Elena Palivoda, Author at Fellows eapcivilsociety.eu

Energy efficiency for youth for sustainable future

The project Energy Efficiency Every Day aimed to raise awareness of young people in the middle schools on everyday energy-efficient behavior. To do so, Mykola organized three workshops within the pilot educational project “New Energy” for the different target audiences. The first workshop on Energy Efficiency, Practical Skills in Energy-Efficient Behavior in Everyday Life was delivered to elementary school students. It was followed by the second workshop for the secondary school student on the topic of Renewable Energy – the Main Measures of Energy Efficiency. Finally, the last two workshops on How to Calculate the Quantity of Lighting Required in the House – Practical Tips were conducted at the gymnasiums/lyceums. Along with educational activities, Mykola organized a round table to discuss the sustainability and significance of the New Energy pilot programs. Finally, he spent 3 weeks at the local non-profit organization Reanimation Package of Reforms (RPR Kyiv) to acquire practical experience and improve skills in communication and advocacy.

The action raised awareness of more than 100 students in energy efficiency and sustainability. Given that, interactive workshops enhanced young people’s understanding of everyday energy-efficient behavior following best European practices. Therefore, the project facilitated collaboration among the school administration, teachers, and the local authorities for future collaboration, as the roundtable initiated professional discussions on the “New Energy” pilot program and scientific center. The internship at the RPR Kyiv built capacity for Mykola, as he improved project management skills and extended his networks with sectoral experts, policymakers, and government officials.

Country	Ukraine
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Team

Together we can More

The action “Together we can More” aimed to tackle the stereotypical perception of People with Disabilities (PwDs) and engaged different stakeholders to promote equality and accessibility for all. To achieve the above objectives, Tamila organized an inclusive cycling marathon ”I see! I can! I will” engaging cyclists with tandem bikes in Zhovkva, Lviv. The sports event involved overall 45 people from Lviv and neighboring cities. To demonstrate the importance of inclusive sports, two-day capacity-building seminars were held in Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Kherson. The training emerged discussions and joint activities between the visually impaired and sighted attendants. The project engaged up to 100 young people and disseminated in other Ukrainian cities shortly, as the participant organized an inclusive marathon on tandem bikes in Poltava, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Kherson by communicating with municipalities, local volunteers, and media.

The action raised awareness about the challenges faced by PwDs in Ukraine and introduced an inclusive sports marathon as a creative solution. The capacity-building seminars and the cycling marathon “I see! I can! I will!” on tandem bikes established contact between visually impaired and sighted people. Also, the project built a sustainable network and cooperation among the initiative group leaders and non-governmental organizations from six different cities of Ukraine. During the events, participants discussed the importance of having equal rights for every member of society. All in all, the project engaged large audiences and promoted the inclusion of PwDs into society. Apart from running awareness-raising campaigns, the project assisted Tamila to enhance her skills in inclusive sport project management through a one-week internship in NGO “TarnovoRuns” in Bulgaria.

Country	Ukraine
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Exhibition concept decided. “GAZE”

Direct from our Fellow:

Nadejda CERVINSCAIA: “In early May, after being consulted by Prof. Marcello Galbiati (Professor of Politecnico di Milano; Interior and Exhibition Design) I selected 36 photos. The exhibition is to have 1 main picture, which shows a sitting man, in the “Thinker Pose” and gazes at you. This is a powerful picture, which might embarrass the viewer, but this is exactly what I want to do. I want to cause emotions to people, to make them feel, since in today’s world of chaos, humanity got rusty. So, the selected pictures emphasise different life phases of a person, the visitor might have the feeling that the pictures mirror his emotions of the experienced event/thought/facial expression. The important thing is to feel the sensation directed personally to the viewer, but also to highlight the relationships of pictures in between. Re-creation of a small universe of people, is my goal. Moreover, I am doing my best to create an immersive environment, so we will project the movie filmed by the film director, who has found the archive, Victor Galusca. The projection will better acknowledge the public and will be a different experience, different engraved memory, which will hopefully stay after visiting the exhibition.”

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Introduction of the institute of beneficial ownership in Armenia

The project aimed to combat corruption in Armenia and foster free economic competition through research, constructive dialogue, and awareness-raising training. In the beginning, Mariam organized the workshops on Introduction of the Institute of Beneficial Ownership in the Republic of Armenia in the five Armenian cities of Yerevan, Vanadzor, Gyumri, Gavar, and Kapan. Then, Mariam held a roundtable discussion in a public-private dialogue format to discuss the possibility of the introduction of the concept in the RA anti-corruption strategy. Finally, based on the international best practices, Mariam developed policy recommendations. In addition, Mariam carried out social media campaigns in the frames of which she produced awareness-raising publications. To enhance her skills and exchange ideas on the anti-corruption lobby, she participated in the 5th Open Government Partnership Global Summit in Tbilisi and did a study tour at the various anti-corruption institutions in the United Kingdom, as well as at the Centre for Policies and Reforms of Moldova.

Through the interactive seminars, the action raised awareness on the concept of Beneficial Ownership and improved the knowledge and understanding of 80 young lawyers, civil society and business representatives throughout Armenia. The latter was followed by a roundtable discussion in the Public-Private Dialogue format, engaging more than 100 participants from governmental bodies, international organizations, business, civil society organizations, youth associations, and media outlets. Due to the advocacy efforts during the discussion and under the project, in general, the introduction of the beneficial ownership registry has been enshrined in the RA Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2019-2022. The campaign and publications served as a tool to reach a wider audience and inform them about the anti-corruption measures. In addition, the social advertising video Together against Corruption prepared within the Action was selected among the best three works of the International Youth Competition organised among the 6 member states of the CIS. In this regard, Mariam was awarded a medal by the RA Prosecutor General for her endeavours and commitments towards fighting against corruption. Thus, the action built capacity for Mariam herself, as she was given the opportunity to advance her skills through the field visits in London, Chisinau, and Tbilisi.

Project in media:

Ինչու՞ է անհրաժեշտ բացահայտել ընկերությունների իրական սեփականատերերին

Ովքե՞ր են ընկերությունների իրական սեփականատերերը

Իրավաբանների հայկական ասոցիացիայի անդամ Մարիամ Զադոյանը՝ մրցանակակիր

Country	Armenia
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Study on major impediments for women entrepreneurs and explore women’s rights gaps in business activity of Armenia

The project aimed to detect the obstacles in the major gender-specific areas for women-own enterprises and track the positive and negative trends. To achieve the above objective, Diana developed open-ended and structured questionnaires and conducted interviews with 100 women entrepreneurs. The respondents were either executives or business owners during the summer-autumn period of 2018, either from Yerevan (53,7%) or the other six regions (46,3%) of Armenia. The interviews were conducted in a face-to-face format. Diana collected the personal remarks, recommendations, and critics from the women entrepreneurs and finalized them in the assessment report.

The action explored the impediments for women-owned businesses in Armenia and defined further strategic activities to fill the gaps in the legislation and the business environment. The survey researched the business and sectoral diversification of the male-owned but female-managed and fully female-owned enterprises and revealed the trends; for example, businesswomen tend to operate in the field of services, retail trade, manufacturing, and wholesale trade, when the male-owned businesses cover the sectors of tourism, transportation, agricultural, and IT sectors. To raise awareness of the business, governmental and other strategic stakeholders, Diana organized a Public-Private Dialogue meeting and presented the survey results. Also, the research document incorporates a list of initiatives for improvement of the legal system, investment climate, and tax and customs services in Armenia.

Study on Major Impediments for Women Entrepreneurs and Explore Women’s Rights Gaps in Business Activity of Armenia 2018

Country	Armenia
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Partnership established!

Direct from our Fellow:

Nadejda CERVINSCAIA: “Museum of Fine Arts of Moldova will host the exhibition. The period will be 6 July – 26 August, which is a generous timeframe for a first-time exhibition in Moldova. Now I am analysing the spaces and wondering how to encompass the complexity of exhibition’s messages. So far, I guess, that I will need to go out of the borders of the exhibition room and use the hall as an area to display some decorations of 1950-1960 and also project the film about Zaharia Cusnir phenomenon. I wish to provide an immersive space, so a different range of visitors can find their own way of being impressed, either photos, or environment or the movie, and obviously the totality of all these components!”

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Facilitating citizens’ access to e-Services in amalgamated communities (hromadas)

The project aimed to facilitate citizens’ access to e-Services in amalgamated communities (hromadas) of Ukraine. To identify high-quality and user-centered IT solutions for the local administrations, Karyna applied the research, monitoring, educational, and awareness-raising methods. To explore the most efficient electronic services for UTC residents, Karyna researched Public and Electronic Services for UTC Residents. The study was carried out through Data Mining & Analysis of IT-solutions to monitor public service in administrative units. The analysis was conducted from May 12^th to June 1^st, 2018, and comprised 24 regions. Apart from research, Karyna sent opinion polls to more than 700 administrative units. Based on the above findings, she developed e-Services online guide for hromadas’ citizens ‘OTG online’. To unify proactive administrative units towards e-Services Development, Karyna organized various gatherings, including One-Stop-Shop Interactive Panel (14 November 2018, Kyiv), Success Stories Gathering (September – December 2018), Cooperation via Online Platform (September – December 2018), and Practical Task on e-Democracy Tools (7 December 2018, Kyiv).

The project analyzed access to e-Services in the local Ukrainian administrative units. The action produced a bilingual research paper (English and Ukrainian version) – Public and Electronic Services for UTC Residents: Examples. Links. Statistics. The academic publication provides a big picture about the electronic services in UTC and analyzes information about electronic services, public services, and CDASs on official UTC websites (UTC centers); it identifies the main challenges and issues regarding the provision of electronic services in UTC. The research revealed that 500+ hromadas have at least 1+ e-Service and e-Participation (e-petitions & e-appeals) is the most widespread tool in respective units. However, 80% of implemented e-Services (including e-Participation tools) are not applied by the citizens. An online guide developed during the project serves as an instrument to raise e-literacy of the local people in Ukrainian hromadas. All in all, through electronic surveys, online platforms, and offline collaborative gatherings, the project united local administrative units and turned them into drivers of e-Service delivery.

Public services and electronic services for residents of Ukrainian Territorial Communities (in English):

Public services and electronic services for residents of Ukrainian Territorial Communities (in Ukrainian):

Country	Ukraine
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School Management in Georgia

The fellowship aimed to conduct qualitative research to identify the perspectives of school headmasters on key solutions regarding bullying in schools and report to the decision makers (e.g. Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Georgia). To explore the bullying prevention instruments and mechanisms, George organized five consultation meetings with the mentors and did desk research; he conducted interviews with the 35 school headmasters from different regions of Georgia and five interviews with the field experts. The research findings (objectives, outcomes, and recommendations about the school management in Georgia) were published in the School Management Journal, which was distributed to the local public schools. Also, George held two regional meetings (a conference in Senaki, Journal presentation in Telavi) and two presentations in Tbilisi (event at the Tbilisi Classis School, a final presentation of the research deliverables). To discuss the bullying prevention tools on a global scale, George attended two International events: One in Kathmandu – The Global Campaign for Education conference and the other at Cambridge University – The London International Conference on Education.

The project produced a research paper introducing the perspectives of school principals, mentors, and field experts on bullying and suggesting a joint action to identify and tackle the issue. The academic document revealed the challenges faced by the secondary educational system, including a lack of a common strategy, action plan as well as a communication platform with partner organizations and school community members. The research findings evolved high interest in the professional circles affiliated with the educational field and stimulated policy discussions with the decision-makers. Apart from developing research-based expertise on bullying at schools, George brought the problem at the forefront of the public debates through the meetings on the local (presentations in Tbilisi), regional (events in Senaki and Telavi), and international (conferences in Kathmandu and London) levels. After the fellowship completion, George started a collaboration with his Azerbaijani colleagues to share the lessons learned and come up with a policy that would suit their environment.

Country	Georgia
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Women Leadership Club

The project aimed to identify and empower young women in the Armavir Region (Armenia) and establish a network of young female leaders – Women Leadership Club. To build the capacity of the young women, and change the social stereotypes in the local community, Ozheni held a number of activities. First of all, she mobilized 24 young women from the local community and organized team-building training. Then, she conducted master-classes on human rights and leadership to raise awareness of the attendees in the above issues. Finally, she hosted a movie screening event followed by a public discussion on the role of the strong and independent women, their stories, impact and reflection. To make the voice of the young Armavir women heard throughout Armenia, she participated in the panel discussion in Yerevan attended by the representatives of more than 12 leading non-governmental organizations. In addition, she published a guideline on how to run women’s leadership clubs and distributed among the interested parties.

The action established the Women Leadership Club – an open and sustainable network of young women leaders who are ambitious and endeavor to enhance their skills. The club is active up to date and contributes to fostering young women’s empowerment across the country. Through the six interactive training, movie screening events and discussions, the project educated young women in human rights and increased their leadership skills. As a result, Ozheni identified and empowered 24 young women leaders from the Armavir region. The guidelines published within the project served as an instrument to inform a broader public on the technical and strategic issues of the CSO management. Finally, the project positively affected the local clichés about female roles and built confidence in the young women to take ownership of their lives, goals, and aspirations.

Country	Armenia
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Social development- Sustainable development

The project: Social Development- Sustainable Development researched the social aspects of two different communities in Ukraine (Odesa districts) and Georgia (Imereti districts). Bohdan investigated the components of social dialogue, social service status on the example of “Integrated Model of Social Services”, and gender equality in both target municipalities. The project was a follow-up action of the study previously conducted by the partner non-governmental organizations in Ukraine (NGO Bureau of Social and Political Development, Kyiv) and Georgia (Research-intellectual Club Dialogue of Generations, Kutaisi). Along with research, Bohdan organized field visits, capacity-building training and collaborative roundtables with the local authorities.

The project produced an analytical summary exploring social aspects in the Georgian and Ukrainian communities. The research introduced new perspectives and tools for the sustainable development of both regions. Hence, the local authorities received a list of recommendations on how to apply changes in the working systems or ensure social justice and gender equality. Through the meetings and roundtables, the project increased the capacity of the civil society organizations and enhanced their dialogue with the local authorities.

When given the opportunity by the EU-funded Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility to replicate project achievements at a larger scale, Bohdan contributed to the regional action: More Influence of Youth on the Local Environmental Agenda in Georgia and Ukraine as a coordinator in Ukraine. The regional project was implemented in collaboration with Mariam Khuroshvili (Team leader and coordinator, EaP Fellow from Georgia) and Tea Turashvili (Digital support, EaP Fellow from Georgia).

Country	Ukraine
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