Our public keys are:

-to engage citizens to become active participants in the public debate in FABLAB Cafe about employment of disabled people and their situation in local society.

-to train journalists in Poland in investigative journalism, and bring it to local communities at regionally unique public editorial meetings which will be reflected in our investigations. Democracy is crumbling and the importance of a vigorous, independent journalism is rising

Municipalities of Orońsko, Jastrzębia and Szydłowiec, Radom mainly central Poland.

The ideas that emerged are the followings:
-increase the opportunities for reunion and civic cohesion
-open a social centre (FABLAB cafe) that provides the possibility to meet, dispute, -exchange ideas and visions
-multicultural activities
-activities to support the social leadership

We will contribute to solving the multifaceted challenges of the local environment:
(1) the predominant mentality that the individual has no influence over local decision-makers and policy,
(2) low social cohesion in the villages, which are not functioning as communities that can achieve common goals,
(3) lack of knowledge about situation of disabled people, focusing on their problems with unemployment

We exclusively follow the public interest. We address the public at large because we believe the need to have a voice is not connected to any individual circumstance. Just like the right to have a voice in a democratic society is universal.
We want to reach:

-the local inhabitants of the villages in the municipality of Orońsko, Szydłowiec, Jastrzębia, others central Poland Specifically, this means a large number of villagers who, for various reasons, do not participate in lifelong learning and active citizenship activities and young people, characterized by growing apathy and disinterest in local and national politics.
-local community of disabled people
-local policy makers
-informal groups, NGO’s
-local journalists
-entrepreneurs eager to employ disable people

Action plan:

1. FAB LAB cafe- 8 debates
As a solution for lack of space for public debates in our area we’d like to create a place where people could discuss problems. The place is FABLAB cafe, created for opportunity to public debate in this community. We’d also like to activate members of the local community to talk about important issues like situation of disabled people. Meetings with entrepreneurs eager to employ disables people.
We support disabled people in difficult situations. Their problem is unemployment.

2. Workshops for civic journalists - 8 editions
We will empower local communities by giving them a voice and present our findings in investigations relevant to them which will demonstrate that quality journalism matters. We will give advice to help citizens solve possible individual issues (ie. finding an official document etc.) Under our editors’ mentorship journalists learn data & investigative journalism skills, and how to protect their work and themselves. We will empower journalists in our local idea by equipping them with skills & knowledge to better serve the public interest & monitor the centers of power.

3. articles written by civic journalists - 8 articles
Articles will include information about situation of disabled people and difficulties in the local community. The articles will help to reach more people who solve problems

Expected results:
-8 workshops for civic journalists : A share of journalists in Poland will be equipped with skills and knowledge they will be able to employ in their regular work.
-8 articles written by civic journalists. Articles will include such informations as situation of disabled people and difficulties in local community
-8 debates in FABLAB cafe .Change will also include creating space for discussion about important issues in the local community. FABLAB Cafe is the first place of the sort in our location. Citizens participating in the meetings will feel their voice counts & will have an increased understanding of what journalists do and possibly a new-found respect for them.

Another result is a change of opinion among employers about employment of disabled people.

-We would like to create space for debate for anyone willing to hold it constructively and respectfully. We want to listen to what citizens think, hear which pressing matters in the public interest are not being addressed and like to offer them guidance on important issues such as the situation of disabled people and their problems with unemployment.

-Our project will help villagers to be actively involved in political and social processes by informing them about the structure of local policy-making. Together with them we will form initiatives for improving the rural communities and submit them to local decision makers. At the same time, we will strengthen the community as such, as the formation of initiatives will require the participation of all residents in each village

Members of the team:

● K Domagała - Board chairman in Foundation of Creative Innovations, fundraiser, career adviser, coach, employment agent.Graduate of University of Edinburgh in Scotland.Coordinator of social projects, including co-funded from European Social Fund..

● A Zdunek - artist, fundraiser. Her responsibilities in Foundation are: writing projects, sourcing funds, marketing, planning exhibition and artistic events scripts.

● A Lachowicz - Supervisory board in Foundation, start’ups mentor, In Foundation he’s responsible for: volunteer’s and computer programmer’s mentoring, conducting workshops about creative prototyping

●S. Kiernoz - Fundraiser in Foundation, responsible for: writing projects, sourcing funds, allocating project’s costs and marketing.

Fab lab cafe Project staff (trainers, consultants, project manager): 20000 EUR
Graphic website 2000 EUR
Workshop costs: 8 x 1000 = 8000 EUR
Travel costs and accomodation 2000 EUR
Catering (workshops): 1000 EUR
Administrative costs: 2000 EUR
TOTAL eligible costs: 35000 EUR

Our keys:
-public debate in FABLAB Cafe about employment of disabled people and their situation in local society.
-to train journalists in Poland in journalism which will include problems of disabled people in our community.
Let us know if these problems are important to your community too!