Local Leaders in South East Europe: Lead for Change 2017 Danube Water Conference 18.05.2017, Vienna

“Local Leaders in South East Europe: Lead for Change” Goal - Improvement of the leadership and management competences of local decision makers and managers from Municipalities and Public Utility Companies for planning and implementation of investment projects in the field of municipal WSS infrastructure. Institutional setup

“Local Leaders in South East Europe: Lead for Change” Target sector - LL SEE focuses on the Local Government sector, aiming at increasing absorption capacities related to infrastructure investment in the WSS Target region - LL SEE focuses on SEE countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia Target group - Municipalities: Elected staff and upper management staff - Public Utility Companies: Upper and middle management staff 15 pilots municipalities / WSS PUs

“Local Leaders in South East Europe: Lead for Change” A comprehensive needs assessment determined the capacity development needs of SEE leaders and managers in the water sector: Overarching priority area: Better organisation of water supply and waste water services Specific priority area: Better project management & change management skills improving the implementation of investment projects National and joint regional training delivery scheme developed, with high quality standards in each phase of training preparation and delivery that now ensure excellence in training providing for leaders and managers of the local governments and public utility companies in SEE LL SEE priority training topics: - Efficient organisation and effective management of communal services - Preparations for infrastructure investment projects - Development of infrastructure investment projects - Implementation of infrastructure investment projects - Results-based strategic programme planning and management

“Local Leaders in South East Europe: Lead for Change” One generic and five specific Training of Trainers were designed and delivered, constant mentoring and support to trainers was provided Created pool of 33 trainers, acting according to methodological state-of-the-art of competence development

“Local Leaders in South East Europe: Lead for Change” 5 training modules are now available for leaders and managers: Efficient organisation and effective management of communal services Preparations for infrastructure investment projects Development of infrastructure investment projects Implementation of infrastructure investment projects Results-based strategic programme planning and management Trainer’s Manuals prepared for all modules LL SEE Compilation on Training Delivery with key LL SEE methodology documents available for the LL SEE partners and practitioners’ community

“Local Leaders in South East Europe: Lead for Change” The Local Government Associations (LGAs) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia were actively involved in the implementation of the project. They developed systematic training delivery schemes and participated in joint conceptualisation, development, review and adaptation of LL SEE products. For the first time, these LGAs included sustainable water management topics in their annual training offers, targeting both LGUs and PUCs.

“Local Leaders in South East Europe: Lead for Change” 20 national trainings and 1 regional training were delivered in the four project countries: Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia, covering 400 leaders and managers in the water sector. Participants expressed a great satisfaction with the trainings, evaluating them with an average point mark of 5.6 (out of 6), stating that the trainings greatly contributed to enhancing their competences in managing communal services and preparation and implementation of investment projects.

Thank you for your attention!