NETWORKING ON SOCIAL INCLUSION The European AntiPoverty Network

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

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 GOALS FOR THE COMING YEARS STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP COMMUNICATION TOOLS GETTING ENGAGED

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’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

VISION AND MISSION OF EAPN Vision: EAPN is working for a Social and Democratic Europe, free of poverty and social exclusion. Mission: v to promote and enhance the effectiveness of actions against poverty and social exclusion v To help shape social policies and design action programmes v 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 Goal 1: A social and sustainable development model that tackles poverty, social exclusion and inequalities is at the heart of decision-making in Europe. Goal 2: 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. Goal 3: People Experiencing Poverty and Social Exclusion recognise EAPN as their Network. What do these goals mean?

EAPN Membership and Financing • 27 National Networks • 23 European Organisations • 3 Applicant Networks (Iceland, Macedonia and Serbia) • Emerging networks (Latvia, Turkey, Croatia…. . ) Receives financial support from the European Commission (PROGRESS Programme)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY National Networks + European Organisations EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 27 reps NNs + 3 reps of EOs S E C R E T A R I A T MAINSTREAMING GROUPS (Migration , Gender, Globalisation) WORKING GROUPS (Employment, Structural Funds, Social Inclusion) CAMPAIGN GROUP Minimum Income, 2010 BUREAU 5 EXCO members coordinating between PLANNING GROUP Sustainable Financing for NN Participation Group

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: n Grassroots/service providers/movement Status and Structures: n Almost all legally registered n Some have regional networks in their structure Focus of their work: n Only European, European and National, National focus Staff and resources n Most have 1 or 1/5 time staff, 1 Network has over 40 staff! n Mainly operating on voluntary work

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 § Partnership and solidarity § Mainstreaming

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… § My network § Statutory bodies § Working structures § Seminars and exchanges § Communication tools § Following processes at national level § Inputting into EAPN documents § Building participation of people

INFORMATION TOOLS § Anti. Poverty 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

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