Capacity Building

The Capacity Building Programme was designed in 2012 to respond to needs and concerns identified by our members during various EPF activities. As such, it supports patient organisations in strengthening their role as equal players in the healthcare environment.

The target group primarily consists of EPF member representatives: pan-European disease-specific organizations and national coalitions of patient organisations, including their members. EPF also targets other patient organisations representatives’ who are not directly affiliated with EPF.

There are three main types of Capacity Building Programme activities:

Core Capacity Building Programme activities (conducted at the country levels in the Central and Eastern European region, and EU level) which aim to increase the organisational capacity and advocacy skills of patient organisations,
Thematic Capacity Building Programme activities (conducted at the European level), which aim at increasing the capacity of all partner patient organisations and their knowledge on specialised topics such as patient safety, health technology assessment etc., and
Summer Training Course for Young Patients Advocates - Leadership Programme

Our overall approach relies on flexibility and ‘tailor-made’ assistance, collaboration and sustainability:

Each component of the Capacity Building Programme is shaped by the different needs of patient organisations, namely the size, membership base, their stages of development and the specific context in which they operate.
The programme is driven by a shared responsibility among the EPF, the local experts, targeted participants and eventually a lead-participating organisation that facilitates the operationalisation of activities in each country.
We focus on developing capacities of patient advocates who are willing to use the knowledge acquired and are motivated to continue to improve the public image, strategic position and influence of their organisations beyond the delivery of Capacity Building Programme activities.

Find more information about our programme in the related information box below.

Watch the programme on video: