Partners Albania and OSFA under their joint NOSA strategy undertook to implement special training programs to strengthen the capacities of Albanian NGO-s. The main goal of the project was the enhancement and development of institutional capacities of civil society organizations. Also, these activities aim to encourage civic participation and social responsibility.

To achieve the objectives, OSFA and Partners Albania organized in the town of Pogradec on 26-28 April 2006 a training program on “Advocacy and Lobbying” with the participation of 12 local NPO-s. The participants identified two practical issues of importance to their town to practice the techniques of advocacy and lobbying, namely: ‘Achieve a 10 per cent increase in the number of employed women in the town of Pogradec’ and ‘Increase the green space in the town of Pogradec by an additional 2500 m2’. The local NPO representatives in the workshop were exposed to the most successful models of civic action and to best practice of effective relations of the sector with the state and politics. The participants came to master the modern concepts of advocacy and lobbying and some of the techniques that may be used to carry out advocacy and lobbying actions to influence local decision making.

The same approach was followed with two other training programs on “Financial management” and “NPO registration procedures in accordance with Albanian legislation” carried out in Elbasan from 26-28 April and in Vlora from 31 May to 1 June 2006.

In the second half of the year, the project will continue with its last phase. Of the entirety of trained NPO-s, the best ten organizations will be selected and provided with full technical assistance to install and operate financial systems of high standards. This will not only facilitate the work of finance people, but will directly contribute to the increase of financial transparency of these NGO-s vis-à-vis the donors, the state and the society.