On October 3, the Civic Resource Centre (CRC) participated in the Civil Society Organisations Festival held in Skopje’s City Park, organised as part of the Civica Mobilitas programme.
We presented ourselves to the public under the slogan "I, the Citizen"—a message conveying that every societal change begins with us, with each individual citizen. When we say "I," we take responsibility: to ask questions, get involved, volunteer, organise, and influence the community in which we live.
At our stand, we showcased the services the CRC offers to both civil society organisations and individual citizens—covering topics such as how to organise, how to foster civic activism, and how to get involved as volunteers in civil society organisations.
Some visitors expressed interest in capacity-building opportunities; in response, CRC representatives directed them to the online training courses available on the CRC Academy platform, as well as to open calls for in-person workshops organised by the CRC and the open call for participation in the CRC mentorship programme.
One of the visitors inquired about how organisations could join this CRC mentorship program and was advised that the best first step is to complete the Organisational Capacity Self-Assessment Tool; this would allow them to most accurately identify their organisational capacity and needs for improvement and advancement across the following ten categories: (1) Strategic management, (2) Project management, (3) Governance and structure, (4) Human resources, (5) Organisational values, commitment and culture, (6) Administration and finance, (7) Media and public relations, (8) Cooperation and partnerships, (9) Advocacy capacity and (10) Service delivery capacity.
Visitors interested in financial support for their organisations were informed that the Civic Resource Centre prepares monthly overviews of funding opportunities for civil society organisations from various sources. These monthly overviews are distributed to the entire mailing list of organisations, thereby helping to ensure timely information and enhancing their opportunities to apply for financial support and improve their sustainability.
Discussions were held with some of the visitors regarding the possibility of using Civic Resource Center (CRC) spaces free of charge for their events and activities in Skopje, Gostivar, and Shtip; additionally, visitors from outside Skopje were informed about the opportunity to utilize the expertise and capacity of the CRC’s regional experts, as well as visits of the Mobile Resource Centers, through which the CRC reaches out to a larger number of organisations located outside the three cities hosting the resource centers.
Among the visitors was Ibrahim Mehmeti, who shared his perspective: "Civil society is the conscience, and even the soul, of society." He emphasized that these organisations work for the benefit of all citizens, especially those most in need of assistance. In his view, the role of civil society organisations is significant, even though it is not yet sufficiently recognized.
Visitors were informed that the CRC office is open to civil society organisations and civic activists, offering access to information, advice, and consultations on matters relevant to their daily operations. Furthermore, they can learn about other local events of interest or obtain contact details for other organisations. Citizens not currently involved in civil society organisations can find out about the forms and requirements for establishing and managing an association, and can turn to the CRC for support, advice, and consultation in this regard. That is precisely the essence of our message. Civic engagement is not something done by "others." It begins with "me."
