Chuck Hirt, Central and Eastern European Citizens Network

Career of working with community based organizations. Over twenty years in the USA of building and developing a number of community based and area-wide organizations providing a range of organizing and other work including home repairs for elderly and others who could not afford needed services.

Over thirteen years in Slovakia of building local citizen organizations and community leadership. The work has resulted in the creation of a nationwide organization and at least fourteen local organizations across Slovakia. The work has been focused in urban areas and concentrating on large high-rise housing estates. Numerous campaigns have been launched and won by local activists. There were also considerable successful pre-election activities taken on resulting in higher voter participation and better informed voters.

In the year 2000, he initiated an effort that resulted in the formation of a network of NGO's promoting citizen participation. The CEE Citizens Network has grown to nineteen member countries and over thirty members. Their activities include annual events like Citizen Participation Week and founders of PEP-NET. The Network has a priority on utilizing e-participation to help promote an increase of active citizens. Chuck helped to create a new network last year focusing on community organizing across Europe.