Over the past few months, Living Together has been developing and operating in a new field- local authority. Following our experience in various programs, we can clearly point to local authorities are a major arena in which the advantages and assets of well-managed living together are manifested, as well as an arena in which great challenges and crises are manifested due to a lacking ability to live together. In December 2019, we held a learning conference in collaboration with the Municipality of Jerusalem which was attended by around 100 participants, including officials from various local authorities across the country, as well as from social organizations specializing in the local arena. As part of this conference, a set of diagnostic tools and a guide for living together in local authorities were formulated and tested, and follow-up meetings were set up to examine possible collaborations between Living Together and several local authorities.
We began consulting the Beit Shemesh municipality with formulating a strategic plan for managing the city from the perspective of living together, and we are currently exploring the option of working with other local authorities.
The purpose of the collaboration with Beit Shemesh, is to implement an area-based work model to promote living together values in Beit Shemesh. As part of this collaboration, Living Together provides professional consulting for the senior staff members developing the area-based model. Additionally, Living Together will provide assistance and ongoing support with training the district coordinators, as well as with implementing public participation processes in each district comprised of diverse communities.
Beit Shemesh is not alone in its desire to tackle the challenges of living together, and to take advantage of the many assets and opportunities offered by its multiple cultures and communities. Following the conference led together with the Jerusalem Municipality, we have received many inquiries into the possibility of leading Living Together processes in various municipalities and regional councils. We are currently in the process of learning these opportunities and assessing feasibility with the various local authorities, and we hope that this upcoming year will see several of these opportunities ripening into meaningful and influential local programs.
learning conference in collaboration with the Municipality of Jerusalem
