“The development of project ideas and the preparation of projects and programs should be linked to the strategic goals and priorities of civil society organisations” was the general conclusion of the workshop on strategic planning, organised by the Civic Resource Centre in Skopje on 5-6 May 2026.
The workshop on this topic was held as a follow-up activity to the online training on Strategic Planning, and its participants were selected through an open call.
The participants at this workshop increased their knowledge and skills for strategic planning of the desired future and the direction in which the organisations want to move in the long term.
The first day of the workshop was dedicated to analysing the state of play in the organisation. In order to obtain a precise and accurate picture, the participants received theoretical knowledge about the principles on which the two types of analysis are based: internal, within which the internal organisational elements that the organisation can control are analysed, as well as external analysis, within which the general environment in which the organisation operates is analysed. Then, the participants had the opportunity to practically apply the tools for internal and external analysis of the situation by using the Integrated Organisational Model (IOM), Stakeholder Analysis, SWOT analysis and the strategic orientation matrix and to learn how to use the obtained results as a basis for making decisions at the strategic level.
On the second day of the workshop, participants worked on creating a vision and mission and determining strategic priorities and long-term goals for their organisations, as well as connecting their strategic priorities with the development of project ideas and the preparation of projects and programs.
At the end of the workshop, several different formats of strategic plans were reviewed and it was discussed with the participants that the strategic planning process should be adjusted to suit the real situation and real possibilities of the organisations.
“This is an extremely useful workshop for our organisation, especially since we are in a situation of reorganising and making a new Strategic Plan,” said Vesna Zlatevska from the Association Trust, Skopje. “For us, the workshop came at the right time,” she added.
“The workshop is of great value for the current and future work of the Humanitarian Organisation for Protection and Assistance to the Elderly Life and Hope from Skopje,” said Aleksandra Ilieva Milchova, president of the association. “Of particular importance to us were the topics related to the external and internal analysis of the organisation, the vision and mission, as well as the practical exchange of experiences and opportunities for future cooperation with some of the attendees,” she emphasized.
For Goce Blazevski, president of the Association for Social Services Good Heart from Prilep, the workshop was also of great importance for the further work of his association: “We will use the knowledge gained at the workshop for the quality preparation of a new Strategic Plan of the association. I gained very positive impressions from the workshop and the professional and inspiring presentation of the trainer,” he said.
The workshop was organised within the project "EU Support to the Civil Society Resource Centre - Phase 2", funded by the European Union and implemented by the National Civil Society Development Foundation Civic Resource Centre, the Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation (MCIC), Media Plus, Shtip and the Association for Democratic Initiatives - ADI, Gostivar.
