European Co-operation
in Anthroposophical
Curative Education and Social Therapy
Hasenöhrlstraße 12, 1100 Vienna, Austria
E:
W: www.ecce.eu
Draft Minutes
ECCE General Meeting 2015
Saturday May 9th– Sunday May 10th ,in Brussels
Centre of Anthroposophy, Rue du Trône 194 Brussels
SATURDAY May 9 4 pm – 6.30 pm Inclusive Meeting
The new president of ECCE, Ms. Béatrice Cussac de Verteuil opens the inclusive meeting at 4 pm. She gives a warm welcome to the members and the guests from Camphill Jøssåsen Landsby, Norway (Ms. Astrid Åkra and Ms. Dorine van der Linden), Ms. Vera Simakova from Blagoe delo, Sverdlovsk in Russia (only on Saturday) and Ms. Anne-Charlotte Cussac from France and Ms. Nataša Kraus
1.1 The minutes from the last General Meeting are approved.
The topic of this afternoon is ‘building bridges’ and partnerships between institutions in Europe.
Introductorily partnerships between ECCE and other European organizations as EASPD (for service providers), Inclusion Europe (for disabled persons and self-advocates) and EDF (advice organ to EU commission) are explained by Bernard Heldt. He points at the EU Erasmus + program.
Béatrice Cussac states that in her opinion the force of Anthroposophy is very strong, but it is difficult to keep the inner impulse in anthroposophic places. To stay alive partnerships in Europe can help. Organisations can learn from each other.
For Thomas Kraus it is very important to follow up the encounter and the exchange. It is necessary that ECCE supports this impulse.
Vera Simakova reports that Blagoe delo is included in the local community, but they need partners, dialogue, exchange and to meet each other. In Russia the biggest problem is the funding. Vera is convinced that a partnership can only be built up when the necessity of cooperation is given from both partners. Reflection from outside is inspiring to find new ways. Their aim of building bridges between Europe and Russia caused that in 2017 the first world congress will be held in Russia.
Thomas Kraus states that communities are working differently and for example that enthusiasm of the Russian people can enrich others.
Rigmore Skalholt reports about the Erasmus+ program. Last year 5 people from all over Europe came to Norway to work there with this exchange program. For such an exchange a lot of bureaucracy has to be done, but the experience from Norway could help other applicants.
Béatrice Cussac suggests that Norway and the Netherlands could share their experience about Erasmus+ with other members in the ECCE link; this will help to build up new practices.
Michael Mullan proposes that this important idea about the world wide Congress in 2017 should be spread to all members. He thinks it would help the Russian organisation team to be in the public focus.
Béatrice Cussac is convinced that this kind of publicity also helped our members in Tenerife and Hungary.
Vera Simakova imagines 3 important parts of exchange: the project research (f. e. how to use materials in therapeutic way), common art activities (theatre, performances, painting exhibition), exchange of our products (internet shop).
Michael Dackweiler informs that an internet shop exists already in Germany – but there might be a link to ECCE. He asks how ECCE could support that members meet each other. It would be possible to promote this issue in our countries.
Bart Vanmechelen thinks that parents will be interested if ECCE shows them how we support people with special needs to realise their biographies and to represent themselves in the European context.
Thomas Kraus tells about the 2 congresses for disabled people in Thailand, where a special programme for parents and co-workers was offered. This approach should be considered for the next congress.
Michael Dackweiler is sure that it is necessary that ECCE has to build bridges to parents and to clients.
It should be investigated about European programs (Bernard Heldt) and following questions should be worked out: 1. What is a partnership? 2. What do people expect from it?
Béatrice Cussac says that sometimes parents want to be involved (e.g. to prepare festivities), but co-workers do not always want it.
Bart Vanmechelen is sure that parents have to be involved, they should know what happens in the institutions. How can ECCE from its far-away position stimulate the awareness about the importance of this?
Astrid Åkra informs that in Norway is once a year a “parents day” and a weekly information to parents about the program in the village.
Michael Dackweiler thinks that the client is in the center – the others have to be included.
Michael Mullan suggests to bring energy into the parents! Parents could be asked: “how did your life change in a positive way because of your child with special needs?”
Thomas Kraus is very happy that a new partnership between Europe and Russia could be started today.
SUNDAY May 10 9.30 am – 12.30 pm
Organizational part of the General Meeting
This morning Michael Mullan starts with a poem by Martin Buber about “distance and relation”,
(in the annex in english and german language).
With Michael Dackweiler the members reflect on their personal strategies of encounter. Michael asks to imagine 3 possibilities of encounter; the relationship between humans and the earth, between humans and the planets (the sun and the moon) and humans and the universe. These relationships have a dynamic moving quality.
2. Membership issues
2. 1. Michael Dackweiler explains the situation of the German “Anthropoi”, which is the new name for the German association. “Anthropoi Bundesverband” is the part for the institutes and co-workers, who wants to stabilize the relationship between ECCE and Germany. Michael Dackweiler and Johannes Denger were asked to represent “Anthropoi Bundesverband”. Michael Dackweiler (who is not any longer member of the board of Anthropoi Bundesverband) accepted. Johannes Denger accepted but, due to health reasons, has to delay his participation.
“Anthropoi Selbsthilfe” is the union for parents and clients, who stepped out of ECCE last year.
3. Committee issues
3.1. The Committee proposes to appoint Mr. Michael Dackweiler, on behalf of the German Anthropoi Bundesverband, as a member of the Committee
Outcome of the voting: 9 full members (3 votes per member) and 3 supporting members (1 vote per member)
30 votes for yes. The Committee is very happy with the accession of Mr. Michael Dackweiler to the board for 3 years.
3.2. The Committee proposes to re-appoint Mr. Thomas Kraus as the Secretary of ECCE for another term of 3 years.
Outcome of the voting: 9 full members (3 votes per member) and 3 supporting members (1 vote per member)
30 votes for yes. The Committee is very happy with this election of Mr. Thomas Kraus for another 3 years.
4. Finances
4.1. Ann Naeyaert presents the annual report 2014. Bernard Heldt is very thankful that Ann has done a very good job as a treasurer in the last year. The annual report 2014 is approved by all present members.
Handicapped people may become ECCE supporting member for a membership fee
of € 2,-/month, as was decided in the General Meeting 2014.
4.2. Ann presents the draft budget 2015, which is approved by all present members.
The members are informed that to minimize travel costs and time, some decisions by the Committee may be discussed and made via skype or e-mail. This is according to the statutes.
5. Rules and regulations
The Committee proposes to structure the cooperation with the International Council.
Since Rüdiger Grimm is not able to participate in ECCE Committee and General Meetings, as was agreed years ago. To secure good communication with the Council, Bart Vanmechelen will represent the Council in the ECCE Meetings. To underline the importance of a good relationship with the Council, the Committee has prepared a relevant article in the Rules and Regulations. This is approved by all members who are present. Amended Rules and regulations in the annex.
6. European politics and organizations
6.1. Information from the Medical Section of Spiritual Science about the successor of Dr. Michaela Glöckler: Dr.Matthias Girke will be appointed as Leader of the Medical Section from Michaelmas 2016.
Mr. Georg Soldner will take over some of the operational tasks as deputy section leader.
6.2 Contact with EDF, Inclusion Europe, EASPD and ELIANT
Bernard Heldt gives a short overview about the organisations where ECCE is member.
EASPD, EDF, Inclusion Europe. Inclusion Europe is an (associate) member of ECCE as well.
EDF – Ann Naeyaert took part in the last EDF meeting.
Adrienne Thier will represent ECCE on the next EDF General Meeting in Warsaw May 29-30, 2015. (Peter Lambreghts (wheelchair) whom some of us met during the General Meeting in Iona (BE) some years ago, is on the board of EDF - is a contact of Bart and Ann).
Inclusion Europe is a member of EDF as well.
Inclusion Europe's President, Maureen Piggot, joined the opening ceremony of the Congress and two self-advocates participated in the congress. They will report about the Congress on their next General Meeting on May 22nd, which may bring a stronger cooperation between Inclusion Europe and ECCE in the future.
Bart Vanmechelen - We can offer other organisations our knowledge in organizing congresses for people with special needs and working with persons with a learning disability.
Thomas Kraus - In Inclusion Europe the members with a disability have assistance – our people speak for themselves. He sometimes wonders whether the assistant or the disabled person is giving his or her opinion.
Beatrice Cussac – During the Congress ‘Çreating Social Art’ she took part on an excursion to the Flamish Parliament, together with a member from Inclusion Europe in a wheel chair (Soufiane El Amrani). He argued in favor of more accessibility and inclusion in normal schools. A discussion arose about this – all participants of this excursion voted on free choice for disabled children and their parents for an appropriate school.
Some members from EDF and Inclusion Europe joined the Congress and the press conference.
Adrienne Thier reports about the exportability of allowances – a Belgium man with disability lives in Portugal – every 3 months he has to go home to renew his allowance. This is a complicated matter. In some countries persons with disability even cannot change the region.
Shadow report – all countries shall ratify the UN-convention, as the European parliament did already some years ago – persons with multiple complex disabilities must not be forgotten in the implementation of the convention – good/bad practices. The governments write their reports and NGO’s of persons with disabilities write their shadow or alternative reports – then the reports are compared by the UN. Persons with complex needs are mostly forgotten; their advocates are in general parents and co-workers.
The Committee brought the ECCE contribution to the shadow report of EASPD (Bernard Heldt/Johannes Denger).
6.3 Reflection on the European congress ‘Creating Social Art’, 6.-9. May 2015, Brussels.
Michael Dackweiler – it was his first ‘Living-in-the-Encounter’ congress and for him it was a very impressive meeting. It is necessary to strengthen this impulse and to find ways to bring more spirituality.
Adrienne Thier – Hannes Weigert, brought the content of his lecture in a picture without many words, comprehensible for everybody.
Matthias Spalinger was very impressed by the Congress. He can compare it with the Congress in Prag; there were lectures about a theme. He suggests to have more space for spirituality. To his impression the organisational part was difficult in the beginning.
Béatrice Cussac has visited the Bozar in a professional context before. She wonders how the gap between persons with disability and not handicapped people can be bridged.
Ann Naeyaert is convinced that art is speaking for itself.
For Michael Mullan the concert from “Ogni Tanto” was very special. The Lautenbacher Blaskapelle was a very enthusiastic group. The drummer was not able to speak, but on the drums he could express himself! Michael very much enjoyed the workgroup; so many people had the opportunity to speak about their biography. Michael suggests to update, or renew the website of the Congresses “in der Begegnung leben”.
Bernard Heldt appreciated the art in the congress very much - the concert and theatre were really beautiful. He wondered whether working groups to discuss topics could have contributed to the content of the congress.
Thomas Kraus is convinced that the congress is spiritual, creative, and social itself. Every Congress is different. In Vienna were more lectures with content, in Brussels more art.
7. PR and public affairs
7.1 Reflection on ECCE-Link, December 2014 and March 2015
The Last ECCE-Links were very appreciated.
In the next ECCE-Link end of May will be reports and pictures about the Congress; maybe some short impressions from different countries.
8. Reflection and closure of the meeting
Due to the low number of participants in the General Meeting the Committee and members state that it was not ideal to combine the ECCE General Meeting and the Congress. On the other side because of this much more members could have had the chance to experience this special congress. As a contribution to the content the congress itself has been an excellent opportunity.
The ECCE Committee would be delighted to welcome more parents to the next General Meeting. In order to optimize your time schedule, date and place of the next GM will be announced in due time.
The ECCE GM in 2016 could probably be held in Norway, where 50 years Camphill will be celebrated in several institutes. Can ECCE contribute?
Another possibility may be UK, Scotland, where the situation is difficult –
contact: PaulamariaBlaxland de Lange, John Ralph Camphill Aberdeen.
Béatrice Cussac thanks everybody for participating to this meeting and Thomas and the Belgium team for organizing this nice congress. She closes the meeting at 12.30 h.
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Appendix
Overview of members present and apologies
General Meeting ECCE, May 9th – 10th 2015, Brussels
Present
Austria
- Renate Chwatal ‚Sprachrohr‘ für Menschen in anthroposophisch orientierten Lebens-Lernstätten (PO)
- Michael Mullan PlatO (IC)
Belgium
- Ann Naeyaert Michaëlis vzw (IC)