presentation

Supporting the sustainability of public/private/civil society partnerships to

promote fundamental rights:how to handle crises within a partnership?

Hamburg – 16 October 2007

Financed by the DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities

RESEAU FINANCEMENT ALTERNATIF(www.rfa.be)

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EUFIN background - phase 1

►In December 2004, RESEAU FINANCEMENT ALTERNATIF initiated a program entitled «Developing tools shared by public authorities and financial institutions to promote fundamental rights in the European Union» financed by the EC – DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

►17 European (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Northern Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, United Kingdom, Slovakia and Sweden) partnerships between public authorities, financial institutions and social economy organisations promoting fundamental rights were analysed.

►The programme 2004-2005 provided the opportunity to complete the following actions:– Identify and benchmark experiments and good practices conducted on a partnership basis by

public authorities, financial institutions and third sector organisations;

– Study content, application, monitoring and verification issues of these experiments and good practices;

– Explain and discuss these experiments and good practices;

– Check if and to what extent they may be reproduced in other European Union regions;

– Pool and coordinate these experiments and good practices so as to promote their convergence and transparency.


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Fundamental rights

The freedom to choose an occupation and the right to engage in work (article 15 of the European Union's Charter of fundamental rights)

The freedom to conduct a business (article 16)

Equality between men and women (article 23)

Protection of family life (article 33)

The right to social security and social assistance (article 34)

Access to services of general economic interest (article 36)

Environmental protection (article 37)


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EUFIN phase 1 partners

organisation pays Th

e fr

eedo

m to

cho

ose

an o

ccup

atio

n an

d th

e rig

ht to

eng

age

in w

ork

(15)

Th

e fr

eedo

m to

con

duct

a b

usin

ess

(16

)

Eq

ualit

y be

twee

n m

en a

nd w

omen

(23

)

Pro

tect

ion

of f

amily

life

(33

)

Th

e ri

ght t

o so

cial

sec

urity

and

soc

ial a

ssis

tanc

e (3

4)

Acc

ess

to s

ervi

ces

of g

ener

al e

cono

mic

inte

rest

(36

)

En

viro

nme

nta

l pro

tect

ion

(37)

Enigma Siebte Saüle Microlending GermanyFlemish health insurance fund BelgiumDevelopment solidarity-based finance systems in Lille FranceANDC - Associacao Nacional de Direito ao Crédito PortugalPortsmouth Savers Credit Union United KingdomCredit guarantee fund for setting up new companies in Göteborg SwedenOsiris – Prêt 5 sur 5 BelgiumMicrocredits per a dones emprenedores SpainSolidarity-based savings week FranceFondazione La Casa Onlus ItalyMicro Finance Coalition RomaniaFund for the Social and Sustainable Economy BelgiumAssociation for the Right to Economic Initiative FranceAspire micro loans for business Nothern IrlandBridges Community Venture United KingdomIntegra Foundation for women entrepreneurs SlovakiaKvinnors Företagande – loan for women entrepreneurship Sweden


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EUFIN background - phase 2

►Based on the need expressed by the delegates at the end of the 2004-2005 programme, the RESEAU FINANCEMENT ALTERNATIF and its partners have launched the second phase of the Eufin project.

►10 training sessions are scheduled during the second half of 2007 to support:

– the creation of public/private partnerships so as to promote basic rights;

– the continuation of public/private partnerships so as to promote fundamental rights.

These training courses are intended for public authorities and for mainstream financial institutions in order to draw their attention to the issue of the promotion of fundamental rights, but they are also directed to civil society organisations in order to promote the professionalisation of the social economy sector.


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Introduction

Training leaders: Hajo Streitberger (Enigma) – Bernard Bayot (Réseau Financement Alternatif)

Recorder: Annika Cayrol (Réseau Financement Alternatif)

Delegates: presentation and experience with partnerships


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Training objectives

Analysis

Tools and Communication

Solutions

Applying the Lessons Learned for the Next European Social Fund Funding Period


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Summary 1/2

08:30 Reception of delegates

09:00 Presentation of delegates, objectives of the training session09:15 – Analysis • How can we identify alarm warnings of a potential crisis within a partnership?• How can stakeholders identify the existence or development of a crisis jeopardizing the long-term action of the partnership?• How can the development of the action and/or partnership generate risks of crisis?

10:15 - Coffee Break & Visit of Enigma

11:00 – Tools and Communication• Can a crisis be prevented in the partnership via the optimum use of management tools?• How does optimum strategic planning contribute to the minimisation of risks of crisis within the partnership?• How can regular assessments of the action and partnership help to avoid crises within the partnership?• Can an open communication mode prevent or eliminate a potential source of conflict within a partnership?• How can we introduce a system enabling open and regular communications with partners?• Can interpersonal relationships between partners make it possible to facilitate crisis handling?


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Summary 2/2

12:30 - Lunch Break

13:45 – Solutions• How can a crisis be solved within a partnership while meeting the desires of all parties, to avoid detrimental effects on the action?• How can the source of the crisis be positively identified?• How can we identify potential solutions and find common ground?• How can we apply and enforce the solution which has been opted for?

15:15 - Coffee Break

15:30 – Applying the Lessons Learned for the Next European Social Fund Funding Period

• Has the given date of the end of a project partnership lead to a crisis?• How can the partners be prepared for such a foreseeable crisis? • Which are the proven measures in such a crisis?• Can the lessons learned in the past, be utilized for future partnerships? • How can the lessons learned be transferred into a new partnership? • How can the co-operation with proven partners be continued? • How can the core competences of additional potential partners be identified?

17:00 - End of Training Day


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1. Analysis

1.1 How can we identify alarm warnings of a potential crisis within a partnership?

Repetitive absences from meetings

Non-execution of certain tasks

Retaining information

Less commitment

Lack of motivation

Non-resolved conflicts


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1. Analysis

1.2 How can stakeholders identify the existence or development of a crisis jeopardizing the long-term action of the partnership?

Beware of latent or hidden conflicts

Make sure stakeholders agree with conflict resolution solutions

Limit future consequences of present conflicts


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1. Analysis

1.3 How can the development of the action and/or partnership generate risks of crisis?

Discrepancies about the action or action objectives

Disagreement concerning integration of new partners

Different level of work provided by different partners

Roles and responsibilities confusion

These situations are difficult to avoid but can be anticipated by: Promoting trust, communication and open dialogue

Always try to reach consensus

Be clear, concise and coherent


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Coffee break

Enigma Visit


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2. Tools and Communication

2.1 Can a crisis be prevented in the partnership via the optimum use of management tools?

Management tools can help prevent a partnership crisis but:

Individuals play a bigger role and can become obstacles

Outside events such as political changes or new regulations can be more decisive in the well-being of a partnership


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2.2 How does optimum strategic planning contribute to the minimisation of risks of crisis within the partnership?

Here we talk about an organisational crisis

Importance of preparation time to elaborate vision, objectives and action plans

Usually early partnership crisis are due to lack of preparation time


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2.3 How can regular assessments of the action and partnership help to avoid crises within the partnership?

Regular assessments help to discover early alarm signs

Evaluation through control procedures tries to improve the partnerships organisation and resource allocation – thus helps prevent crisis

Evaluation also measures results and thus tries to avoid crisis by corrective actions

Evaluation should be perceived as a way to progress and not a threat

However, evaluations are not a guarantee that crisis will not appear Because evaluation procedures control procedures and corrective actions

must be relevant


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2.4 Can an open communication mode prevent or eliminate a potential source of conflict within a partnership?

Trust is a key word

Open communication allows faster reactivity between partners

Communication should be done Vertically: between the planning and the operational parties

Horizontally: exchange with other similar partnership experiences


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2.5 How can we introduce a system enabling open and regular communications with partners?

Positive feedback mechanisms: Management reports

Newsletters

Regular meetings, formal and informal

Important to adapt written reports to entities’ language: i.e. financial reports (payment deadlines, owed reimbursements, amounts…) to financial institutions; more action-oriented reports for social actors and a mix for public authorities


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2.6 Can interpersonal relationships between partners make it possible to facilitate crisis handling?

Partners’ commitment is proportional to their participation to meetings, personal interviews and steering committees

Regular meetings initiated by project leaders

Steering committee: project evolution, opinion on implemented strategy and follow up on partners contribution (financial and qualitative)

Personal and informal relationships (via email, telephone, Skype…) promote action objectives and help to resolve conflicts


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Lunch break


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3. Solutions

3.1 How can a crisis be solved within a partnership while meeting the desires of all parties, to avoid detrimental effects on the action?

Find real cause of the crisis

Discuss solutions with all partners

Try to reach a consensus

Keep focus on objectives


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3.2 How can the source of the crisis be positively identified?

Finding a solution is not an option, it is an obligation among partners

Do not stay with generalities ‘it is not working’ but

Understand all disagreement causes and reasons of non-cooperation

To find out real source of crisis

Consequences of non-resolution of conflict can be the following:

Problems will persist

Individuals will continue to follow own agenda

Increased cynicism and division

3. Solutions


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3.3 How can we identify potential solutions and find common ground?

Whether internal or external, potential solutions usually come through consensus or compromise

Four steps are ideal to find solutions Define the problem/issue

Understand the problem and see who is implicated

Identify possible solutions

Choose a solution and implement it

Positive and open attitudes are required to manage a crisis

The help of an external mediator / expert can help find solutions

Judicial recourses should only be used as last resort

3. Solutions


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3.4 How can we apply and enforce the solution which has been opted for?

Easier if partners previously have crisis management skills

Solution applied should appeal to all stakeholders

Steering committee can be the entity « enforcing » the solution

3. Solutions


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Coffee break


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4. Applying the Lessons Learned for the Next European Social Fund Funding Period

4.1 Has the given date of the end of a project partnership lead to a crisis?

Crisis or salvation?


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4.2 How can the partners be prepared for such a foreseeable crisis?

Preparing the end

Managing the change


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4.3 Which are the proven measures in such a crisis?

Stop or go?

With whom and without whom?


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4.4 Can the lessons learned in the past, be utilized for future partnerships?

Saving the lessons learned

Saving the experience

Learning organisation


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4.5 How can the lessons learned be transferred into a new partnership?

Taking experienced partners on board

Taking the experienced people on board


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4.6 How can the co-operation with proven partners be continued?

Common purpose

Letter of Intention

Speaking with each other: planning


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4.7 How can the core competences of additional potential partners be identified?

Identifying the own core competences

Which other core competences would add value?

Creating a call for partners

Distributing it and waiting for response...


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Please take the time to fill the training assessment form and thank you for your attention!

Have a nice evening!!

5. Training assessment and thank you

presentation

Documents

partnership basis

risks of crisis

new partnership

crisis handling

foreseeable crisis

potential crisis w

action andor partnership

social assistance article