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Letter from the CEO


Dear members and friends of ESN,

With the publication of the Annual Review 2010, ESN reviews its activities in 2010 and celebrates the achievements of the last three years. The publication is also available in français, deutsch, español, italiano, polski and magyar.

Thanks to the support of the European Commission, ESN created extensive opportunities for mutual learning for its members and other stakeholders. Membership of ESN has almost doubled in the last three years and we have been able to offer greater support to Members at national events, as well as being more active than ever in EU-level policy work through Presidency events, consultations and peer reviews.

Our policy work in 2010 included position papers on the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, the European Pact on Mental Health and Wellbeing, the Child Rights Strategy and the Voluntary Quality Framework on Social Services.

We also diversified the content we produce, notably under the banner of the European Year 2010, with two short films and a collection of stories about service users’ perceptions and experience of social exclusion.

2010 saw Europe make a renewed commitment to social inclusion in the new decade. Speaking at the European Social Services Conference in Barcelona in June, Commissioner Andor told delegates: “Social services, including ... leaders and managers in local and regional government, have an important role to play in helping lift 20 million people out of poverty and social exclusion.”

ESN closed 2010 – and the three-year programme 2008-10 – with a Members’ Workshop in Brussels in December. This event was not only about sharing our achievements, but also about shaping our future. Some demanding and exciting priorities emerged from this meeting, and we look forward to working on them with members and friends of ESN in 2011 and beyond.

With best wishes,

John Halloran
Chief Executive