This project aims to create a coordinated network of civic initiatives that would cooperate in addressing the issues of urban development policies and urban resource management, firstly on local, and then gradually to a national level. At the same time project will provide a online platform for exchange of experience and knowledge among existing initiatives and offering resources to the upcoming ones.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Belgrade, Kragujevac, Subotica, Šabac
Describe the specific population with whom you will be working.
Target groups of our project are:
1. Representatives of local CSOs working in the field of urban development, citizen
participation, open government, student organizations and informal youth groups,
2. Local decision-makers and stakeholders responsible for spatial and urban development
policies.
3. Citizens from towns (Kragujevac, Šabac, Subotica, Belgrade) included in project
Who else will be on your team to help implement the project?
Applicant of the project is collective Ministry of Space that connects social activists and socially engaged artists, organize and initiate local platforms, socially engaged campaigns, primarily focusing on issues of urban development and urban resources management. We have initiated and contributed to a number of movements and campaigns that focused on important social issues and mobilized citizens to get involved building a just society. Members of Ministry of Space come from various academic backgrounds: architecture, political science, anthropology, construction engineering, etc.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
We want to contribute to the increase of accountability and transparency of local governments by creating web platform Planizacija.rs that will allow better accessibility of information to interested citizens regarding official spatial regulations and urban development policies. Once the plan is made public, we will put it online and open for analysis which will, in this particular case, easily show interconnection between main identified actors and changes of land classification. Analysis is the key segment of our platform. Using all available information regarding any case of urban/spatial development that is obtained by our activities or by other contributors on the website, all website users can collaboratively work on analysis of the case.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established or plan to establish that will contribute to the success of the project.
In last two years, Ministry of Space initiated a creation of coordinated network of civic initiatives “Spatial Network”. The main idea behind is to foster and mediate cooperation in addressing the issues of urban development policies on local and national level, at the same time providing a platform for exchange of experience and knowledge among existing initiatives and offering resources to the upcoming ones. The network supports and promotes existing forms of citizens’ active participation in urban development and advocates for changes in local and national practices to enable wider dialogue among urban stakeholders on the course of spatial development. At this day, “Spatial network” is consistent from more than 50 organizations in more than 20 towns in Serbia.
How many participants do you think will be trained in your project?
Through our project we plan to train 30 people and 15 representatives of local CSOs, student organizations and informal youth groups. They will gain knowledge how to publicly express and advocate in local urban development policies. Also, Guide to urban development process and practices developed in this project and will be valuable resource for future similar actions.
Organizations and groups involved the project will be strongly encouraged to launch their
own local initiatives in their communities, thus creating a multiplier effect which will
significantly increase project impact and enhance citizen engagement by further familiarizing them with the concept of participation in urban development and their role in contributing to more livable communities.
Describe which technologies, tools, and media you will focus on when training participants.
During the project we will organize gatherings in four towns in Serbia with three focuses:
1. Urban development procedures and practice;
2. Urban resources management;
3. Common and public goods;
Thematic gatherings will be organized in Šabac, Kragujevac, Belgrade and Subotica and will last for two days. In each gathering will participate 15 representatives of initiatives and organizations. Thematic gathering will consist of workshops and lectures – in workshops focus will be on analyzing specific problems that are manifested in local urban development and community and defining the best strategies for addressing the issues of concern.
By making plans and procedures visible online on web platform we will empower citizens to be more involved in decision making process.
Describe the facilities where you will hold the workshops.
Workshops will be held in three towns in Serbia (Subotica, Šabac and Kragujevac) in appropriate facilities. Due to the nature of the project, there will be provided free Internet access throughout the entire life of the project to ensure a better understanding of complex issues.
What is your current relationship with the community with whom you plan to work? What makes you the most appropriate individual or organization to implement this project?
In each city, we will partner with local initiatives which are part of existing Spatial Network.
In Subotica partner organization will be Save Subotica. This organization had couple of
project which are striving for taking into account of cultural and architectural heritage in
urban development of their city.
In Šabac partner organization will be Vozi Ulice. This organization is active in rethinking
urban mobility in this town and also involved in establishing “open gallery” which serves as
open space for exhibitions of young artist from Šabac.
In Kragujevac partner will be group “Bitka za Aerodrom”. This group worked to prevent new plan of future developing Aerodrom settlement by building new housing blocks.
What specific challenges do you expect to face when planning and implementing your project?
Sustainability on the national level will be secured through usage of project experience
and results on future activities and campaigns regarding participation of citizens in spatial
and urban development, conducted by our organization or other organizations from Spatial
Network. Also, Guide to urban development process and practices developed in this project
will be valuable resource for future similar actions.
Finally, the web platform Planizacija.rs will remain as resource for following planning
developments, understanding the process and potential influencing of local self-governments in Serbia, with more developed infrastructure in the project cities.
How will you measure and evaluate the project’s impact, specifically: your primary participants, the wider regional community, or the global digital community?
We will measure project impact by:
– Number of citizens and representatives of local CSOs, student organizations and informal
groups involved in project
– Number of local communities interested in project
– Media coverage of project activities
– Number of distributed Guides to urban development process and practices
– Number of action within public campaign in local communities
– Number of local decision-makers involved in project
If your project were to be selected as a Rising Voices grantee, what would be the general timeline of project activities in 2014?
Activity 1 (Month 1): Forming of the project team
Activity 2 (Months 2 – 6): Updating online platform Planizacija.rs with cases from towns included in project
Activity 3 (Months 4 – 6): Creating guide to urban development process and practices
Activity 4 (Months 6 – 10): Educational gatherings and training's
Detail a specific budget of up to $2,500 USD for operating costs.
1. Communication costs
1.1. Phone (monthly amount) 20 $ x 10 months – 200.00
1.2. Internet (monthly amount) 20 $ x 10 months – 200.00
2. Workshop costs
Three workshops – Subotica, Kragujevac, Šabac
3 x (accommodation 150$ + food and refreshments 200 $
+ travel cost 100 $ + rent of space 50$) – 1,500.00
TOTAL 1900.00
Besides the microgrant funding, what other support can Rising Voices provide for your project to ensure its success?
Rising Voices can support our project by connecting Ministry of space with similar initiatives from other countries, and providing know how from successful projects dealing with topics of urban development, citizen participation and spatial justice.
Contact name
Dobrica Veselinović
Organization
Ministry of space