EUNET to speak at the EESC public hearing on Financing of civil society organisations by the EU

Financing of civil society organisations by the EUEUNET is invited to speak on the topic “Recommendations for the future Multiannual Financial Framework concerning civil society” at the public hearing of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) on September 6th 2017.

The public hearing on Financing of Civil society organisations by the EU is a key element of the process of preparing the EESC’s own initiative opinion on this subject.

The role of civil society organisations in the current difficult context that the EU is facing is particularly important, and cannot be achieved without adequate support. A review of the state of the art as regards NGO funding in the different EU policies is very relevant now, also in view of setting future priorities.

The objective of the hearing is to present working solutions and to produce recommendations for the revision of funding rules and the future Multiannual Financial Framework after 2020 that would enable better civil dialogue and easier and more transparent access to resources.

Draft Agenda

Call for Partners: Strengthening the potential of local youth councils in the European Union countries

The Polish Robert Schuman Foundation is searching for a partner to join Erasmus +  strategic partnership in the field of youth.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the potential of local youth councils by co-creating the new approach and methods which help them to have more influence on the decision-making process and to engage representatives from different social groups in youth councils.

A youth council is an institution that allows for conducting regular dialog between local authorities and young people, and provides space for implementation of various types of projects for the youth in local communities. The activity of the youth council should provide a bridge between local authorities and young people living in a given region. The council should also provide the youth with a tool to participate in making decisions concerning the shape of the nearest vicinity.

Project results:

  • Diagnosis of youth participation in selected locations (challenges, obstacles etc.)
  • Increased impact of youth councils participating in the project on the development of local policies (communes, counties).
  • Increased competences and resources of the youth councils participating in the project.
  • Establishing international cooperation and exchange between the youth councils.
  • Two manuals/publications: one for youth councils and one for youth workers/youth council mentors with the recommendations from the project concerning how to increase the influence of youth councils on decision making-process in local communities.

Program: Erasmus+, Action 2, Strategic partnerships in the field of youth, deadline October 4. Estimated budget and duration of the project: approx. EUR 130,000, approx. 18 months.

Project partners: approx. 4 partners in total from countries having diversified experience concerning operation of youth councils. As local partners youth councils, local authorities, schools, youth organizations should be engaged. Project leader: the Polish Robert Schuman Foundation.

Planned actions:

  • trainings for youth workers to increase their work with youth councils
  • blended bilateral mobilities of youth councils
  • transnational partner meetings
  • preparation of manuals/publications
  • multiplier events

The project will require work on local level – cooperation with youth local councils, local authorities, schools, youth organizations and local communities – local researches and meetings to prepare the intellectual output and to apply new solutions.

If your organization is interested to join the partnership please contact us before 6th September.

Contact:
Iga Kamocka
i.kamocka@schuman.pl
tel. (+48) 22 621 21 61

Poland and the European Union in 2035 – a scenario-workshop

A Scenario-Workshop held at the European Academy Berlin, September 29-30, 2017 in Berlin

Poland and the European Union in 2035The European Academy Berlin (EAB) in cooperation with the Institute of East-Central Europe (Lublin, Poland) cordially invites you to participate in the upcoming scenario-workshop on “Poland and the European Union in 2035”. The workshop is part of the project “European Future Summits 2017 – social cohesion and transnational security”, which is kindly supported by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.

The current workshop is designed for academics and experts as well as actors from the organized civil society who are deeply invested in research, policy making, or civic engagement regarding politics, economy and society in Poland and/or the politics and economy of the European Union.

The workshop’s objective is to elaborate Poland’s position in the European Union, the country’s future challenges and its options, as well as to draw conclusions from this debate regarding the future of European integration.

This indeed complex field of inquiry will be rendered manageable in the course of the workshop by jointly elaborating three future scenarios on the future of Poland and the European Union. The ‘Alternate Futures’ approach (according to Michael Oppenheimer) thereby serves as our general methodological guideline.

The results of our debate will culminate in a scenario report that will be presented to the public in November/December 2017. The workshop will be moderated by Dr. Samuel F. Müller (Programme Director at the EAB).

If you are interested in participating, we look forward to receiving a brief statement of interest, including your name and your professional affiliation. For registration, further information on the workshop as well as information on the entire project, please do not hesitate to contact Roksana Cywinska (p4@eab-berlin.eu, +49 30 895951-25). Please kindly consider that places in the workshop are limited.

Further information on the workshop can be found here:
http://www.eab-berlin.eu/event/european-future-summits-2017-workshop-ii-poland-and-the-eu-in-2035/

Further information on the entire project can be found here:
http://www.eab-berlin.eu/aktivitaeten/projektreihen-der-eab/european-future-summits-2017/

Teaching Europe to enhance EU cohesion

Teaching Europe to enhance EU cohesionAs part of EUROCLIO’s project Teaching “Europe” to enhance EU cohesion, the project members have been contributing to a comparative research report that encompasses analysis of two history textbooks of each of the 28 EU member states, and specifically looks into fundamental commonalities and differences in European teaching about the European Union at the final years of compulsory education.

The condensed research presented in this research report and its preliminary conclusions aim to contribute to raising awareness on the importance of history education for young people and societies of the European Union as a whole, hence laying the foundation for establishing a roadmap for the institutional action to be taken in this field.

Report: Teaching Europe to enhance EU cohesion

Apply for the 2017 EESC Civil Society Prize

EESC Civil Society Prize 2017The EESC has launched its 2017 Civil Society Prize. This year, the EESC will reward innovative projects to promote quality employment and entrepreneurship for the future of work undertaken by civil society, focusing on young people, migrants and other people who have difficulty accessing the labour market.

A total of EUR 50.000 will be awarded to a maximum of five winners. The deadline for applications is 8 September 2017 while the award ceremony will take place on 7 December 2017 in Brussels.

The prize will be granted to initiatives already implemented or still ongoing which favour non-discrimination as regards labour market integration. Initiatives must target newcomers such as young people, people with a migrant background or requiring specific support such as the long-term unemployed, women detached from the labour market, people with disabilities or living in poverty.

The Civil Society Prize, now in its ninth year, was launched by the EESC to reward and encourage tangible initiatives and achievements by civil society organisations and/or individuals that have made a significant contribution to promoting the common values that shore up European cohesion and integration.

More information and application form