Cooperation between «Agents of Changes» of the Precarpathian National University and Vytvytsia United Territorial Community
For two weeks in a row, the «Agents of Changes» of the PNU have been actively working with Vytvytsia United Territorial Community within the framework of a cooperation agreement concluded between Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University and Vytvytsia United Territorial Community in the autumn of 2018.
During this period, a joint project competition «Today’s creative idea is tomorrow’s reality» for our students and graduate students, which was held together with another University’s partner, Ivano-Frankivsk District Branch of the «Association of Ukrainian Cities», encouraged some project ideas which can be implemented in the communities of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast.
Thus, one of the winning projects of the competition entitled «Tent City «Boyko’s Fairy Tales» was developed precisely for Vytvytsia United Territorial Community. The project mentor is Tetyana Myhovych, specialist in soft / social projects at the «Agents of Changes» of the PNU, Associate Professor of Finance; the project authors are Andriy Katriy and Yuriy Huley, students of the Finance Department.
Active actions taken to implement the project began with a working session at the Project and Educational Center «Agents of Changes» of the Precarpathian National University with the participation of Mykola Shykor, Head of Vytvytsia United Territorial Community, Svitlana Kropelnytska, Director of the «Agents of Changes» Centre of the PNU, Associate Professor of Finance, Yuriy Stefanchuk, Executive Director of Ivano-Frankivsk District Branch of the «Association of Ukrainian Cities», and Tetyana Myhovych, Mentor of the Community Development Project.
The mentor presented options for the project proposal aiming at the spiritual and physical development of the individual, the promotion of the historical and cultural heritage of this beautiful tourist and recreational corner of Dolyna district located in our region. The participants held a discussion and decided on taking specific measures to implement the project.
Not long after that, on Wednesday, August 7, an on-site working session was held in Vytvytsia United Territorial Community with a view to determing further steps directly on the project site.
This time the session was attended by the original authors of the idea and project developers, Andriy Katriy and Yuriy Huley, students of the Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance and by Diana Mykhailiuk, a student of the Design Department of Ivano-Frankivsk State College of the Precarpathian National University. There was also a representative of the regional branch of the Association of Ukrainian Cities – Mykola Skidaniuk, Regional Consultant for the Implementation of Strategies and Development of the AUC Promis Project. Employees of Vytvytsia United Territorial Community responsible for project activities also took part in the working session. The community strategy envisages tourism promotion. According to Mykola Shykor, Head of the Community, every year more than 5 thousand tourists visit Vytvytsia United Territorial Community; the participants of the on-site working session visited Bovkoty Tract and «Tsapove kaminnia» («Goat’s Rocks») Landscape Conservation Area, which are quite popular in the community.
In conclusion, the participants of the on-site working session developed a joint action plan for project implementation. Such activities, conducted by «Agents of Changes» of the PNU together with local communities and local self-government associations, both help to develop and implement elements of dual education and enable young people to be involved in the development of their territories.
According to Svitlana Kropelnytska, Director of the «Agents of Changes» Center of the PNU, Specialist in Regional / Local Development Projects, this approach aims at providing continuous practical training for a specialist trained by the university and his/her further employment in the community. Undoubtedly, it will contribute to improving the quality of human resources due to such graduates and reduce the exodus of Ukrainian experts to other countries.
