Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities

1. Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities Training and consulting services of the representatives of local communities By. Marko Moračić

2. Standing Conference of Towns and Municipality • National association of LGs • Advocacy • Capacity building • Project implementation • Grand schemes

3. SCTM Services to members • Training Centre • Training, Facilitation, Project development assistance, Research, Publishing • Advisory Centre • Databases of national experts, advisory support, Legal Bulletin, Help-Desk

4. Training Needs analysis • Sets training priorities • Estimates current knowledge and skills • Includes capacity assessment of training providers • Background paper for the National Training Strategy for LGs • Annual update

5. TNA - Summary • TNA process included: • Development of the questionnaires and interview guidelines • Deciding on the sample municipalities for the interviews • Data collection – Quantitative analysis • Interviews – qualitative analysis

6. The targeted professionals • In each municipality there were four key positions: • Mayors • Chiefs of Municipal Administration • Two chiefs of municipal departments • Administrative staff - clerks

7. Quantitative analysis • Over 680 questionnaires were sent to the local government units in Serbia • Over 430 were returned • Return rate of over 60%

8. Quantitative analysis (continued) • Questionnaires included separate parts with: • Information about municipalities • Personal information • Training and consulting related information

9. Summary of the findings

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17. Qualitative analysis • A sample of 32 (20%of Serbia) municipalities was selected according to: • Geographic representation • Economic development and GDP portion • Population and Ethnic composition • Other demographic factors of less importance

18. Qualitative analysis (cont) • Over 120 interviews were conducted including: • Mayors • Chiefs of Administration • Chiefs of departments (budget, social affairs, economic development, communal issues, and others) • Administrative staff and clerks

19. Qualitative analysis (cont) • Interviews included questions on: • Municipal performance • Training experience in the past • Training preferences for the future • A number of training related topics (duration, location, methods etc) • Performance problems which can be remedied by training • Information on citizen participation and services

20. Summary of the findings • There is no professional training market – especially on the supply side • Expressed need for national coordination and legal framework for employment and professional development • Training materials were mostly unsatisfactory • Municipalities are willing to fund training and consulting

21. Experiences from Grant Schemes • Lack of knowledge - LFA and other project planning and drafting methodologies • English language – loss of context • Poor project management skills – mainly administrative compliance • NGO and expert organizations support – Project drafting vs expertise

22. Obstacles • Donor set priorities – Supply side orientation • Structure of the Municipal budget • Lack of legislation • Lack of donor programmes coordination and long-term approach to capacity building

23. Q&A Thank you! Marko Moračić