In response to the challenges that local self-government faces in wartime, U-LEAD with Europe is announcing a competition for selection of municipalities to participate in comprehensive training programmes “Steps for Specialists” on the following topics:

• Spatial planning and natural resources management
• Mobility
• Waste management  
• Business-friendly municipality

Within October 2022 – March 2023 selected municipalities will be able to participate in one or more training programmes.  All training programmes are designed to meet the needs under wartime conditions and better prepare municipalities for post-war recovery processes.

Municipalities which have successfully completed the training and are interested in further cooperation will be able to receive in-depth expert support for elaboration of documents OR project proposals in the above areas during January-March 2023. The elaborated documents and projects must take into account the wartime challenges and needs of municipalities during postwar recovery. The projects must have direct impact on 2 or more municipalities.

You can find details of each of the four training programmes at the end of this announcement.

The following municipalities are invited to apply:

• with population below 50,000 (as of 01.01.2022).
• which can suggest a team of specialists of up to 3 people from one municipality to participate in each separate programme (the team may include representatives of structural units of the executive committee, specialized communal institutions/enterprises or NGOs).
• which can provide their specialists with access to the internet and respective hardware (computer with camera and microphone)
• which are ready to involve neighboring municipalities in project development. With this we strongly encourage neighboring municipalities that already have ideas for future joint projects to apply (please note that this item does not apply to the training programme “Spatial planning and natural resource management”).

Please, kindly pay attention to:

• training programmes will be held solely online; so access to internet and availability of technical equipment is completely crucial;
• one municipality can apply for participation in not more than 2 programmes;
• given the intensity of training, please suggest 2 separate teams of specialists for each of the programme.

U-LEAD with Europe strongly welcomes municipalities affected by war.

The filled in application form must be submitted before 12 September 2022 at 18:00 to the e-mail: projects.u-lead@gopa.de. Find the templates for applications following the links:

• for the training programme “Spatial planning and natural resources management”
• for the training programme “Mobility”
• for the training programme “Waste management”
• for the training programme “Business friendly municipality”

The subject of the e-mail must include name of your municipality, oblast and topic of the training (e.g., “Bilokrynytska hromada_Volyn oblast_Waste management”).

The selection results will be announced after 29 September 2022.

In case of any questions, please, don’t hesitate to send them to the e-mail: projects.u-lead@gopa.de

Detailed description of comprehensive training programmes “Steps for Specialists”

Spatial planning and natural resource management

Training programme consist of the following modules which will be organized during October-December 2022:

1. The concept and principles of spatial planning
2. Spatial planning in Ukraine in war context
3. Spatial planning in municipalities in war context
4. Challenges of spatial planning
5. Land and other resource management in war context

Based on the training results, a certain number of municipalities will receive additional expert support in development of the comprehensive recovery programme of municipality OR land audit (Land action plan) during January-March 2023​.

Mobility

Training programme consist of the following modules which will be organized during October-December 2022:

​Mobility in municipalities ​

1. Sustainable mobility management in municipalities in war context
2. Road safety in Ukraine (legislative regulation, state standards, best practices etc.)​

Based on the training results, a certain number of municipalities will receive additional expert support in development of project proposals for projects of regional significance during January-March 2023.

Waste Management

Training programme consist of the following modules which will be organized during October-December 2022:

1. Sustainable waste management system in war and postwar contexts ​
2. Analysis of waste management system in a municipality​ ​
3. Waste: reuse, recycle, reduce, recovery and disposal ​
4. Financial aspects of waste management system in a municipality​

Based on the training results, a certain number of municipalities will receive additional expert support in development of project proposals for projects of regional significance during January-March 2023.

Business-friendly municipality

Training programme consist of the following modules which will be organized during October-December 2022:

1. Local development during war and post-war recovery
2. Tools for business support and entrepreneurship development in a municipality​
3. Attracting investments to municipality​ during war and post-war recovery

Based on the training results, a certain number of municipalities will receive additional expert support in development of project proposals for projects of regional significance during January-March 2023.