NETWORKING ON SOCIAL INCLUSION EAPN: An Overview NETWORKING ON SOCIAL INCLUSION The European Anti-Poverty Network – Fighting for a Social and Democratic Europe free of Poverty! Tanya Basarab, Development Officer

EAPN some achievements EAPN: An Overview EAPN some achievements 1. Building a participative and sustainable network Sustained and growing network Increasing participation of people in poverty Increasing funding of national (some) and EU networks 2. Impact on EU Policy? New Articles in the EU Treaties EU Social Inclusion Strategy (OMC on Social Protection and Social Inclusion EU Programme to support the strategy (PROGRESS) EU Recommendation on Active Inclusion (Adequacy of Income, Access to Services, Support for access to employment) Partnership Principle in Structural Funds EU Meetings of People Experiencing Poverty 2010 EU Year Against Poverty and Social Exclusion

EAPN’S ORIGINS AND AIMS EAPN’S VISION AND MISSION EAPN: An Overview EAPN’S ORIGINS AND AIMS EAPN’S VISION AND MISSION GOALS AND KEY MESSAGES STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP COMMUNICATION TOOLS GETTING ENGAGED

EAPN: An Overview EAPN FIRST STEPS June 1989: Anti-poverty conference of 200 NGO activists, with European Commission support, mandated a provisional group to prepare the creation of a European Network June 1989 - December 1990: EAPN’s Statutes were adopted by a constituent assembly 1992 Secretariat opened

EAPN: An Overview EAPN’S MEMBERS AND AIM A network of independent NGOs involved in the fight against poverty and social exclusion (within EU countries, mostly) To defend the interest of people experiencing poverty and social exclusion in the development of EU policies and programmes and to empower them to access their rights, to enable them to overcome their isolation and counter their social exclusion.

VISION AND MISSION OF EAPN EAPN: An Overview VISION AND MISSION OF EAPN Vision: EAPN is working for a Social and Democratic Europe, free of poverty and social exclusion. Mission: to promote and enhance the effectiveness of actions against poverty and social exclusion To help shape social policies and design action programmes to lobby for and with people and groups experiencing poverty and social exclusion Do you find yourselves in the vision and mission? How do you relate to the values of EAPN?

GOALS FOR THE COMING PERIOD EAPN: An Overview GOALS FOR THE COMING PERIOD Goal1: A social and sustainable development model that tackles poverty, social exclusion and inequalities is at the heart of decision-making in Europe. Goal2: EAPN is a dynamic, membership driven organisation that is recognised as a key civil society actor fighting poverty, social exclusion and inequalities at National and European levels. Goal3: People Experiencing Poverty and Social Exclusion recognise EAPN as their Network. What do these goals mean?

EAPN: An Overview Key Messages Participation of people experiencing poverty is key to understanding and addressing the causes of poverty and social exclusion. Realising social inclusion is part of the solution to Europe’s crisis. The fight against poverty is everyone’s responsibility and must be mainstreamed across all policies. More equal societies are better for everyone - A society that works for the prevention of poverty and social exclusion is an economically richer society that can allocate its financial resources in sustainable development and social cohesion, without spending its resources in trying to counteract the outcomes of poverty and social exclusion. The fight against poverty in Europe and the fight against poverty globally is part of the same struggle. What do these messages mean?

EAPN Membership and Financing EAPN: An Overview EAPN Membership and Financing 30 National Networks 23 European Organisations Emerging networks (Latvia, Turkey, Croatia…..) Receives financial support from the European Commission (PROGRESS Programme)

National Networks + European Organisations EAPN: An Overview GENERAL ASSEMBLY National Networks + European Organisations S E C R T A I WORKING GROUPS (Employment, Structural Funds, Social Inclusion) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 30 reps NNs + 3 reps of EOs PLANNING GROUP Sustainable Financing for NN Participation Group BUREAU 5 EXCO members coordinating between

NATIONAL NETWORKS’ PROFILE (MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITY) EAPN: An Overview NATIONAL NETWORKS’ PROFILE (MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITY) Who makes up National Networks: self-organized groups Service providers Social workers Issue-focused organizations Academics and researchers Members differ in size, membership, structure, legal form and activity

NETWORK PROFILES Size and membership: EAPN: An Overview NETWORK PROFILES Size and membership: Grassroots/service providers/movement Status and Structures: Almost all legally registered Some have regional networks in their structure Focus of their work: Only European, European and National, National focus Staff and resources Most have 1 or 1/5 time staff, 1 Network has over 40 staff! Mainly operating on voluntary work Most networks primarily project funding, some get core funds SIZE Varying, size of country not necessarily size of network membership STATUS 50% legal Structures - internal and regional

OVERVIEW OF EAPN ACTIVITIES EAPN: An Overview OVERVIEW OF EAPN ACTIVITIES Lobbying and alliance building Exchange forum and information platform Network development, empowerment and training for members and activists

EAPN PRINCIPLES A rights-based approach Participation EAPN: An Overview EAPN PRINCIPLES A rights-based approach Participation Partnership and solidarity Mainstreaming

NETWORK DEVELOPMENT Guidance Training EAPN: An Overview NETWORK DEVELOPMENT Guidance Training Some funding to carry out EU related work Information tools Representation Lobbying and advancing issues Networking and cooperation Building participation of people experiencing poverty in organizations and in policy-making

HOW CAN I GET ENGAGED… Statutory bodies Working structures EAPN: An Overview HOW CAN I GET ENGAGED… My network Statutory bodies Working structures Seminars and exchanges Communication tools Following processes at national level Inputting into EAPN documents Building participation of people experiencing poverty in the network

INFORMATION TOOLS AntiPoverty Magazine (printed publication 4/year) EAPN: An Overview INFORMATION TOOLS AntiPoverty Magazine (printed publication 4/year) EAPN Flash (weekly online newsletter) EAPN Policy Brief for members only (updated by policy topic every two months) www.eapn.eu www.adequateincome.eu www.endpoverty.eu Printed publications: reports, policy documents, reactions, campaigning materials, and other AntiPoverty Magazine (printed publication 4/year) EAPN Flash (weekly online newsletter) EAPN Policy Brief for members only (updated by policy topic every two months) www.eapn.eu www.adequateincome.eu www.endpoverty.eu Printed publications: reports, policy documents, reactions, campaigning materials, and other

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! EAPN: An Overview THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! How to contact EAPN: Square de Meeûs 18 B-1050 Brussels Tel. +32.2.226.58.50 - Fax. +32.2.226.58.69 Tanya.basarab@eapn.eu www.eapn.eu