Last but not least, we introduce the proposal Reforming Working Groups, Policy Work and Action Agenda execution, proposed by Mayri Tiido, Ivan Bielik and Paul Smits from the Comité Directeur. If accepted, this proposal will radically change Working Groups as we know them.
When, during Autumn Agora Cagliari, the Visa Freedom Working Group, was deleted, it was clear that Working Groups are not working anymore. The problem was highlighted already during a survey launched before the Agora where all (former) members of Working Groups could give input. A Progress Meeting was organised by Mayri Tiido and Ivan Bielik from the Comité Directeur, which was useful to investigate the problem, but no conclusion was reached. This is one of the reasons that pushed Mayri Tiido, Ivan Bielik and Paul Smits (respectively Projects and Communications Director, Human Resources Director and President of AEGEE-Europe) to write a proposal to make some (huge) changes.
The proposal Reforming Working Groups, Policy Work and Action Agenda execution aims to change the current Working Groups (namely Culture WG, Human Rights WG, Sport WG, International Politics WG, Education WG, Enviromental WG, Language WG) from struggling bodies to bodies who will work. The idea is to merge the work of Policy Officers and Working Groups on the Strategic Plan fields. Basically, for every Focus Area of the Strategic Plan there will be a Working Group that will start its term on the 1st of August, having all of its activities approved by the Comité Directeur. Internally, it will create activities related to the Strategic Plan and externally it will represent the position of AEGEE-Europe in its field.
Each group will be lead by an appointed memeber, the Coordinator, who will choose the Policy Officer; along with six other AEGEE members (at least 4 locals shall be represented). The group will present an Activity Plan during the Autumn Agora, an Interim Activity Report during the Spring Agora and an Activity report during the following Autumn Agora.
This proposal aims to solve two problems in our Association: the functioning of the Working Groups and the fullfilment of the Strategic Plan. During the last Autumn Agora, only 30% of the Strategic Plan was fulfilled, which is a worrying sign of the lack of committment of members and locals towards the thematic part of our association. At the same time Policy Officers cannot be in charge of a specific field by themselves. With the new Working Group, the proposers hope to increase the participation in the Strategic Plan and its fields with a new functioning organ which can support locals, create activities and be an expert in the respective field of action.
All the existing Working Groups won’t disappear for good, but they will be transformed into Interest Groups. They can be created upon request from an interested AEGEE Member and they will be open to anyone. Each Interest Group will have two moderators who will send a report to the CD every two months and an overview to every ordinary Agora. In case of a lack of moderators, CD has the power to dissolve the Group.
You can read the proposal here and follow the discussion about it in the forum here.
Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Venezia