On 19 June, the second meeting of the Coordination Headquarters for the Implementation of the Law of Ukraine “On Service in Local Self-Government Bodies” was held under the NAUCS.

The issues discussed included the state of preparation of regulations envisaged by Law No. 3077, an awareness-raising campaign and the need for training of local self-government representatives. The meeting discussed the content of the Roadmap and the joint implementation of the proposed measures.

Yuliia Lykhach, Head of the High School, reported on the professional development of local government officials, which is one of the priorities of the Roadmap for the implementation of the law.

The High School implements a number of training programmes and educational projects aimed at developing the competencies and skills necessary for effective work in local self-government. “Our institution focuses on relevance, practicality, interactivity, and accessibility in the development and implementation of training programmes for local self-government bodies,” said the Head of the High School, “We are looking for interesting learning formats that would allow participants to acquire the latest knowledge and skills necessary for effective work in the field and share experiences.

One of these successful projects was the online educational marathon “Topical Issues of Local Self-Government”. Almost 600 participants had a unique opportunity to gain new knowledge and practical skills in implementing effective local government tools. On 27 June, a new educational marathon “Organisation of Work in the De-occupied Territories” will start to improve the professional competence of those enrolled in the reserve of government employees to work in the de-occupied territories of Ukraine.

Another initiative was the School of Starostas, which trained nearly 600 participants from 242 communities in all regions of Ukraine. As part of this project, in cooperation with the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, the Higher School is finalising an educational series that will provide relevant information and knowledge necessary for starostas to effectively exercise their powers in the current environment. A manual for trainers and an online course have also been prepared.
In addition, 15 advanced training programmes on de-occupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory and management of the de-occupied territory were developed for civil servants and local government officials. The programmes “Psycho-emotional preparation for work in the de-occupied territories” and “Mental health support” are being implemented to provide psychological support and adaptation.

Novelties of the Law of Ukraine “On Service in Local Self-Government Bodies” are being actively implemented in many other training programmes, which contributes to raising awareness, professionalism and efficiency of local self-government in general.