Young professionals from across Europe visited EPHA for a two-day workshop on European health policy and to gain advice from the EPHA Secretariat on advocating for public health at EU level.
On 22 and 23 February 2010 a group of professionals from 6 different EU member states joined EPHA for a two-day training session on European health policy. The main purpose of the training was to build upon EPHA’s capacity building activities in the field of public health advocacy. In 2009 EPHA undertook research on the sociological, cultural and political contexts which impact upon civil society involvement and development in Central and Eastern Europe, which included the organisation of a discussion and workshop on capacity building in public health advocacy at the EUPHA/ASPHER Public Health Conference in Lodz (Poland) in November.
The February 2010 workshop was part of efforts within EPHA to redress the imbalance that exists in European civil society, including EPHA’s own membership, between Western and Eastern European countries. The majority of organisation participating in EU networks and projects is from within Western Europe, though EPHA has dedicated time and staff to take measures to change this.
The content of the workshops was wide-ranging. EPHA Secretary General Monika Kosinska introduced the group to the significance of health in the EU and the importance of advocating at European level. Up to 80% of health legislation is initiated at European level so advocating in Brussels as well as in Member States is essential to ensure that civil society’s voice is heard. In a workshop entitled ‘A taste of… The bigger picture’ Ms Kosinska introduced them to the EU2020 strategy and explained the framework and context this provides for decision making.
Advocating directly to European institutions is only one part of EPHA’s work however and participants learnt about other ways in which EPHA inputs to and influences European processes and outcomes. EPHA also sits on DG SANCO fora, is the Secretariat of the EU Health Policy Forum, acts as a coordidnator for civil society and works in partnership with the European Commission and civil society stakeholders.
Jo Jewell, EPHA Coordinator for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, led a workshop on EPHA’s work in Health Determinants. This included a role play exercise encouraging participants to consider the role and aims of all stakeholders on the Obesity and Alcohol fora. Participants were challenged to consider the differences between European and national level, as well as the differences between Member States.
In a number of workshops participants received practical advice on advocating to MEPs and representatives of European Institutions. EPHA Director of Policy and Strategy Luiza Bara advised how to be an effective advocate, including details of all the different stages at which it is possible to influence the process. Health activist Tamsin Rose told participants how by thinking of advocating as ‘storytelling’ they would ensure that their message was not only heard but also listened to and influential. Many of the discussions focused on the differences between the ‘official’ policy process and the way in which things happen in reality. Many participants were struck by this difference and commented that it differed significantly from what they had previously read about EU policy processes.
Monika Kosinska encouraged those present to consider the impact of the critical and popular media on Member State government decisions. This was contrasted to the technical media based in Brussels. It was suggested that this may lead to more evidence-based decision making in Brussels, as the popular media which so often sways politicians in Member States does not exist in Brussels.
As well as this series of workshops the two-day event allowed participants to network with civil society representatives in Brussels. Participants got to know each other and EPHA staff over dinner. It was followed by a roundtable Roundtable on the engagement of Polish civil society in public health advocacy.
EPHA will be organising further such training sessions throughout 2010 and details will be posted on the website.
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Roundtable on the engagement of Polish civil society in public health advocacy