European Patients Forum, logo.

EPF Capacity Building Module 2020 on Empowering Leadership & Positive Organisational Governance

What is it?

The capacity building module on Empowering Leadership and Positive Governance is an exciting and unique opportunity offering a tailored high-quality training to patient organisations who are eager to learn more about leadership and positive governance and explore their potentials.

What is the topic?

The overarching theme of this year (2020) European capacity-building module is Empowering Leadership and Positive Organisational Governance.

With Empowering Leadership, we understand the process of sharing information, rewards, and power with team members (either paid staff or volunteers) and board members so that they can take initiative and make decisions to solve problems and improve service and performance. Empowering leadership share several characteristics like trust, competency, consistency, commitment and creates a positive circle in the organisation.

With Positive Organisational Governance, we understand the process for making and implementing decisions. It is not about making “correct” decisions, but about designing the best possible process for making those decision. Positive decision-making processes, and therefore, positive governance share several characteristics like transparency, accountability, collegiality, quality, role clarification and good working relationships.

Patient organisations and patient organisations’ leaders are becoming more and more visible actors in the healthcare arena. This is an important and positive change. Nevertheless, it also brings new and bigger challenges:

  • Organisations leaders exchange more frequently and more intensively with several stakeholders at the same time;
  • Instable political situations and rapid changes in governments put extra pressure on patient organisations;
  • The growth in visibility is not linked to a growth in financial and human resources of patient organisations, therefore they face more challenges and increasing demands from external stakeholders with small teams, mostly of volunteers and limited financial resources;

What to expect in each phase of the module?

Kick-off meeting: presentation of the programme and trainers, practical information and presentation of all participants and their expectations.

First face to face meeting: exploration of participants’ definition of leadership and inner journey to find and nourish your personal leadership potential. Towards the end of the second day participants will further define their empowering leadership/positive governance project for the coaching sessions.  

Coaching period: over 6 months participants will develop their project with the support of a dedicated coach. The programme offers 5 one to one coaching sessions (1 session a month).

Second face to face training: the training will build on the learning of the coaching session and will provide the opportunity for participants to present their projects and learnings on how their leadership style has been transformed.

Where and when?

The Training Module will consist of an online kick-off meeting, two face-to- face trainings, and online coaching.

Online Kick-off meeting: beginning of March 2020 (date tbd)

1st face to face training: 28-29 March 2020 in Brussels, Belgium

Online coaching: April- September 2020 (5 sessions with a month break during summer)

2nd face to face training: 26-27 September 2020 in Brussels, Belgium

Participants must be able to attend the entire Course programme, including all the coaching sessions.

 

Who should apply?

The programme targets preferably high-level representatives of patient organisations (Directors, Board Members):

Staff member or a volunteer of an EPF Member organisations active at European or national-regional level

  • The programme targets patient organisations’ leaders from across Europe, especially based but not only in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the Western Balkan and other EU countries who have a leading role in the organisation and can influence processes and governance;
  • Staff member or a volunteer of a cross-section of EPF Member organisations’ membership who have a leading role in the organisation and can influence processes and governance;
  • Staff member of a volunteer of other European or national-regional patient organisations not affiliated with EPF who have expressed an interest in participating in this event, who have a leading role in the organisation and can influence processes and governance.
  • Applications' organisation must be legally registered association/NGO working for the direct benefit of targeted, disease-specific population in a specific geographical scope.

As a general eligibility rule, organisations participating in the CBP are the patient organisations who are:

  • Legally registered association/NGO working for the direct benefit of targeted, disease-specific population in a specific geographical scope;
  • National coalitions of patient organisations;
  • European disease specific associations, federations or networks mandated to defend the interests of a population affected by a specific disease;
  • Disease specific organisations active at national/regional level;
  • The organisations participating in the module and its representative should commit to take part to the module during its whole duration by signing an enrolment contract presenting the duties and benefits of the programme;

Participants should have a proficient level English written and spoken

How to apply?

Please fill in this application form. Here you can find the pdf version of the application form to have a full overview of the required information. Please note that only applications completed via the online form will be revised.

Applications will be accepted until midnight on February 16, 2020 - no late applications will be accepted or considered! All accepted applicants will be notified via email the 24 February 2020.

Please note that the participation to the course is free of charge and EPF will cover travel costs in line with the EPF Travel reimbursement policy.

More info

If you have any additional questions or issues with your application, please contact EPF Secretariat members Elena Balestra, Membership and Capacity Building Manager, at elena.balestra@eu-patient.eu.

Good luck!