On April 18 and 19, 2018, our team of lectures, in cooperation with partners of DVV International, visited Poltava region to present the lecture “Development of Civic Education and Community Social Capital”.
Natalia Sklyarskaya and Ostap Stasiv visited the village Poliv’yane (Velyki Sorochyntsi) and the village Kybyntsi. The representatives of the NGO OUM told local activists about the possibilities to create and develop social capital of communities. Lectors discussed the idea of creating projects that can be supported by partner organizations. The event in Poliv’yane was attended by 36 visitors. This is 10% of village population. I48 visitors came in Kybyntsi. These were high school students, local self-government representatives, active citizens. It was our first experience of communication with rural communities.
We were pleased that villagers, especially young people, are interested in changing their life for the better. At the same time, almost all participants stressed that the majority of people has the lack of knowledge about people’s rights. That is why community members are passive, and hardly control self-government representatives or government agencies. The information about our free distance platform VUM online and civic education was perceived positively. The Internet is available in the most remote villages, and the desire to study and improve the situation in rural communities is strong and serious.
We are grateful to our partners for the help in the event organization and plan future cooperation in this sphere. There is a strong demand for a special course for the leaders and activists of the associated territorial communities so it should be developed by the VUM online team.
Natalia Sklyarskaya
Ostap Stasiv
