The second conference of the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) programme “Supporting the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights and synergies with other EU programmes and initiatives” was held online on 23-24 March 2021.
Around 20 key EU-level NGO networks have been supported each year by the EaSI programme to feed into better policy making and increase awareness of social and employment priorities for the EU. FEBA is one of these 20 EU-level NGO networks and Angela Frigo (FEBA Secretary General) was invited as a speaker in a panel dedicated to NGOs and their adaptation attitude to change. The keynote speaker Dr. Gorgi Krlev (Centre for Social Investment, University of Heidelberg) explored how different sectors and the EU-level NGO networks’ member organisations have adapted to change (e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic, the green and digital transitions) during the 2014-2020 programming period. The panel also discussed how social innovation can be boosted to address social challenges and meet the needs of society.
The conference was organised across two consecutive days, mixing plenary sessions and workshops. It brought together more than 200 representatives of national, regional and local authorities, civil society organisations (including non-governmental organisations (NGOs)), public employment services, the European Commission and other EU institutions, higher education institutions and research institutes, social and private enterprises, and social partners.
The conference also explored opportunities for synergies to be created within the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), notably between direct and shared management, and with other relevant EU programmes and initiatives, such Horizon Europe and InvestEU. The six interactive sessions covered policy priorities of the EaSI strand of ESF+ in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights as well as cross-cutting issues.
To have more information and download the PPT presentation and the executive summary – visit the dedicated webpage here.
