specific projects, but also laid a solid foundation for further community development, creating favourable conditions for attracting investment and implementing the creative ideas of residents.
For reference: The implementation of this project was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Innovation Development Centre is implementing the project “Strengthening Democratic Processes in Territorial Communities” with the support of the USAID Democratic Governance in Eastern Ukraine Project.