REAPPLICATION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL POLICY FELLOWSHIP 2003 SUSTAINABLE TOWNS OF CROATIA "Program for the Development of Public Spaces in Croatian Towns – Next Steps"
The purpose of the last year's research study was to gain a better understanding of the state and problems of Croatian towns today, with a special emphasis on public spaces, and to propose policy
recommendations for a multi-sector, community-based approach to their revitalization and development. The overall goal was to encourage partnerships among citizens, private business and government in
creating more creative, usable and livable public spaces that would bring communities together through an array of activities, ranging from the entertainment and culture to education and eco-tourism, to
sport and recreation, and small businesses. The goal of this year's fellowship is to continue promoting the community-based approach to public space development to other towns and counties in Croatia
and in the post-Yugoslav region (primarily Serbia), as well as to develop more long-term strategy for funding citizen initiatives and promoting partnership building.
Based on my IPF research and findings, the following results has been achieved:
q Helped promote the community-based approach to public spaces as more sustainable alternative to old and inflexible urban policies.
The Urban Institute has now accepted this approach as one of the tools that promotes partnership among local government and citizens.
q Launched a pilot initiative in Rijeka called [MU:V], "Mali U¥e Velike" ("Kids teach Growns-ups") that was supported and funded by the Urban Institute in partnership with the City of
Rijeka and a local NGO "Korak Ispred". The initiative promotes the new approach to public space development through concrete projects that increase young people's involvement in the local government
activities. q Succeeded in engaging the Urban Institute even further in this initiative. The UI has funded a two-day workshop on public space development in April 2003 and are interested in
helping other local governments in Croatia to learn this tool and establish more long-term policy on the participatory urban space development and partnership building.
q Succeeded in promoting the [MU:V] initiative with the local government of Rijeka -- a pilot city. The initiative has now been adopted by the City of Rijeka
within their strategy to improve citizen participation and specifically, to improve the youth involvement in local government activities. q Helped the City of Rijeka in
developing their strategy for other public spaces, such as the old and bankrupt Torpedo Factory, parts of the Paper Mill
factory and in general in developing a policy on revitalizing public spaces in Rijeka and the Primorsko-Goranska county by using the partnership and the citizen participation approach. q Raised awareness and interest among different groups in Rijeka
including NGOs, youth groups (formal and informal), schools, community councils, local government departments (especially the Department of Urban Planning), as well as private sector representatives about this approach and new initiatives, thus building a ground for future partnerships that could be developed around this timely topic of public spaces.
q Identified other cities and key people who expressed great interest in learning about the community and partnership-based approach to public space development and applying this
approach in their towns, such as Pula, Labin, Koprivnica, Vukovar, Solta and Vojnic. Labin and Koprivnica has been identified as two other pilot cities where this approach would
be further researched and applied. q Built initial steps in developing an alternative mechanism for funding similar citizen initiatives such as those that emerged through the [MU:V]
initiative with an ultimate goal of starting a local foundation
that promotes community participation, urban revitalization and cross-sector partnerships in Rijeka and the Primorsko-Goranska county.
In addition, the IPF research findings also helped in further exploring the area of citizen participation and community philanthropy by identifying:
q The current state and government policies on public spaces in Croatia; q Potential projects for public spaces in selected towns (e.g. Rijeka, Labin and Koprivnica – pilot projects);
q Key people/groups interested in promoting the "community-based" approach to public spaces as a healthy and more sustainable alternative to current "project-driven" urban and spatial
development practices, q Different models and practices in the CEE, Western Europe and the U.S. on developing and managing public spaces (e.g. through the public-private partnerships). q The national and local strategy on community participation and philanthropy.
III. PROPOSED ACTIVITIES FOR IPF 2003
1) Apply results and the community-based methodology to other towns in Croatia and the post-Yugoslav region
Continue promoting this approach to other towns and municipalities in Croatia through a number of different approaches such as:
Ø Make a final selection of target towns that have either expressed an interest in this approach or could benefit from it and identify key groups and representatives (e.g.
Pula, Karlovac, Vojnic, Solta). Ø Conduct general surveys on the state of public space development in the selected towns as well as specific public spaces in those towns that could
be revitalized with the community input – adopt the survey for Labin for those towns (see Research proposal, Annex II). Ø Organize a number of focus group meetings and workshops in
the selected towns with a purpose of promoting the public space methodology and raise awareness among key stakeholders. Ø Conduct a survey in Labin
that focuses on the level of citizen participation in the public space planning in Labin and specific questions that relate to the "Bath facility", a former bath for the miners that is in the
process of being revitalized (see Research paper, Case study three and Photo Gallery on Labin). Ø Help develop a broader strategy for the public space development and citizen
participation in two other "pilot cities" – Labin and Koprivnica. Ø Further develop contacts with groups and experts in Serbia, research the
situation related to public space development and citizen participation and conduct several workshops and training on both issues.
2) Develop More Long-Term Program on Public Spaces in Rijeka and the County
Continue developing a long-term strategy for this timely and important initiative that promotes partnership building among different sector representatives, especially youth, which is critical
in implementing the community based approach and achieving livable and sustainable public spaces (see Research paper, Case study Two). Specifically:
Ø Continue negotiations with the City of Rijeka on supporting this initiative as an ongoing project with regular competitions going on every few months, Ø Continue raising awareness about
this initiative among the youth groups, NGOs, schools and other potential partners, Ø Research and identify potential funders that are interested in supporting informal citizen initiatives, Ø Research and propose this approach to other citizen groups that could join the youth in implementing their projects and satisfy their own needs – and at the same time, promoting the same
principle, Ø Research and apply the results from Rijeka to other towns and cities on a county (Primorsko-Goranska) and on a regional level (including three counties --
Primorsko-Goranska, Istarska and Licko-Senjska). Interest was already expressed among local government representatives in Istria and Lika.
b) Torpedo Factory and Other Public Spaces in Rijeka Specific activities:
Ø Develop a broader strategy on public spaces and their revitalization in Rijeka by using a community-based approach to their planning and development. This strategy could be well proposed to
some potential donors, including the World Bank who is currently negotiating a major urban development project in Rijeka with a focus on the Rijeka port. Part of this large program will most likely be a
redevelopment of the port into an attractive zone for tourism and living – hence a need for developing the City strategy and policy on public spaces and citizen participation.
Ø Continue working with the City on broadening the relationships with the Alexandria Torpedo Factory and finding the most appropriate management option for the Rijeka Torpedo launching ramp (
see Research paper, Case study Two). A success of the public-private partnership in Rijeka would be thus even more significant as it would motivate other cities in launching similar
partnerships and developing better relationships between citizens, nonprofits and local governments.
3). Develop and propose an alternative mechanism for funding
The research findings and my work in Rijeka has proven that citizen initiatives, such as the projects proposed through the [MU:V] could be funded through an alternative mechanisms
of funding (a community foundation or some other model). In 2003, further research and work will be conducted in this area. Main goal for establishing such a mechanism would be to remove the
financial burden from the City, help promote citizen (not only registered NGOs) initiatives and promote partnerships among different sector representatives. Different local and other resources (e.g. from
foreign donors, local and national government, local and national companies, individual donations etc) could be thus channeled through the foundation to support small citizen initiatives that help not only
improve the lives of people in the community but also promote partnership and citizen participation. This initiative could initially focus on exploring different models of community
philanthropy organizations, especially those focusing on urban revitalization, public spaces and community development
(such as the Partnership for Public Spaces, the Czech Republic), and identifying partner organizations and potential funders. Interest was already expressed from many groups and individuals in Croatia, the U.S. and CEE, including the local government officials in the City of Rijeka, the National Government's Office for NGOs, local and national NGOs, international organizations such as the Urban Institute and potential international and local funders. The Project for Public Spaces, New York and its partner organization in Brno, are very interested in joining this initiative and applying their technical expertise and methodology to Croatia and are already identifying potential donors.
The CF could also engage in the policy arena
by supporting research, public discussions and forums on different topics such as e.g. sustainable urban policy and local government reform, and cross-sector and cross-ethnic initiatives that promote democracy and social change in Croatia.
The project on public spaces could be thus one of the projects/programs of a local foundation. This research will be based on an ongoing feasibility study on CFs in Rijeka (I am participating
in the study) and education that will be done among local governements, NGOs, schools and private sector, as well as the results from the [MU:V] initiative in the Fall 2003. In addition other factors
could contribute to the development and actual establishment of the mechanism such as a conference on philantropy and community foundations that will take place some time in the Fall, launching of the
national foundation for civil society, that will support establishment of local community foundations, as well as some already identified donor support).
The methodology will include the following:
Ø interviews with key stakeholders in the selected towns on a county and regional level; Ø focus groups with key representatives to present community based methodology
Ø general surveys (e.g. in Labin) that could be applied in other towns Ø research of secondary data Ø meetings and individual discussions with different representatives Ø workshops and training programs that further promote the alternative approach to public spaces V. ANTICIPATED RESULTS Ø At least five – eight towns would learn more about
the community-based approach to public space development; Ø Established more sound and sustainable local government practices and created more usable and livable public spaces in Rijeka
at least through one or two youth group projects; Ø Developed a strategy on management of the Torpedo launching ramp and p-p model; Ø Increased awareness about the
importance of citizen participation among different sector representatives in at least five more towns, including Labin and Koprivnica as pilot cities; Ø Increased education and
importance of participation among schools and faculties in Rijeka – thus resulting in more applications for the [MU:V] Ø Established contacts and developed new programs in Serbia related
to public spaces Ø Developed a ground and initiated first steps in establishing an alternative mechanism for funding citizen initiatives – in Rijeka and the county level
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