16 out of the 24 amalgamated hromadas of the region already have their own websites, and up to 10 AHs of the Cherkasy Oblast currently publish or plan to publish their newsletters and bulletins and are about to open their own FM radio.

“The “Newsletter of the Bilozirska hromada” has been published for 2 years. At first, its circulation was 3 000 copies, now it is 4 000, and thus a free newspaper enters every courtyard of the hromada,” says Volodymyr Mitsuk, head of the Bilozirska hromada. “It is a very effective hromada communication tool. People get information about AH activities, understand how the budget is formed and what our funds are spent on. The hromada residents keep a constant communication with the editorial staff – they advise on how to improve the newspaper and always look forward to it: if it is not found in the mailbox on a certain day – they are worried and call the publishing office.”

“The Cherkasy Local Government Development Centre has recently involved Oksana Savitska, experienced communications adviser, who helps our AHs to launch their own print media and make their hromadas known to potential investors and partners,” says Serhiy Slynko, director of the Cherkasy LGDC (established with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe and MinRegion). “At present, our expert is conducting an educational campaign in the hromadas, including a series of trainings for AHs to help them effectively communicate information about themselves. In the future, we plan a number of educational measures on how to make hromadas known all over Ukraine, due to the Internet network.”

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