September proved to be an intensive period for the expert team of the Polaris Programme’s “Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of Starostas” area– Andrii Matsokin, Nataliia Mamchak, and Olha Kalinichenko. In different regions of Ukraine, they organised meetings, trainings, and visits to starosta districts, supporting hromadas in building institutional resilience and developing quality mechanisms of local governance.
Boiarka Hromada
On 16 September, Boiarka in Kyiv oblast hosted the first working meeting of a new partner hromada of the Polaris Programme. Boiarka urban hromada joined the Programme after being selected among 87 applicants and in July became one of 12 new partner hromadas.
At the city council, experts Andrii Matsokin and Olha Kalinichenko held consultations with the leadership and starostas, focusing on the development of starosta districts, their role in providing public services, and building effective engagement with residents.
“A starosta is the link between residents of the starosta district and the local council. The Programme’s goal is to help them gain modern tools for quality work,” noted Polaris Programme senior expert Olha Kalinichenko.
Afterwards, the experts visited the Tarasivka starosta district, studied the work of the local Administrative Services Centre (ASC) branch, and discussed urgent challenges and development prospects of the district.
“Starostas are key figures in local governance, and starosta districts are the heart of our hromada,” said Boiarka hromada head Oleksandr Zarubin.
Kurnen Hromada
On 22 September, the Polaris expert team visited Kurnen hromada in Zhytomyr oblast. During the visit, they conducted a training session for starostas, addressing not only the theoretical aspects of their role but also the practical challenges they face daily.
“Starostas are an important link in local self-government. Their work requires managerial skills and deep knowledge of the legal framework defining their powers,” highlighted hromada head Leonid Korzun. These issues became the key focus of discussions between Polaris experts, starostas, and local self-government representatives.
The experts also visited the starosta districts of Velykyi Luh and Strybizh to directly observe the working conditions of starostas and the quality of services provided to residents.
Shumsk Hromada
On 24 September, Polaris experts Nataliia Mamchak and Andrii Matsokin worked in Shumsk hromada, Ternopil oblast. Following a meeting with the leadership, a roundtable-training was held on the topic “The Role of a Starosta in the Hromada and Provision of Public Services in Starosta Districts.”
The discussion brought together starostas, deputies, and staff of executive bodies. The main focus was on strengthening the role of starostas as representatives of residents’ interests and organisers of accessible services at the local level.
“During the event, we discussed the key aspects of starosta activities, analysed the current legal framework, and identified possible ways to enhance their effectiveness. We thank the Polaris experts for constructive dialogue and useful recommendations,” said Shumsk hromada head Vadym Boiarskyi.
Polaris expert Nataliia Mamchak emphasised:
“Starostas should support hromada residents and engage them in addressing local development issues. Often, starostas are the voice of residents in local self-government. Our task is to provide them with modern tools and practical knowledge so they can fulfil this important role effectively.”
After the training, the experts visited starosta districts to observe service provision and hold direct dialogue with residents.
Learning visit in Buchach
On 25 September, Buchach hosted a learning visit-training for 30 representatives of partner hromadas in Ternopil oblast – Skalat, Buchach, and Zboriv. The training was held under the topic “Identifying Residents’ Needs. Bodies of Self-Organisation of the Population: Establishment and Activity.”
The event combined exchange of experience, theory, and practice. Participants discussed practices of self-organisation bodies (SOBs) in hromadas, developed roadmaps for establishing SOBs, explored mechanisms of financing and operation, and worked in a “World Café” format, sharing experiences and developing joint solutions.
“Bodies of self-organisation of the population are a real mechanism for residents to solve local issues in their hromada. We teach how to make this tool effective and accessible,” underlined the area lead Andrii Matsokin.
Rozdilna Hromada
The final visit took place on 26 September in Rozdilna hromada, Odesa oblast. It began with a meeting with the leadership, followed by a training session for starostas, deputies, and council staff. The discussions focused on the role of starostas in the hromada and practical approaches to ensuring public services in starosta districts. This meeting was particularly important for both the hromada and the Programme, as experts confirmed mutual interest in developing cooperation to strengthen the institution of starostas in Rozdilna hromada.
The September working meetings and trainings demonstrated the Polaris Programme’s comprehensive approach to strengthening the institutional capacity of starostas: combining strategic consultations, practical trainings, and field visits to starosta districts provides hromadas with real tools for everyday work.
As of today, the Polaris Programme already supports 27 hromadas in this area, helping them build an effective system of local governance and develop strong starosta districts.
