Vision

Winning Team – a base for real and constructive reform

Long term targets– 1-5 years

1. ERGO develops a functional and efficient organisational matrix for grass roots Roma organisations

2. ERGO national networks- ERGO becomes the most recognisable and trusted networks of Roma grass roots organisations able to share and replicate its success especially at the local and national level

3. ERGO owns and develops the most comprehensive knowledge sharing Roma platform focused on grass roots and community development

4. ERGO partners become main partners of the local administrations and stakeholders in European Initiatives focused at social inclusion and alleviation of poverty in Roma communities.

5. ERGO becomes one of the main expert Roma organisations on structural funds (the only one most probably on the international scene)

6. ERGO –is the preferred partner of the European Commission when it comes to grass roots organisations and policy implementation at the level of communities

7. ERGO – is the expert international organisation on social inclusion of Roma ( related to European policies but with a strong national background )

8. The European Commission uses ERGO expertise for its NAPs and JIMs with chapters on Roma

9. ERGO becomes well recognised in the Parliament and will be the main partner in activities of the European Parliament related to its expertise

10. One of ERGO’s most visible activists gets involved in the Parliament activities either as an MEP or as a Roma advisor for one of the existing parties

11. ERGO builds long and strategic coalitions with main international NGOs and becomes involve in their activities especially at the level of trainings in the EU member states.

Rationale

There are no, or false dichotomies between the grass roots movement and international activism. Those two need to be linked and facilitate the mobility of people involved. We need to make sure we are not developing a close model which restricts the migration of grassroots activists towards local administrations, national governments or international institutions and the other way around.

We can develop a flexible system which could attract high level political figures and intellectuals into grass roots and which could also promote and advocate for the inclusion of grass roots activists in high level structures. The idea is not to dilute but strengthen and give visibility to Roma grass root organisations.

Positive case studies and failures of the grassroots are the vital part in promoting a healthy approach to Roma related policies but also and most important in a Roma movement connected to the communities.

We could be what is missing the most in the existing Romani movement the connections of politicians with the realities of our communities.

The creation of role models capable of attracting more people in the grass roots once they leave and also the return to the grass roots of the existing role models are a way to ensure the continuity and success of a grass roots movement as proven by the Green movement in Europe.

ERGO needs to provide a hardcore (nucleus) group of dedicated activists able to stimulate a reform process.

This group needs to be stimulated and capacitated. By becoming a reliable partner for the EU Commission ERGO can direct trainings and funds dedicated to capacity building towards its network partners. This will stimulate not just the organisations but finally the communities as people will see real opportunities for change.

ERGO will also provide stimulus to the existing leadership for improvement as could become a springboard for other employment in both directions – outside the grassroots or inside.

First Steps

The existing ERGO nucleus will start a debate focused on efficiency and team building stimulated by the secretariat. The final product of this debate would be a paper detailing the steps to maximise the cohesion and participation within the network as well as steps forward in extending and strengthening the network with new and active organisations. At the same time the secretariat will initiate exploratory meetings in order to build knowledge and trust with partner organisations (field visits to all partner organisations) and also explore ways to maximise its impact at the grass roots level. The conclusion of these meetings and plans for improvement will be summarized in a working paper to be presented for the approval of the ERGO members which will be a road map for the future 2 to 5 years and detail the ways ERGO keeps its strong involvement in the grass roots activities and has a strong profile and influence at the high political level.

Regular working meetings and an efficient strategy for using other events (as trainings of the European Commission, Conferences…) to bring together the ERGO network will be used to strengthen the network and the information exchange but also to introduce ERGO to new potential members.

In the meantime the secretariat will work to prove its value for its members. Succesful conclusion of this phase would lead to the formalisation of ERGO as a network with its first GA based in proportion of at least 60% on its existing members. Efforts to attract other organisations in the GA will be made.

The first GA will be organised in the last semester of 2006 and will propose a chair and three to five board members.