Microproject II. Implementation of Civic Education Programs in the Mahala and Ostritsa United Territorial Communities (UTCs)

Microproject: "Civic Education as a Key to Local Development"

II. Implementation of Civic Education Programs in the Mahala and Ostritsa United Territorial Communities (UTCs) (February – June 2019)

Project Goal

The goal of this microproject was to enhance the civic competencies of residents in Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs to help them address socio-economic and cultural-educational challenges in their communities. The project aimed to engage a broad spectrum of the population in the preparation, adoption, and oversight of governance decisions.

Microproject Objectives

1. Implement two civic education programs, developed based on an analysis of the target groups' needs in Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs in Chernivtsi Oblast.
2. Launch a civic initiative in Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs, fostering greater community engagement.
3. Introduce a civic education program from the partner organization Kherson NGO "Successful Woman" as part of the Open University for Adults in Chernivtsi.

Target Groups

The microproject was geographically focused on Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs in Chernivtsi Oblast, with which the Public Resources and Initiatives Charitable Foundation (CF) signed Memorandums of Cooperation in Adult Education in 2018. These agreements were made in partnership with:

• The German Adult Education Association (DVV International Ukraine)
• The Ukrainian Association of Adult Education (NGO)

The unique feature of these communities is their mixed ethnic composition—with a predominantly Ukrainian, Romanian, and Moldovan population, where ethnic minorities form the majority, and the titular nation (Ukrainians) is a minority within the UTCs.

Program Activities

1. Implementation of the "Basic Course on Effective Citizenship and Communication" in Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs, including:

• Civic education as a key to community development
• Political and legal module: Human rights and protection mechanisms, tools for citizen participation in governance, public monitoring of authorities
• Economic module: Fundamentals of financial literacy, entrepreneurship crash course
• Socio-cultural module: Effective communication, critical thinking, media literacy role-play "Truth or Lie?", dialogue strategies, conflict resolution techniques

1. Implementation of the "Basic Course on Effective Governance and Participation", including:

• Civic education as a key to community development
• Economic module: Project development and management
• Socio-cultural module: Effective communication

1. Civic initiative "Simple Faces of a Complex History" in Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs.

2. Implementation of the partner program "Civic Education for Women – New Opportunities for Local Community Development", including:

• "Civic Education as a Means of Strengthening Democratic Values"
• "Civic Engagement – New Opportunities for Personal Development"

1. Monitoring and evaluation of civic education programs.

Achievements and Results

• More than 80 women from different ethnic groups in Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs completed the "Basic Course on Effective Citizenship and Communication" (exceeding the planned 40 participants).
• Participants gained civic competencies and practical skills for engaging with local authorities, advocating for their rights, using democratic decision-making tools, monitoring public governance, and managing financial resources effectively.
• They developed skills in communication, negotiation, self-presentation, emotional stability, tolerance, media literacy, critical thinking, and civic motivation.
• 23 representatives of local government and civic activists from Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs participated in the "Basic Course on Effective Governance and Participation".
• Training on project development and management led to the creation of initiatives such as:
• Construction of a sports and wellness center with a swimming pool for children in Mahala UTC.
• Cleaning and restoration of the banks of the Prut, Derelui, and Molnytsia rivers in Ostritsa UTC (currently in the partner-finding phase).
• Workshops on media communication taught government officials and activists how to write press releases and give interviews, skills they now apply in their professional and civic activities.
• The total training duration was:

  • 37 hours for women in each UTC

  • 16 hours for local government representatives and activists

• A training manual based on the "Basic Course on Effective Citizenship and Communication" was developed and published (60 copies).
• Over 100 people participated in the civic initiative "Simple Faces of a Complex History," attending two photo exhibitions in Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs. The exhibition helped break ethnic and regional stereotypes by highlighting the complex and multifaceted history of the region.

• • 40 photographs featured ordinary residents of Mahala and Ostritsa UTCs who had lived through wars, reforms, political upheavals, repression, hunger, and deportations, reflecting Bukovina’s historical transformations.

  • The exhibitions were bilingual (Ukrainian and Romanian).

• The process of organizing and curating the exhibition helped community members:

  • Establish constructive dialogue between different ethnic groups

  • Foster teamwork skills

  • Dispel stereotypes

  • Improve interethnic relations

• 20 women from different ethnic groups participated in the "Civic Education for Women" program at the Open University for Adults in Chernivtsi, expanding their knowledge in:

  • Democratic values

  • Gender equality

  • Women's leadership

  • Strategies to overcome resistance to female leadership

Conclusions

The project provided comprehensive education rather than fragmented or selective information, equipping participants with:

• Fundamental knowledge, skills, and competencies for addressing local socio-economic and cultural challenges.
• The ability to actively engage in decision-making, implementation, and governance oversight.
• A platform to foster social cohesion and community-driven development.

This initiative significantly contributed to empowering ethnic minority women, fostering local governance participation, and improving interethnic relations in Bukovina’s multicultural communities.