Animation on a community development strategy unveiled. Here’s why it is important
The first-of-its-kind video guidelines on drawing up a community development strategy were presented for Ukrainian communities. The video features the main stages of drawing up this document and its role in the community in simple and clear language. The animation was developed by MHP–Gromadi Charitable Foundation, which has been working on the development and restoration of regions for 9 years, and ShoTam media.
Strategy is the main document of the community setting the most important tasks and goals for its development during a certain period. Its drawing up is a complex but necessary process allowing the community to achieve its long-term goals. The strategic planning ensures the community’s sustainable development for many years to come given both current needs and prospects. The strategy simplifies the decision-making process, allows for quality budget allocation, and attracts ambitious, smart, and creative people to the community.
A well-crafted strategy, developed in collaboration, brings together various sectors of society – authorities, residents, businesses, and the media – around shared values to create a community where people want to live. It creates a unique image of the community that differs from others both at the region and the country level, making it attractive to donors allowing it to raise investments and grants.
A well-crafted strategy, developed in collaboration, brings together various sectors of society – authorities, residents, businesses, and the media – around shared values to create a community where people want to live. It creates a unique image of the community that differs from others both at the region and the country level, making it attractive to donors allowing it to raise investments and grants.
The strategy document should be as simple as possible, and written in clear language. If we wish the strategy to include citizens, potential colleagues, and entrepreneurs, it should be comprehensive while using the simplest language possible. Then it is useful for the development of the entire settlement. The strategy is a living document, which can be amended. Still, only when there are crucial external factors we cannot ignore.
Oleksandra Hlizhynskih, co-founder of the Active Community All-Ukrainian Initiative
This work inspired the experts of MHP-Gromadi CF to create video guidelines to be a universal tool for other communities when drawing up a quality development strategy. The document design takes about half a year and includes several stages.
The strategy design process starts with public discussions involving the authorities, the civil sector, and businesses to express their views, identify problems, and offer solutions. The second stage is about establishing focus groups comprised of representatives of various ages and veterans to assess the relevance of the discussed issues. The third stage is cooperation with field-specific departments, the establishment of a strategic committee, and designing a “tree of goals”. Next, the working group develops a single strategy concept given all identified problems and opportunities. Then the document undergoes a public discussion when residents can review it and introduce amendments. At the final stage, the revised strategy is submitted to the local council session for voting and approval by the deputies.
Within the cooperation with the MHP-Gromadi Foundation, the Kaniv and Myronivka communities have already completed the first four stages and identified their advantages. For the Kaniv community, these are tourist attractions and nature, and for Myronivka – natural resources, in particular, radon baths, which may ensure potential healthcare development. Currently, there are public discussions, following which local deputies will vote for the strategy approval.
Strategy update is crucial nowadays as after our victory, donors and foreign investors will be more interested in communities with a clearly set vision for the future. It is our responsibility to the military – while they defend our right to live, must work to improve it for the better by preparing communities for their return, making them inclusive, etc. Therefore, such things cannot be postponed.