Improvement of living conditions in deprived cross border region by promotion of safe and responsible communities

“Improvement of living conditions in deprived cross border region by promotion of safe and responsible communities” The main objective of the project - to improve living conditions, life quality and safety in Birzai and Aizkraukle municipalities by increasing social responsibility and activity of residents. Objective will be reached by installing video surveillance cameras: 24 in Birzai, 95 in Aizkraukle and involving local residents into social activities and community life. During the project informational campaigns to promote the initiative of the safe neighborhood launched in Birzai will be organized, experience exchange events for representatives of Birzai and Aizkraukle municipalities will take place. Meeting of Birzai and Aizkraukle residents to exchange experience about the measures to ensure the safety of the communities will be organized as participation of local residents is crucial to ensure safe and qualitative environment for living. Establishment of video surveillance cameras is not the goal, but the tool to enhance such cooperation and communication as well as promote idea of safe neighborhood.

“Dzīves apstākļu uzlabošana trūcīgajā pārrobežu reģionā, veicinot drošas un atbildīgas sabiedrības veidošanos” Projekta galvenais mērķis ir uzlabot dzīves apstākļus, dzīves kvalitāti un drošību Biržu un Aizkraukles pašvaldībās, palielinot iedzīvotāju sociālo atbildību un aktivitāti. Mērķis tiks sasniegts, uzstādot videonovērošanas kameras: 24 Biržos, 95 Aizkrauklē, kā arī, iesaistot vietējos iedzīvotājus sabiedriskās aktivitātēs un sabiedriskajā dzīvē. Projekta laikā tiks organizētas Biržos uzsāktās informatīvās kampaņas drošas apkārtnes veicināšanai, notiks pieredzes apmaiņas pasākumi Biržu un Aizkraukles pašvaldību pārstāvjiem. Tiks organizēta Biržu un Aizkraukles iedzīvotāju tikšanās, lai dalītos ar pieredzi par sabiedrības drošības nodrošināšanas pasākumiem, jo vietējo iedzīvotāju viedoklis un līdzdalība ir būtiska, lai nodrošinātu drošu un kvalitatīvu dzīves vidi. Videonovērošanas kameru uzstādīšana nav mērķis, bet gan līdzeklis, lai uzlabotu šādu sadarbību un komunikāciju, kā arī veicinātu ideju par drošu apkārtni.

“Improvement of living conditions in deprived cross border region by promotion of safe and responsible communities” The main objective of the project - to improve living conditions, life quality and safety in Birzai and Aizkraukle municipalities by increasing social responsibility and activity of residents. Objective will be reached by installing video surveillance cameras: 24 in Birzai, 95 in Aizkraukle and involving local residents into social activities and community life. During the project informational campaigns to promote the initiative of the safe neighborhood launched in Birzai will be organized, experience exchange events for representatives of Birzai and Aizkraukle municipalities will take place. Meeting of Birzai and Aizkraukle residents to exchange experience about the measures to ensure the safety of the communities will be organized as participation of local residents is crucial to ensure safe and qualitative environment for living. Establishment of video surveillance cameras is not the goal, but the tool to enhance such cooperation and communication as well as promote idea of safe neighborhood. “Dzīves apstākļu uzlabošana trūcīgajā pārrobežu reģionā, veicinot drošas un atbildīgas sabiedrības veidošanos” Projekta galvenais mērķis ir uzlabot dzīves apstākļus, dzīves kvalitāti un drošību Biržu un Aizkraukles pašvaldībās, palielinot iedzīvotāju sociālo atbildību un aktivitāti. Mērķis tiks sasniegts, uzstādot videonovērošanas kameras: 24 Biržos, 95 Aizkrauklē, kā arī, iesaistot vietējos iedzīvotājus sabiedriskās aktivitātēs un sabiedriskajā dzīvē. Projekta laikā tiks organizētas Biržos uzsāktās informatīvās kampaņas drošas apkārtnes veicināšanai, notiks pieredzes apmaiņas pasākumi Biržu un Aizkraukles pašvaldību pārstāvjiem. Tiks organizēta Biržu un Aizkraukles iedzīvotāju tikšanās, lai dalītos ar pieredzi par sabiedrības drošības nodrošināšanas pasākumiem, jo vietējo iedzīvotāju viedoklis un līdzdalība ir būtiska, lai nodrošinātu drošu un kvalitatīvu dzīves vidi. Videonovērošanas kameru uzstādīšana nav mērķis, bet gan līdzeklis, lai uzlabotu šādu sadarbību un komunikāciju, kā arī veicinātu ideju par drošu apkārtni. “Gyvenimo kokybės gerinimas nepasiturinčiame pasienio regione, skatinant bendruomenių saugumą ir atsakingumą”  Pagrindinis projekto tikslas – pagerinti gyvenimo sąlygas, gyvenimo kokybę ir saugumą Biržų rajono ir Aizkrauklės savivaldybėse skatinat gyventojų socialinį atsakingumą ir aktyvumą. Tikslo bus siekiama įrengiant vaizdo stebėjimo kameras: 24 bus įrengtos Biržų rajone ir 95 – Aizkrauklėje bei didinant aktyvų gyventojų įsitraukimą į socialinį bendruomenės gyvenimą. Projekto įgyvendinimo metu  bus organizuojamos saugios kaimynystė idėją skatinančios informacinės kampanijos, Biržų ir Aizkrauklės savivaldybių ir seniūnijų darbuotojų patirties mainai. Taip pat įvyks tarptautiniai projekte dalyvaujančių savivaldybių gyventojų susitikimai ir patirties, kaip užtikrinti bendruomenių viešąjį saugumą, mainai, nes tik aktyvus vietos gyventojų dalyvavimas gali užtikrinti saugų ir kokybišką bendruomenių gyvenimą. Vaizdo stebėjimo kamerų įrengimas yra ne tikslas, o priemonė tokio bendradarbiavimo skatinimui ir saugios kaimynystės idėjos stiprinimui.

The main objective of the project was to improve living conditions, life quality and safety in Biržai and Aizkraukle municipalities by increasing social responsibility and activity of residents. To achieve this, 95 video surveillance cameras have been installed in different parts of Aizkraukle during the project. Aizkraukle municipality has also purchased two body cameras used by police. The cameras are intended to improve interactions between officers and the public. They are typically used when evaluating certain incidents or reports about misconduct. For its part, Biržai district municipality has installed 24 video surveillance cameras in the most visited places in 7 villages. Video surveillance cameras installation was not a goal of the project, but a tool to enhance cooperation and communication inside and among communities, promote the idea of safe neighbourhood: – 7 informational campaigns were organized in the rural territories of the Birzai district: Medeikiai (April 22, 2022 – 20 participants); Vabalninkas (April 8, 2022 – 20 participants); Papilys (March 25, 2022 – 20 participants); Paceriaukste (March 18, 2022 – 20 participants); Pabirže (June 15, 2021 – 20 participants); Paroveja (June 16, 2021 – 20 participants) and Rinkuskiai (June 17, 2021 – 20 participants). In total 140 inhabitants took part in the informational campaigns organized by LP. Accordingly, 5 informational campaigns for the different age and interest groups (children, youngsters, adults, seniors, NGOs, stakeholders, state and private companies) were organized in Aizkraukle by PP2: children (February 25, 2022, 21 participant); youngsters (March 15, 2022, 21 participant); seniors (April 20, 2022, 39 participants); adults (May 18, 2022, 21 participant); interest groups (May 18, 2022, 21 participant). In total 123 inhabitants took part in the informational campaigns organized by PP2. – 2 experience exchange visits for local administrational services providers (workers of parishes and municipalities responsible for public order, safety, communication and cooperation among communities) were organized: on April 27, 2022 such meeting took place in Biržai (8 Lithuanian and 8 Latvian participants. Total: 16 participants) and on May 23, 2022 such event was hosted by Aizkraukle municipality (8 Lithuanian and 8 Latvian participants. Total: 16 participants). –Joint activities involving representatives of Birzai and Aizkraukle communities were organized: on July 27, 2021 international meeting was organized in Aizkraukle (15 Lithuanian and 35 Latvian participants. Total: 50 participants). On April 27, 2022 similar event took place in Biržai (17 Latvian and 33 Lithuanian participants. Total: 50 participants).

Video surveillance cameras will be installed in the municipalities of Birzai and Aizkraukle: Birzai will have 24 and 95 cameras will be established in Aizkraukle. Project is orientated to 3 500 Birzai community members living in 7 parishes and 3 000 Aizkraukle community members, as well as 7 interest groups including in lt and 3 in LV. Both communities can be described as deprived and lacking resources to ensure proper social communication, cooperation and safety. Newly established video surveillance cameras will be great tool to promote idea of safe neighbourhood, encourage cooperation and communication inside and among communities. Common attempts to ensure safe environment will make community members closer, improve social relations and responsibility as well as negative and intolerant attitude toward the deviant behaviour, littering, thefts, etc. This will positively influence atmosphere inside communities, raise level of tolerance and mutual understanding. Community members will be motivated to look after their living territories, keep them attractive and safe. At the same time, attraction of living environment will increase and living conditions will be improved. To introduce inhabitants to the benefits of safe environment, informational campaigns for inhabitants of all ages will be organized. Informational campaigns will seek to forge a closer link between the communities, motivate and encourage the social involvement and responsibility of the residents, explain necessity of safe neighbourhood and its emphasize impact of safe environment on human psychological comfort, prevention lectures for the youth. Motivated and activated communities will mobilize and make their own life better. This is how project will make positive changes and contribute to the programme result indicator