The OSCE Mission to Moldova held the third in a series of Civil Society Club meetings on 14 September 2016 aimed at improving NGOs’ ability to get the message out more effectively on issues of interest to the public. The event was held in Tiraspol and brought together 15 civil society representatives providing social assistance to women, youth and the underprivileged.

During the event, participants learned how to develop communication strategies and use available tools in order to better address the general public’s needs. In particular, they examined relevant examples applied in other contexts and tested various practices for effective communication. They also heard from Iuliana Abramova, Director of the Centre for Civic Initiatives “Resonance” in Bender, who shared her experience in developing and implementing a communications plan for her NGO.

“Today’s discussion triggered our thinking on how to plan and co-ordinate communication plans,” said Roman Sandu, Chairperson of the Healthy Future Information Centre in Tiraspol. “Developing effective communication strategies is vital for the development of any organization, in particular those providing assistance to local communities.”

Civil Society Club meetings are part of a year-long project implemented jointly by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Tiraspol-based Apriori Legal Information Centre, which provides capacity-building assistance to local civil society organizations.

Two more meetings of the Civil Society Club are planned in 2016.