Let’s build a Europe of togetherness; this is a challenge for our time … Let’s give people
reason to hope before Christmas! For the future of children, of the young, of people in need.

For 20 years ESAN NPO has been working to give reason for hope with its members in 17 EU countries and since 2011 with new professional volunteers who joined us in this European year if volunteering.

Our objectives:

• Focus on lobbying with European decision-makers (to give Europe a human dimension when it helps those who most need it);
• Call on European decision-makers so that the Charter of Fundamental Rights, finally included in the Lisbon treaty, is at the heart of all European decisions;
• Help all concerned to discover, broadcast and share practices aiming at the autonomous and responsible development of European citizens, in particular with the help of the new “ESAN NEWS” broadsheet edited by volunteer friends since September 2011;
• Launch new projects in 2012, intergenerational year: list needs for now and for the future, develop resources where there is a need, encourage exchanges of grassroots experiments in Europe, promote fair practice and partnerships, including relationships between INGOs and private companies to develop a Europe of togetherness.

Together we appeal to the generosity of all to make this hope a reality and give adequate means to:

• Our network which has been carrying on with only professional volunteers (ESAN had to lay off its employees at the end of 2010 because of the financial crisis).
• Our members who in many countries feel the brunt of the financial crisis and have to limit their actions towards children and people in need.

Please donate through a bank transfer:

Account holder : ESAN – AISBL
Bank : CREDITCOOP – COURCELLES Paris
Account number : 42559/00001/ 21074756506 /87
IBAN : FR76/ 4255/ 9000 /0121/0747/ 5650 /687
SWIFT Code : CCOPFRPPXXX
or by cheque payable to ESAN-AISBL to send to La Trésorière :
Liliane COCOZZA /ESAN – 81 Drève des dix mètres – 1410 WATERLOO Belgium

On November 17th in Brussels ESAN organised a seminar gathering volunteer workers, experts and officials to celebrate its 20th birthday!
The new volunteer workers who joined ESAN since May 2011 helped the board members to prepare this seminar.
In spite of the financial problems which many NGOs have to face at the moment, ESAN members came from Germany, Belgium, Spain, France and Portugal.
The contributions of the three invited experts were well received and followed by fruitful debates.

Edith ARCHAMBAULT- Professor emeritus, Paris Sorbonne Panthéon University, Centre d’économie de la Sorbonne, presented an analysis of the BIT Manual on voluntary work in different countries,manual to which she contributed with the BIT John Hopkins team.

Alain MOUCHOUX- Vice president, INGO Conference, talked on the following subject: “The position of volunteer work with European authorities; the role and position of the INGO Conference at the Council of Europe. The quadrilogue: what is the power of the INGO Conference with the Commission and the Parliament?

Nicola ALIX, Crédit Coopératif (France), representative with “Confrontation Europe”, talked about “Social economy and interdependence; economy for people”

A special issue of ESAN News on the seminar is under way, and a detailed account of the seminar will be available in January 2012. This seminar gave us the opportunity to highlight our action during the past 20 years with the European authorities for:

-         The defence and access to fundamental rights for all.
-         The defence of active citizen participation
-         The development of partnerships and dialogue.

ESAN is a European network of over 50 organisations and federations gathering over 5000 organisations in Europe which work on a daily basis for the implementation of solidarity, fair practice, the development of tools of evaluation of social situations.

ESAN offers through its members a watch and a social European expertise, and presents the European decision-makers with the best solutions for the needs of European citizens.

ESAN calls on politicians about important matters for the present and future of society such as education, fight against poverty and social insecurity, the rights of children and inter-generation relationships.

ESAN is 20 years of involvement to defend the weakest in society.

This anniversary was the time to look at past actions and partnerships. In this major economic and social crisis, ESAN more than ever seeks to widen its network and gather all its strength on two main issues in 2012:

Intergenerational, to defend fruitful and balanced relationships between the different generations and
Individual, to defend the dignity of all in society.

The summer session of the Conference of INGOs was held at the Council of Europe of 20 to 22 June 2011. ESAN was represented by René Ledermann, Executive Board member recently accredited. In addition to the elections of Presidents and Vice-Presidents (two Vice-Presidents by Commission), elected for three years, the discussions focused on the assessment of activities of the past years. In view of future prospects, problems were discussed. In particular the reform of the Conference of INGOs desired by the Council wants to reduce the financial resources allocated to the Conference and drastically limit its prerogatives. Before this reform, the Conference felt that the sessions are not sufficient to address the scope of work, looking for forms of work better and more direct with its members, practitioners, and wants to emphasize “the good practices “carried out by each of them. This is an opportunity to develop the specifications of ESAN “The words to action” and more generally, to bring to the attention of the Conference of the actions of its members in all areas: childhood, youth, health, education, culture, human rights, access to rights …. etc.. Each member of ESAN due to its subject, its results, is largely able to meet the expectations of the Conference. Let us not miss the opportunity to be re-known to the Commission.

The European Social Platform brings together 43 European networks of social organizations. It was initiated by the European Commission as a result of initiatives from the Wise Persons’ Report, and the Treaty of Amsterdam.

ESAN is one of the organizations that joined this platform since its inception.

Since 1995, we participated in the work of the platform. Over the years and efforts of each member, this organization became the backbone of civil society organizations, the European Commission recognizes as a credible interlocutor. European institutions (Commission-Parliament-Economic and Social Committee, addressed to the platform and seek its participation in all discussions about social issues.

Since the recognition of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (Treaty of Nice and integrated into the Lisbon Treaty), we have continued to defend the values ​​of ESAN within the Platform, with our “red thread” that is to say, “Access to Rights for All”. These values ​​are carried by all member organizations of the platform – this is certainly cohesive strength.

In 2010 the Platform has chosen the theme for its annual “CARE” – This theme broad and elusive was the subject of reflection, research and inquiry since the month of March.

In the conference took place in December with a first conclusion: the need to continue in 2011 as the topic is sensitive and affects different areas that cut across the priority issues of the European Union. Namely: the fight against poverty, employment, equal opportunities, training, access to rights for all and of course the quality of services.

The next conference will be held in December 2011. I find it interesting that now we should take stock of some aspects of these issues.

Let us look at this theme can be interpreted as saying, “Support” and “right to be supported”.

This involves addressing a public that needs support – Which? by whom?

The full text of the conclusions of this first year of work is known the site of the platform.

I would, however, note that following my remarks during a workshop, I was led to develop the work we do in training of stakeholders, social actors, based on the work of “Training Exclude no “, with our tool” Booklet for the act say “and recently our work on the” Well-being at work “with the theories of” Burnout ”

This intervention was referring to the difficulties involved in social services, about the difficulties of a front-line work, in poor physical conditions, but also psychological and social, met the accession of many organizations that are participating the same findings.

ESAN continue to do so in the coming months with new partners.

For more information contact the office in Brussels

Liliane.esan @ skynet.be

This non-exclusive list of programmes and activities will give you an insight into ESAN’s work and achievements so far in full co-operation with the project leaders and country coordinators – in addition to all other information services – awareness raising – exchange of good practice coordinated by the ESAN secretariat on a daily basis. More information is available at info@esan.eu or at www.esan.eu
To meet its objectives, ESAN runs different kinds of activities
- mainly either lobbying and/or exchange and cooperation activities amongst its members. However, all are based on values that all the
members share and try to promote as best as they can.

Policy programmes:

ESAN promotes fundamental rights, access to rights, expression and participation of all citizens, development of partnerships and civil dialogue, the development of a more humane and caring Europe.

To do this ESAN takes part in the European Union debates, in Brussels – within the European Social Platform (of which ESAN is a founder member), the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Employment and Social Affairs committee of the European Parliament. ESAN raises awareness on European issues – such as the social agenda, the organised civil dialogue and more particularly public services – and makes the opinions of its members known at European level by exchanging information, organising seminars and/or releasing public statements.

Alongside all this, ESAN enjoys participatory status with the Council of Europe, in Strasbourg. As a  member of the Conference of  INGOs, we take part in the different thematic working groups on social issues, aiming at putting its members’ opinions forward.

Exchange and co-operation:

Project activity is a common feature of all ESAN members.
Therefore one of ESAN’s objectives is to promote cooperation amongst members so that they get to know one another, understand how valuable their action is and share their expertise with others. Mutual understanding and joint effort are the keys to achieve any progress in the development of a Social Europe.

ESAN is a tool for its members, providing useful information on available EU funding support for European projects, a reliable network of potential European partners, and logistical help with grant applications.

see the flyer:ESAN at a Glance

As announced at the Council of Europe during the seminar « Children : respect their rights » organised by ESAN last 5-6th of October, the organisation Secours Populaire Français, member of ESAN held on 13-15th of November 2009 in Nantes a conference entitled « Etats généraux populaires de la solidarité”.
Dozens of children representing the movement created by SPF « Copains du Monde » – some of them coming from South Africa and Indonesia – expressed themselves during these three days so that children rights are respected throughout the world. They took the floor, sang their hopes in front of 1,000 participants and guests. This meeting had been prepared by thousands of children who had filled in booklets with drawings showing the world as they want it better. Other children in Europe, particularly from Portugal, Romania, France had presented an astonishing exhibition on children’s rights in Strasbourg.
To keep on building a better world for all, together with them, ESAN proposes to each educator, youth leader, NGO that are active in the field of Youth and children to get in touch with each other to share their working methods that promote the UNCRC.
Léon Dujardin
Contact in Brussels: Liliane Cocozza : esanbxl@gmail.com
Contact in France : Leon Dujardin: info@esan.eu
Contact in Germany: Christoph Kusche: christoph.kusche@esan.eu

Press Release – 20.11.2009

20 years after in the European Union, Children become author/actor of their rights.

The European Social Action Network, E.S.A.N., is active for more than 20 years in the field of the defence of the Rights of the Child through diverse actions carried out at grass-root level by its members across 14 Member States.

This year to celebrate the 20th birthday of the UN Convention, European children and youngsters put into practice the notion of young people author / actor of solidarity by conceiving an educative journey addressing 12 of their rights. This exhibit guides the visitors through entertaining and artistic presentations on the journey from the basic rights of the individual until the emancipation and the empowerment of the young people towards more citizenship and solidarity. The exhibit presents good practices carried out by or with children and youngsters all over Europe and is composed of 4 main areas dealing with Rights related to vital needs, Rights related to Child protection, Rights related to the access to culture and equal opportunities, and finally Rights which ease the live in society as well as the link between generations.

This Summer, one child out of three won’t go on holidays