Focusing on multicultural education, the “G.T. Kirileanu” Neamţ County Library created a space for learning foreign languages and discovering other cultures, by developing volunteer opportunities and discussion events for the youth of the community.
Lugansk Regional Universal Scientific Library decided to focus on self-empowerment of the children and developed opportunities for kids in the community to learn coding, by using the online Minecraft application.
In order to transform the library branch in a community space, Lviv Central City Library “Lesya Ukrainka” started to plan the needed steps for this process and has also created discussion spaces for community members.
The “Antim Ivireanul” Vâlcea County Library developed an online educational space where young children could learn safe measures that prevent the spread of COVID-19, in an age-appropriate way.
The main focus of the Raional Library “D. Cantemir” Ungheni was to empower women through their project, by creating a gathering and exhibition space in the library, where community groups could meet, discuss and present themselves.
The Raional Library “IPS A. Plămădeală” Hîncești created a space for community groups meetings, in the library, where they could discover the local heritage and learn to promote local tourism.
Congratulations! We know you can do this. You analyzed your community and the factors influencing it, you have some great ideas and partners and now you see an opportunity to build a solution.
What we have here for you is a few questions and insights to help deploy to frame, challenge and improve your message.
Here are the questions that we encourage you to focus on:
So what? What is the impact of what you will do?
Says who? What is the evidence that it can work?
Who cares? Who has a direct or indirect interest in your plan?
To get ready to present your message, work to develop a three minute ‘elevator pitch’ that you will use to present your ideas to stakeholders. But before you do that consider practicing it with your team and partners. The aim of your message should be rooted in your particular community issue that you wish to change.
Please try to consider the three powerful questions and these principles:
Humanize your message,
Know your audience,
Have an innovative hook,
Make sure the medium is suitable for the message,
Be consistent,
Be congruent,
Have a call to action.
And always go back to these 3 important questions:
So what? Says who? Who cares?
Hear about the journey of librarians and NGO partners from Moldova, Romania and Ukraine into active citizenship! Mike Waldron, who has worked with the partners on their journey will highlight some key principles that can be supportive of active citizenship in communities and will explore some myths and highlight some of his own experience of 25 years in building international community based coalitions. Let’s watch our partners from libraries and NGOs telling the story of their own journey into active citizenship, exploring such topics as the role of design thinking in community development, developing a message for effective advocacy and planning and delivery social action.
Mike Waldron is an independent consultant, working in the area of inter-cultural literacy, dialogue, cultural relations and diversity. With a wide range of experience, his work encapsulates over twenty years of engagement with minority communities, disadvantaged and disaffected youth, public policy, training and program design.
The workshop was part of Occupy Library 2020 event, and is suitable for all of those who wish to explore a trans-national experience of active citizenship and the role of libraries in partnership with NGOs in developing hubs, and subsequent social action.
6 libraries in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have started the project “Public libraries as active citizens hubs”, implemented by the Progress Foundation, with the support of the Black Sea Trust of Regional Cooperation.
This project aims to create a support network, consisting of public libraries and NGOs, which will support the establishment of public spaces in libraries for learning and practicing active citizenship.
The civic involvement of citizens in the community can lead to significant changes in the way society works. And finally, they can improve people’s quality of life.
In order to become truly active citizens, the inhabitants of Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine need spaces in which to meet, where to discuss issues of general interest and a context in which to learn, exchange ideas, communicate and collaborate. And public libraries are the perfect host!
