Take part in a capacity building programme Active Citizens Days 2022 – an annual event addressed to representatives of civil society organizations from the countries benefiting from the Active Citizens Fund (including Poland and 14 other states) and Norway, active in the area of social cohesion and support for vulnerable groups. The topic of the ACD 2022 is Advocacy for social inclusion: strategies and tools. Within that topic special focus will be put on the subtopic of integration of persons of migrant/refugee background. The programme is addressed to representatives of civil society organizations from the countries benefiting from the Active Citizens Fund.
The ACD 2022 programme will consist of 3 online meetings (one in June and two in September 2022) and a concluding offline event in Oslo (October 10-12th, 2022). Participation in the programme is free of charge – any organisational costs (including travel and accommodation in Oslo for the onsite event will be covered by the ACF fund operators).
What is the aim of the programme?
The aim of the Active Citizens Days 2022 is to provide civil society organisations from beneficiary countries of the Active Citizens Fund (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Rumania, Slovakia, Slovenia) and Norway (the Active Citizens Fund donor state) with an opportunity to come together, learn from each other and discuss issues they work with, especially in relation to specific challenges of building capacity of local/ grassroots human rights CSOs (NGOs).
The key outcomes of the programme are to be:
- broadening perspectives on challenges related to social inclusion and the role of CSOs in contributing to it;
- raising awareness about different strategies applied by organizations in relation to advocacy activities;
- establishing contacts and cooperation among participating organizations, including possible future partnerships.
What is the main topic for the Active Citizens Days 2022?
The main topic for this year’s programme is Advocacy for social inclusion: strategies and tools, with a special focus put on the topic of integration of persons with migrant/refugee background.
The decision on the topic was based on your input from last year as well as consideration for the current situation in Europe. Our times are defined by catastrophe and strife – whether it be war, mass movement of population, natural disaster, the pandemic, or social and economic division. Civil society organisations should be equipped to advocate effectively for the most vulnerable, not only for access to quality public services, but also for fairer, value-based policies.
What is the agenda of the programme?
Participation in the Active Citizens Days 2022 will require involvement of all selected participants in:
- 3 online meetings (introductory meeting on June 22nd and 2 online workshops on September 12th and September 26th, 2022). Each meeting will take place during working hours (exact time TBC, but within the 9am-5pm working hours slot) and will include presentations and work groups and will take approx. 3 hours (including breaks),
- Live (onsite) meeting in Oslo (October 10-12th, 2022).
Apart from the participation in meetings there will be tasks to be done individually by each participant (as so-called homework before workshops). Specific agenda (including sessions topics and speakers/trainers) will be communicated in the near future.
Who can participate? How many places are there for participants from each country and what are the main rules for participation?
There are in total 3 places for participants from each country, open for representatives of NGOs active in the area of human rights and social inclusion. Only one application per organization can be submitted in this call.
The priority to participate will be given to Applicants representing organizations who:
- are less-experienced or have recently started their advocacy activities,
- have low access to participation in similar programmes,
- are project promoters in the Active Citizens Fund Programme in their respective countries,
- are active in outcomes or/and priorities areas of the Active Citizens Fund – Regional
(https://aktywniobywatele-regionalny.org.pl/en/about-the-programme/) and/or the Active Citizens Fund – National (https://aktywniobywatele.org.pl/en/programme-at-a-glance/).
Final decision on who of the applicants will be participating in the event is to be made by each of the FO in each of the beneficiary states (for places reserved for the participants form the beneficiary countries) and for the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (for places reserved for the Norwegian participants).
What is going to be expected from the participants?
As the working language of the programme will be English, good verbal and written communication skills in this language is a prerequisite and the application form must be submitted in English.
Furthermore participants are expected to actively participate in all online meetings listed above and the meeting in Oslo (if it will be organized onsite). General openness for learning and sharing in the international environment is also a prerequisite.
Who is the organiser? Is the participation free of charge? Who is financing the programme?
The main organizers of the programme are the Norwegian Helsinki Committee in cooperation with Polish Fund Operators of the ACF.
Participation in the programme is free of charge. Cost of the trip to Oslo (travel and accommodation costs) will be covered by the fund operator of the Active Citizens Fund in each country, while all costs of the online sessions and meeting onsite will be covered by the organizers.
How to apply?
In order to apply please fill in the recruitment application available under the following link (in English). Deadline of submitting applications is 15th May 2022.
Where can I get more information and ask questions?
- All recruitment information will be delivered and answered by Fund Operators in each country. In your case – contact: Anna Fedas from the ACF-National in Poland (afedas@batory.org.pl, +48 22 536 02 41).
- In order to get more information about the programme of the ACD 2022, please contact Lasse Thomassen from the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (lt@nhc.no) or Ewa Stokłuska from the ACF-Regional in Poland (ewa.stokluska@fed.org.pl, +48 720 801 013).
