In March 2017, as part of the program "Voice of the Public in Ivano-Frankivsk Region (DOBRE), a series of workshops is being held for the youth of four united territorial communities of Ivano-Frankivsk Region" - Starobogorodchanska (March 10), Pechenizhynska (March 14), Verkhnyanska (March 17) and Biloberizka (March 24).

The goal of the workshops is to form an active life position of young people, residents of the AH of the Ivano-Frankivsk region, to provide them with the foundations of good governance, interesting and productive activities for the development of their communities and, accordingly, their own development as well.

Workshops are held at the ATC secondary schools, and their participants are students in grades 8-11. Different age groups are not an obstacle for young people to interact effectively. On the contrary, younger students have equal chances with adults to be heard, and older students have a chance to find young friends and potential team members to implement their initiatives outside their classroom.

Workshops are creative workshops for learning the unknown sides of such important, but unfortunately, little understood or “boring” terms as patriotism, responsibility, common sense and decency.

The essence of these, at first glance, simple words, according to the organizers of the workshops, representatives of the public center “Business Initiatives” and the Agency for the Development of Private Initiatives, is of key importance not only in the formation of children's and youth's worldview, but also in specific public activities. This activity can become an exciting and productive process if its planning and implementation are approached correctly.

During the workshop, participants define their own life goals, think about the choice of future activities, try themselves in various social roles in the community, and through games they get acquainted with complex methods of practical CSO activities - project management, the basics of PR and fundraising.

As Lada Malaniy, the developer and host of the workshops, an expert in public engagement, notes:

“The main thing is for our young participants to believe that nothing is impossible: their success depends on themselves and on the support of like-minded people, whom they must convince of the importance and viability of their idea. The proposals of the workshop participants currently revolve around rural improvement, the creation of entertainment centers for youth, and the filling of leisure areas with life. I wonder what the next groups will offer?”

The children are grateful for the interesting training. It is quite possible that today they will begin to transform their yesterday unattainable “Hollywood” plans for their own settlements into fully feasible implementation plans.

The workshops are held by the Public Center “Business Initiatives” (Ivano-Frankivsk) in partnership with the Agency for the Development of Private Initiatives (Ivano-Frankivsk) within the framework of the project “Civic Voice in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast” of the program “Decentralization Brings Better Results and Efficiency” (DOBRE), which is implemented by the international organization Global Communities with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).