Activity 33 Belgium’s League of Families The Bond By Karen Bogenschneider University of Wisconsin-Madison This PowerPoint provides an overview of an impressive example of a family movement working for and with families to provide services and advocate on behalf of their political, material material, social, and cultural needs. Instructors can supplement the information in the PowerPoint with the description in the text. © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

Belgium’s League of Families The Bond Pluralistic and nongovernmental organization that began in 1921 Unites 310,000 families in Flanders and Brussels, or more than 1 million men, women, and children in Flanders and Brussels Families pay membership fees of about $25 and receive 1.5 times this fee back in discounts © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

The Aims of the Bond To promote solidarity between families To promote the interests of all families To work towards a family- and child-oriented climate in society © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

To Reach these Aims, the Bond Organizes political action on behalf of families Promotes social life at the local level Provides direct services to families © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

The Bond’s Organizational Structure Aim of the Bond is to organize families to work on their own behalf The Bond is organized locally (993 branches), regionally (33 regions), provincially (five provinces), and centrally 180 paid staff are supported by 13,000 volunteers who are elected every six years © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

The Bond’s Activities Organizes political action on behalf of families Promotes social life at the local level Provides direct services to member families © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

Successful Political Initiatives Preserving child allowances Making family impact assessment of government policies compulsory Implementing tax reform Supporting work and family initiatives © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

Successful Political Initiatives Laying the groundwork for children to be heard in divorce proceedings Ensuring the right of grandparents to see their grandchildren Banning television advertising five minutes before and after children’s television programs © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

Methods of Accomplishing Political Objectives Organizes rallies Encourages regional representatives to contact politicians Prepares press releases and leaflets for distribution Establishes commissions to study important aspects of family policy Launches a five-year program to follow economic and social trends in order to formulate new policies © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

Methods of Accomplishing Political Objectives Organizes meetings with the press, politicians, and organizations to discuss legislative proposals Schedules audiences with ministers to present its agenda Represents families on advisory bodies and management committees © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

Promoting Social Life at the Local Level Offers recreational sports for young and old Provides a range of quality children’s films Organizes children’s clubs and workshops Organizes family camps and vacations in Austria Provides educational newsletters for parents/grandparents © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

Provides Direct Services to Families In 2000, volunteers provided child care for 200,000 children and elder care for 19,565 seniors Organizes second-hand markets Provides its members with counseling services, consumer complaint advice, and social and legal assistance Provide discounts of 3 percent to 10 percent for food, shoes, toys, clothing, and furniture © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

The Bond Differs from U.S. Advocacy Groups The Bond focuses on families, whereas U.S. organizations tend to focus on individuals The Bond advocates for families of several political persuasions, whereas U.S. organizations tend to promote a single ideology The Bond is organized at the national, state, and local levels, whereas U.S. advocacy is organized primarily at the national level © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014

The Value of the Bond is that . . . “If there wasn’t a Bond in Belgium, someone would have to invent one.” Luke DeSmet (1995) © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014