1. Structured cooperation BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE EXAMPLE OF IMPLEMENTING ESTONIAN CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT

2. Network of estonian nonprofit organisations NENO ADVOCACY: enabling environment for civil society CIVIC AWARENESS: civic education and public debates CAPACITY BUILDING: sustainable CSOs and skilled partners

3. COMMITTEE/COUNCIL IS A TOOL FOR COOPERATION PRIORITIES IN COOPERATION PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATION RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN COOPERATION IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING

4. ESTONIAN CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT... The Government of the Republic of Estonia and representatives of citizens' associations will establish a joint committee for launching a system of elaborating plans of action for implementing the EKAK, for fulfilment of these plans and assessing their results.

5. IMPLEMENTATION OF ESTONIAN CIVIL SOCIETY DEVLOPMENT CONCEPT JOINT DECISIONS JOINT COMMITTEE AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR INVOLVEMENT OF MEMBERS, TARGET GROUPS PLAN OF ACTIVITIES STRATEGY; ACTION PLANS; BUDGET CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT PLAN WORKING GROUPS MONITORING GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT, REPORT TO GOVERNMENT HEARING AT THE PARLIAMENT EVERY TWO YEARS

6. HOW TO ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE? 1.EQUAL AND RESPECTED REPRESENTATION – let the sector choose their own representatives, encourage discussion and cooperation in the sector. 2.MOTIVATION, COMMITMENT TO IMPACT – trust in cooperation. Involvement of experts and share of resources. Respect towards partners. 3.CLEAR VISION AND AGENDA – what will lead the work (strategy, concept, development plan)? 4.OUTPUT – what can be achieved as a result of discussions and advice? How are the decisions used? 5.TRANSPARENT ACTION – how do representatives talk to their constituencies? How the Council and its work is presented? Can be a way to raise public awareness.

7. COMMITTEE DOES NOT REPLACE PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS but can be used as an advisory body to design good consultations, or advocate for involving the rest of the sector COMMITTEE DOES NOT REPLACE PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS but can be used as an advisory body to design good consultations, or advocate for involving the rest of the sector MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE NEED TO WORK FOR THE ENVIRONMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY, which sometimes means leaving own needs behind MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE NEED TO WORK FOR THE ENVIRONMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY, which sometimes means leaving own needs behind MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HAVE TO INVEST TIME AND RESOURCES MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE HAVE TO INVEST TIME AND RESOURCES

8. REGULATION OF THE COMMITTEE: ESTONIAN EXAMPLE Approves the Civil Society Development Plan before it is submitted to the Government Approves the Civil Society Development Plan before it is submitted to the Government Approves implementation reports of Development Plan Approves implementation reports of Development Plan Assesses and gives opinions on how public sector-civil society cooperation principles are followed Assesses and gives opinions on how public sector-civil society cooperation principles are followed Discusses problems and suggests solutions on implementing Development Plan, improving public sector-civil society cooperation. Discusses problems and suggests solutions on implementing Development Plan, improving public sector-civil society cooperation.

9. SET-UP HOW ARE CS REPRESENTATIVES SELECTED? HOW HIGH LEVEL REPRESENTATION IS NEEDED? WHO IS IN LEAD IN THE COOPERATION? ARE THERE ANY RESOURCES? HOW TO GUARANTEE OPENNESS AND TRANSPARANCY?

10. HOW MEMBERS ARE SELECTED? ESTONIAN EXAMPLE Maximum number of members is 24: – not more than half are government representatives; - at least half should be civil society representatives. Government representatives and representatives of government institutions are nominated by the institution. Civil Society representatives are chosen in an open call Members represent their organization and target groups. For that they share materials and solutions of the Committee to their members and employees and involve them in shaping opinions.

11. ESTONIAN EXAMPLE: members Ministry of Education Ministry of Justice Ministry of Culture Ministry of Finance Ministry of Social Affairs Ministry of Interior Government Office Parliament representative NENO Open Estonia Foundation Estonian Evangelical Lutheric Church Environment organisations Village Movement Students Union Child Welfare Union Debate Society Policy Research Centre Praxis Enterprise Estonia National Foundation for Civil Society Association of Local Governments

12. REPRESENTATIVES AND LEADERSHIP Open call vs nomination Open call vs nomination  Criteria: different policy areas, wide membership or network, expertise, motivation?  How wide/large should be the council: should social partners be involved? Which public authorities? How are members selected?  For how long period of time are members nominated?  Who takes the leading role?  Can co-leadership be discussed?  Is rotation in leadership an option?  Responsibility of representatives  Guidelines or agreements for involving rest of the sector  Enough time for consultations before-hand

13. HOW TO GET STARTED: One way of PRACTICE ACTION PLANS two-year period combination of resources reporting in the Committee – reporting to the Government – reporting to the Parliament 3 CO-LEADED WORKING GROUPS: I funding and infrastructure; II legal issues and involvement; III civic education and public awareness.

14. PROCESS STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE/COUNCIL Decision making body, expert team or monitoring body? Or several of these? What is expected from its members? STEP 2: NOMINATE MEMBERS Open process and right of civil society to nominate its representatives. STEP 3: DESIGN THE COOPERATION Discuss and divide responsibility, agreement on how the committee works. Roles of members - who can raise issues, what kind of issues? How tasks are set? STEP 4 : OPEN ACTION Start working and share your results. Link reasonably with other processes supporting civil society development (eg open governance, education, etc)

15. Maris Jõgeva Executive Director Network of Estonian Nonprofit Organisations info@ngo.eeinfo@ngo.ee; www.ngo.ee www.ngo.ee info@ngo.eewww.ngo.ee maris@ngo.ee