What’s a task force?
Task Forces are time-bound and outcome orientated to progress on particular aspects of our policy, development and communications work, and can take different formats:
- A small working Group (5/6 people), normally including one representative with expertise on the work of the Task Force, from the EU Inclusion Strategies Group and/or from the Executive Committee and one representative from the European Organisation. Other members for a Task force can be drawn from the EAPN membership, with a particular effort made to involve activists with direct experience of poverty where appropriate. Outside experts may, on occasion, be invited to join a task force where this is deemed necessary.
- An alternative model for a Task Force could be, for example, two members plus a staff person who would visit Networks and prepare some case studies on a key topic. The model of Task Force proposed must fit to the task to be done.
Each proposal for a Task Force should set out:
- A clear objective for the work of the Task Force,
- A timeline,
- The structure and working method to be used
- Proposals regarding follow up.
Task Forces may be proposed by the Europe 2020 Strategy Group, the Executive or the Bureau. The Agreement of which Task Forces to support will be made by the Executive Committee to ensure coordination and to consider that the expertise of different members can be involved as much as possible.
Current task forces
POLICY TASK FORCES
Task Force on Poverty as violation of Human Rights
With this Task Force, EAPN wants to elaborate on the relation between poverty and human rights in Europe, to deepen its understanding of poverty and social exclusion as a violation of human rights, and to strengthen its capacity to act against poverty and human rights violations. A toolkit on how to use human rights concepts and instruments to combat poverty will be produced. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Task Force on Advocating for a Human Rights approach to Migration, Refugees and Asylum seekers
The overall aim of the Task Force is to help EAPN deepen our understanding and build consensus on common policy demands to tackle the refugee, asylum seeker crisis and approach to migration, based on human rights and from an anti-poverty perspective. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Finalized task forces
DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS TASK FORCES
Task force on training and capacity building in EAPN
A task force on training and capacity building in EAPN identified member needs, mapped out the expertise that members can provide, and worked out an EAPN training agenda and a peer training and capacity building programme for EAPN members within the framework of the Strategic Plan. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Task Force for devleloping a Membership Review System in EAPN
It developed clear criteria that will be used to support development of members through a systematic membership review and accreditation programme. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Task Force on communications – Delivering EAPN’s Communications strategy
EAPN’s Working Group on Communications started in 2010 with the aim to develop EAPN’s communications strategy. With EAPN’s new structures in place in 2012, this working group remained as the Task Force on communications, with the main task to deliver EAPN’s communications strategy 2012-2015. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
FINALISED POLICY TASK FORCES
Task Force on Decent Work – Living Wages
The Task Force elaborated a concept and feasibility note regarding the implementation of an EAPN-wide Living Wage campaign, on the model of the one developed successfully in Scotland. Rather than a campaign, an Awareness Raising Action on Living Wages is an action EAPN will be carrying out together, boosting the visibility of National Networks’ current or future activities on the topic of decent/living wages under a common branding. This is mainly a web-based action, mostly done through websites and social media tools, and which began later in 2015. A two-pager concept note was also produced. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Task Force on Social Innovation
The Task Force aimed at providing better knowledge and understanding of social innovation to EAPN members, and informing them about the possibilities to improve social inclusion in Member States and EU-wide, through various innovative social inclusion practices, and through EU/national funding. The Task Force produced a briefing on social innovation, developed criteria / checklist for good practice in social innovation and collected relevant examples from the EAPN membership, which were gathered in a booklet. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Task Force on Monitoring 20% of ESF on Poverty and Code of Conduct on partnership
The main aim of the TF was to monitor the implementation of the (at least) 20% of the European Social Fund (ESF) on poverty and the partnership principle and to propose guidelines for better implementation. It produced a key instrument to easily monitor the implementation of the ESF with a concrete focus on the commitment of using at least 20% in the fight against poverty and social exclusion and the partnership principle/code of conduct confirming what our vision of what the fight against poverty should measure. It also provided guidelines for actions that would deliver on the commitments and lobby on its findings. :: Click on the title to acces the page and more information.
Task Force on Migration
The Migration Task Force produced a report on how to ensure migrants’ integration in times of crisis and austerity; enabling learning amongst all EAPN members, and fostering policy debate on the issue both at national and EU level. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Task Force to produce a Child Poverty and Well-being explainer
It produced a coherent common advocacy document which spells out the key issues, the benefits and way forward to effective solutions which can support the implementation and follow-up of the Child Poverty and Well-being Recommendation. The Child Poverty & Well-being Explainer was launched in Dublin in April 2013. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Task Force to produce a Structural Funds Toolkit for Social NGOs
The Structural Funds Task Force produced a toolkit in 2012 for its national networks and for other social NGOs, to get involved in the new programming period of Structural Funds (2014-2020). This was updated in 2014. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
Task Force on the Social Impact of the Troika arrangements
The Task Force produced a report examining the impact on poverty and social inclusion of the EU/IMF/ECB programme arrangements, particularly in Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Spain & the UK). :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.
The main output of the Task Force is an EAPN handbook for effective stakeholder engagement including people experiencing poverty, at national and EU level in Europe 2020, which is targeted at policy makers. A secondary output is a toolkit/pack to support all members and building on existing members work. The outputs formed part of a capacity building session in the EU Inclusion Strategies Group. :: Click on the title to access the page and more information.