Positive outcomes of EPF Capacity Building Programme in Romania

Romania was the first country to complete the two first phases of the EPF Capacity Building Programme (CBP). An evaluation was conducted at the end of each stage, consisting of training on strategic and operational planning respectively. It is now time to take stock during the implementation to transfer this learning to the other participative countries.

We launched our Capacity Building Programme in 2012 as a response to needs identified by our membership. The programme aims at supporting the development of organisational capacities and advocacy skills of patients’ organisations at national and European levels.

Romanian patients’ organisations participating in the Programme were very positive about the experience. They acknowledged the benefits of this training not only in building organisational skills, but also on how their organisation is now perceived externally.

“Before the Programme, we were rather disorganised and we were talking about our activities for hours. Now we put in practice the working methods we have learned with the Programme and we are discussing with both feet on the ground, we are more realistic”, shared one participant.

Romanian organisations feel that the Programme has equipped them with the necessary skills to develop their future operational plans and to pass on the knowledge to their own members. However, EPF will further support the evaluation of the strategic and operational impacts in a couple of years, when they have had time to mainstream these processes across their work.

We are currently planning the next phase of the programme in Romania consisting of thematic training modules, the first one being on fundraising.

The CBP programme is currently being rolled out also in Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, and more recently in Cyprus as we helped our Cypriot member, the Pancyprian Federation Of Patients Associations and Friends in developing their first-ever strategic plan. Ten of our European Members acquired more expertise and practical tools on how to diversify funding and create a viable financial structure. As this training phase ended at the end of 2014 with the development of a toolkit, we will share this in the next issue of our newsletter.

Last update on the EPF CBP: http://www.eu-patient.eu/News/News/august-2014/.

Contact: EPF Senior Programme Officer, Walter Atzori (walter.atzori@eu-patient.eu).