2015-01-20

Course: Sustainable NGOs

Sustainable NGOs is part of the LLP project "YesYouCan How to support the cultural activities of disadvantaged groups". It is inviting organisations in the field of culture management especially those involved in training. Organisations can request funds from the National Agency of Erasmus+ of their country to travel and participate in the course. This initiative started following the involvement of VisMedNet - an organisation that is sustained by corporate partner organisations from a variety of sectors from various countries around Europe in the field of training and education, employment and project management.

"Yes You Can" pooled together experience and expertise as well as examples of good practice of small organisations when it comes to seeking opportunities for fund raising and financial support for their activities. It is a learning partnership partly funded by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning programme. During the project lifetime the partners had meetings in Poland, the Netherlands, Turkey, France, Slovakia and a final meeting in Malta. The main result of the project is the publication "The Practical Guide on Funding for Culture 2014-2020" as the result of two years of working on strategies required for small organisations that wish to find the best way forward towards the sustainability of their activities. It is a joint effort between a European partnership in favour of small time cultural operators working mostly with disadvantaged groups. Small organisations, be they public or private, can benefit from the use of the guide that helps making the right strategic decisions towards funding and feasibility. The guide will help users reflect about themselves through the use of tools that inspire an honest inventory of resources and possibilities, understanding what one wishes to do and where a small organisation wishes to go.

The course "Sustainable NGOs" is intended for individuals and organisations to find the best way forward for the sustainability of their activities through the development of the right digital and funding strategies that are fit for the size and ambitions of the operation. The course is in part based on the Practical Guide and will involve practical and engaging sessions on the setting of cultural operations on to viable avenues.

Deadline is 4th February for youth organisations and 4th March 2015 for others


Before the start of the course the participants will be invited to join an online discussion forum on the mission and ambitions of their respective ambitions at individual and organisational level. This will not only help participants know about each other but it will start up the networking frame of mind that is usually the hallmark of the activities of VisMedNet Association. It will also establish the lines of discussion that will be developed during the days of the course.

The course has two objectives:

  • the development of the right mindset for participants who will work at balancing small time possibly non-commercial operations in NGOs and such small operations with a consciousness of issues related to viability, economic feasibility and long / medium term planning through a professional approach
  • the excitement of the minds of the participants to active and constructive networking that is part of a strategy to reduce dependence on sponsorships and financing and a reorientation to raise funds by tapping and generating new opportunities for oneself and for the beneficiaries of one's actions.
Methodology

The content of the course is high on interaction and will involve areas of activities that are general and common to any small voluntary or cultural operation and areas in which participants will work on their own plans for short and medium term.
Tools engaged in the course will include :

  • scenario building and foresight tools and techniques,
  • profile development and digital footprint generation for organisations operating in youth, culture and the social sector,
  • development of audiences and followership, community building strategies and
  • techniques for internationalisation mindset of visibility or action for growth even in the case of strictly local operations
At the end of the course the participants will develop a short and medium term plan for themselves and for their respective organisations in the very same forum that will have been started as preparation before the course. This will serve as a concluding note and as the start of further networking between the partners and the participants in key with the networking spirit that will also be one of the topics of the training course.

It is possible to request funding from the National Agencies under the ERASMUS+ KA1 mobility of staff. Applications for funding need to be submitted to the National Agency of the country of each organisation. It is important to choose the form that is the one that fits the organisation best. For more information, hints and texts that should go into the application have a look here.

You can find the course background and programme on this page. For more information about the "YesYouCan!" project visit this or this website.

If your organisation wishes to send participants for this training please get in touch on directorate@vismednet.net
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