In Tbilisi in partnership with the NGO "Civil Society Development Forum - Kyiv", the first certified training of trainers for CivicLab and Uchange Methodologies was organised. Three Ukrainian experts worked collaboratively with Georgian experts, representatives of local authorities and civil society organisations to develop their competencies in the practical application of these tools, that can support effective strategic public decisions for sustainable community development.

The CivicLab and UChange methodologies were developed by the Council of Europe experts to facilitate and stimulate effective engagement of citizens in political decision-making in their communities. The CivicLab tool is a consultation tool, that allows the development of national strategies, proposals for action plans, regulations, local programmes, draft laws, and so forth in a participatory manner, including  digital and educational component. UChange is a tool, allowing for a joyful learning process for interested citizens and public servants, Civil Society Organisations, Schools and Institutions, to better understand political decision-making processes and where and how citizens can actively participate and contribute with their proposal, their opinion or their vote.

Both methodologies are used to ensure more citizen- oriented, gender-sensitive, open and transparent accountable local government.

The in-person training in Tbilisi in February will be followed by three online sessions, which will allow the participants to deepen their knowledge and to apply the learned in practice with a pilot learning group.  

The training was organised in the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Strengthening Participatory Democracy and Human Rights at Local Level in Georgia” run by the Council of Europe with the financial contribution of the Austrian Development Cooperation within the Council of Europe’s Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023. The project aims to strengthen institutional frameworks for citizen participation, support local authorities and their national association in their efforts to protect and promote human rights and enhance civil society organizations to have real impact on local decision making.