EU CORD advocacy successes 28 November 2012

‘TVET’ Mysterious acronym In simple terms: vocational training / skills development Enabling young people to – Get ready for the job market – Become an entrepreneur – Obtain gainful employment Logical and necessary follow-up to normal education

How we did it Started in 2008 Small group of like-minded EU CORD members ‘EU CORD TVET Advocacy Cluster’ Come together, make Terms of Reference and action plan Meet a few times a year to monitor progress EU CORD facilitated, Woord en Daad coordinated, other group members contributed

Where we focussed on Not the Parliament Not the Council But the European Commission And Member State level (NL) No publicity, just lobbying: informal meetings, later participation in open consultations

TVET advocacy toolbox Desk study, mapping Position paper – Literature review – Good practices EU CORD members Submissions in written consultations Oral presentations in physical consultations One-to-one meetings, phone and contacts with officials

TVET advocacy results Putting TVET higher on the agenda: consultations 2011 Inclusion of TVET in ‘An Agenda for Change’, the guiding EU policy document for the years to come Unfinished business…

‘DRR’ Again a mysterious acronym Disaster Risk Reduction Making sure that Disaster Risk Reduction becomes a standard and core element of – Relief programs – Development programs DRR was really a new topic and did not figure on the EU’s agenda

How we did it VOICE working group on DRR formed in March organisations from 7 different EU member states Involves agencies among the leading ECHO partners in the field of DRR Established itself as main reference point for EC with NGOs on DRR policy and practice Working group chaired by EU CORD

Where we focussed on Not the Council But the European Commission (DG DevCo and DG ECHO), The European Parliament, Member states (e.g. Tearfund / DfID in the UK), And global level

DRR Advocacy toolbox Desk study, mapping (scan of EU Country Strategy Papers) Position paper Submissions in written consultations (e.g. EU Consensus on Humanitarian Aid, EU policy on adaptation to climate change) Oral presentations in physical consultations Phone and contacts with officials

DRR Advocacy successes Effective engagement with EU on DRR issues Developing and nurturing relationships with key EC officials and MEPs Development, agreement and use of VOICE DRR policy recommendations for Consensus on Humanitarian Aid Communication on Humanitarian Aid, Parliament report and final EU consensus all include good content on DRR, which reflects recommendations made and consistently used by working group

Success factors Commitment of people and their organisations to a group Shared vision, shared advocacy goals Window of opportunity at EU level Using practical development experience to underpin advocacy message Continuous networking