Kaimo bendruomenių plėtra Plungės rajone
Development of Rural Communities in Plungė District

Summary/Abstract: The paper analyses planning the development of rural communities in Plunge district, their activity possibilities. The aim of the research is to set priorities for the development of rural communities in Plunge district evaluating the possibilities of community activities and identifying the needs of the local residents. The development of rural communities is based on the needs and interests of the communities and is expressed by active participation of the community people. The development of rural communities is defined as a general activity of the community capable of identifying and prioritizing its needs, implementing them in the initiatives and evaluating the local resources. In this way conditions for the residents to find ways how to improve their living conditions are established, and common to the district problems are systematized. Activity planning processes are started and opportunities enabling to actualize the residents’ needs are created. Local people involvement into community activities gives a new opportunity to see problems in villages and understand that there is much power and unused possibilities in the surrounding. Rural residents’ participation in the development of rural communities also gives an obvious benefit: their skills are improved, self-confidence and mutual support are developed, people are integrated into a wider community. In order to identify the residents from Plunge district opinions on their living environment, possibilities and problems of community activities and ground needs, a survey of 236 respondents was carried out. To get a more detailed information the leaders of the rural communities in Plungė district were interviewed. During the interview the leaders of the communities gave the information on the peculiarities of community activities and specified survey data. The most urgent problems mentioned by the leaders of the communities were a lack of active members and a lack of competences. According to them, bigger and more convenient premises and financial support could ensure successful activities of the rural communities. A lack of time and unforeseen remuneration for work have a negative effect on the activities of the initiators and the leaders of the communities. If there are no ways to pay them for this difficult and time-consuming work, there will be fewer volunteers be in the future. On the basis of identified needs and problems in rural areas the following priorities for the development of rural communities have been identified: to preserve rural cultural historical heritage; to develop infrastructure and information; to promote rural businesses.

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