Capacity BuildingJUNIOR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM Put six young environmentalists from six different countries in a bungalow; add training workshops and resources; let simmer and study for four weeks - what do you get? Besides a lot of energy and ideas, you get skilled and enthusiastic leaders of the future.
The Junior Fellowship Program is one of the REC's most popular and effective programs for developing the capacity of young environmentalists, many of which go on to become influential leaders in the region. The program provides participants with valuable experience in an international environmental organization and encourages the development of relationships and exchange of experiences. Fellows come to the REC's head office for one month of practical training on the many aspects of NGO management from fundraising and budgeting to proposal writing and computer applications. While at the Center, fellows also have the opportunity to use the REC facilities and resources and network with staff and other environmental experts from the region.
Nineteen ninety-six was a milestone year for the program in a number of ways. In the spring, the program hosted the second Junior Fellows reunion, which convened 25 former fellows to evaluate the program and discuss ways in which training could be improved. In addition to strengthening ties between the program's alumni, a number of ideas were generated for future initiatives including a request by the participants for an advanced training session for former fellows which is now under development.
With the group of fellows in September the number of participants in the program topped the 100 mark. These fellows were also the first to occupy the Junior Fellows Office at the new REC head office in Szentendre. In addition to designated workspace and computers, the fellows program also has a bungalow for lodging participants. No longer tucked away at the Csilleberc Youth Center in the Buda hills, the fellows are now housed on site allowing them unlimited access to the REC's facilities.
In all, the program hosted 36 fellows in 1996 from 18 countries including the first fellow from a Western country.
EAST-EAST NGO EXCHANGE PROGRAM Building on the success of the Environmental Leadership Training Program pilot project, the REC continued its internship initiative under the new title of the East-East NGO Exchange Program (EENEP). EENEP is a joint program sponsored by the REC and the Environmental Partnership for Central Europe which pairs individuals from developing NGOs with more experienced organizations in other countries throughout the region. Through this program interns have the opportunity to learn from successful organizations and host NGOs are able to strengthen their programs through the process of training someone else. The internships also provide the first steps in long-term international cooperation among CEE NGOs. Nine host NGOs are taking part in the 1996-1997 program and will work with interns for a period of one month each.
SENIOR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM National park management, waste management, urban planning and public relations are just a few of the many concerns shared by senior environmental officials throughout the region. This premise is the basis for the REC's Senior Fellowship Program. Now in its third year of operation, the program helps experienced environmental experts generate novel ideas and alternative solutions for dealing with the region's most pressing environmental problems. Fellows spent one month at the REC head office working on an issue or topic of their choice. The have access to the REC's experts and resources and the program arranges for fellows to travel to neighboring countries in Central and Eastern Europe to visit with like-minded officials in government, environmental organizations and research institutions. It is these cooperative experiences which proved most useful for the three 1996 senior fellows in their work on developing ecological approaches to urban planning in Bulgaria, national park management in Poland and raising public awareness of the environment in Albania.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING CENTER NETWORK In addition to developing networks and knowledge on environmental issues, the REC also sees management training as an integral part of the development of CEE institutions. The capability of managers and policymakers to effectively manage environmental programs will become increasingly important as the region achieves higher levels of economic development and political stability.
The EMTC Network aims to support leading environmental training institutions in the region by initiating and coordinating international environmental training projects and facilitating the exchange of experience and expertise among members. In 1996, the focus was on strengthening the institutions in order to lessen their dependence on donor-driven initiatives, in favor of demand-driven projects that address the immediate environmental training needs of stakeholders. The network was expanded to include 13 centers and 130 individuals, which deliver environmental training courses to business professionals, government officials and NGO representatives in nine countries in the region. A new quarterly newsletter, Insight, was also launched to keep the ever-growing network in touch with one another and up-to-date on the latest developments in the field.
