MEGAN POLICY REFERENCE GROUPS

Linda Pizani Williams

EISS

This project has been funded with support from the European Union Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013).For more information see http://ec.europa.eu/progressThe information contained in this publication does not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission.

CONTEXT

• PROGRESS programme is intended to test innovative ideas to combat social exclusion.

• If interventions are successful, to what extent they can be upscaled and/or transferred to other policy areas.

• Policy Reference Groups are the vehicle for upscaling or transferring innovation.

Establishing a Policy Reference Group

• Engaging relevant actors

• Presenting the benefits of mentoring

• How it can impact on different target groups

• What is needed to make it happen

• How to evaluate the impact

• What support is needed and available

Challenges

• Familiar concept used in several policy areas – i.e. what’s new? (UK)

• Public sector and financial constraints limit participation in new developments

• Unrealistic expectations

• Need to identify best practice (Quality Standards)

• Need to demonstrate effectiveness

What Has Been Achieved

• UK – brought together NGO sector and Cabinet Office (cross government department unit)

• Portugal – assigned specific roles to PRG members; training the trainer courses for Red Cross, Prison staff and others with different target groups

• Hungary - identified key issues and engaged mentors and local professionals in joint problem solving

Lessons Learned

• No clear or common definition of mentoring

• Identify need and raise awareness

• Personal model to respond to need

• Mentors benefit as much as mentees

• Training is a key element

• Needs sustained funding

• Need to evaluate to demonstrate impact

Personal Perspectives

• PORTUGAL– MARIA SIMOES – Portuguese Red Cross

• HUNGARY– EMOKE BOTH – BAGazs PBA

• UK– DARREN COYNE – The Care Leavers Assn