1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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 December 1990: EAPN’s Statutes were adopted by a constituent assembly
1992 Secretariat opened

5. 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.

6. 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?

7. 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?

8. 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?

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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)
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)
Printed publications: reports, policy documents, reactions, campaigning materials, and other

18. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
EAPN: An Overview
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
How to contact EAPN:
Square de Meeûs 18
B-1050 Brussels
Tel Fax