EAPN

Building a European Social Standards Union - what role for the European Semester?
2017-12-07 09:00 - 12:00 UTC
This seminar is jointly hosted by the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) with Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto (S&D) and Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA). It aims to see how progress can be made on social rights, social standards and poverty reduction, through the main EU coordination instrument – the European Semester – in the context of 1 in 4 of the population (119 million people) still at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the EU.
It comes at a timely moment, following President Juncker’s State of the Union Address calling for a “European Union of Social Standards”, the Inter-Institutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of Social Rights and the recent adoption of the 2018 Annual Growth Survey The key questions that will be: how well is the European Semester performing on social rights and poverty reduction? How will the Pillar of Social Rights be mainstreamed? What changes should be made to transform the Semester into a balanced economic and social instrument? How will grass-roots actors, including people experiencing poverty be involved?
The seminar will open with an exchange of views between stakeholders, and European Parliament assessing current performance of the Semester, including presenting EAPN’s 2017 Assessment of the National Reform Programmes: Social Rights or Social Plight? The second panel will involve an exchange between the European Parliament, European Commission and Council on the way forward, with an active debate with the audience.

Registration
Please register here. If you don’t have an EP badge, we will need your nationality, date of birth and ID or passport number.
The event will take place from 9.00 to 12.00 on Thursday 7 December 2017 in the European Parliament (room TBC). Tea/Coffee and water will be provided.

For more information, please contact: Sian Jones (sian.jones@eapn.eu) and for registrations: Rebecca Lee (Rebecca.lee@eapn.eu).

#On Our Watch hackathon!
2017-09-29 09:30 - 2017-10-01 17:00 | IHECS Academy, Rue des Grands Carmes 27, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
Are you a dataviz specialist, coder, journalist, activist or policy specialist?
Pre-register for On our Watch hackathon (29 September-1 October 2017, Brussels) to dive into the 2014-2017 EP votes data and try to make sense of it!
What is On Our Watch?
A collective initiative based on co-creation, #OnOurWatchEU project brings together European civil society organisations and offers them a platform to assess the work of the European Parliament on a wide range of issues with the aim of informing citizens and generating debate.
EAPN’s role
EAPN has joined on Our Watch and has been contributing to the fight against poverty section.
Find out more on EAPN ON OUR WATCH page .
Why a hackathon?
Because apps and visualizations are always more impactful than raw data and lengthy papers!
Fighting poverty, Transparency, Youth participation, Gender equality… The On Our Watch website offers insights of the work of the EP on many topics, as well as analysis of certain votes. With the hackathon and with you, we would like to further scrutinize the work of the EP in a fun and creative way!
Where?
IHECS Academy, Rue des Grands Carmes 27, 1000 Brussels.
Come as you are, with your computer, your skills and your ideas, we will take care of the rest! (food, drinks, wifi, plugs, and fun provided)
How can I join?
Pre-register via the link below! Participants will be selected at the end of August. For the participants from the activist/policy specialist sector, priority will be given to On Our Watch partners.
More information? Have a look at onourwatch.eu/events or contact Laetitia Veriter via veriter@citizensforeurope.eu

Conference "Youth for Sustainable Europe"
2017-09-25 - 2017-09-27 | Brussels, Belgium
Young European Federalist (JEF Europe) in the framework of the LADDER project (Local Authorities as Drivers for Development Education and Raising Awareness) invites you to take part in the conference “Youth for Sustainable Europe” taking place in Brussels from 25 to 27 of September 2017.
About the Special Initiative
It aims to bring together European and local policy-makers, youth organizations and civil society, along with young people from all over Europe to discuss the role of youth in creating a sustainable future for
all and implement the SGDs.
How will it work?
The conference will take 2.5 days and will consist of:
-panel debates and discussions between the policy-makers, civil society and citizens on the Agenda 2030 for development, as well as the role of youth organizations in development and raising awareness of SDGs on a local level.
– interactive workshops by youth organizations and civil society representatives on various youth in development related topics
– debate with the heads of political party youth organizations on the role of youth in sustainable development on the European, national and local level.
Application procedure
Application form: HERE
Deadline for applications: September 1st, 23:59 CET**
Applications will be selected on the first-come-first-serve basis, so do no wait too long to apply!
For any inquiries please contact Sonja Afanasjeva at this email address: sonja.afanasjeva@jef.eu
For more information please read the invitation below :
Call YouthForSustainableEurope
Size : 2 MB Format : PDF

ACT 4 FREE MOVEMENT TRAINING - Apply to take part!
2017-09-18 - 2017-09-20 | Warsaw, Poland
Along with ECAS, European Alternatives is proposing a series of training sessions for free movement activists.
You will learn about the drivers for hostile or ignorant attitudes to mobile European citizens, be provided with training from experts in EU citizens’ rights, in campaigning and in project management and tasked with developing a campaign against restrictions to freedom of movement and mobility rights.
The first training course will take place in Warsaw on 18-20 September and will be followed by courses in Madrid on 25-27 October , London in February 2018 and Florence in June 2018.
Find more information here.

Social Work Education in Europe | Challenging boundaries, promoting a sustainable future
2017-06-27 - 2017-06-29 | Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
The Paris conference in 2017 will join a large group of European social work educators, students, practitioners and users in interactive discussion, dialogue and exchange of ideas and thoughts. The EASSW along with its partner UNAFORIS from France are offering participants the unique opportunity to present their research findings, theoretical and practical insights and experiences as well as to exchange common ideas and attitudes.
Main themes of this year’s conference will be:
1- Prospects, methodology, research and innovatory practice in social work education
2- Development of curriculum and course contents in social work
3- Ethical issues: teaching ethics and being ethical teachers
4- Structural and organizational conditions, and professional status
The deadline for receiving abstracts is 7 November.
Find out more here.

25th European Social Services Conference
2017-06-26 - 2017-06-28 | Valletta, Malta
The 25th European Social Services Conference (ESSC) will take place in Valletta (Malta) on 26-28 June 2017 in cooperation with the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and organised by the European Social Network.
The 25th anniversary edition of the ESSC will explore how innovation and new practices can help local public social services tackle social exclusion.
Shape the agenda!
Throughout the conference, various organisations will get the chance to share innovative practices from across Europe through a series of workshops – and your organisation could be one of them! This is a chance to innovate, interact and inspire each other to develop new ideas and respond to common challenges.
They are particularly interested in receiving good practice examples of public/social/digital innovation which improves people’s life chances. More specifically, the conference will feature innovative initiatives on the following themes:

LOCAL PUBLIC MANAGEMENT INNOVATION (design, planning & financing)
DIGITAL & ICT-ENABLED INNOVATION
SOCIAL INNOVATION

Deadlines for submitting a workshop proposal in French, German, Spanish, Italian is 18 November, and in English, 25 November.
Click here for more information.

EAPN annual Policy conference: Learning from the past to beyond 2020 - What strategy to fight poverty?
2017-06-15 14:00 - 17:30
EAPN’s annual conference will be on 15 June, 14:00-17:30, under the title Learning from the past to Beyond 2020 – What EU strategy to fight poverty, exclusion and inequality?
The conference will be an opportunity to exchange together on the following questions:

What integrated strategy should the EU propose to effectively fight poverty? What can we learn from the past? What do people in poverty want and expect from the EU? How does this connect to the European Pillar of Social Rights?
How should this strategy be mainstreamed into a post 2020 strategy? Can the Sustainable Development Goals offer a better and more operational framework to take over from Europe 2020? Should this be through a re-vamped European Semester? Or another process?
How should we mobilize for this in the context of the Future of Europe?

It aims to:

Present ideas & messages from EAPN from an internal session of members, including input from people experiencing poverty;
Get feedback & debate with the European Commission & Council;
Get responses from other Civil Society Organisations & partners;
Give special attention to the SDG agenda; the follow up on the European Pillar of Social Rights, and the implications of the Future of Europe proposals, in trying to move forward for a transformative social and sustainable framework for beyond 2020.

Key speakers invited:

People experiencing poverty & EAPN members
Hugh Frazer, Coordinator ESPN and Professor from Maynooth University, Ireland
Ruth Paserman, Commissioner Thyssens’ Cabinet
Kaia Iva, Minister of Social Protection, Estonian Presidency
Nelson Muffuh, Chief of Staff to Deputy Secretary General of the UN
Representatives from Eurodiaconia, Eurochild, FEANTSA, ETUC, Semester Alliance
Marcel Haag, Secretariat General, European Commission

Practical details & participation
The conference will be from 14:00-17:30 in the ITUC, 5 Boulevard Albert Roi II, 1210 Brussels.
Participants: Around 70 EAPN members, including people with direct experience of poverty, and around 80 Brussels-based stakeholders.
For further information on content, contact Sian Jones (Policy Coordinator) sian.jones@eapn.eu, or on registrations Rebecca Lee (Information & Events Officer), rebecca.lee@eapn.eu | Tel. +32 2 226 58 50

Affordable Energy, a Basic Social Right - How to abolish Energy Poverty?
2017-05-29 10:00 - 14:00
A workshop will be held in the European Parliament, organised by Delegation DIE LINKE. (in the European Parliament); Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung Brussels Office; Transform Europe Network.
The following topics will be discussed:
1) Ensuring the basic social right; safeguards against disconnection: how can access to affordable energy be assured;
2) Re-municipalisation of the grid and utilities: how can the fight against energy poverty be implemented;
3) How can community energy projects mitigate energy poverty;
4) How can people, affected by energy poverty, benefit from energy efficiency measures in buildings. How can we ensure that the renovation of existing buildings gives priority to energy-poor citizens.
Objectives of the workshop:
Exchanging ideas, formulation of concrete political demands;
Strengthening the network of stakeholders who have been working on this topic;
Building of political coalitions, discussion of possible strategies;
Promoting our political demands with regard to the ongoing political struggles on the legislative process on the clean energy package and the discussion on the European pillar of social rights.
Contact: Marlis Gensler, marlis.gensler(at)rosalux(dot)org

Public Hearing - Equal treatment, equality bodies and other possible means of redress for Roma
2017-05-19 09:30 - 13:00
The European Economic and Social Committee is holding a public hearing at their site in the European Quarter, Brussels, on “Equal treatment, equality bodies and other possible means of redress for Roma”.
Anti-gypsyism and discrimination are important barriers to Roma enjoying full rights and this hearing plans to map possible avenues for redress for Roma, including equality bodies. The event will allow for the exchange of best practices on how Roma can address violations of their rights.
For any questions related to the event please contact Ms June Bedaton by e-mail (june.bedaton@eesc.europa.eu) or by telephone (+32(0)2 546.81.34).

The Fight against Homelessness: Solidarity in Action - FEANTSA 2017 Policy Conference
2017-05-18 13:00 - 2017-05-19 17:00
Our member organisation FEANTSA is organising their policy conference in May in Gdansk.
18th May 2017 (afternoon)
Site Visits to view services working with homeless people in Gdansk or Working Spaces on the following issues: drug use, women’s homelessness, youth homelessness, social rental agencies, homelessness in Russia, Housing First.
19th May 2017 (all day)
Main conference with two plenary sessions in addition to 3 streams of workshops, where delegates can choose from a selection of 14 workshops to attend
See full programme and registration details here. NOTE: deadline for registration: 1 May 2017.

Let´s prevent debt traps! Policies to tackle over-indebtedness across Europe
2017-05-11 08:00 - 17:00
On 11th May 2017, Caritas Czech Republic, partner of EAPN, organizes a conference called “Let´s prevent debt traps! Policies to tackle over-indebtedness across Europe”. The topic of over-indebtedness has been chosen as a priority to work on based on the national Caritas Cares Report 2015. The event will take place in Prague.
In the Czech Republic, we have observed an increase of insolvency petitions submitted by individuals. One of the main causes of over-indebtedness is income poverty together with lack of financial literacy among the population. Another important cause is insufficient legal regulation of consumer loans making the customers unprotected. The problems are worsened also by excessive competencies of executors´ offices. In Caritas Cares Report 2015 for the Czech Republic, over-indebtedness was identified as a major issue in the area of poverty and social exclusion.
Experiences with issues of debt traps, over-indebtedness, executions on property and/or debt relief, and examples of functional policies and good practices from many countries will be shared.
Contact: martina.veverkova@charita.cz and iva.kuchynkova@charita.cz

The only way is up? Social mobility and equal opportunities - Joint OECD-Eurofound Conference
2017-05-04
Eurofound and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are co-organising a joint high-level conference on social mobility and equal opportunities in Paris, France on Thursday, 4 May 2017.
The event will provide a lively platform to discuss fresh evidence on intergenerational mobility and policies which support upward mobility, especially among the disadvantaged population groups within the European Union and OECD countries. The event will be opened by Angel Gurría, Secretary-General, OECD and Juan Menéndez-Valdés, Director, Eurofound. EAPN France will be contributing.
Since the global financial crisis many people in a range of countries are facing a sharp fall in living standards and economic inequalities are on the rise. Consequently, policy attention is starting to shift towards addressing this lack of equal opportunities as well as the transmission of (dis)advantage across generations.
The one-day high-level conference will bring together an interdisciplinary group of international experts, policymakers and stakeholders from both OECD and EU countries to examine the major trends in social mobility and how these vary across countries. The sessions will consider why lack of mobility and intergenerational inequality is of concern and what policies work in the field of education, labour market, urban development, health and social protection to improve equal opportunities and social mobility. The concluding panel will aim to identify how a more integrated approach at different levels can underpin greater equality of opportunity and promote upward social mobility.
A draft agenda is available.
If you are interested in registering to attend please contact Jade.Baker@oecd.org or Bernice.Turner@eurofound.europa.eu

EAPN Portugal seminar on local authorities' role in combating poverty, Avintes
2017-05-03
EAPN Portugal is organizing a seminar on the contribution and participation of the local authorities in combating poverty and social exclusion. It is intended that this event provide a broad discussion among civil society and the social sector, on the specific role of local authorities to accomplish this goal, taking into account the Local Governance agenda and Governance Models, and particularly focused on participation of the citizens.
Since its creation in 1991, EAPN Portugal has defended the principle of subsidiarity, which aims to ensure that decision-making is as close as possible to citizens. This principle is also enshrined in the foundations of the European Union and in the Treaties of Rome and Lisbon, as well as in the Manifesto prepared by the Working Group which produced the document published by EAPN Portugal in 2015 entitled “Commitment to a National Strategy to Eradicate Poverty.”
The conference will take place on the 3rd of May 2017, between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm, at the Parque Biológico de Gaia, Avintes. For more information: http://www.eapn.pt/eventos/1102/conferencia-nacional-o-poder-local-e-o-combate-a-pobreza

3 regional workshops in Ireland on the EU, its Parliament and the fight against poverty
2017-04-28 08:00 - 2017-05-26 17:00
As the EU celebrates its 60th birthday, these regional workshops are the chance to discuss questions like:

How does Europe decide social policies?
What difference does this make to people affected by poverty?
How can we influence European policy?
Why is the EU in crisis?
What do Brexit and the rise of racism mean for the future?
How can we build a more inclusive Europe?

The Programme:

10am to 1pm: Training and discussion session on European social policy
1pm to 2pm Lunch
2pm to 3.30pm: Discussion with Member of the European Parliament

Where:

Dublin, 28 April
Sligo, 5 May
Waterford, 26 May

Register with this form, (contact enquiries@eapn.ie)

Mouths to feed? Food security & autonomy: a global approach (in French!!)
2017-04-25 13:30 - 17:00 | Rue du Ruisseau 17-19, Rue du Ruisseau 17-19, Molenbeek, Brussels, 1080, Belgium
La FdSS présent un séminaire ouvert organisé par le Cremis de Montréal dans le cadre du 18ème Atelier international de recherche et d’actions sur les inégalités sociales et les discriminations. Cet événement centré sur des questions d’alimentation et de pauvreté réunira des chercheurs et des professionnels du social du Québec (Université de Montréal, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et des services sociaux du Centre-sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Cégep du Vieux-Montréal, Cégep de Victoriaville), de Catalogne (Université de Barcelone), de Toscane (Université de Sienne), d’Alsace (Institut social supérieur de Mulhouse) et de Belgique (Fédération des Services Sociaux | Concertation Aide Alimentaire).
« Les interventions en «sécurité alimentaire» se font souvent dans l’urgence avec peu de ressources. Conséquemment et malgré elles, ces interventions peuvent contribuer à réduire les personnes à des « bouches à nourrir ». Le risque encouru est de reproduire le trait marquant des rapports sociaux inégalitaires producteurs de disparités de revenus et de conditions de vie : la réduction identitaire. Que ce soit vis-à-vis des personnes âgées, des mères monoparentales, des personnes bénéficiant de l’aide sociale, des membres de minorités ethniques ou racisées ou des personnes sans domicile, les traitements discriminatoires ont tendance à être fondés sur un regard réducteur qui ne voit que des traits négativement connotés. La personne peut disparaître derrière l’identité stigmatisée. Agir sur les rapports sociaux inégalitaires producteurs de la pauvreté requiert de passer à une approche globale où la personne est reconnue dans les multiples dimensions de sa vie. » Christopher McAll et al. (www.CREMIS.ca).

Information et inscriptions : christopher.mcall@umontreal.ca

Keeping food banks alive - Bridging the gap of food poverty in Europe
2017-04-20 - 2017-04-22
The Annual Convention of the European Federation of Foodbanks (FEBA) will take place in Rotterdam (Netherlands) and will be organized in collaboration with the Dutch Federation of Food Banks, Vereniging van Nederlandse Voedselbanken.
Contact: cdiazlonborg.feba@eurofoodbank.org

‘Dignity & Well-Being: Exchange together for change’ SMES-Europa conference
2017-03-16 - 2017-03-18 | Lisbon, Portugal
SMES-Europa invites participants and their institutions, especially those involved in the social and health fields in favour of people living in extreme poverty conditions and suffering of mental health problems, to share experience, knowledge and competences at the XIV European SMES Conference which will take place in Lisbon on 16-17-18 March 2017: ‘Dignity & Well-Being: Exchange Together for Change’
Extreme poverty is increasing as well as people living on the streets in scandalous situations of absolute deprivation and with serious mental health problems.
The following two questions will be tackled during this conference:

HOW ARE THESE PEOPLE – home-less, health-less, hope-less, living on the streets in a permanent way – shelters – squats, – giving the impression that they refuse any institutional offer of assistance and integration, preferring their own habitat?

Through the analysis of their profiles (case studies) – meeting – listening – understanding – the attempt will be made to hear their voices and needs (cf. profiles 2016)

HOW YOUR SERVICE, co-working – together – with other sectors and services – can contribute to promotion of Dignity and Well-being, of the integration and participation of these excluded people?

Through the exchange and evaluation of innovative, integrate and coherent practices, the attempt will be made to promote programmes & projects for inclusive participation.
The results of the conference will depend on the exchanges. The statement, proposals and urgent priorities resulting from this conference, will be presented in May, at a hearing session in the European Commission and EU Parliament.
Each participant is invited to actively participate, by sharing their own experience and sending an abstract of one or more profile (following this protocol) and/or one daily practice that will be introduced and discussed in workshops. Please send these before 30 December.
See more information and registrations here.

Seminar hosted by EAPN & Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto (MEP S&D): Can the Semester help build a better Social Europe?
2017-01-12 09:00 - 13:00 | European Parliament, Brussels, 1047, Belgium
The event Can the Semester help build a better Social Europe? is jointly hosted by the European Anti-Poverty Network with Sergio Gutiérrez Prieto (MEP, S&D). The seminar aims to review how well the European Semester and Europe 2020 is working in terms of its delivery on social rights, poverty and participation and to debate what changes are needed to ensure progress towards a more Social Europe.
It comes at a timely moment with the adoption of the 2017 Annual Growth Survey and the European Commission’s upcoming proposal following the public consultation on the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The seminar will discuss stakeholders’ views and proposals from the national and EU level, including presenting EAPN’s 2016 Assessment of the National Reform Programmes: What progress for Social Europe? The 2nd round table will promote dialogue between the Rapporteurs for the relevant reports on the European Pillar of Social Rights and on the European Semester – the Annual Growth Survey – and key members of the European Commission and the audience.
See the latest programme here.

The event will take place from 9.30-1.00 on Thursday 12 January 2016 in the European Parliament – Room A3-HI. Tea/Coffee and water will be provided.
Please register here by 2 January. If you don’t have a EP badge please provide details of your name, nationality, date of birth and identity card or passport. Please come to the Luxembourg entrance from 9.00- with your ID card/passport – to be signed in to the event if you haven’t a badge.
For more information please contact: Sian Jones for content, and Rebecca Lee for practical arrangements/registration. And the post on this site here, which will be kept updated.

European Council Meeting
2016-12-15 - 2016-12-16, 2016-10-20 - 2016-10-21
The European Council defines the EU’s overall political direction and priorities. It is not one of the EU’s legislating institutions, so does not negotiate or adopt EU laws. Instead it sets the EU’s policy agenda, traditionally by adopting ‘conclusions’ during European Council meetings which identify issues of concern and actions to take.
More recently, the European Council adopted a ‘strategic agenda’ of priority areas for longer-term EU action and focus.
The members of the European Council are the heads of state or government of the 28 EU member states, the European Council President and the President of the European Commission.
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also takes part in European Council meetings when foreign affairs issues are discussed.
For more information, see the Council’s website.

Employment, Social Policy, Health & Consumer Affairs Council
2016-12-08, 2016-10-13
The EPSCO Council brings together ministers responsible for employment, social affairs, health and consumer policy from all EU member states. Relevant European Commissioners also participate in meetings.
There are usually four EPSCO meetings a year. Two of the meetings are generally devoted exclusively to employment and social policy topics.
About employment and social policy
The overall objective of the EU action is to raise the standard of living and quality of life of its citizens, notably through high-quality jobs and a high level of social and health protection and the protection of consumers’ interests.
In the fields of employment and social policy, the Council is responsible for drawing up annual employment guidelines which the member states take into account in their national policies. It also adopts legislation, together with the European Parliament, aimed at improving working conditions, social inclusion and gender equality.
For more information on the EPSCO Council, see the Council’s website.

Energy Poverty Book-launch in the European Parliament
2016-11-29 13:00 - 14:00 | European Parliament, Room ASP 7F387, Brussels, Belgium
Energy poverty is a serious concern in our societies while more and more people realize that it should be a social right. The editors and the authors of the handbook are dedicated to share their knowledge and raise awareness about energy poverty in order to eliminate it from Europe once and for all.
Opening note: Tamás Meszerics – MEP Greens/EFA
Guest speakers and authors:
Filippos Anagnostopoulos – BPIE
Anna Bajomi – Programma Housing of the Compagnia San Torino
Audrey Dobbins – University of Stuttgart
Edit Lakatos – Housing Europe
Sian Jones – European Antipoverty Network
Closing remarks: Katalin Csiba – Editor
See the Poster online HERE.
Read the Book online HERE, on Tamas Meszerics MEP’s site.
Registration HERE.

Alter Summit Conference | Rights4All Now!
2016-11-25 - 2016-11-26 | Brussels, Belgium
The Alter Summit’s Conference Rights4All Now! on Social & Labour rights will be on November 25&26. Alter Summit is a European network of trade unions, social movement collectives, NGOs and networks willing to organise resistance to austerity and neoliberal policies at European level for the construction of a real democracy and alternatives.
The Conference and its workshops aim at becoming a working space to discuss convergences, strategies and to build a shared agenda. EAPN Policy Coordinator Sian Jones will speak at a workshop on services on Friday 25 November.
During two days of plenaries and workshops, there will be discussions on the urgency of an ecological transition, the digitalisation and internationalisation of productive processes, the political and social impact of migration and the necessity to defend commons and public services. They will exchange views about our struggles and practices across Europe and try to define common axes for action. They will also debate how to confront EU policies and institutions from the national and local perspectives.
For more info and the full programme, click here. To join a working group or register to the Conference, please send an email to sebastian@altersummit.eu or fill-out the online form.

The International Social Work Congress (ISWC16) at Hacettepe University.
2016-11-21 - 2016-11-23 | Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
The congress will be held by the Social Work Department of the Hacettepe University in Ankara, a division know to be a pioneer in social work education at undergraduate, MSW and PhD levels in Turkey.
The symposiums on social work have been held every year nationally since 1995, with the collaboration of the Association of Social Workers. This year, our congress takes the scale to an international level with a broader theme.
The Congress is organized with an aim to address the emerging need to explore the response of social work in local, national and international social problems. We hope to achieve this by focusing on the future of social work.

The purpose of this meeting is to bring academics, researchers, educators and practitioners to present their ideas on social work education, organization of social services, social policies, changing needs of vulnerable groups and service provisions, with a specific focus on the future of social work.
The confirmed keynote speakers are Professor Lena Dominelli and Professor Malcolm Payne from the UK and Professor Haluk Soydan from the US, who will inspire and empower all the attendees of the congress.

To know more about the Congress, visit the event website.

15th EU Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty - Empowerment through Participation!
2016-11-15 09:00 - 2016-11-16 14:00 | Les Ateliers de Tanneurs, Rue des Tanneurs 58-62, Brussels, 1000, Belgium
Empowerment through Participation – one of the challenges for the European Pillar of Social Rights!
The 15th European Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty is organised by the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) with the support of the EU Commission, the Slovakian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the EAPN Fund.
The twofold objective of this meeting is:

To provide opportunities for people experiencing poverty to share experiences, gain acknowledgement and build solidarity.
To arrange a consultation with people experiencing poverty on the European Pillar of Social Rights and the importance of Empowerment through Participation

WHO ARE THE MEETINGS FOR?
Invited National Delegations

People experiencing poverty who are starting to connect to anti-poverty organisations
Some previous delegates to help with continuity

Guests

Rep of National and EU level Institutions (Political and Functionaries)
Rep of NGOs, Social Partners, Academics and other relevant actors

General Public and Press

Some elements of the meeting are open to the General Public. The meeting can be followed on website (https://voicesofpoverty-eu.net/) and twitter #2016PEP

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS! – Could you help the voice of people experiencing poverty be heard in Brussels?!
Volunteers for whispering interpretation are needed. Delegations of people experiencing poverty from 31 countries in Europe (EU countries + Norway, Iceland, Serbia and Macedonia/FYROM) have prepared to exchange with EU officials and contribute to the debate. For all to be able to fully contribute to the debates, whispering interpretation is organised. We are looking for volunteers to interpret from English to all other languages mentioned above, and also from these languages into English.

If you are able to help us out, even if only for part of the programme, please contact Magda Tancau, magda.tancau@eapn.eu
Please spread this message widely! Thank you!
JOIN OUR COLLECTIVE ACTION AND SING ALONG!
We want to end this year’s European Meeting of People experiencing Poverty with a Collective Action outside the Berlaymont Building at Schuman (between 12.45 and 13.30 on Wednesday the 16th of November). We really want you to help with this action by joining us on the day and being part of our large choir to sing the song Blowin’ in the Wind as the delegations deliver their message.
Feel free to practice while in the shower or to get a group of friends together to practice and then join us on the day. Please see the lyrics and sheet here: http://sheetdownload.com/Bob-Dylan/Blowin-In-The-Wind/8925
If you are already part of a choir perhaps you can encourage members of the choir to join in! For those who can join we will have a rehearsal from 18.00 to 19.30 on Monday the 14th of November in Les Ateliers des Tanneurs, Rue des Tanneurs 58-62, 1000 Brussels (near South Station).

17 October 2016: International day for the eradication of poverty
2016-10-17
Events around 17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty are planned all around Europe!!
SAVE THE DATE already and we will update the news item here with all the actions of our members!

SDG Watch Europe event launch
2016-10-13 18:00 - 2016-10-14 14:00 | Brussels, Belgium
The official launch of SDG Watch Europe, the new EU cross-sectoral alliance of civil society organisations working together to ensure implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 by the United Nations.
To celebrate their first anniversary and the ambitious global agenda that was adopted a year ago, join us on 13 October 2016 at 6 pm for a reception hosted by the Nord Rhein Westphalia Permanent Representation in Brussels. The evening will feature a range of interesting speakers and informative presentations, followed by drinks and fingerfood.
The next day, the 14 Oct, we also warmly invite you to the plenary session of the SDG Watch Europe from 9am till 2 pm at the Amazon Centre. the objective of the plenary session of the Alliance is to involve all members and national CSOs representatives, in exchanging ideas on the Alliance’s next steps, its advocacy strategy as well as ongoing organizational issues.
To ensure your participation, please register before 5 October 2016.

The 2016 ISSA Conference: Early Childhood in Times of Rapid Change
2016-10-11 - 2016-10-13 | Unnamed Venue, Vilnius, Lithuania
The International Step by Step Association is organizing its 2016 Conference, which will explore the impact of the current economic, demographic and technological changes on the lives of children, families and practitioners, and will investigate ways to adequately meet the needs of our youngest citizens.
ISSA’s conference is a meeting point for practitioners, policy makers, researchers and representatives of civil society from across Europe, Central Asia and beyond. Through dialogue, discussion and interaction the conference will promote shared learning among participants and connect stakeholders in a dynamic learning community.

The conference will revolve around three main topics:

Strand 1: Meaningful Learning for Children
Strand 2: Meaningful Preparation on the Workforce
Strand 3: Meaningful Support for the Families
Strand 4: Meaningful Use of Technology

Click here to open the website to know more about the event and register!

Launch of the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection to achieve the SDGs
2016-09-21 | New York, United States
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the World Bank Group, together with other leading development agencies, will come together during the 71st session of the UN General Assembly to present the Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection. The official launch of the new Global Partnership follows the June 2015 agreement by the ILO and the World Bank Group to promote universal social protection as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The launch of the new Global Partnership for Universal Social Protection will showcase evidence from more than 20 countries who have achieved universal social protection coverage and present the different approaches available to make universal social protection an achievable objective as part of every Member State’s plan to realize the SDGs.
Join the event online!
