| Abstract [eng] |
Recent challenges (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic, the migrant crisis, the war in Ukraine, etc.) are increasingly forcing local communities to think about what solutions should be adopted to overcome these challenges properly. The multitude of challenges that arise in communities and their negative consequences affecting the lives of communities make it necessary to examine the idea of social resilience. The researchers note that resilience is a quality that can be determined based on the context of the individual, family, community, organization, society, and culture. However, many scholars agree that resilience involves positive actions that are taken in preparation for or after challenges, that resilience needs to be continuously enhanced (Lee et al., 2016). For these reasons, studies of the factors determining the social resilience of local communities become particularly relevant, since, based on them, it is possible to determine the weakest area of local communities, the actions needed to increase resilience and to draw a reasonable long- term strategic goal. The strategic documents highlight the need to look for new opportunities to promote efficient and specialized economic growth and to improve existing measures, highlighting the social problems of communities. This final project presents a theoretical model of local social resilience factors, as well as analyzes the specific case of Vilkaviškis district municipality to investigate the social resilience of the local community of this municipality. Research problem - what factors determine the social resilience of local communities in Vilkaviškis district municipality? The object of the study – the factors determining the social resilience of local communities. The aim of the project – to identify the factors determining the social resilience of the local communities in Vilkaviškis district municipality. Tasks of the project: 1. To prepare a theoretical model of factors determining the social resilience of local communities. 2. To analyze the application of the social resilience factors in international and national strategic and legal regulatory documents presented in the theoretical model of factors determining social resilience of local communities. 3. To conduct a study of the factors determining the social resilience of local communities in Vilkaviškis district municipality. Research methods used in the project – analysis of scientific literature, analysis of legal acts and strategic documents, modeling, questionnaire survey. The first chapter analyzes the significance of communities as non-governmental organizations in the public management system, examines the concept of the local community and its operational characteristics, types and factors determining their social resilience, representing a theoretical model. The second chapter examines the application of resilience factors in international and national strategic and legal regulation documents, presented in the theoretical model of the factors determining social resilience of local communities. The third chapter presents the methodology of the empirical research, analyzes the activities of the local communities of the Vilkaviškis district municipality, and presents the analysis of the quantitative research data – questionnaire survey. The results of the conducted research revealed the different manifestation of the factors determining the social resilience of local communities in the local communities of Vilkaviškis district municipality, since such social resilience factors as community efficiency, community relations and organizational structure are most strongly manifested, while the weakest is organizational trust and organizational communication. It should be emphasized that to mobilize local communities for a common solution to challenges, efforts are necessary, but the municipality of Vilkaviškis district has prepared strategic documents and implemented programs with the promotion of community activities and their development. After summing up the results of the research conclusions are presented and recommendations to the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the administration of the Vilkaviškis district municipality and the local communities are formulated. The final project ends with the lists of cited scientific literature and information sources. |
