OUR MARKS: Slovensko.Digital

6.9.2023

Petra Plesníková (former community manager at Slovensko.Digital)

How do you perceive the implementation of the project over time?

The project enabled us to carry out the essential activities of our association, inform, and actively engage members of the community in the crucial development of our platforms such as “Lepšie služby,” “Red Flags,” and “Návody.Digital.” Through these platforms, we have been able to oversee significant state IT projects in a long-term and systematic manner. Furthermore, with the assistance of our volunteers, we’ve been able to serve as a mirror reflecting how we believe electronic government services should look and function in the 21st century.

How has your project evolved after the conclusion of support from the Active Citizens Fund – Slovakia program?

After the support from the Active Citizens Fund – Slovakia program ended, we continued to carry out activities that we had established during the project. It remains crucial for us to maintain regular interactions with our members, volunteers, and the broader public throughout the year, including in-person meetings.

What results have you achieved thanks to the project?

Thanks to the project, we achieved the following results:

• We successfully engaged 493 individuals from our community in various project activities.
• We organized 22 events, with 7 of them taking place online and the remaining 15 being conducted in person, involving our members, volunteers, and both expert and non-expert audiences.
• Within our train watchdog activity “Red Flags,” we developed a new tool called the “project register,” which allows us to monitor all state IT projects.

Have you been able to achieve the goals you set at the beginning of the project?

We have successfully achieved our goals in this challenge, and in some measurable indicators, we have even surpassed the numbers we initially set for ourselves.

What achievements have you attained thanks to the project and the support of the Active Citizens Fund – Slovakia?

We finally managed to redesign the homepage of the Návody.Digital portal. We also focused on entrepreneurs and developed an application that significantly simplified the obligation to enter the social security number into the commercial register, which was used by more than 3,000 people. We improved and updated the ‘Priznanie.Digital’ tax return application, which was used by more than 5,000 people. Additionally, we prepared 6 new guides on how to handle bureaucracy online. In the “Red Flags project registry,” we created a tool for journalists, experts, and the general public, enabling us to monitor all state IT projects at any stage.

What experiences has your organization gained from the implemented project?

Even within the framework of the ACF – Slovakia program, we have solidified our commitment to our activities aimed at improving the electronic services of the state, involving the Slovensko.Digital community and the wider public. These endeavors continue to engage and fulfill us. While there may be glimpses of a brighter future in some state services, we always see room for improvement and remain unwavering in our efforts.

What specific benefits and opportunities has the Active Citizens Fund – Slovakia program provided to your organization?

In addition to the financial assistance itself, the program has also provided us with significant credibility. We greatly value the fact that we were able to secure support in both the first and third calls of the ACF – Slovakia program. The program has helped us carry out our key watchdog activities and strengthen the building of a community and citizen participation in important issues.

How do you assess the collaboration within the Active Citizens Fund – Slovakia program?

Our collaboration with ACF – Slovakia has been a positive experience from the very beginning, during the project preparation, its implementation, and subsequent reporting. We always received the necessary support and guidance we needed. At the same time, we improved our own skills in formulating future grant proposals, organizational efficiency, discipline, and consistency.

Here is a video recording of the celebration of the 7th anniversary of the Slovensko.Digital organization:

If you would like to learn more about our organization, please visit the Slovensko.Digital website.