Employment and social inclusion Pacts in Romania (ESF supporting Governance structures) Partnership Community of Practice Malta, 17th January 2008 Danut DUMITRU + Maria Rauch Counselor ESF Expert ESF Managing Authority

OVERVIEW 1 – Romania - the need of Partnership approaches 2 – Results – the implemented model 3 – Current State of the art 4 – Future role of partnerships

ESF MA and need of Partnerships improve policy co-ordination and adaptation to local conditions, lead to better utilisation and targeting of programmes, integrate civil society’s concerns into strategic planning exercises through widespread participatory democracy, stimulate corporate involvement in local projects and promote greater satisfaction with public policy. (OECD Local Partnerships for better Governance, 2001)

ESF Regulation Art 3 - Scope of Assistance “ Promoting partnerships, pacts and initiatives through networking of relevant stakeholders, such as social partners and NGOs, at national, regional, local and transnational level in order to mobilise for reforms in the field of employment and labour market inclusiveness”. Art 5- Good Governance and Partnerships

Understanding national policy Study national policy Define Target Locality Consider a partnership Make links with others Examine local capacity Consider labour market areas Consider admnistrative areas Look for existing partnerships Be strategic yet local Choose an effective format Ensure good leardership Involve right partners To neighbouring localities To similar localities across Europe To regional, national and EU policymakers Creating the right conditions

Study national policy Define Target Locality Desk Research (main policy documents and reports) Desk Research (main policy documents and reports) Meeting several national important actors (National Agency for Employment, Roma National Agency,etc) Meeting several national important actors (National Agency for Employment, Roma National Agency,etc) Regional/local structure analysis Regional/local structure analysis Selections of target areas Selections of target areas Screening of regions: desk research and local interviews with all main relevant actors Screening of regions: desk research and local interviews with all main relevant actors

Consider a partnership Policy making level–national Policy making level–national Operational/executive levels – county and local Operational/executive levels – county and local Structures at local level weak (in general) Structures at local level weak (in general) Lack of competencies for the development of projects Lack of competencies for the development of projects Need to integrate the different levels in one model to increase effectiveness and efficiency Need to integrate the different levels in one model to increase effectiveness and efficiency

Romanian Model of Employment and Social Inclusion Partnership Regional Employment Pact Local Actors – Local Project partnerships Permanent Technical Secretariat County Based Partnerships Multiplication level

Prefectures County Councils Employment Agencies Church School Inspectorates Chambers of Commerce and Industry Universities Trade Unions Employers Associations Civil Society representatives (NGOs) Regional Roma Bureaus RDA Partners

Territory Coverage: - 8 Regions with Pacts formally existing - 36 County Based Partnerships and Local Parnerships - Several projects being elaborated and submited

Current State of the art - Pacts and County Partnerships have an elected organisational and management structure - Working Groups by priority of the Regional employment Plan - Development of project ideas - Establishment of project partnerships and redaction groups for the proposals - Common development of proposals - Development of projects

Future role of the Pacts -Permanent Technical secretariats being set up -Responsibility for the Regional Employment Plan -Capacity Building of actors to work in partnership -Establishment of transnational cooperation projects

Key Success Factors: Knowledge, skills and capacity building – a mentoring system is fundamental Time – process needs consolidation Level of ownership + Committed Leadership Capacity of being innovative and to develop projects.

Thank you for your attention !