10 hromadas that won grants for the development of community building centers from the Western NIS Enterprise Fund and Cedos participated in the three-day workshop from September 7th to 9th in Lviv.

Community building centers are accessible physical spaces where people from different social groups have the opportunity to meet and gather for joint leisure time, community development, cooperation and comprehensive realization of their human potential. Community building centers can be either separate premises or parts of other public buildings: administrative service centers, hubs, public libraries, cultural centers, public spaces, schools, etc.

During the workshop, representatives from the hromadas had the opportunity to present their projects and work on their improvement with mentors and experts from various fields.

The workshop program included discussions and mentorship sessions on participation, community development, architecture, and prototyping of physical spaces, as well as visits to community centers in Lviv such as KMC “Sputnik,” Lviv Open Lab, Municipal Art Center, and Jam Factory.

The project also includes ongoing consultation support for hromadas at all stages of community building senters development.

The grant amount is 1,000,000 UAH and includes two components:

  1. Physical creation or renovation of community building centers.
  2. Programmatic and substantive (event) filling of the centers.

Winning hromadas:

  • Blyzniukivska Hromada, Kharkivska oblast
  • Velykopysarivska Hromada, Sumska oblast
  • Horodotska Hromada, Lvivska oblast
  • Kovelska Hromada, Volynska oblast
  • Krasnokutska Hromada, Kharkivska oblast
  • Nizhynska Hromada, Chernihivska oblast
  • Nemishaivska Hromada, Kyivska oblast
  • Ovruchska Hromada Zhytomyrska oblast
  • Snihurivska Hromada, Mykolaivska oblast
  • Chortkivska Hromada, Ternopilska oblast

Find more about their projects here.

Over these three days, we were energized by the presence of wonderful people who are not only passionate about what they do but also ready to take personal responsibility for changes in their hromadas. They not only declare values but are also willing and able to act accordingly. Thanks to the professional support of mentors and experts, we deconstructed and rebuilt our idea of the Art Garage library, refined our solutions, and now have a well-planned roadmap for the realization of the Art Garage as a truly living space that will inspire collective action for community development.

Workshop participant – Kateryna Yakovets, project coordinator from the Bukovina Regional Development Agency, Chortkivska hromada.

The first day was dedicated to introductions and visits to different spaces where we saw the diversity and specialization according to the needs of different communities. The second day focused on team work and a more detailed definition of the principles and foundations of community building. The third day was spent in discussions with invited experts from various fields, and the format of the discussion left a wonderful impression. Overall, I really liked the combination of theoretical and practical approaches, as well as the informal approach of the coaches. I would gladly attend future workshops!

Workshop participant – Bohdan Bukhtatyi, project coordinator from the Blyzniukivska hromada, Director of the Center for Cultural Services.

Heading to the workshop for hromadas developing community centers, our team was confident at all stages of our project, in budget items, in the events we would hold, and in the work schedule. However, after spending three days in an atmosphere of like-minded people, looking at the cases of other hromadas, and listening to experienced speakers, our perception changed 180 degrees. We were able to work on many details, look at familiar things from a different angle, and by the end of the workshop, our team had a clear vision of what our space would be like and how it would function in the future. We are very grateful to the organizers of this event for the opportunity to participate! Together to victory!

Workshop participant – Viktoriia Mykhailiuchenko, project coordinator from NGO “RAIZ+,” Velykopysarivska hromada.

In numerous discussions about recovery, the focus shifts from housing to infrastructure, from roads to bridges, but there is a lack of a people-centric approach in these discussions. Also missing is the involvement of those who live and will live there. Therefore, community building centers, or third places, will serve as centers for communication and interaction, from which changes in the hromadas will emanate. Within the project, we have created an opportunity for hromadas to work with professional mentors, and we have set two goals, both related to inclusivity – physical and social. We want all residents to be able to participate in community development.

Iryna Ozymok, Western NIS Enterprise Fund Local Economic Development Program Manager

Reconstruction and recovery should be based on understanding and solidarity among people; otherwise, it will be difficult for us to create a prosperous country that we aspire to. It will be challenging for us to reach a common vision if we do not listen, trust, and make joint efforts. Community building centers, which hromadas are working on within this project, should become physical spaces for communication and interaction, supporting local initiatives, involving vulnerable populations, and strengthening solidarity through collective learning, volunteering, and future planning. We are delighted to provide hromadas with the necessary support in creating such centers.

Ivan Verbytskyi, Cedos Director