The organizers of the IntreVecini project are looking for a group of neighbors living in the block, in Sibiu, who would like to enter into a community development process, implement sustainability activities, and become prosumers, through a non-refundable grant of 15,000 euro.
Do you remember the days when, when you ran out of sugar and were just baking a cake, you would quickly go to the neighbors to ask them for a cup of sugar? And when the cake was ready, did you take a few pieces to the neighbors? Do you remember when you spontaneously needed a row of empty twine in the drying room, you asked the neighbors to help you and pile up a little of their things so that you also had a place? Or when the men of the house were working in front of the block one car at a time, the children would all scream in chorus mingeeeeeaaaa, and on the stairwell you could hear the vacuum cleaner and the smell of snitches. (obviously then you knew for sure it was Saturday morning).
10 million Romanians currently live in the block. However, the spirit of community and confidence in one’s own ability to bring about change in the place where they live has been lost. The purpose of IntreVecini is to activate the community spirit on the block and to create model communities in Romanian cities, thus contributing to the improvement of the lives of Romanians, on a large scale.
What does it mean to be a good neighbor?
“Being a good neighbor means taking care of the community around you, being open to communication and collaboration, respecting the needs and space of others, being empathetic and contributing to a pleasant living environment for all. And make a cake every now and then to share with the others on your block.” That’s what Irina-Teodora Comăniță tells me, community catalyst and urban planner of the IntreVecini project.
The IntreVecini project started in 2019, as a pilot project within the Global Shapers Bucharest Hub organization, with a grant received from Climate Reality. Due to the emergence of the pandemic, conflicts and the energy crisis, people became increasingly isolated, which caused a pause in the implementation of the pilot project. The project has 2 important components: green energy and community development. “Essentially, our mission is to support the restoration of the social fabric through interactions between neighbors, with the vision of creating sustainable communities, connected and engaged in neighborhood life. Our values include open communication, collaboration, sustainability and mutual respect,” Irina tells me.
At that time, the photovoltaic panels became the “hook” of the project due to the concern that the project implementation team had for green energy at the block level. In 2019, when they started the project, there were many household prosumers (people who produce and consume energy), but there were no prosumers within home owners’ associations, so they felt it was important to provide an example of good practice in energy production at the level blocks. In December 2022, IntreVecini managed to transform one of the first 3 blocks in Romania into an energy prosumer through this pilot project.
The first community that would lay the foundations for this, now national, initiative was in sector 6 of Bucharest and is called Comunitatea Apusului. Today IntreVecini are 5 communities in different sectors of Bucharest and one in Târgu Jiu. “These communities are in the middle of our process and are engaged in various activities to improve their living spaces and better connect with each other. Among these activities are: urban gardens, movie nights, Christmas in the community, evenings to share hobbies”, explains Irina.
And until the end of March, IntreVecini proposed to develop in Romania, and to join their initiative with 10 other teams of neighbors from Romanian cities who want to create a community. Thus, those who will join in the hope of becoming even better neighbors, will have to imagine, develop and implement projects and activities in the block and in the neighborhood for a year. In the first stage, a minimum of 4 neighbors + the President of the Owners’ Association are needed, and the budget received is 15,000 EUR – 8,000 EUR for the installation of a kit of Photovoltaic Panels to become a prosumer and inject energy into the network, and the rest of the money will be used for the 10 community projects. We therefore encourage you to go public, call an emergency and extraordinary meeting between the neighbors, and apply.
How are the EntreVecini communities?
Once started, the project has the power to change a community and influence not only its dynamics, but also the dynamics of the entire city – from inspirational examples, to the arrangement of green spaces, the creation of micro-events based on sustainability and the empowerment of young generations to reclaim the common space , urban. Irina tells me about the Comunitatea Blocului Liric from Sector 1, in Bucharest, which installed a composter and learned to manage the composting process effectively. And in Sector 5, another inspirational community, known as the Frog Community, has built houses for the kitties in the area and plans to organize an intergenerational lunch. In Târgu Jiu, the local community recently organized a spring activity involving digging the garden, planting flowers and enjoying the martyrs together.
Here’s how a few small actions can make a big difference. Among the advantages of this project is precisely the discovery of common resources and passions in the community, as well as the ability to become autonomous. And typically, the difficulties of implementing this project can include resistance to change, lack of community engagement or communication, and difficulties in managing diverse opinions and interests.
“We work alongside communities to guide them in defining their own needs and desires, without imposing or suggesting predetermined solutions. Through workshops and with the support of community catalysts, these communities identify and discuss their needs, explore solutions and make decisions autonomously. We only intervene punctually to provide support in this process”, Irina tells me.
I asked how people view this initiative when they hear about it for the first time. Many times I have the feeling that the communities in the block have changed, that the world is busy and that the exchange of sugar and flour or the children playing Schenkel in front of the block until their mother calls out the window, have become beautiful memories.
“At first, our initiative may be met with skepticism – some may think it won’t work, that the neighbors will never participate, that no one on the block interacts with anyone, that the world is too busy for that. But it takes a lot of tact and patience, and a few examples of success to prove that it is possible. A common goal serves as a cohesive factor – we work together for a common goal and are all pulling in the same direction. Even if this process involves compromises on everyone’s part, the common goal plays an essential catalytic role. It is difficult to gather many people together, sometimes even those who have never met before, and declare that we are now a community. By assuming collective objectives, the dynamic changes”, the people from IntreVecini explain to me. “People understand our initiatives through open communication, workshops and direct involvement in the decision-making process. An ideal setting to start a new project between neighbors would be an environment where there is a willingness and openness to collaboration and change, as well as resources and support to implement initiatives,” they say.
After the project is completed, the communities remain active and involved in neighborhood life. Some become self-sustaining and continue to engage in various activities and projects, while others remain connected and receive additional support from us and other organizations to continue their development.
IntreVecini are looking to expand the project in all counties in Romania and globally. “We want to involve as many urban stakeholders as possible in this process and serve as a model of best practices for future communities in cities and counties. We aim to create partnerships and attract funds for future community projects,” say project representatives.
Between Neighbors in Sibiu
The communities in Sibiu that join this project will benefit from the opportunity to transform their living environment into a more interconnected and sustainable one. By participating in this project, they will have access to resources and expertise to develop closer relationships between neighbors, create friendlier living spaces, and promote sustainability initiatives in their community. In addition, they will be part of a movement that encourages collaboration and solidarity among residents.
“For the neighbors in Sibiu, the call is to look beyond the individual limits of their homes and expand their vision towards the common good of the community. We challenge them to be leaders of change in their neighborhood, to take responsibility for improving the daily lives of their neighbors and to act proactively to build a more vibrant and connected community environment,” Irina tells me. “Start with a simple step – connect with your neighbors, listen to their concerns, propose solutions and be the engine of change in your community! And last but not least, apply to be part of the IntreVecini funded communities by March 31!”, she concludes.
You can find more about the IntreVecini project on the intrevecini.ro website
Tags: Change starts block good neighbors Sibiu join community development project
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