Public Achievement Leaders in Action (PALinA)

Denizen Centre for Civic Activism of Svrljig, Serbia and its partner ``G.M. Dimitrov`` of Dunavtsy, Bulgaria have established cooperation to implement the project ``Public Achievement Leaders in Action`` in the cross-border region of Bulgaria and Serbia.

The project was supported byEuropean Unioun and its implementing agencies European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR), Belgrade and Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works of Republic of Bulgaria within Neighbourhood Programme Bulgaria-Serbia.

It most closely addresses two areas of priority of the Programme: education exchanges and training initiatives by encouraging cooperation between people and institutions at both sides of the border through a wide range of innovative teaching and learning actions, and bilateral actions for the joint solution of common social problems by promoting dialogue with civil society organizations and community based groups and thus putting democratic values to work.

It is to be implemented in the period March 2008-March 2009.

The overall objectives of the cross-border action are:
- To encourage grassroots initiatives particularly those that impact the two districts of the region,
- To provide leadership and entrepreneurial training in communities throughout the cross-border region encouraging teachers and young leaders to create working groups that address local problems and develop social responsibilities,
- To increase cooperation and networking between democratic educators, institutions and activists in the cross-border region,
- To change the culture of education in schools and communities of the cross-border region using the PA program, and
-To provide ongoing support for local initiatives through monitoring, site visits and networking.

The main activities of the action are:
1. Preparatory and Planning Meeting (Svrljig); 1 group for 3 days
2. Periodical PA Coaches Meeting (Svrljig and Vidin); 2 groups of 10 participants for 8 days
3. Virtual Cooperation; for 20 PA groups from the region
4. Cross Border PA Coaches Meeting (Svrljig and Vidin); 2 groups for 3 days
5. Workshops for Young PA Leaders (Svrljig and Vidin); 2 groups of 24 participants for 5 days
6. Cross Border PA Groups Fair (Vidin); 120 attendees for 4 days

Since the activities and the concept behind this project is to teach youth how to use entrepreneurial and business skills to solve social problems, it is hoped that as these new, motivated individuals begin working at the grassroots level in their communities that the situation of these communities will improve.


Public Achievement (PA) is the name of a program which in a very practical and natural way makes young people active and helps them to become social entrepreneurs and responsible citizens. In PA people of all ages learn the skills of public life, and discover how, with democracy, ordinary people have the power to do extraordinary things. With the decision to take action and work with others, it is possible to have real, important and lasting impact.

The PA program involves the use of coaches (adult mentors – teachers, university students or simply adults interested in volunteering to work with children and youth) to guide a group of interested youth through a process of problem analysis and resolution. The PA group chooses a problem of importance to them explores its background, causes, possible actions, strategies for its resolution and begins to implement its own plan of action. By working together on this common goal they learn many skills that are necessary in a democratic society. The coaches play the role of facilitator and use the art of questioning to move the students to seek out answers and discover solutions for themselves. The process is more important than the outcome in PA, since the process is transferable to future situations.