How is it done in Częstochowa?

Częstochowa has, once again, been recognized for the innovation of the BETTER JOB NOW. We found ourselves among the finalists of the Innovative Local Government competition. This type of award in the era of the rapid development of technology indicates the importance of using all modern solutions. The goal is – or at least should be – to improve our quality of life.

PEOPLE ARE THE GREATEST VALUE OF THE CITY

Częstochowa has long been proud that people are the greatest investment incentive of the city. The BETTER JOB NOW program was created in the city, aimed at increasing the quality of work – in the context of its performance and employee remuneration. The program has three directions of activities: Fair Play, Center for Better Workplaces and initiatives to improve the qualifications of people who want to have a better job and focus on developing their professional competences. As part of the Fair Play program, the act regarding property tax exemptions was modified as part of the de minimis state aid program for creating new jobs for employers. At the moment, socially responsible employers who care about employees can use it. When issuing the decision, the city will also verify the employer's behaviour over the last 12 months regarding dismissals and admissions of employees to seal the system of granting concessions and that the Fair Play principle will be respected in both the employer-employee and employer-City Hall relationships. The Better Job Now program functions on three levels. The first is, already mentioned, the Fair Play program dedicated to entrepreneurs. The second level means projects that were made to help improve the qualifications of people seeking a better job and focusing on their development. One of such projects is the “Academy of Competence Development”. The third level is the Center for Better Workplaces operating since May 2017, which also includes the website of the same name. The website is a platform that connects secondary schools, entrepreneurs and residents who want to change or find a job. It is a website that is a local job offer bank, career office and platform associating employers and potential employees, with particular emphasis on graduates and students of technical and vocational schools in Częstochowa. In Częstochowa, students of technical and vocational schools today have the oppor-tunity to study in classes profiled to meet the needs of the labour market. For this reason, most activities related to technical and vocational schools are involved – in addition to the Education Department of the City Hall – also the Department of European Funds and Development, more specifically the Investor Assistance Center, which also serves as the Center for Better Workplaces. Besides the fields which are the most popular in the country like mechatronics or IT specialist, also tailors, upholsterers, carpenters and crane technicians are coming back to favours.The novelty is – created as part of the Professional Cooperation 2 project – a glass technology technician created to meet the needs of existing glass factories here. From the 2019/2020 school year, a mechatronic innovation was created in one of the school teams, and the closest watchmaking school is located in Vienna.

There are twelve technical and vocational schools in Częstochowa today, whose governing body is the local government.

All technical schools in Częstochowa and, additionally, the State High School of Fine Arts cooperate closely with the Department of European Funds and the Development of the City Hall, specifically with the Investor Assistance Center, due to the need for professional promotion and assistance in enabling contacts with employers present on the market. It is the Development Department that has knowledge of external investments planned in the city and therefore participates in the creation of new teaching profiles also as part of EU projects and coordinates paid internships and apprenticeships.

Arrival of the Show Truck Inter Cars at Hala Sportowa Częstochowa means the beginning of technical and vocational schools fairs "ZAWODOWIEC" for four years now.

BETTER JOB NOW IN THE BASIS OF URBAN INNOVATIONS

Innovation is a change in the way of thinking and perception of local government resources. Częstochowa was among the noble finalists of the "Innovative Local Government" competition. This is the latest project of the PAP Local Government Service that emerges and rewards the most innovative local governments. Its goal is to promote creative, innovative self-governments and inspire others to implement similar solutions or to find new development opportunities to take actions for innovation.

Descriptions of implemented projects and projects were evaluated, and the main evaluation criterion in the competition was an innovation on a national scale and the results of the solutions used.

On February 26, 2020, during the award ceremony in the INNOVATIVE SELF- -GOVERNMENT competition, the innovative program "PFR for Cities" was launched at the headquarters of the Ministry of Development. Its main goal is to support the development of Polish smart cities of the future. Solutions that create, so-called, smart cities are to improve the quality of life, facilitate the settlement of everyday affairs of their inhabitants and support cities in the effective management of all infrastructure.

PFR for Cities is addressed to city representatives, based on three pillars – education, consulting and financing. The aim of the activities carried out by the Polish Development Fund is to disseminate knowledge about the development of smart cities, increase the number of implementations of innovative solutions in Polish local governments and facilitate access to financing this type of investment. The program consists of three main sections:

• Urban Innovation Database – inspiring examples of the best Polish and foreign solutions facilitating everyday life in the city; • Academy of Cities of the Future – an innovative, intensive (and free of charge) educational program, of which the next edition is addressed to representatives of Polish medium-sized cities (between 50,000 and 100,000 inhabitants); • Financial and non-financial ways of supporting the implementation of innovative solutions in cities. As a result, knowledge of modern technologies and access to information about the city, development plans and the needs of residents give a new development impulse, increase the quality of public services and thus strengthen the Polish economy. Author: A. Mielczarek Translation: M. Wytrzymała

The goal of all activities carried out by the Polish Development Fund under the "PFR for Cities" program is: More information:

• dissemination of knowledge about the development of smart cities (in the country and abroad); • increasing the number of implementations of innovative solutions in Polish local governments; • facilitating access to finance this type of investment.

Investor Assistance Center Department of European Funds and Development City Hall of Częstochowa Waszyngtona 5 Street, 42-217 Częstochowa Phone: +48 34 3707 212, +48 34 3707 213 e-mail: coi@czestochowa.um.gov.pl, fer@czestochowa.um.gov.pl www.czestochowa.pl