Helpdesk platform: Working with EuropeAid in New EU Member States

The project “Helpdesk platform and support to New EU Member States (NMS) Non State Actors/Local Authorities in the Development sector” started on January 1st 2009 and shall run for two years. It is implemented by punto.sud (Italy) as leading organisation; People in Peril Association (Slovakia), Hungarian Baptist Aid (Hungary), APEL Service (Romania), FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Co-operation (Czech Republic) as implementing partners; Caritas Poland and Support to Life (Turkey) as Associates.

The project's purpose is to improve the access to information, methods and best practices on EC-grants contractual obligations of Non-State Actors and Local Authorities of NMS, and help strengthen and enlarge their international development co-operation capacity. The project leading organisation, punto.sud, developed a website dedicated to the management of EuropeAid-funded projects; and a helpdesk “day-to-day” support to organisations working with EC funds for external assistance is now functional. The helpdesk service consists in the remote support by a team of professionals who answers via e-mail all questions related to the management of EuropeAid-funded projects. This service is free of charge.

punto.sud members will deliver training sessions in NMS (see Events' section in this TIS) to the benefit of EuropeAid current and potential development partners. In correspondence with the trainings, the project staff will provide a hands-on service, which consists in an in-depth analysis and follow-up of a project with the purpose of assessing strengths, weaknesses, and possible improvements of the project logic, but also of the managerial capacity of the implementing organisation.

Finally, the project foresees the e-publication and distribution of a detailed practical guide containing all the main elements of the design, management and completion of a EuropeAid-funded project.

To have further information on project activities or contact the helpdesk please write to helpdesk-europeaid@puntosud.org.
To find information on EuropeAid-funded projects please visit the helpdesk website: www.puntosud.org/helpdesk-europeaid
Download the project's leaflet at: http://www.puntosud.org/helpdesk-europeaid/lib/exe/fetch.php/news/nms_project_leaflet.pdf

Information provided by Sara Baroud, punto.sud