The European Federation for Street Children (EFSC) prepares for 2010 European Year to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion.

Project development meeting to be held on 13.05.2009 in Brussels.

EFSC and its member organizations` joint advocacy efforts aim at bringing the issue of street children higher in the agenda of the EU and of the Member States. On 13 th of May 2009, NGOs from 10 EU countries will meet to discuss joint actions within the European Year 2010. A representative from the European Commission will present key priorities and ways of applying for grants at national level for projects against child poverty and exclusion. Fintan Farrell, Director of the European Anti-Poverty Network will speak about involvement and participation of European networks within the frame of European Year 2010.

EFSC aims at making street children a key target group of the European Year against poverty and Social Exclusion 2010. In order to achieve this goal and to gain a maximum awareness-raising effect, it will coordinate and catalyse the national actions of its member's organisations. A project development meeting to be held in Brussels on 13 th of May 2009 will bring together NGOs representatives from different European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, UK), experts and representatives from EU institutions in order to discuss joint actions and to ensure a high level of awareness raising campaigns on the phenomenon of street children within the European Year 2010. Marie Panayatopoulos- Cassiotou MEP will present the EP report on the European Year 2010.

Combating poverty and social exclusion- media campaigns on European and national level

The fundamental goal of the preparatory actions to the European Year 2010 will be to set the framework for a joint awareness-raising campaign of EFSC and its members to be initialised in 2009 and to be fully operational by 2010. The project development meeting will help to identify key awareness-raising messages and to establish an operational framework for joint actions during the 2010 year campaign. The campaign will have a strong media focus and will promote the participation of street children in the policy-making process by providing them with a space for telling their stories, thus making the street children issue more visible, and promoting cohesion in accordance with the Strategic Framework Document for the European Year 2010.

Additionally, the workshop will provide EFSC member organizations with the necessary information to successfully apply for funding under the European Year 2010 at national level, and to collectively define a co-ordinated project of EFSC member organisations at EU level in order to ensure maximum exchange, coherence, and effectiveness.

For the program, please visit our website: http://www.efsceu.org/uploads/fmanager/program_ey_2010_seminar.pdf

If you would like to take part in the seminar or obtain any further information please contact:

Marta Anna Bulik

Information, PR and Sponsorship Officer

European Federation for Street Children (EFSC)

Square Vergote 34, B-1030 Brussels

Tel: +32 2 347 78 48, Fax: +32 2 347 79 46

E-mail: marta.bulik@efsc-eu.org Website: http://www.efsc-eu.org