esn/inclusion

ESN and Social Inclusion in 2007

ESN has had a successful first year (2006) as a key European network with the support of the European Commission. Our three seminars attracted representatives of social services, government ministers, service users, NAP coordinators from 25 European countries as well as around 800 local delegates at our events in Barcelona, Venice and Metz. We have been able to draw on our expertise as directors of social services to lay some foundations for our future input into European and national social inclusion policies.

We aim to build on and expand our network's activities next year. We will further raise awareness of the important role of social services in promoting social inclusion for vulnerable and marginalised people. We will work to contribute to the European coordination of social protection and inclusion policies and wider social policy-making by continuning to foster exchange of knowledge, practice and policy among practitioners of social services.

We will raise awarenss of social inclusion issues among social services in the new Member States including Romania and Bulgaria as well as building capacity for their representatives to contribute to ESN's activities on social inclusion.

We continue our programme of social inclusion seminars in 2007 - each event will bring together around 30 European representatives of social services with expertise on the thematic area with ca. 100 local delegates looking to learn from European colleagues and about EU social inclusion perspectives. Further information will be added here when available - invitations and registration for the first seminar will begin in January.

Child poverty and welfare: Copenhagen, 14-16 March 2007

Long-term care: Prague, 19-20 July 2007 (dates to be confirmed)

Social inclusion in Europe: new perspectives from social services: Brussels, Autumn 2007