In November 12, 2014 in Novoyavorivsk was solemnly signed the Memorandum of Understanding among the East Europe Foundation, Novoyavorivsk City Council and the Local Economic Development Agency of Yavoriv district, within the framework of the program “Open City: increased public participation in the development of the local community”.

The “Open City” promotes transparency in the work of local government and promotes establishment of feedback from residents. Thanks to the joint efforts of authorities and community of the city Novoyavorivsk may be more comfortable for life. Using Web Tools Platform “Open City» (www.opencity.in.ua) residents can electronically report utilities’ problems, express initiative on ways to solve it. Possibilities of communication platform allow describing the problem, noting it on the map and forming email. Also, using the web platform community can control the resolution of this issue and see at what stage it is.

There are three steps of this online resource work. First: citizen can register on the site leaving email address or via profile in social networks, select a category of problem, describe it, mark on the map, even add a photo or video. Second: information about the problem goes to the appropriate municipality department, utilities department (which controls this area). Third: the appropriate authority / department solves the problem and using web platform inform residents about the results.

The application also covers community responsibility for the effective functioning of the platform. We should learn to identify the priority of problems in the city and try to joint efforts of the community, government and business to seek solutions to these problems. Funds for «Open City» program are not expected to be taken from the city budget. Project funding is performed by Eastern Europe under the “Open City: strengthening citizen participation in the development of the local community” with funds provided by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation (USA).

At present the program “Open City” has been successfully working in Lutsk, Sumy, Kyiv, Burshtyn, Trostyanets, Ternopil. This list will expand to another 8 cities in Ukraine including Novoyavorivsk.