The Network Effect is a regional project which was managed by British Council Ukraine, bringing together young bright professionals to discuss challenges of modern societies, to generate ideas, and to look for solutions. Each project forum addressed specific set of issues and consisted of innovative programme of debates, so called ‘real world visits’, and creative problem-solving activities.
Being originally designed to cover a dozen of countries, The Network Effect has been gradually generating an increasing interest, attracting more than 300 participants from 37 countries of European continent, stretching from Portugal to Russia, from Finland to Azerbaijan.
Travelling to different capitals and hosted by different British Council country teams, The Network Effect forums have covered issues of media and legitimacy, social diversity and innovation, role of business in social development, demographic changes in Europe, culture and prejudices, modern urban developments and identity of cities.
Establishing the network, project alumni support its further pace with ideas, contacts and funding. Inspired by the project, participants tangibly contribute to positive changes in their societies, examples including creating a Nordic think tank on social innovation, proposal for Olympic Games for ethnic minorities in Amsterdam, writing the most read article on CSR in Armenia, or planning neighbourhood development projects in Moscow districts.
Bringing the project learning and contacts back home, Alex Goncharenko from Ukrainian city of Odesa, with its one million population, drafted a municipal resolution on introduction of district committees for local self-governance. Having his colleagues in the City Council impressed with the suggested innovation, 26 year old Alex has managed to get the resolution formally adopted and successfully implemented. Not only does it improve efficiency of state authorities and public services, but also provides a sustainable platform for participatory democratic dialogue and citizens’ engagement into policy making process in one of the biggest cities in Ukraine.
As commented by the project participants, ‘we are all responsible for undertaking the challenge of finding ways to develop and implement new ideas for a better world’. Relationships, contacts and knowledge-sharing brokered by The Network Effect between young professionals stimulate effective partnerships and facilitate solutions to diverse range of issues faced by modern societies, helping to shape future of Europe.
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