. Information index in United Territorial Communities on the example of Mykolaiv and Ivano-frankivsk regions

Abstract

The article states that communication is a key factor in the development of civil society and the achievement of social dialogue. Communication plays not only a social or political role, it is increasingly becoming a driver of economic development of the region or the state as a whole. It has been proven that communication for local communities is not only the transfer of information, but also the process of uniting the community to solve problems of local significance, foster a sense of territorial identity and ensure security stability. The communication capacity of modern communities should take into account the needs of society in the on-line information. The public should trust local governments and act as a reliable partner in making decisions of local significance, but the latter is impossible if communication in the UTC is at the lowest level. In this case, there can be no question of any investment or preservation of the youth potential of the community. Especially in view of the crisis situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, UTCs should make the best possible internal communication through their websites and social media pages. The study found cases of lack of an official UTC website or lack of information, when there are only links to news from other sources and do not cover all aspects of the community, its economic climate and social passport. It is concluded that it is advisable to calculate the UTC communication index, which will show which variables depend on the level of internal and external communication in the united territorial communities and what results this index will bring to determine their capacity.