UĦM Voice of the Workers eMagazine issue 49

VOICE OF THE

WORKERS ISSUE 49 DECEMBER 2014

Contents The pollination of actions and ideas

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NGOs The Case for Networking & Communicating Better 03 Active support for NGOs

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Working in Non-Governmental Organisations 06

Non-Governmental Organisations

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY It’s in the name – their defining trait is that these organisations work independently from government. More often than not, they fill in the gaps left by governments in their own countries, or on the international sphere. Most of these are also voluntary organisations.

According to local requirements, a voluntary organization is one where the overall control of the organization is in the hands of people who do not receive remuneration, they are open to members subject to their statute, and that there are no undue barriers to entry and exit of members. The organisations also need to be autonomous and non-profit.

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NGO’s are an essential element in every democracy. Not only do they provide services that government or the private sector do not cater for, but they are also active in proposing, defending and putting pressure on governments. The fields involved are extremely diverse: health, social, recreational, environmental, developmental, religious, cultural, historic, and much more. Some stakeholders suggest that the number of volunteers in Malta stands at around 12% of the Maltese adult population, although the exact number is difficult to define.

Many a time, they are the voice of people who decide to come together and make their voice

Civil Society In Action

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EDITOR’S NOTE JOSEF VELLA heard. The Belarusian writer and researcher Evgeny Morozov once wrote that “A vibrant civil society can challenge those in power by documenting corruption or uncovering activities like the murder of political enemies. In democracies, this function is mostly performed by the media, NGOs or opposition parties.´ On a social note, NGO’s take the moral and social responsibilities that many a time should be taken by governments.

It is essential that the NGO sector in Malta is protected, encouraged to grow, and given the necessary environment to be flourish.

Through the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, 1

EDITORIAL

NGO’s have a regulatory body that can help in giving these organisations an institutional framework from which they can operate. The Council for Voluntary Organisations was set up with the aim of representing the voluntary sector and promoting its interests.

Today, we are seeing a good number of NGO’s organising themselves in a way that helps their sustainability into the future through professional structures that enable them to remain financially stable and essentially relevant.

An essential aspect of effective volunteering and NGO’s is the aspect of networking.

Unfortunately, there are many organisations that still feel it problematic to wander beyond their confines and cooperate with other NGO’s, even if these are somewhat diverse in their philosophy. Many issues that are common to many organisations can be effectively pushed if people and organisations work together.

This has been proven in some environmental and social issues, where multiple organisations

came together and were effective in influencing public opinion as well as government policy.

We are living in a world where although technology is bringing us closer together, it can also alienate us to living individually. NGO’s can help in giving meaning to people’s lives, as well as contribute to the common welfare of the Maltese community as a whole. Workers in this sector deserve our praise and all our support. It is a very effective way of not just tolerating but celebrating our diversity.

PICTURE STORY

The pollination of actions and ideas NGO’s are essential to any democracy. The presence of NGO’s indicates diverse interests, issues and people.

The different people active in a plethora of organisations is a veritable lung in the life of every society. Many volunteers work hard and silently in areas they feel they can contribute. Volunteers are the silent heroes of any society and need to be encouraged. Both the volunteers, as well as the workers employed within their organisations, are the proverbial pollen that make a society bloom with life and vibrant colour.

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NGOs

FEATURE

THE CASE FOR NETWORKING & COMMUNICATING BETTER INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM GRECH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KOPIN

Kopin

empowering communities

How significant is the NGO sector in Malta?

How problematic is it to seek volunteers in 2014 Malta?

The NGO sector in Malta is quite significant especially in relation to the size of the country and its population. In fact, the sector relies heavily on volunteers and has well established organisations in various fields of work: health, disability, addiction, poverty, education, culture and the environment are the main areas.

Volunteering in Malta is quite common and the vast majority of NGOs owe their existence and operations to the numerous volunteers. I do not have any statistics at hand, but roughly speaking we could be speaking of just 5% of the persons involved within the NGO sector are employed staff of the VOICE OF THE

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organisations. The larger ones with established services have professionalised themselves and a couple would count a few hundred employees. However, even the larger NGOs rely heavily on volunteers.

Malta has, especially over the last five years, seen an exponential increase in foreign (mainly EU) students and young people spending anything between a couple of months and a year on the island in a placement or internship with an NGO. This is considered a valuable addition to the capacities of the NGOs. Our organisation works with schools and at University. We regularly receive requests from students (as young as 16 and 17) to carry out some volunteering either as part of their studies

or as a personal commitment.

The numbers are not that many, however, the stream is a steady one and the contributions are welcome and bring enthusiasm to the team.

What, in your view, are the main challenges generally faced by NGO’s in Malta?

The main challenges are lack of funding opportunities in relation to the size of the sector and fragmentation. In a way these two are related as many NGOs are trying to access the same funding opportunities or raising funds from a limited pool of benefactors. Networking is extremely tricky as NGOs are already struggling to maintain their own basic operations alive.

Linking up and partnering with other NGOs takes time and addresses long term issues. Many 3

FEATURE MEUSAC

feel that they are too caught up to survive in the short term and therefore long term planning is sacrificed. This is also one of the reasons behind a weak advocacy element within civil society.

Networking helps to strengthen the voice of organisations that have similar or related aims, while respecting the diversity and autonomy of each NGO. How, do you think, has the Commissioner for the Voluntary Organisations changed NGO’s operating landscape?

The VO Law and the establishment of the Office of the VO Commissioner have brought about a level playing field in terms of accountability and transparency. NGOs are now recognised as a legal entity and have a framework within which to operate. Most importantly, the public now know that there is a regulatory body that can take action against organisations that do not live up to their commitments. The Council for the Voluntary Sector is also a positive contribution to the NGO environment as it provides capacity building opportunities as well as a limited amount of funding.

What are the main benchmarks for the future success of NGO’s in Malta?

In my view, the NGO sector has to engage further and better with the public. The institutions, policy-makers and decisionmakers are already well aware of the contributions that these organisations bring to the wellbeing of our society. However, a good proportion of the public is still not fully aware of the role of civil society in a democratic society. Many still consider NGOs either as closed interest groups VOICE OF THE

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Volunteering in Malta is quite common and the vast majority of NGOs owe their existence and operations to the numerous volunteers that lobby politicians for their own personal gain or money making machines that abuse the system (especially when it comes to EU funding) while appearing as do-gooders. While abuse will linger, the opportunity for NGOs here is to provide the opportunity to individuals to open up to a critical and analytical mind frame.

Volunteering should provide a set of skills that makes better citizens of us, where persons contribute

to the common wellbeing without expecting the government or someone else to do it in their place. This is an extremely tricky area to establish any benchmarks and I will not venture any for the whole sector as it would be presumptuous. But going back and linking this to the issue of fragmentation I think that these two aspects can provide a unique opportunity to address some of the main challenges of NGOs in Malta.

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MEUSAC

Active support for NGOs MEUSAC was reactivated in 2008 and entrusted with 3 main tasks which include consultation on EU Policy and Legislation, providing technical assistance on EU Funding and providing EU information. Communication and cooperation is important and MEUSAC has always aimed to establish and maintain a healthy dialogue between those participating in the EU decision-making processes, thus encouraging proactiveness.

One of MEUSAC’s main goals is to include the engagement of civil society in the EU decisionmaking process. By doing so, MEUSAC encourages discussions on the impacts that proposed EU measures could have on Malta, its institutions, its specific sectors and ordinary citizens.

MEUSAC serves as a focal point for Government to consult with the political parties, constituted bodies and civil society on proposals for new EU laws and on their implementation in Malta. Consultation takes place in the Core Group which

discusses issues having national implications, in the nine sectoral committees as well as during open consultation sessions that target a wider spectrum of Maltese society. The nine Sectoral Committees which more or less mirror the Council Configurations are made up of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) which are members of MEUSAC. EU related updates to NGOs are very important, and these are sent to the members every fortnight. Generally, MEUSAC meetings deal with themes which happen to be on the EU agenda during that particular period. Dynamism is a key element within MEUSAC. It’s not just us who set the agenda; we also highly encourage NGOs to be proactive and approach us with their ideas or queries.

In line with its responsibilities, MEUSAC actively supports NGOs and local councils in their participation in EU programmes and funding. We provide personal assistance and support to in the practical aspects related to

EU Funding opportunities. In 6 years, MEUSAC has assisted local councils and NGOs to apply successfully a large number of projects representing a total value of almost €30 million.

MEUSAC is also the government entity responsible for the dissemination of EU related information. Besides providing information through the media, MEUSAC officials regularly reply to queries from stakeholders and the general public on EUrelated matters ranging from the individual’s rights as an EU citizen to EU funded opportunities.

MEUSAC is also the national contact point for the European Year for Development 2015 (EYD2015) and will organise various activities during the year. The MEUSAC team is looking forward to work with interested NGOs and Non-Governmental Development Organisations in order to make the best out of this opportunity.

Participation by NGOs, various stakeholders and citizens will make EYD2015 a valuable experience.

MEUSAC 280 Republic Street, Valletta VLT 1112 Tel: +356 2200 3315 • Fax: +356 2200 3329 • Email: info.meusac@gov.mt www.meusac.gov.mt VOICE OF THE

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MCESD

Working in Non-Governmental Organisations NON- GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS ARE AN EVER GROWING INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON. NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS HAVE A KEY ROLE TO PLAY IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIETY There are various types of NGOs including those related to health, environment, rights and political movements all of which provide an organisation within which members have a common goal and a common perspective on certain issues.

Working in this sector normally requires an ongoing dedication and one needs to be driven by passion for a particular cause mainly because individuals, especially in smaller NGOs, might be working on a voluntary basis. NGOs play a role also in the strive towards sustainable development. Working within such organisations, locally and internationally, is an enriching experience.

NGOs face numerous obstacles in their ongoing operations and are normally related to financial issues.

Currently there are Civil Society funds which are allocated to NGOs and distributed by the Ministry of Social Dialogue. This will assist in alleviating some of the financial burden of some NGOs. NGOs also play a key role in Social and Civil dialogue. Locally the Civil Society Committee within MCESD is composed of members of the voluntary sector. The Committee is composed of NGOs

representing various sectors namely: consumer affairs, health, elderly and pensioners, gender equality, professions, youth and students, sports, agriculture and fisheries, environment, education and community advancement, persons with disability and other organisations. This committee is a very inclusive one. As from 2012 the Chairperson of the committee is also an ex-officio member of the MCESD Council. Hence, today NGOs are at the forefront and playing an important role in our Council.

NGO leaders need to ensure that individuals working for their organisation are continuously motivated. Limited financial resources are usually a stumbling block and hence volunteers need to be motivated in innovative ways.

MCESD 280/3, Republic Street, Valletta, VLT1112 Tel: (+356) 2200 3300 www.mcesd.org.mt VOICE OF THE

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CIA

Civil Society In Action Civil society and NGO’s form a very important backbone of European culture. The Brussels office of the Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori has brought together different initiatives on this vital subject, focusing on the cross-fertilisation of ideas and networking.

European Year for Development 2015: what do you want to see?

Our world, our dignity, our future!

Video interviews with participants at the conference on the European Year for Development 2015 held in May 2014.

Through Connecting capacity Development, you can share knowledge with fellow practicioners and create groups on the capacity4dev.eu . For the European Year for Development 2015 you can get updates and give contributions by following the group at: http://capacity4dev.ec.europa.eu/eyd2015/ AidWatch Report: EU will miss historic aid pledge in 2015 CONCORD, the European confederation of Relief and Development NGOs, launched the ninth AidWatch report ‘Aid Beyond 2015’ which finds that: Despite growing humanitarian and development challenges, EU aid is off track to meet the 0.7% aid target in 2015 with a funding gap of €41billion.Only 4 EU countries are meeting aid targets: the UK, Sweden, Denmark and Luxembourg. More information are available here: http://www.concordeurope.org/news-room/item/375-aidwatchreport-eu-will-miss-historic-aid-pledge-in-2015

More information about the European Year for Development are available here: http://goo.gl/n3KBsy

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See more at: http://goo.gl/Clkt6s And join the conversation on the main topics through a twitter account on: twitter.com/social_platform

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