On June 23rd, 2017 the presentation of findings of the project “Support to Development of Amalgamated Hromadas in Khmelnytska Oblast» took place in the «U-LEAD with Europe» Programme office. The project was implemented by the NGO «Civil Society Institute» within 2016-2017.  

The pilot project was implemented with a financial support of Renaissance Foundation within a project implementation “Project “Expert and informational support to reforming the local self-government and territorial power division in Ukraine”, Swiss-Ukrainian Project “Support to Decentralization in Ukraine»in Sweden-Ukrainian Project “Support to Decentralization in Ukraine”, Council of Europe Programme “Decentralization and Territorial Consolidation in Ukraine”, EU Project  “Support to Regional Development Policy in Ukraine”, with a support of «U-LEAD with Europe».

As Anatoliy Tkachuk, «Civil Society Institute» Director, indicatedthe idea of the project was to assist newly amalgamated hromadas of Khmelnytskyi region to function in newly established conditions. For instance, Volochysk town and Sataniv settlement amalgamated hromadas were chosen as pilot hromadas for designing strategic and spatial planning documents.

Among other priorities, the project aimed to analyse institutional and organizational support of the amalgamated hromadas, possibilities of support in the area of territorial and strategic planning as well as ensuring capacities for methodological support of amalgamated hromadas. Series of strategic and methodological documents were developed during the implementation of the project, aiming to ensure support to the local and regional level.

The event highlighted the need for innovative methods of support, especially considering the current state of the amalgamation. Strategic support and multiplication of the best practices shall add to the basis for further capacity development of hromadas across Ukraine.