PROPOSED STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR 2013-2016

by ALDA

Strategic points for ALDA An instrument for peace and good local governance;

Actions based on the European values of human rights and democracy;

Catalyst of good will, ideas and visionary attitudes and actions to promote local governance and citizen participation, within the European project;

ALDA must be a strong voice and a political activist to promote the European project belonging to its citizens and being closer to them.

Objectives To be among the major supports for regional and local

governance and citizens support in Europe and its neighbouring areas;

To strengthen the existing LDAs and enlarge the towards East and South;

To enlarge and strengthen the membership basis;

To strengthen the sustainability of LDAs and ALDA;

To strengthen internal organisation.

Themes Support to decentralisation and development of capacities and awareness of local and

regional authorities;

Civic initiatives, citizens participation and volunteering and empowerment of civil society;

Cooperation between local authorities and civil society and multilevel governance;

Decentralised cooperation and development and cooperation with the support of local authorities and civil society;

Protection of human and minority rights;

Sustainable economic development;

Promotion of European integration or rapprochement in the acceding and neighbouring countries.

Methodologies

Coordinating and supporting the 13 Local Democracy Agencies;

Own projects

Supporting other local stakeholders’ initiatives

Geographic Coverage ALDA works in Europe and in the acceding countries and in particular in Western Balkans

and in the European neighbourhood (East and South).

In blue : with LDAs In green : potential countries for future LDAs

Support for Projects and Activities

With an internal subdivision of this task between ALDA EU and ALDA

Cooperation (see later) especially based on donors’ orientation;

Some innovative projects with the coordinated approach to some new

stakeholders (like Foundations of private funding);

With the participation to EGEI the area MED, Adriatic and Black Sea;

For the development of technical assistance

Involve mainly the LDAs

Involve mainly the members of ALDA

Focus on evaluation of impact and result

Stay closer to civil society groups and local authorities

Horizontal features;

Youth employment and effects of the crisis;

Climate change and sustainable environment;

Focusing on cross generation ;

Gender balance;

Attention to disabilities;

Voluntarism;

Focus on LDAs More stringent norms regulating the LDAs for

homogeneity and effectiveness;

Enlargement to EaP and MED and strengthening

of the network;

Transition in Croatia.

Sustainability of the LDAs

Stringent norms for network;

Adding a new staff for LDAs support;

To connect the membership to ALDA with a specific part

dedicated to an LDA (that will be voluntarily indicated by

the member of ALDA);

Sense of belonging to the network (both for LDAs and

partners);

Shared and common visibility policy for ALDA and LDAs.

Membership Oriented Organisation

More work with the GB (groups)

Target to 200 members

Each GB member should participate in the enlargement !

Targeted approach !

Coordinator per Country – animator

Mass support : NOT a membership but campaigns !

Map of the countries where we have members (and numbers per country)

Proposed Groups Operational ones: Current Affairs and Administration, Members' issues, Local

Democracy Agencies support;

Thematic ones: Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership Mediterranean area,

Citizens' participation and Local Governance .

Service oriented Better understand the members (ID card);

Strengthen the services.

Communication

Focus on political visibility and relevance;

Increased visibility among the relevant stakeholders – see

communication document – global outreach;

Tangible support of the GB members;

Internal communication;

Publication.

Organisational changes I

1- Internal subdivision of the activities in ALDA EU and ALDA Cooperation:

ALDA Cooperation (for all the funds supporting actions outside the EU, acceding countries and Neighbouring

countries – and all the LDAs programmes – and further away);

ALDA EU (for all the actions implemented within the EU member States).

2- Setting up the role of the Secretary General and the Secretariat:

The team coordinated by the Secretary General is the Secretariat :

Administration and members’ relations

Finances

Communication and Public Relations

Support Development and Capacity building

Project coordination

Policy office

Support to LDAs

Organisational changes II

The office in Skopje, the centre of development in IPA region;

Activities of the Scientific Committee.

Organisational Changes IIICurrent Situation In three years time

Finance

We must diversify the possible partners in order not to engage excessively the resources of the European Commission;

Strengthen technical assistance and services (growing area).

Income

Not all the incomes have the same impact on

sustainability. Indeed, some of them are mainly

allocated to the support of the structure, like the

operating grant and also the Technical

Assistance support.

Trends Growing position of Devco – European Commission;

Support for Europe for Citizens, ALDA EU programmes;

Specific strategy on technical assistance could be developed so that

to increase up to 10% of the budget this dimension (today is 2%);

The support of the LDAs (now up 2,2 %);

The membership fees could also be raised with a stronger strategy

and staff support up 5%;

A specific policy on Private/Foundation and donations could also be

developed (so far 0,3 % of the budget).

ACTION PLANS PROPOSED: 1ST YEARMembers issues Activation of the Committees of the Governing Board

  Activation of the Country groups and coordinator

  Active research for new members/with support of country coordinators and Governing Board

  Activate mass supportScientific committee Elaboration of ToR and research

Evaluation Elaboration of the criteria

Development Active search for development of foundations support and alternative funding of the EU

  Focus on the EYAC activities 2013

  Initial activities of EEGI

Development of the LDAs Development of the LDAs in Croatia Opening of an LDA in Eap

  Elaboration of new guidelines and norms for stronger cooperation and integration of LDAs in ALDA

  Development of the LDAs in the Med area

Staff issues Initial organisation of the staff according to plan and test of the efficiencyResponsibilities of EU and Cooperation among the exisiting staff

  Steps for the Secretary General position

  Strengthening the horizontal features and cooperation among staff

  Empowerment and strengthening Office in Skopie

Communication outreach Putting in place the outreach and PR strategy described

Horizontal issues Development of a concrete plan for implementation of horizontal issues

Publication Focus on the assessment of our action on action citizenship and capitalization of our work

ACTION PLANS PROPOSED: 2nd YEAR and 3rd YEAR

Evaluation First evaluation of activities and LDAs Scientific committee Activity of the Scientific committee Members issues Activation of the Committees of the Governing Board  Activation of the Country groups and coordinator  Active research for new members/with support of country coordinators and

Governing Board

  Activate mass support   Finances Active search for development of foundations support and alternative funding of

the EU

Development of the LDAs Development of the LDAs in Croatia Opening of an LDA in Eap

  Development of the LDAs in the Med areaStaff issues Assessment of the changes introduced and consolidations of the positions

Communication and outreach Evaluation of the results and strengthening capacities

Publication Yearly publications    3rd year    After one year, general assessment of the strategic views and definition of the

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