In late October 2011, RGD launched the Adult Learning Program (ALP), which was developed as part of the National Training Program (NTP), and focuses on improving skills to develop curricula and deliver training in regional economic development (RED) to adult participants. The first training module, focused on foundations of adult learning, limitations of the learning process, needs assessment of training groups and practical training sessions delivered by participants, was held between October 27 – November 2and November 10 – 16, 2011 at the Dnipropetrovsk and Lviv Regional Institutes of Public Administration, respectively. In total 65 participants from 12 regions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea took part in the ALP’s first training module. Among them were civil servants, representatives of regional in-service training centers, state authorities, local governments, universities and NGOs. Participants were asked about their expectations for the ALP. Selected answers included that they hoped the training would enable them “to become able to establish contact with and effectively convince adult audience”, “to become able to overcome trainees’ prejudiced attitude towards the trainer”, “to develop modern training programs”, and “to become a trainer in their target area, such as strategic planning”. Read more...

Eight months after Fred Eisenberger, President and CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), officially launched the Trainer-of-Trainers (ToT) Program in late February 2011, the Program was successfully completed. As a result, 75 participants from 13 oblasts received their RED Trainer certificates officially recognized by the National Academy for Public Administration (NAPA). Read more...

Since February 2011, the RGD team has been working in Lviv and Dnipropetrovsk with 75 trainees of the Training of Trainers (ToT) Program – civil servants, entrepreneurs and community leaders from 13 regions of Ukraine – on developing skills to support regional economic development (RED). The trainees have acquired practical tools to prepare and manage projects that would improve public infrastructure across Ukraine. 31 ToT trainees gathered in September 2011 at the Lviv NAPA Regional Institute to present the practical projects they had developed over the course of the program. The projects were reviewed by an Expert Committee that consisted of representatives of the Lviv Regional Institute of Public Administration (one of the four NAPA regional institutes) as well as of other RGD Ukrainian and International Experts. Their professional assessment was the first step toward evaluating the projects’ sustainability in terms of qualifying for appropriate funding from governmental and non-governmental sources. Read more...