On April 12, trainings for 6 NGOs and 22 NGOs were organised respectively in Ararat and Vayk cities in the framework of the EU funded “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project. The training included the following topics:

• Online tools to enhance the effectiveness of public monitoring and public policy development by NGOs and their application;
• Procedure for submission of reports on the activities of NGOs issuing from the requirements of the RA Law on NGOs and the peculiarities for conducting statutory audit;,
• Legal regulation of entrepreneurial activity;
• The latest legislative amendments to the RA Law on NGOs. 

In addition, it was also mentioned that at this stage of “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” Project announces the first phase of grants to CSO coalitions (networks). The overall objective of which is to create CSO Coalitions (networks in the target the areas of the project: justice, human rights, public finance management, business, social sector: social inclusion of children with disabilities, agriculture, economy, and energy.

It should be noted that the deadline for CSOs to build coalitions and to apply for grants is 30 April.

Mr. Khahik Gevorgyan, Executive Director of the Armenian Center for Democratic Education (SIVITAS)  presented the e-systems which NGOs can use to make NGO’s work faster and more visible than before. In particular, peculiarities for the management of MadMimi.com or MailChimp.com  e-mail addresses to send personal e-mails, as well as the skills necessary for delivering text messages through inbound marketing.

Participants are testing the  Appear.in system for video calls

Mr. Khahik Gevorgyan, Executive Director of the Armenian Center for Democratic Education (SIVITAS)  presented the systems which NGOs can use to make NGO’s work faster and more visible than before. In particular, peculiarities for the management of MadMimi.com or MailChimp.com  e-mail addresses to send personal e-mails, as well as the skills necessary for delivering text messages through inbound marketing.

“If you organise events and send invitations or make some announcements, you can do it by using Attach.io system. Here you can follow your letter, see how much time the addressee spent to read your letter, and so on,” Khachik Gevorgyan said.

During the training the participants tested The Appear.in system which enables to make quick and effective video-calls.

Ms Olga Baghdasaryan, Founder of “Svetozar Educational Center” NGO, which works in Ararat marz, said in an interview with us that the organisation has difficulties with dissemination of information. “Sometimes we sent emails, and failed to contact the marz administration of the directors of the schools where we intended to organise events. We send letters to 60 schools, and only one reply was received, and we are unaware whether the other letters had reached the respondents or not: and these systems will enable to manage this process,” Olga Baghdasaryan said.

Ms Siranush Mesropyan, Representative of “Work and Homeland” NGO (operating in Vayk), told us that young members of the organisation need to know about such systems. “We are trying to find out what systems can facilitate our work, in addition, the young people should know what grants they can apply to,” she said.

Mr. Hakob Avagyan, the Executive Director of the Project Partner SME Partnership Association, presented to the participants what social entrepreneurship is and how the NGO can engage in entrepreneurial activity. He also touched upon the procedure of submitting reports on the activities of NGOs and the peculiarities for conducting statutory audit.

Ms Varditer Ghazaryan, representative of the Association of Women with University Education, noted that the organisation operates in Artashat and intends to engage in entrepreneurial activity in the nearest future. “We learned some details through the course. And what is more important we received clarification of some provisions of the law that were unclear,” Varditer Ghazaryan said.

“The workshop was effective, many issues were clarified, for example, NGOs can work with profit tax and how they should be formulated in case of profit. Also issues on building relationships between tax authorities and NGOs were explained” Mr. Karo Stepanyan representing “Work and Homeland” NGO said.

Ms Lilit Khachatryan, representative of Civil Youth Center of Yeghegnadzor, said that she had learned in advance that similar meetings were organised in different marzes and joined the Vayk meeting; they were interested in the topics which would make the management of their organisation more effective.

“We conduct monitoring activities in the sectors of education and healthcare, as well as addressing human rights, advocacy and they were the first organisation that has conducted monitoring in schools, polyclinics and hospitals. At first, the problem was that these structures thought that everything was their in-house cuisine, and other organisations should not know about their activities, especially the budget. Then we succeeded in cooperating with local self-government bodies and we have been cooperating with them for already a year and a half,” Lilit Khachatryan said.

She also noted that the organisation wishes to engage in entrepreneurial activity and after this training there is a question whether it is expedient to start such activity at this stage of the NGO’s work. “The fact that it is necessary to conduct separate bookkeeping, entering the tax field is a minor obstacle at present, the problem is in legislative regulations that they are not well aware yet,” she said.

The “Commitment to Constructive Dialogue” action is implemented with the financial support of the European Union by a Consortium of civil society organisations, which are “Armenian Lawyers’ Association”, Agora Central Europe o.p.s (an NGO from the Czech Republic), Armenian Center for Democratic Education-CIVITAS, “International Center for Human Development” Public Organisation, SME Cooperation Association and Union of Communities of Armenia.

Alisa Chilingaryan