Maris Puurmann Chief specialist Local Government and Regional Administration Department Ministry of the Interior of Estonia Implementation of Estonian Civil Society Development Concept – progress report and suggestions for futher progress

Activities on promoting citizen participation in the Ministry of the Interior, Local Government and Regional Administration Department Citizen participation: 1) cooperation between the government and civil society organisations 2) community involvement

Activities on promoting citizen participation in the Ministry of the Interior, Local Government and Regional Administration Department Issues of cooperation between the sectors, citizen participation and strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations 1) Issues are dealt as part of organisational development  public sector offices and departments concentrating on thematic issues  NGOs, their frameworks 2) Process of development of the Civil Society Development Concept

Why? Common understanding Use of resources Use of expertise Development of cooperation Trust

Estonian Civil Society Development Concept the Estonian Civil Society Development Concept (EKAK) was approved by the Parliament in December 2002; Concept brings out Joint Committee of Government and NGO representatives for working out activity plans and systems for monitoring the implementation of the concept; Committee reports on its work to the Government every year and every second year a public discussion on the issue of civil society development has to take place in the Parliament; activity plan of the implementation process for

Division of tasks Committee as a decision making body Working group as a “working body” Members as mediators Work of the commission is organised in three working-groups: law and involvement financing and statistics civic education and public awareness

Activity plan for objectives Activities, results expected, responsibility, resources needed, time-scale; Concentration on progress Development planned step by step Widening of the process part of the process

Activity plan for Issues to be dealt: - framework for the cooperation of government and NGOs - principles of involvement procedures - legislation and regulations related issues (forms of participation, voluntary work); - participatory forums; - funding principles; - in-direct supporting - statistics; - role of umbrella organisations in cooperation; - supporting structure for participation; - promotion of participation in the frames of formal and non-formal education.

Coordination of the work of the joint committee Achievements: –good cooperation environment and framework; –discussions on problems, needs, possibilities are wide and constructive; –awareness of the wishes, possibilities and boundaries of different counterparts; –developing partnerships in and between sectors. Challenges –issue of representation of NGO-s; –issue of representation of the public sector; –developing expertise; –patience and consistency; –upper-level decisions; –sustainability of the work in the committee.

Further progress Awareness Interest Upper-level decisions Resources Participation

Planned... Clear plan for Raise of interest and awareness

Dilemmas on coordinating... results - resources resources - priorities priorities - needs, vision vision - awareness awareness - results

Thank you! For further contacts and information: Maris Puurmann Tel: