Jahresbericht ELSA-Deutschland e.V. 2007/2008 - ELSA Germany

Strategic Planning for the ELSA network
Goals for 2013
For a couple of years long-term planning has been on the agenda of several internal meetings, and there was a strong need
for the network to discuss the future of our organisation. During our transition in summer 2007 we analysed the current
planning system of ELSA International and decided to propose the cancellation of the Two Year Tactical Plan (TYTP). The
TYTP was not followed up on, neither by the National nor the Local Groups, and not even by the International Board.
Matthias
Stauffacher
ELSA International
The goals mentioned in the plan were
hard or impossible to measure and the
plan was never based on consensus and
support of the ELSA network. At the
Autumn International Council Meeting
(ICM) 2007 in Reggio di Calabria, the
council accepted the proposal to cancel the TYTP with a great
majority. But at the same time, some countries were concerned
by not having any long term planning on international level.
This was the starting point of our new strategic plan.
The Winter International Presidents’ Meetings (IPM) 2008 in
Mavrovo had one item on the agenda: strategic planning. Some
Presidents were afraid of having boring discussions and no concrete
outcome – but the work was much more productive than
even the most optimistic of the participants would have thought.
The presidents worked several days on the future goals and the
long term plans of our organisation, with the help of a professional
trainer for long term planning in NGO’s. We discussed
the history of ELSA, but also today’s reality in the local and
national groups. ELSA is a huge organisation and has a long
history, and despite all the differences among its members and
officers, there is still a strong committement to the vision and
the purpose of ELSA. The purpose as stated in our statutes was
the basis of our work, and to crystallize out the core of ELSA’s
Vision statement we focused on the following terms: exchange,
practice, legal education, mutual understanding, learning about
other legal systems, and friendship. We all agreed that these
terms describe our organisation and should be the focus of our
activities. The report written by the presidents by the end of the
IPM mentioned a focus on International academic events, Study
Visits and STEP as core activities of ELSA: many countries also
stressed out the importance of Human Rights activities in our
network.
Following the IPM, the International Board kept on working on
the first draft of our strategic planning. At the Spring ICM in
Lisbon, we made an introduction in a big workshop including
the presidents and all key area officers. We explained the ideas
expressed at the IPM and the benefits that a common plan and
common goals can have for our network. The officers then tried
to substantiate the areas that were pointed out by the IPM and
to formulate concrete goals. After a long week and many difficult
discussions, we agreed upon the new 5 year goals for the whole
ELSA network. The council accepted the final version with an
overwhelming majority. I think this was the biggest success of
the year 2007/2008 and I wish the ELSA network all the officers
best of luck in implementing these ambitious yet realistic goals.
The four core activities of ELSA till 2013
STEP
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STEP is an International Programme
Online system
The online system will be working and running at latest
SPRING ICM 2009
»» All traineeships registered in the online system
»» All STEP applications registered in the online system
»» Accessible for every STEP officers according to their
tasks/role
Matching process regulated by the online system, under administration
of the STEP officer
The number of traineeship increase with at least one traineeship
in average on a national level per each local group
Every STEP traineeship shall be evaluated by the trainee and
the employer
Externe
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