Experiences of The Finnish NGDO Platform to the EU

Anna Pollari Kehys

4.6.2007

The Finnish NGDO Platform to the EU Kehys

• offers services to NGOs on EU development policy issues:

1) advice and training on EU funding 2) development policy advocacy

• Staff: Secretary General, EU Funding Advisor, Information Officer

• 34 members• Kehys is the Finnish national platform within

CONCORD.

Kehys’ communication

• Aims: - more NGOs apply for EU funding and participate in advocacy work through Kehys- member organisations are satisfied with the

information sharing - politicians and wider public are more aware of EU development policy issues- Kehys’ status as an reliable information source

increases• Target groups:

- member organisations, other NGOs- politicians, officials- media

Challenges

• More active and focused sharing of information to build interest and capacities of members

• How to build profile as an reliable information source when a relatively young NGO

• How to generate media interest when tackling difficult themes: EU development policy, strategies, processes

The tools of communication

• mailing lists targeted for different groups• www.kehys.fi• Newsletter

• Oneworld Finland• CONCORD

• working groups (members from NGOs, universities, ministries)

How we try to generate media interest?

• journalists

• Masivu –mailing list and webpage for Finnish Journalists interested in development issues

• Simple messages: journalists often not experts on these issues

• Follow what is in the media

• Targeted messages: different messages to different audiences

• Timing

• ”The best is change in numbers” (Aidwatch)

The 2006 EU PresidencyProject of Kehys

The MDG Campaign of the Finnish MFA

Creative ideas to use media (Helsinki Conference 3.-4.7.2006 on DE strategy)

– Establish a competition for the youth to produce programme

– Introduce global issues in the popular media in their styles (For Cosmopolitan: 5 things you need to know about development to get an intelligent guy)

– Engage celebrities who use language that target groups understand

– Use unexpected spokespersons (e.g. rich businessmen)

– Support manuscript writing of a soap opera