Results of the 7th open call
Enhanced capacity and sustainability of civil society
1. Finno-Ugrian Institution
Democracy training for Finno-Ugric communities in Estonia to understand the new geopolitical situation and to cope with it
EUR 18 500
Due to the influence of the Russian-language information space and the lack of media literacy, the Finno-Ugric communities of Russian origin living in Estonia are often under the influence of the Putin regime's ideological manipulations. We want to create a Democracy training for Finno-Ugric communities in Estonia in order to allow them to understand the new geopolitical situation and to deal with it.
The understanding of the domestic and foreign policy of the Finno-Ugric communities in Estonia has proven to be weak at times and needs to be better. In this situation, the Finno-Ugric communities of Russian origin need foreign and domestic policy seminars in order to improve their insight into media literacy and propaganda, as well as training to deal with their identity crisis.
The Finno-Ugrian Institution in Estonia has the opportunity and obligation to intervene in this situation by organizing domestic and foreign policy and communication training for the local Finno-Ugric communities. These communities will, therefore, have better explanations of the events that happen in Russia and Ukraine, and will have a more shaded perception of the information they receive. As a result of the training, the understanding of domestic and foreign policy has improved. A better understanding of propaganda and communication techniques is useful both in organizing one's own view of the world and also in communicating with compatriots in Russia. Improved negotiation skills and self-reliance skills enable better coping with a mental crisis. Norwegian partner Pikene Pa Brojen will share with the participants of the project personal insights into Norwegian-Russian and Sami cross-border cooperation in a new geopolitical reality.
2. Loomus
Developing political animal advocacy in Estonia
EUR 20 000
Loomus is originally a political advocacy organization. Over the years, new people have joined and former active members are not involved in everyday work. Therefore, the organization has knowledge that is not currently being used to its full extent.
The purpose of the project is to bring together long-term activists and their knowledge and experience with new people and thereby enhance advocacy activities in the field of animal protection.
Essential activities are regular meetings within the organization in order to discuss advocacy strategies, involvement of volunteers, and to enhance active participation in the advocacy network. The project includes two training sessions on advocacy and a team event to share experiences.
Systematically working on advocacy provides an opportunity to create a clearer system and structure in the organization, to measure the impact of our work, and to involve new people. Therefore, the project also strengthens the management and develops transparency of Loomus as it makes more visible the field of animal advocacy.
Active participation in the advocacy network helps Loomus members to learn from others, to exchange experiences, to develop the work of the network, and to create stronger partnerships with others.
The target groups are politicians and others persons involved in legislation, as well as people interested in animal protection.
3. Wildstream
Raising the activity of citizens of Narva-Jõesuu
EUR 20 000
At the moment, not a single project is underway in the Narva-Jõesuu volost (namely in the cities of Olgina, Soldino, Narva-Jõesuu and Sinimäe), while we could write a project to solve the problems of their cities through initiatives from different spheres and ages of the local population. It would also be possible to demonstrate their civic position independently. With this project, we want to increase the activity of citizens living in the volosts of Narva-Jõesuu, namely in the cities of Olgina, Soldino, Narva-Jõesuu and Sinimäe, by attracting the maximum (or minimum?) number of residents of the Narva-Jõesuu volost to the organization of the Wildstream NGO. The aim of it is to bring new people into the activities of the republic. Through various events and discussions, we can give citizens the opportunity to express their civic positions. The project is unique in that we attract project partners from different spheres and ages. And therefore, we can raise important topics of society. This project gives great impetus to attract new partners to the organization, as well as partners from the third sector and the public sector. The main conclusion of the project is that participants can independently write and implement projects, which aim to solve the problems of concerned residents of Narva-Jõesuu. The final event of the project will present the results and analysis of the implementation of these projects. This activity ensures the creation of new jobs in the region. The working languages of the project are Estonian and Russian, in order to involve all participants in all project activities, no matter their language. Another goal of the project is to allow project participants and target groups to express their activity by organizing events. The project also allows the local population to raise topics of discussion, organize debates and draw up their own projects. The target groups involved in the project are residents of the Narva-Jõesuu volost, families, people with disabilities, representatives of local government and state institutions.
4. Estonian Society of Children and Youth with Diabetes
Empowerment of the organization in relation to the support system reform for children with special needs
EUR 19 645
The goal of NGO Eesti Laste ja Noorte Diabeedi Ühing (hereinafter ELDÜ) 's project is to prepare for the support system reform regarding children with special needs. Because the reform significantly increases the extent of local government participation in the support system for children with special needs, it is extremely important to increase the organizational capacity of ELDÜ to advise the maximum amount of local governments on the topic of children with type 1 diabetes.
Soon, local municipalities will be the main acquirers of support services for special needs children. Therefore, it is extremely important that municipalities would understand the needs of type 1 diabetic children and be able to order consulting and diabetes training services.
The main target groups of the project are local government agents responsible for the social sphere and heads of general education schools and kindergartens under the administration of municipalities. As a result of the project, a competency to communicate with local governments has been developed at ELDÜ and informative material has been created for local governments to understand the needs of families with diabetic children and how to help them.
As a result of the project, at least 40 municipalities in Estonia have been consulted and trained and 30 municipalities have booked ELDÜ's services for November 2023. More broadly, the goal of the project is to improve type 1 diabetes management in Estonia amongst 800+ children and teens and reduce the development of diabetes complications. They are the ultimate beneficiaries of this project.
5. Estonian Reading Association
Increasing the Estonian Reading Association capabilities to represent the parents of children with dyslexia, and influence educational policies by increasing the visibility of dyslexia
EUR 19 626
Children with reading difficulties go often unnoticed in the school system and it is widely believed that poor reading skills are due to low intellectual abilities and laziness. Although reading difficulty and dyslexia are not related to intelligence, these terms are still associated with false shame in Estonia. This creates a favorable ground for the spread of myths and misinformation.
In order to move towards an open and tolerant society, it is necessary to normalize dyslexia and provide better and more effective support measures for people with dyslexia so that they could reach their full potential. We must pay more attention to the views of parents of children with dyslexia when shaping education policies.
The involvement of parents in the process of educational policies is a resource that has been little used so far. The Reading Association has long-term and unique experience in the field of dyslexia in Estonia, among our members are also parents. With the project, we want to increase our ability to become a respectable partner in the design of educational policies by uniting the parents. To move towards that goal, we think that is necessary to increase the visibility of dyslexia topics and increase the parents’ awareness.
As a result of the project we have formed a parent group under the Reading Association and their activities are based on a long-term strategy. The topic of dyslexia has gained wider coverage in society through speakers and digital information materials. As a result, the Reading Association has a greater potential to be involved in shaping educational policies in the field of reading difficulties. In the final phase of the project, we will carry out an analysis, which will be an input for future activities.
6. Domus Dorpatensis Foundation for Science and Liberal Arts
Developing the professional training capacity of the DD Foundation
EUR 19 996
The aim of the project is to develop the capacity of the Domus Dorpatensis Foundation for Science and Liberal Arts (hereinafter DD) to provide professional training to Estonian NGOs in order to improve their ability to respond to problems for which they are not fully qualified. The program also helps to raise the next generation of NGO activists among high school students thanks to an online elective course (e.g. Edumus School platform). During the project, 4 DD employees follow a comprehensive training program for trainers. The program also develops one freelance training course, one high school online course, and the DD's internal training system (according to the concept of a learning organization) to ensure the ability to train on new topics in the future as well. With the project, the DD will be able to pilot NGO training in seven or eight NGOs per year (against three before the project) and to provide online courses to 30 or 40 high school youth (against 20 before the project). The social entrepreneurship revenues earned from these services will allow the training activities to continue after the end of the project.
7. Estonian Folklore Council
The Development of the Estonian Folklore Council’s Curators’ Network
EUR 20 000
Why is this project necessary:
Heritage is that which is transmitted from one generation to another and it comes first through continuity. To ensure the sustainability of the heritage of Estonian Folklore, we want to strengthen the link between the curators of Estonian Folklore, bind Folklore local communities all over Estonia, and help them to stand for local interest. The development of the curators’ network and the inclusion of suitable people in it increase the ability of the curators to make local populations more interested in their heritage.
The project aims to create a network working all over Estonia in which every Folklore curator of a county has an adequate overview of curating activities all over the country. The project aims to make sure that all curators have received the necessary training to manage, promote and enliven the Estonian Folklore of their county.
During the project the following activities will take place:
- personal development evaluations with curators, to find out every person’s skills, opportunities they might have to promote Estonian Folklore and the resources they need to carry out their projects.
- formalized the job descriptions of the curators to carry out our purposes so that in all the counties our people work on the same bases.
- schooling and virtual information sessions once a month, to share our experiences, successes and failures, to advise each other.
- mapping the current situation of Estonian Folklore preservation in every county to find out the strengths, weaknesses, and resources we have and the ones we need in every county. It is the first map of this kind.
8. Estonian Environmental Education Association
Increasing the interest protection capability of the Estonian Environmental Education Union
EUR 14 469
The Estonian Environmental Education Association brings together people involved in environmental education and education for sustainability. Therefore, we need to protect the interests of the association to contribute to the improvement of the education of our children on environment and sustainability.
The project aims to improve the interest protection activities of the association through better analyses and planning. First, the members of the board of the association and the interest protection working group of the association will undergo training that will improve their educational skills. Second, a mentor will help them to strengthen cooperation between them. That will increase their capacities to stand up for environmental education. We will create an interest protection plan and a communication plan which will allow better communication on changes in strategy. We will also create a methodology for evaluating the impact of these groups' activities on the association.
During the project, we develop cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment and with the Ministry of Education. In addition, we emphasize the role of municipalities in promoting environmental awareness within the population. We also create a cooperation model for the cooperation between providers of environmental education services and local municipalities. On the one hand, the model emphasizes their roles in the field of civic education. On the other hand, it contributes to the environmental education centers which receive financing.
9. Estonian Coeliac Society
Development of the Estonian Coeliac Society
EUR 16 145
The aim of the project is to improve the management of the Estonian Coeliac Society by better communication on the organization of the Society and therefore, attract more volunteer
Target groups of the project are:
- Board members, volunteers and employees of the Estonian Coeliac Society – through description and application of the management system, their roles and job content are clearer, we allow a better allocation of responsibilities and an improvement of performance.
- People with coeliac disease (including the members of The Estonian Coeliac Society) and their friends and relatives – will understand the principles of how the organization works and the role of being a volunteer. They will know the connection between their skills and possibilities of contributing to the organization. Desire to be a volunteer will increase. The more successful the results of this project are, the greater will be the development of the organization and the protection of the interests of people with coeliac disease.
Main activities:
- Mapping, describing and implementing the different parts of the management system (documents, processes) in order to make it clearer
- Describe the roles of the Board/Member of the Board/President of the Board
- Describe the area of managers’ roles and the way of operating in the management system
- Describe the volunteer’s role in the management system
- Organise training for Board members and for managers
- Piloting the management system. New area managers and volunteers begin to work (seven volunteers in total)
- Organisation’s working methods are clearer, they empower the volunteers and the management system is unambiguously more understandable
10. Good Deed Foundation (Heateo Sihtasutus)
Good Deed community programme
EUR 19 914
Good Deed Foundation will take the recruiting and engagement of professional volunteers to a new level in order to more effectively and systematically support social initiatives. These new volunteer experts are necessary for the Foundation because they will increase its development and its capabilities. In this regard, we would like to launch a development project that will increase:
- the ability of our team to bring together impactful NGOs with capable volunteers,
- NGOs' knowledge and opportunities to involve professional volunteers,
- opportunities for finding volunteer work that matches the skills of professional volunteers.
During the project, we organize events to introduce professional volunteering both to volunteers already in our community and to new experts with volunteer potential from the private sector. We will advise NGOs on how to engage professional volunteers more effectively. We are developing Good Deed Foundation's internal processes for managing volunteers, implementing volunteer management software and creating a new website for Good Deed Foundation. It helps to better highlight volunteerism and is integrated with the volunteer management software. On our webpage, we will publish topics on which the initiatives currently need the support of experts, and volunteers can sign up for specific challenges. The software helps to gather information and keep track of the hours invested and the challenges that have been solved. As a result of the project, we will have created a comprehensive system that contributes to increase the capacity of non-governmental organizations through the smart and quick recruitment of professional volunteers. The number and working hours of (permanent) volunteers found thanks to the Good Deed Foundation will increase every year.
11. Community Practice (Kogukonnapraktika MTÜ)
Development of Community Practice program
EUR 19 964
Community Practice is an experiential learning program that allows students to do short internships in civil society organizations, at a time when their numbers are constantly increasing. It will support the subsequent growth of non-governmental organizations. The student gets a practical learning experience, the school gets a more substantial and meaningful curriculum, and the CSO gets to know local young people and future actors in civil society. Community Practice takes place in 50 schools and more than 300 CSOs across Estonia.
Through Community Practice, the young person gets an understanding of civil society, an opportunity to learn informally and contributes to society. We structure the program around the student so that he can have a clearer understanding of civil society, expand his horizons, put his knowledge to the test, learn and contribute, and make our society a fairer and better place to live. For the school, Community Practice helps to fulfill the learning objectives related to various general competencies, including social and civic competencies, learning and communication competencies, and entrepreneurial competencies.
The purpose of this project is to develop the Community Practice program and to increase its capacities.
The further development of the Community Practice program is important for updating the materials and content structure of the program. We want it to be up to date, and if possible more interactive for students.
Organizational capacity is supported through a systematic communication channel creation. We will create a regular communication channel and virtual meetings, which will facilitate communication between schools, CSOs and other partners. In addition to virtual meetings and information sharing, we plan to organize training and cooperation seminars to share practices and promote cooperation.
The third goal of this project is to develop a financing model for the CSO. Currently, the activities are supported by the reserves of the Union of Non-Governmental Organizations and by the British Council. This development would be necessary so that Kogukonnapraktika NGO could consider further possibilities and sources of funding.
12. Little Black Fish
INCL.- creating and developing civic activism and organizational support systems through co-design and “artivism” in rural areas
EUR 17 239
Kuusalu is home to the international human rights organization Little Black Fish and to the grassroots organization Roheline Kuusalu which has spent the past years increasing the impact of civil society and activism in the community. Kuusalu is a typical Estonian rural area. Its population is spread over a large region, and for decades the same people have run the local. For these reasons, the region is not attractive to the young and its “activism” is limited to hobby groups. As the leaders of civil society, LBF and Roheline Kuusalu feel isolated. Human rights and the environment are uncomfortable subjects. They challenge existing power relations and the traditional ways the community has always functioned. Project K.A. is a unique 12-month partnership between 20 active citizens, 2 local organizations, 5 specialists from Estonian NGOs, a researcher, the municipality and the community. Project’s first phase will map the community's active citizens and organizations. Then LBF will adapt its “artivism” (activism through art) model to the local setting. In phase two artivism, co-design workshops, a social media campaign and a public event will increase citizen participation, create a better power balance, increase youth engagement and improve the visibility of local civil society in the community. In the third phase, we will create working support systems that can be used elsewhere.
13. Masaan
Promotion of leadership and cooperation in NGO Masaan
EUR 20 000
The main goal of MTÜ Masaan is the provision of social services in Tallinn, Järva County and Rapla County. With our activities, we contribute to the development of human-centered and high-quality social services in Estonian society, offering support to disabled people and their families. We support our clients' participation in social life, independent living and help them to copy with everyday life.
The primary target groups of this project are the members of Masaan NGO team. The main goal is to promote two directions in the organization: leadership ability and teamwork. At the moment, the organization does not have a development plan that would give each team member specific guidelines and set common values. Therefore, it is important to jointly create a development document and take concrete steps to increase the team's ability to cooperate. Since the employees of the organization do very hard mental work, it is important to develop a regular support system with co-visions, supervision and need-based coaching.
The most important activities of the project:
• Preparation of the development plan of MTÜ Masaan
• Developing a transparent and clear management system
• Covisions and supervision for team members
• Coaching sessions for team members
• NGO Masaan Summer School 2023
• NGO Masaan Winter School 2023
As a result of the project's activities, we have created altogether, an understandable development, which is a working document for each team member. Therefore, the team is cohesive, supportive and open; team members are supported in their work and they know how to take care of themselves and their clients.
14. Invisible Animals (Nähtamatud Loomad MTÜ)
Nähtamatud Loomad: for civil society
EUR 19 174
In Estonia, the potential of volunteers is underutilized. Estonian NGOs need good examples, knowledge and skills to involve volunteers more successfully than before. On the other hand, many volunteers are looking for short-term opportunities to contribute. Invisible Animals has many plans for the future and new campaign directions; the continuation of the existing system in the field of volunteer coordination and involvement is a prerequisite for the success of these campaign directions. Therefore, the aim of the project is to strengthen civil society, promote civic awareness and increase civic engagement, by the application of these new directions. We are updating the well-thought-out system of coordination and involvement of volunteers in Invisible Animals and sharing the experience of our volunteers with Estonian students. We empower and train both the organization's current volunteers and those recruited during the project period, so that they can have a say in policy-making, take care of their own well-being as a volunteer, and understand the possibilities of directing social processes. This is how we contribute to the sustainability and capacity of Estonian civil society. We also aim to popularize volunteering as a form of civic initiative. Therefore, the target groups of the project are current and potential volunteers of Invisible Animals and Estonian students. We also include hitherto under-involved groups such as youth, men, the elderly, families and non-speaking residents. To achieve these goals, we offer the Estonian people the opportunity of micro and periodic volunteering. We train volunteers on effective activism, implementation of social change, effective use of time, etc. By covering volunteer portrait stories in the media and social media and by introducing Estonian students to opportunities in the field of volunteering, we encourage Estonian people to contribute as volunteers and empower civil society at large.
15. Old-Pärnu Community (Vana-Pärnu Kogukond MTÜ)
Vana-Pärnu community MTÜ building capacity and sustainability through new contacts and other success stories
EUR 19 431
The aim is to develop the cooperation network of Vana-Pärnu community NGOs, private companies and local governments. Within the community, we integrate different age groups and nationalities. At the end of the project, we will have prepared a comprehensive manual on how the local government and various NGOs should cooperate with each other. In addition, Vana-Pärnu community NGO will have a development plan, a communication plan and a pan-Estonian network of cooperation partners. To achieve this, we organize a sports competition between various NGOs and local governments in the summer. We visit, for example, Tõrva and Paldiski, where today the cooperation between the communities and the local government is going well. We write down their success stories and do a more in-depth analysis of how the current results were reached and what could be improved. We organize questionnaires among NGOs, local governments and community members in order to map the main areas of concern and possible solutions to improve cooperation. At the end of the project, the manual will be publicly readable by all interested parties. Within the Vana-Pärnu community of NGOs, we organize a summer event to bring together people of different age groups and nationalities (integration).
16. Open Education Association
Designing new curricula, training methodologies and preparing for digital learning
EUR 19 992
The aim of the project is to develop the capacity of the Open Education Association to provide training for adults, which requires updating the teaching methodology and curricula, and creating a modern learning environment, which includes IT solutions. Our main target group are residents of the Tartu region, who have a need and desire to improve their social skills, particularly in the areas of civic education, personal development, and social skills to cope better in their personal, social and professional life.
1. To develop new fields of study, in particular in the areas of civic education, personal development, basic skills and social skills, a curriculum consisting of 3-4 (several modules) and new teaching methodologies will be developed for each area (area of study) considering both for digital and online learning.
2. Modern training activities are based on a good and comfortable learning environment, both physical and online. To create that, there is a need for new IT solution in the classroom, which requires a secure internet connection and a local computer network. For e-learning, it is necessary to introduce a new projection technique, a touch-screen whiteboard with software solutions. Software for digital learning and online learning (including hybrid learning) will also be developed. To improve the organization of learning, it will be necessary to set up a separate, secure, e-learning room on the association website.
These new facilities will create excellent opportunities for successful learning and ensure a creative and inspiring learning environment for learners and trainers. Trainings in such an environment are effective.
17. Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation
Strengthening the network of Peipsiland cultural and linguistic communities
EUR 19 967
Peipsiland — having been at the crossroads of different powers for centuries— is a very peculiar area both culturally and linguistically. Our goal is to support networking between the different cultural and linguistic communities (Kodavere, Setomaa, Old Believer villages, Iisaku), exchanging of experiences and strengthening their representative associations. We engage young people to encourage them to explore and appreciate their traditional culture and learn the local dialects.
Preserving local languages, dialects is important because they connect and support the relationship between people, history, nature, and tradition, and create community unity and identity.
The project helps to introduce Peipsiland rich cultural and linguistic heritage to a large audience and to raise awareness of the need to preserve it. We also develop joint positions to maintain the language and cultural region of Peipsimaa.
The project is a preparation for the 2024 Year of Cultural Diversity announced by the Ministry of Culture.
18. Pilgrimage Route (Palverännutee MTÜ)
Creation of the first five section centers of the Cultural Historical Pilgrim Route. Development and implementation of joint action and of internal/external communication of the cooperation network
EUR 19 999
We will develop the basis and forms of joint actions of the cooperation network of Palverännutee (Estonian Cultural Historical Pilgrimage Route) a Pilgrimage Road of 600 km. In the project, we Implement and engage the first five voluntary section centers of the Pilgrimage Road. They function as centers of information, and collect, keep and share it. We draw up and agree upon the bases and methods of effective internal and external communication. We will create a concept and action plan for the years 2024-2026. These activities support the strategic goal of the project, which is to improve the sustainability and capacity of the network and to strengthen the role of the network in promoting civic engagement and increasing the influence of local communities. Target groups are local and community societies, partners, associations, active history and home researchers, community tourism service providers, museums, schools, churches, entrepreneurs and residents. The ultimate beneficiaries are people interested in Estonian culture and history from Estonia and abroad – pilgrims, hikers, (nature) tourists. We carry out the project activities through meetings, training, study tours, workshops and consultations, and if necessary, we also use an online approach. We will involve in the project development activities and communication experts. Also, the association's board and ordinary members and members of the cooperation network will contribute with voluntary work.