Social Justice and the Advocating Voice of Diaconia

Communications and Core Values

21 May 2008Eurodiaconia AGM, Vienna

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Purpose

• Share learning from the Eurodiaconia communications seminar “Social Justice and the Advocating Voice of Diaconia” – 21-22 February, 2008 in Brussels

• Outline Eurodiaconia’s communications plans for 2008– Developed using input from seminar

• Most attendees also members of the Eurodiaconia Communications and PR Task Force

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“Europe” talks to Europeans and Eurodiaconia

The European Commission: Communications policy

Relations with faith-based organisations

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Learning from discussions with European Commission officials

• Francis Whyte, DG Communications– Responsible for developing European Commission’s

communications policy

• Cesár das Neves, Bureau of European Policy Advisors– Career Portuguese diplomat, currently advisor to

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso

– Responsible for dialogue with faith-based communities

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European Commission’s goal: “two way dialogue” with citizens

• “Listening” vs. “marketing”– Plan D: democracy, dialogue, debate

• Participative democracy – Transnational citizen consultations on Europe’s Future

• Strengthened communications in Member States– More communications staff in national EU offices– Citizen engagement projects and consultations– European Public Spaces: Dublin, Madrid, Tallin

• Simplified language – “citizen summaries” of key policies

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Communicating “Europe” presents many challenges

• No central control of messages in Brussels– Inter-institutional agreement for broad themes

• European Commission has no control over what national governments say

• Prioritize national vs. European issues– Not always in their interest for citizens to know what really

happens at European level

• Small budget for communications – Commission must rely on national governments to

communicate “Europe” 6

Faith-based organisations valued in EU - - within limits

• Europe needs faith-based organisations– EU Treaties recognize their unique identity and

contribution to society• Advocates for solidarity, social justice• Providers of social services

• Separation of church and state is a fundamental European Union concept– Issues related to faith politically sensitive

• At discretion of member states

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Eurodiaconia talks to Europeans and “Europe”

2008 Communications Plan

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Three communications targets

EurodiaconiaMembers

Governmental ActorsEuropean, National, Regional/Local

Outside World NGOs, citizens, businesses, unions

….and potential Eurodiaconia members

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EurodiaconiaSecretariat

General

A

Three communications goals

EurodiaconiaMembers

Governmental ActorsEuropean, National, Regional/Local

Outside World NGOs, citizens, businesses, unions

….and potential members

Communicate our core values:who we are..or want to be,

what we do, what we stand for

Amplify our voiceas advocates for social justice

and faith-based social services

Strengthen our networkthrough learning and mutual support

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Eurodiaconia Members: Strengthen Our Network - Why

• Serve members directly by helping you:– Get practical information and ideas– Examine theological aspects of your work

• And develop a European diaconal identity

– Build relationships and facilitate cooperation

• Help Secretariat understand member realities, needs, and wishes– To best represent and serve you

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Eurodiaconia Members: Strengthen Our Network - How

• In-person meetings– Formal and informal learning, sharing, and

networking• Regional Forums• Annual General Meeting (AGM)• Seminars, working groups, and task forces• Brussels study trips

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Eurodiaconia Members: Strengthen Our Network - How

• www.eurodiaconia.org website– Constantly improving and evolving

• Member forum for easy sharing– Visit to see “what’s new” or ask/learn about a topic

• Easier to use member section – To be organised by subject

• Plan to experiment with new features– Pictures and video– Sections in German– Additional ideas welcome!

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Eurodiaconia Members: Strengthen Our Network - How

• But, website is only valuable if it’s used!– Promote within your organisation

• Give login/password to employees• Link to www.eurodiaconia.org from your intranets

– And we will give you more reasons to visit• Updated more frequently• E-mails that link back to website content

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Eurodiaconia Members: Strengthen Our Network - How

• Quarterly “key member issues” summary– To facilitate member to member sharing and

cooperation on issues of common concern• Key request of Communications/PR Task Force

– We will collect top 5 current issues for each member organisation - - every 3 months

• Summary sent to designated member contact

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Eurodiaconia Members: Strengthen Our Network - How

• Database of member projects– We’ll collect information on projects that are

successful, new for you, innovative, etc.• Send us pictures, videos, pamphlets, articles

– On www.eurodiaconia.org for you• For ideas, inspiration, learning about the network

– We’ll use to support our work• Lobbying and building European diaconal identity

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Eurodiaconia Members: Strengthen Our Network - How

• Eurodiaconia Innovation Prize– Projects or initiatives that have:

• Helped society focus on an issue of concern to you• Improved how you work • Empowered users • Been innovative or unique in any other way

– Prize to be awarded at the European Parliament on 5 November 2008

• Entries due 25 August, 2008• Entry form on www.eurodiaconia.org

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Governmental Actors:Amplify Our Voice - Why

• Eurodiaconia’s mission is to promote solidarity and social justice in Europe– Direct lobbying at European level

• With support of partners (e.g., Social Platform, EAPN, Caritas)

– Support member lobbying at national level

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Governmental Actors:Amplify Our Voice - How

• Eurodiaconia now has a privileged relationship with European Commission – PROGRESS (Social Inclusion) partner

• We link the Commission to the “real world”– Help them understand poverty and social exclusion– Feed into plans for and monitor performance of Member

State social inclusion policies

• The Commission helps us become empowered – Support our lobbying, communications, and policy-related

member training

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Governmental Actors:Amplify Our Voice - How

• Member “Study Trips” to Brussels– Learn about EU policies and processes – Meet European officials and Members of

European Parliament• Visegrad Platform this Summer

• Training seminars– Including working with the Open Method of

Coordination (OMC) for Social Inclusion

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Governmental Actors:Amplify Our Voice - How

• Policy information for members– On website www.eurodiaconia.org

• Briefings, process trackers, reports, and links• Member forum for discussion and news

– E-mail newsletter• Recent events and developments• Will shorten articles, link to www.eurodiaconia.org

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Governmental Actors:Amplify Our Voice - How

• Policy input from members– Thematic working groups

• Any member can contact working group members or Secretariat with additional input

– Discussions on website• Member forum on www.eurodiaconia.org

– May try e-mail “action alerts” for urgent issues

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Outside World:Communicate Our Core Values

• Raising awareness of Eurodiaconia and its values is a key organisation goal – To strengthen and grow the network– To increase our visibility and relevance– To support our lobbying work

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Outside World:Communicate Our Core Values

• Strategy for 2008-2009 to be developed after examining:– Ourselves (as a European diaconal network)

• Who we are and want to be, role, values

– Our communications targets• Who they are, what they want and value• What they know and think about us

– Other advocating voices • Their messages, identities, roles, values

– And where we “fit” relative to others

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Outside World:Communicate Our Core Values

• External communications activites will support this strategy and may include:– European-level media relations– Quarterly “diaconal voices” publication

• To promote European diaconal views– Content from members, member publications, featuring

member projects

• Distributed widely to both members and non-members

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Outside World:Communicate Our Core Values – European Diaconia Day

• To build awareness of diaconia as a European movement

• One broad theme per year– Aim for first events in 2009

• Secretariat will create resource and idea kits– Members use when and how makes sense for them

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Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

• Contact Janice Thomson, Eurodiaconia Communications Officer– Office phone: +32 (0)2.234.38.62– Mobile phone: +32 (0)485.892.865– Post: Eurodiaconia, Rue Joseph II, 166, B-1000

Brussels, Belgium– E-mail: thomson@eurodiaconia.org– Languages: English, French

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Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

• Or contact Eurodiaconia Communications and PR Task Force Members– Bettina Klinger (Chair), Diakonie Austria

• bettina.klinger@diakonie.at• +43 1 409 80 01-14• Languages: German, English

– Davide Rosso, Diaconia Valdese (Italy)• rosso@riforma.it• +39 338-9559800• Languages: Italian, French, English

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Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

– Pam Taylor, CrossReach (Scotland)• pam.taylor@crossreach.org.uk• +44 0131 657 2000• Languages: English, French

– Andreas Wagner, Diakonie (Germany)• wagner@diakonie.de• +49 711 2159 453• Languages: German, English

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