U-LEAD systematically fosters a project mindset in municipalities, offering local self-government officials a comprehensive approach that includes informing, training and consulting, as well as sharing best practices.
“Using the project approach is an effective tool for achieving real changes. You can see this in Kulykivka municipality, and the participants learned about their experience during their visit. From 2021 onwards, Kulykivka has been able to greatly develop this direction. The municipality implements a variety of different projects, and U-LEAD’s support facilitated the creation of a project office where all the project activities are centred. This all sets the stage for growth, strengthens capabilities and is worth scaling,” said Iryna Kudryk, the Head of the Regional Office of U-LEAD with Europe in Chernihiv Oblast. She highlighted the opportunities U-LEAD offers to municipalities. Among other things, they discussed U-Wednesday informational sessions, comprehensive training programmes, individual and group consultations and online courses on specific topics.
Yuliia Posternak, the Head of Kulykivka Settlement Council, introduced her colleagues to the practices of implementing a project approach in municipal routines, as well as talked about her first steps in this area.
“I came to local self-government from the civil service. U-LEAD with Europe was there for my first experience in project activities, first time learning about it, first time training and my first project with firm backing. It started with the training course “Steps for Heads of Municipalities” in 2021: we implemented the first project with the support of U-LEAD — our Library Coworking Centre, a modern space for all people of the municipality,” said Yuliia Posternak.
In recent years, project activities have become systemic in nature, which is clearly reflected in the municipality’s Development Strategy. That is why project management is being introduced in educational, medical, municipal, social and other areas, facilitating civic initiatives and public participation. Already in 2023, Kulykivka attracted UAH 30 million for the implementation of 17 projects, and this figure rose to UAH 90 million for 23 projects in 2024.
“We use comprehensive project management for everything. Our team participates in many competitions, training courses and programmes. It is tough yet encouraging. Solutions and ideas are found in communication with coaches, donors, colleagues. It is important for the team to work in synergy, learn and look for ways to grow, as well as to understand the processes and have a vision of the outcome,” said Yuliia Posternak.
The head of the municipality also spoke about the recovery projects implemented in Kulykivka with the support of donors and charitable foundations. In the first months of the full-scale invasion, some localities here were severely damaged by hostilities and shelling and needed rebuilding, and the central estate of the municipality served as a hub for many residents of the oblast.
In the village council square, the participants inspected the vehicles and the mobile outpatient clinic received as part of cooperation with GIZ and U-LEAD. They talked with Maksym Momot, General Director of Kulykivka Primary Healthcare Centre, about the implementation of the project “Health without Distance: Mobile Healthcare for Municipalities”. According to him, the prerequisite for participation in the initiative was training, completing tasks and systematic work to improve the healthcare management. As a result, they received a modern mobile outpatient clinic.
“Before, when a doctor went to a village in their own beaten-down car, they would bring only the essentials such as a tonometer, a cardiograph, that is, minimal equipment. There were, however, frequent situations where they would need to fully examine, say, the ear or run basic screening. And there was simply no option to do that. Now the doctor goes to the most remote localities equipped with everything they need; they can do tests and necessary diagnostics. This allows us to provide comprehensive care directly on-site. In one day, we examine an average of 10 to 15 patients, and sometimes up to twenty,” the head said.
Next, senior municipal officials visited Kulykivka Lyceum. The education in the municipality has undergone a drastic transformation. First, the educational network has been optimised. Now, a lyceum with over 900 students and two schools operate here. Second, educational institutions have gained financial autonomy and, therefore, switched to project management in their daily life. The principal of Kulykivka Lyceum, Oksana Orsahosh, shared her experience in raising funds and explained who wrote and implemented projects and where to find information about competitions and grants.
“We have already implemented about 30 projects worth a total of over UAH 20 million, both large and small. We don’t wait for someone to come and do something. Instead, we look for opportunities, participate in competitions, learn, submit applications. Engaging students is easier, as they want to prove themselves. We motivate teachers, explain, show results, engage them so that they see the tangible changes and their own strengths and join the projects. The school should change and grow together with the children, who call for changes, new conditions and moving forward,” said the principal. She believes that developing education in the municipality requires fostering a comfortable educational environment.
The participants visited the renovated classrooms, shelters and created spaces of the Kulykivka Lyceum, a modern military training class, the Media Library, etc.
Another location visited by the participants was Vohnyshche, the after-school learning space and tourist club, where the hosts talked about the youth, tourist, environmental and other initiatives implemented by schoolchildren and the youth of the municipality. Incidentally, the landscaping around the space also came to be through a project that involved volunteers from the Building Ukraine Together NGO in cooperation with U-LEAD.
The participants were impressed by the results achieved by Kulykivka. They celebrated the fact that, despite the wartime, the municipality is not afraid to occasionally implement unpopular solutions to get results.
“We have implemented a lot of innovative projects in the Mena municipality and have practices that can be shared. But what we saw during this visit makes us want to bring our employees to see how we can manage processes and teamwork. I feel that we can move further and wider,” said Yurii Stalnychenko, the Secretary of Mena City Council.
According to Yurii Khomenko, the Secretary of Nizhyn City Council, heading to the meeting, he did not particularly expect to be impressed, as Nizhyn municipality is no stranger to project activities. “I am truly impressed. Most of all, by the people who put in the work. It’s obvious that this is important to you. Everyone on the team is passionate about what they do. The projects are always associated with great responsibility and risks. Anyone who takes on project work knows that it will not be easy. Your ability to take responsibility and get things done is something to be admired. What’s more, the projects are truly high-quality — that’s a fact,” he said.
