Study visits/ internships
The Foundation for Social and Economic Initiatives has experience
in initiating entrepreneurship development, combating unemployment,
supporting local development, strategic planning and management,
and the development of non-governmental organisations (NGOs). One
of our methods are study tours and internships, which are targeted
at employees of local authorities, NGOs, and public bodies.
The visits provide an opportunity for participants to see for themselves how Polish solutions to various problems have been applied, and during their time spent in Poland they are introduced to representatives of central, regional, and local authorities, non-governmental organisations, public sector, and business.
Implemented Study Visits:
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Meeting for Creative Support, February 2005
[>] Study
Visit for Young Professionals, July 2004
[>] Reform
of Housing And Municipal Services: The Case Of The Transition
Economy, May, September-October, December 2003
[>]
Management of Municipality Information Offices and Service
Delivery, March 2003
[>]
Managing and Allocating Local Government Funds, January 2002
[>]
Issues of Regional Development, 2000-2001
[>] Social dimension of restructuring
and privatisation, December 1997
Our study visits and internships consist of the following:
- a theoretical introduction to the Polish background to the
subject;
- practical training (workshops, seminars, visits to
institutions), to show how model solutions are implemented;
- evaluation sessions, which happen during the visit, and
afterwards, that provide us with information about participants'
opinion and suggestions, and broadening their theoretical and
practical knowledge
We guarantee the highest possible standard of a visit or internship
organisation, which includes qualified trainers and lecturers,
study materials translated into the language of the participants'
choice, a professional interpreter, an assistant, accommodation,
food, transport, and leisure time organised.
The programme of each study visit or internship is carefully planned and prepared according to the best knowledge of FISE experts, that takes into account specific participants' needs, expectations, and abilities.
Examples of study visits:
Social dimension of
restructuring and privatisation, December 1997
The visit for Russian specialists was organised as part of the
"Social dimension of restructuring and privatisation in Russia"
project, funded by TACIS. The main aim of the visit was to present
local institutions for public benefit and their role in solving
problems of local communities. The subjects covered by the visit
were: the role of non-governmental organisations, market centre
activities, the legal basis of local authorities, and the tasks of
local development agencies.
Issues of Regional
Development, 2000-2001
This programme was organised for the University of Birmingham
within the framework of the LARGIS (Local and Regional Government
Institutional Strengthening Project) Programme), which addressed
issues of regional policy, administrative reform, and local service
delivery and strategy in the Lviv and Kharkiv Oblasts in Ukraine.
Between 2000 and 2001 FISE organised five study visits for public
administration officials from Ukraine dealing with problems of
regional development and which included:
- encouraging local development and development
strategies,
- programmes to tackle unemployment,
- encouraging the reform process and limiting its
negative effects,
- activities of the Agency for Regional
Development,
- administrative reform in Poland,
- Special Economic Zones, cross-border
cooperation,
- Polish bank system in regional development,
- social services.
Managing and Allocating
Local Government Funds, January 2002
The aim of this study tour was to acquaint guests from Croatia with
the Polish system of managing and allocating local government funds
as part of a project to provide third country training for Croatian
participants in Poland. The programme was financed by USAID.
Management of
Municipality Information Offices and Service Delivery, March
2003
This programme was provided as part of the Tirana Transparency
Project, which was organised for the Municipality of Tirana and
financed by the World Bank. The aim of this study tour was to
acquaint two groups of 6 participants each, who are employees of
the Municipality of Tirana's Information Centre, with Poland's
experience in the development and management of municipality
information offices, transparent administrative service delivery
and related information systems.
Reform of Housing And
Municipal Services: The Case Of The Transition Economy, May,
September-October, December 2003
The programme was organised for the Management of Municipal
Services project taking place in Russia and which is being financed
by TACIS. The main goal of the study tour was to present Polish law
governing the housing and municipal services, to demonstrate
examples, and to acquaint the participants with the methods of
managing housing stock. The group consisted of representatives from
all the pilot municipalities and regions (HOA leaders, regional and
municipal administrations, municipal service companies) and
representatives from the federal government.
Study Visit for Young
Professionals, July 2004
Between 4 and 15 July 2004 FISE implemented a Study Visit for Young
Professionals within the RITA
Region in Transition, Foundation Education for
Democracy programme. M
ore information [>]
Meeting for Creative
Support, February 2005
A study visit organised in the framework of the "Youth" Programme
for representatives of 11 states of the European Union working with
young people.
The aim of this visit was to acquaint the guests with the various methods used while working with the unfavoured youth threatened by pathologies and social exclusion, through a number of encounters in the organisations which are acting in favour of the aforementioned young people. The participants had the opportunity to meet, among others, Tomasz Szczepański - a street pedagogue working in the district of Praga in Warsaw, representatives of the OPTA Association which carries out, among others, projects aimed at young people and their families threatened by addictions, Katarzyna Kazimierczuk -who runs the Theatrical Association Remus in Warsaw, but also young people from the Warmian-Masurian voivodship who take part in the activity of the Węgajty Theatre. The visit led to the creation of a number of projects based on the experience acquired in Poland. Read more [>]
If you are interested in coming to Poland and learning from Polish experience, then please contact