SolveNet Project

SolveNet - Citizen engagement in the prioritization, design and implementation of local development policies - is a project financed by the Joint Operational Programme “BLACK SEA BASIN 2007-2013.” It is implemented by an international partnership formed by SMART Development Center from Romania, the Association for Cross Border Cooperation Lower Danube Euroregion from Romania, the Agency of Sustainable Development and European Integration Lower  Danube Euroregion from Ukraine, the Institute of Public Policy from Republic of Moldova, and European Integration NGO from Armenia.

The overall objective of the project is to build capacity for organizations of civil society in order to strengthen their role in the prioritization, design and implementation of local and regional development public policies. The Specific objectives are building a network of organizations of civil society from Romania, Ukraine, Armenia and Republic of Moldova that will support and facilitate citizen engagement; creating and activating new tools of citizen engagement; increasing the cooperation between civil society and public administration in the decision making process; and stimulating the participation of entrepreneurs in local and regional development policies.

Expected impact

The direct beneficiaries of the project are the members of the partner organizations involved in the project from Romania, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Armenia. They are the ones who are engaged in coordinating the citizen engagement websites, attending the project events, developing adequate policy making skills and eventually influencing favorable public policies. The indirect beneficiaries are all the people who participate, offering solutions to community problems on the citizen engagement platforms created and developed.

Decision makers form a special target group. They receive the policy papers to get inspiration for community action. These papers bear stronger leverage, given by the number of people who submit solutions on a community problem’s website, their professions, the format that allows the project management team to recommend the most feasible solutions, and the official logo of a legally established organization. We envision that the project and the method of participation will create stronger impact at the community level where a problem occurs, as the entire focus is on the quality of the solutions exchanged on the participation websites.

The project is planned to achieve the following impact during its implementation:

• Encourage people to participate in the life of their communities: we do this by publishing people’s solutions on the citizen engagement websites and including them in the policy papers. If decision makers also turn the solution proposals into community action, their example would show participants that they have a say in their community and that, with little time and a good methodology, they can add value to their community. The project is enriching people’s non-formal learning experience and is contributing to their personal development.
• Develop policy making skills to the representatives of partner NGO’s who are involved in issuing the policy papers. They become important players in the project, as they are the ones who filter the solutions and recommend the best ones for community action. Also, they can engage other professionals in the policy making team, in their respective countries.
• Stimulating the participation of the business community in the policy making process and in public private partnership. This is achieved by supporting entrepreneurs in developing new skills and competencies that are important for policy analysis.

The project is using SMART Method of Public Policy, securing a legal basis for action at community level, as the policy papers are officially sent to decision makers. More details cand be found on the website www.solvenet.org.

This website has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of SMART Development Center and can in no way reflect the views of the European Union.