December 2017

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	December 2017

As the end of year approaches, we at ESN look back at the activities and outcomes of 2017. It has been a busy and productive year as we continue to work with members and stakeholders across Europe.

During this year we received precious insight from public social services and service users on what the future of social welfare should be and the role of innovation and technology.

We gave voice to the local public social services across Europe and contributed to European policy-making with our report and working group on the European Semester and through our participation leading to the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Our seminar in Stockholm was the setting to analyse international policy and to share practices on social inclusion of unaccompanied children and young people in Europe.

Below you will find a selection of our most popular articles. We hope that they could be food for thought during your Christmas break. We will be back in January with a lot of materials and activities in the pipeline. In the meantime, we wish you a relaxing holiday and a joyful new year.

Also.....

Read to the end of the newsletter and you will find a nice surprise!

This years highlights

How innovation and technology are shaping the social services of the future

New initiatives, rooted in the empowerment of service users and improved technology, are transforming the way Social Services are provided across Europe.

The European Pillar of Social Rights: from principle to action

ESN Policy Director Alfonso Lara Montero reflects on the proposal for the European Pillar of Social Rights delivered by the European Commission on 26 April. He welcomes the measures contained in the Pillar. But he warns about the necessity to put those principles into actions for the Pillar to bring about positive outcomes.

Social welfare reform – The impact in local communities across Europe

On April 20th and 21st, European Social Network (ESN) members gathered in Brussels to explore the transformation of social welfare. The focus of the discussion was on the impact of the financial crisis in social welfare across Europe with a view to come up with areas of work for ESN for 2018- 2020.

The European Commission kick-starts the 2018 European Semester cycle by setting out economic and social policy priorities for the EU

The European Social Network (ESN) welcomes the greater prominence given to social issues in the Annual Growth Survey, the first step of the European Semester cycle.