Towards creating sustainable associations for a strong community

Fully respecting epidemiological measures in force, the first group composed of 12 representatives of 6 selected associations attended a three-day educational-informative module on the basics of citizens’ associations management, from establishing to image building and creating the network of important partners. Module is part of the project “Sustainable Associations for a Strong Community” implemented by Development Center for Youth in partnership with the Children’s Association of the Municipality of Raška.

During the module, it was elaborated on the basic principles of administrative and financial operation of the association, division of responsibilities within the team, building a visual identity and communication with the target groups, and part of the focus was put on mapping actors of importance for further association`s work, from local to international level.

“Properly established system is an important step for quality work of an association and its sustainability, and therefore the first module deals with various aspects of importance for building the system, from the moment of association’s establishment. It is not enough just to have a desire or an idea of what to change in the community, it is important to set it on a stable basis and create a climate in which initiatives will be easier to turn into concrete activities. Our goal is to raise the capacity of local associations to operate stably and sustainably, putting their ideas into action, precisely for the benefit of the entire community”, said project coordinator Aleksandra Knežević during opening part of the gathering.

Using the methods of non-formal education, with work in smaller groups and constant active participation and exchange of opinions and experiences, participants adopted new knowledge and information, aiming to apply them directly into work of the associations they represent. Participants will be given specific tasks to be solved with the support of the project team, and one of the first is related to the formation of social media pages in order for better and more accurate communication with target groups.

Next weekend, the first module will be attended by the rest of the group consisting of 12 representatives of the other 6 selected associations, and then, one by one, modules will continue to be implemented related to project idea development and project cycle management, as well as PR and strategic communication of associations.

“Sustainable Associations for a Strong Community” initiative is part of a broader project “Accountable Public Finance Management Platform” implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and funded by the Government of Sweden in cooperation with the Municipality of Raška.