About KEHYS

KEHYS serves NGOs in issues related to development cooperation of the EU. We offer information about EU development policy and work as well as the opportunities of Finnish NGOs to receive EU funding. We also provide information, training and project consultancy.

KEHYS promotes the debate on the issues of EU development policy in Finland and in the EU as well as cooperation and networking between Finnish and European NGOs concerned with development cooperation and development education.

Contact Information

Kehys ry Töölöntorinkatu 2 B (4. krs) 00260 Helsinki FINLAND

Secretary General Rilli Lappalainen +358 9 23150560 EU Project Advisor Eija Mustonen +358 9 2315 0561 EU Presidency Project Coordinator Anne Holopainen +358 9 2315 0564€ EU Presidency Project Information Officer Anna Pollari +358 9 2315 0563

Fax 09-2315 0520 E-mail: Web page: (www.kehys.fi/eupuheenjohtajuus)

Activities

KEHYS serves as a national platform representing the Finnish development organisations in CONCORD, the European NGOs Confederation for Relief and Development. CONCORD represents over 1600 NGDOs. KEHYS coordinates the participation of the Finnish NGOs in CONCORD's working groups and mediates information between CONCORD and national level.

The activities of KEHYS are funded by the NGO allocation of the Development Policy Committee of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The Activities of KEHYS ry concentrate on four themes:

1. Consultation and training on EU Funding 2. Development Education 3. Advocacy on Development Policy 4. Networking

1. Consultation and training on EU Funding

KEHYS provides Finnish NGOs with information on the possibilities to receive EU funding for development cooperation and development education projects as well as with training and project consultation.

KEHYS maintains a mailing list for anyone who is interested in EU funding and publishes an EU presidency newsletter directed to member organisations.

More information about funding possibilities from .

2. Development Education

KEHYS helps promote Development education in Finland and acts as a link to European development education forums. The European NGOs confederation CONCORD groups relevant organisations in its development education working group (Development Education Forum, DEF). The president of the working group is the Secretary General of KEHYS Rilli Lappalainen.

KEHYS is also involved in an European development education project (Development Education Exchange in Europe Project DEEEP). For more information about the project, visit the site www.deeep.org.

Development education work of the Finnish organisations is supported, for example, by offering education for development educators and mediating European newsletter of the field. Member organisations are supported in participating in a summer school on development education organised annually in Europe.

3. Advocacy Work

KEHYS participates in the ongoing debate on EU development and tries to influence Finland’s EU policy in this area. It keeps in touch with Finnish and European decision makers concerning EU development policy issues and works together with other European development cooperation advocates to influence to the future of EU development cooperation.

KEHYS offers training on the European Union and its development cooperation projects. Panel discussions on currents topics are organised with decision makers. The newsletter directed to member NGOs and the web site contain also important information on development policy events.

4. Networking

KEHYS encourages the networking of its members in Finland, in the EU and globally. Due to the enlargement of the EU, it has become vital to foster cooperation with development cooperation and development education organisations in the new member states. It is important to encourage NGOs to make a statement about development policy issues and to collaborate with the governments of the new member states in development policy issues.

Members of the executive committee of KEHYS in 2006:

President: Aki Temisevä, World Vision Finland (2006-2007) Varapuheenjohtaja: Susanna Tan, International Solidarity Foundation (2006-2007)

Members of the executive committee: Anne Haaranen, Save the Children Finland (2006-2007) Timo Lappalainen, Service Centre for Development Cooperation (KEPA) (2006-2007) Sanna Rummakko, Committee of 100 (2006-2007) Helena Laukko, Finnish United Nations Association (2006-2007) Pekka Mikkola, Finnish Association of the Deaf (2006-2007) Olli Pitkänen, FIDA International (2006) Miina Puntila, FinnChurcAid (2006) Eeva Rask, National Union of Student in Finland (2006)

Deputy Members: Piia Hakkari, Educators for Peace (2006) Larissa Franz-Koivisto, Finnish Caritas (2006-2007) Juha Kaivola, Finnish Refugee Council (2006-2007) Hilkka Vuorenmaa, Family federation of Finland (2006-2007)