Our Story
The EESPN is an initiative of the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research fostering social welfare policy in the BB countries.
Get to know what Bridge Building is
The European Centre set a special focus on the BB countries to assist in improving social welfare policies. Everything you need to know about the Bridging Function:
what Bridge Building (BB) is and how the EESPN started.
How did we start?
We started with the BB Launch event connecting stakeholders in social welfare policy throughout the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries.
The BB Launch event as starting point of the EESPN
The European Centre organised the Launch event “Building Bridges in Social Welfare Policy in Eastern Europe” in Vienna on 19 September 2016. It aimed to exchange expertise from researchers, policy makers and practitioners on Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. As a result of the event, the Eastern European Social Policy Network, EESPN, was launched gathering researchers, civil servants of respective ministries and other public authorities as well as civil society organisations to intensify exchange and mutual learning in social policies. Read the full post.
Percentage of participants at the Launch event:
52.5%
Researchers
39.5%
Civil servants
8 %
Civil society
How did we continue?
The European Centre team organises events on social welfare policy concerning the BB region. This includes summer schools, BBinars, peer reviews and various workshops for our members, stakholders, and a wider audience. Get an overview below:
19/09/2016
The BB Launch event ‘Building Bridges in Social Welfare Policy in Eastern Europe’
The Launch event ‘Building Bridges in Social Welfare Policy in Eastern Europe’ aimed at exchanging expertise in innovative approaches in labour market policy, health and social care arrangements from stakeholders on Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Read more here.
10/07/2017
BB Summer School on Social Welfare
The ‘Bridge Building Summer School on Social Welfare‘ aimed to contribute to more European cohesion and to built capacities and overcome societal challenges. Read more here.
12/07/2017
EESPN Public Forum ‘Divided society – cohesive Europe?’
The EESPN Public Forum seeked to provide an assessment of current social policy practices at the Austrian Social Ministry. Read more here.
19/04/2018
National Liaison Officials workshop ‘Bridge Building in Social Welfare Policy’
The National Liaison Officials (NLO) workshop ‘Bridge Building in Social Welfare Policy’ aimed to strengthen regional cooperation between the NLOs, especially of the BB countries, and to encourage project cooperation in social welfare policy and research. Read more here.
14/10/2019
EESPN workshop ‘SDGs priorities & challenges of social policy in the Eastern Partnership countries’
The EESPN workshop ‘SDGs priorities & challenges of scocial policy in the Eastern Partnership countries’ strived for supporting the reforms of social policy systems and smooth the transitions in adapting national policies towards achieving the SDGs. The aim of the workshop was to identify and discuss common challenges and propose meaningful initiatives to achieve the SDGs of the social pillar. Read more here.
25/08/2021
Two virtual BB Summer Schools of Evaluation in Social Policies
The two BB Summer Schools aimed to enhance skills and knowledge in commissioning and/or conducting social policy-oriented monitoring and evaluation projects and programmes. The BB Summer Schools brought together professionals to exchange and enhance their knowledge and expertise in monitoring and evaluation, and contributed to regional cooperation for European integration. Read more here.
01/06/2021
BB Peer Reviews and Trainings
By implementing mutual learning activities in the BB countries, the European Centre provides answers to countries’ needs related to the better coping with the health and social consequences of COVID-19 and to fighting poverty, especially for vulnerable groups. Read more here.
30/11/2021
BBinars on Social Policy in Eastern Europe
BBinars, a series of webinars, on social policy in Eastern Europe aim to offer possibilities to exchange and learn among peers of the EESPN members, and a wider audience, especially interested in the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership region. Read more here.
01/06/2023
EESPN relaunch
The new website offers a mission statement and includes more details about the BB region, namely the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership countries. Read more here.