Economy, finances, management: topical issues of science and practical activity

GNATYUK Natalia,  president, NGO Stara  Volyn Sustainable Development Found (30455, 

Grytsiv, Khmelnytska region, 22/4, Myru str., e-mail: ngnatyuk@grytsiv.km.ua)

FISHCHUK Natalia  -  associate professor of the Department of agrarian management,Vinnitsa 

National Agrarian University (21008, Vinnytsia, 3, Sonyachnastr., e-mail:natalfis2016@gmail.com)

In Ukraine, the process of decentralization continues. The reform is aimed at legislative and institutional consolidation of open, democratic and efficient management of territorial communities.

To successfully implement reform and ensure sustainable regional development, first of all, a network of leaders of a new format is necessary, able to act effectively in the interests of the community, sustainable regional development and strengthening of the state of Ukraine.

Learning with the usage of innovative techniques: on-line courses, interactive trainings, study tours, campsites, practical tasks, etc. – is the most effective in the dynamic implementation of the decentralization reform in Ukraine, especially for local government employees of village / town (not district centers) united territorial communities (UTC).

The purpose of the article is to highlight the importance and value of the decentralization reform for regional development, to identify the main negative factors and problems on the way of building capable territorial communities, as well as to search for interested organizations, institutions for the formation of a system of selection, training and traineeship of specialists for work in rural united territorial communities (UTC) of Ukraine.

As on April 10, 2019, there were 888 united territorial communities in Ukraine, that makes 39% of Ukraine's land area and 26% of the population, and the number of UTC is constantly increasing. Thus, the state has made it possible for the regions to form their own more flexible for teritorial specifics vector of development. This process requires skilled personnel.

The solution of the problem of personnel in less-developed regions could be the attraction of skilled personnel from the labor market, but it is difficult to find qualitative personnel for working in UTC because of:

·        low income;

·        significantly less opportunities for learning and development;

·        worse quality of medical services;

·        lack of convenient transport infrastructure and more.

A possible option that could substantially help to involve competent people in the process of community building is the cooperation of local authorities with talented staff, working mostly in business structures or receiving qualified education both in and out of the UTC, coming from these communities and feeling responsible for their "small Motherland", and ready to help.

It is offered to introduce a system of selection and training for work in UTC based on the experience of positive practices in the implementation of international programs and projects, forming a Cluster, which will include young people interested in local development specialists.

The school of community organizers will act as follows: 1 year - selection, 2 years - interactive training, 1-2 years - expert support.

During two years of studying, there will be a series of trainings and implementation of practical tasks related to: research of community resources, community involvement in decision-making, strategic planning, community branding, information and counseling (demonstration of successful implementation of other communities' experiences, etc.), implementation of micro-projects, monitoring and analysis of results, strengthening of institutional capacity of local self-government bodies and establishment of cooperation between them.

The reform of local self-government is perhaps the most significant and conflict-dangerous event in the country's life. But this is exactly the kind of reform that allows us to introduce real democracy, to improve the economic and infrastructural condition of the regions, and to change radically social relations in an evolutionary rather than a revolutionary way. This reform enables people to independently build their own communities, managing their own resources and bearing responsibility for their own leadership. Cluster can become the tool that will help people of community to understand that the opportunity of development is in their hands.

Unfortunately, in Ukraine, the crisis continues, when "the lower classes no longer want to live in the old way, and the upper ranks can no longer manage as before." We propose an evolutionary way of reforming local self-government and its development by creating a social nucleus - a cluster of "community organizers", a community of people who are listening to society and local business (since they do not have any commercial interest) and forced to consider the authorities. This concept will allow all participants to understand the real situation and prospects of community development and its place in it.

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