EFSCW is a non-profit Brussels-based foundation committed to the improvement of the rights and living conditions of children at risk, particularly street children. As a platform for lobbying and advocacy towards the European Union, EFSCW provides non-governmental organisations who are working with children at risk, both within and outside of the EU, with information and advice concerning all children and youth-related policies and EU assistance programmes. It also facilitates the exchange of best practice between member organisations. EFSCW aims to improve the rights and living conditions of young people at risk by raising both public understanding and political awareness within the EU institutions.
The foundation promotes and facilitates an improved level of mutual exchange and cooperation between EU policy makers, national governments and NGOs working for children and youth at risk. To achieve this goal, it organises seminars and conferences for its members, experts, researchers and politicians to encourage networking and information exchange at international, European, national and local level.
Lobbying, Advocacy and Fundraising
-
Influencing the EU decision-making processes and legislation on all child- and youth-related fields;
-
Giving advice to national governments and EU institutions in order to improve the rights of children at risk;
-
Improving networking between EFSCW members and cooperation with the EU institutions by sharing information and advice on EU policies and programmes;
-
Assisting member NGOs in joint applications and in the implementation of EU projects aimed at improving the living conditions of children and youth at risk;
-
Raising funds from the EU, Governments and foundations to support network activities and projects;
-
Development, management and implementation of innovative and sustainable EU projects in order to create methodologies, tools and communication structures aimed at improving the preventative and reinsertion measures in favour of children at risk in Europe.
Information, Public Relations and Campaigning
-
Increasing understanding and awareness about child-related EU policy and assistance programmes via information services for member organisations and other NGOs;
-
Maintaining media and press relations;
-
Carrying out seminars on information and PR management for child protection organisations;
-
Organising campaigning events to raise public awareness and to mobilise public opinion; Organising conferences and events to inform member organisations, experts and the public on relevant child issues from a European dimension;
-
Maintaining the EFSCW website and publishing brochures and other information material;
-
Recruiting of new member organisations.
Knowledge transfer, capacity building and networking
-
Empowering member organisations and other child protection NGOs through seminars and workshops on issues such as EU funding & project management, social intervention methodologies and information management;
-
Building contacts and creating synergies between the member organisations in order to implement an effective advocacy strategy towards the EU and national governments and to create transnational partnerships for EU projects;
-
Enhancing debate through organising conferences which bring together representatives from EU, national and local levels in order to share knowledge and best practice and to develop joint strategies;
-
Improving the EFSCW website with a user-friendly format, through providing more information about the current and future activities of the EFSCW members;
-
Disseminating information about the activities of EFSCW members at the meetings and seminars of European and international umbrella organisations.
