Activities of the Foundation for Lifelong Learning PERITIA (Fundacja Ksztalcenia Ustawicznego PERITIA ) from March 2010 till December 2014 I. For NGOs THE POZNAN NGO CENTRE 2012-2014 The Poznan NGO Centre (Centrum NGO Poznan) has gained a remarkable position on the map of the NGOs in Poznan/Great Poland region (Wielkopolska) for the last over two years. The designer and initiator of the Poznan NGO Centre is the Foundation for Lifelong Learning PERITIA. The Poznan NGO Centre was established as a part of the project Successful communication as a key to effective cooperation between NGOs and public administration for the years 01/2012-04/2014. It is aimed to be a place promoting the development of the NGOs from Wielkopolska, offering a broad and distinct assistance with consulting, workshops and coaching. Our database contains more than 2700 records regarding NGOs, which are regularly informed about the Poznan NGO Centre s current activities. According to the Klon/Jawor report, there are almost 10.000-11.000 NGOs registered in Great Poland (Wielkopolska). About 8.000 among them displays activity. Nevertheless, the attempt to get in touch with them still a challenge. Our database is one of the largest set of verified contacts (current and active email addresses, phone numbers). We owe this validation to numerous activities which are aimed at nongovernmental organizations and the quality of provided services: workshops,
coaching and advisory services. Consequently, our participants propagate the details concerning our projects among the others. What do we offer TODAY and WHY to the NGOs from Wielkopolska (to those organizations that undertake non-commercial activities and operate in Wielkopolska): 1.1. Working spaces co-working Many organizations that are not involved in commercial activities do not have enough funds to rent offices where they could maintain their daily operations. A shortage of the office equipment could be another problem. The Poznan NGO Centre offers working spaces for free (5 tables) with an access to the Internet and office equipment (photocopier, printer, scanner, and fax). We also provide a fully equipped conference room (for 15 persons). 1.2. Workshops/coaching Workers of the non-governmental organizations often need some assistance with the development of the soft skills essential for the successful and easy communication with other sectors (public and business). It may determine the capability to achieve the organization s goals. Furthermore, working for organizations requires a lot of creativity, initiative, pro-active efforts, ability to struggle with changes, especially the negative ones. The Poznan NGO Centre offers various workshops and coaching providing with all those facilities. Up till now, we fruitfully performed 20 editions of workshops and coaching designed for the NGOs, local governments and local government organizational units, which gathered nearly 360 participants. 1.3. Consulting meetings counselling Non-governmental organizations are created on the initiative of community involved persons who understand the needs of the local society and attempt to fill in these gaps for the collective interest. However, despite good intentions, the basic knowledge on management, accounting and finance, law, as well as marketing and promotion necessary for efficient working, is often lacking. In the long-run perspective it may not only worsen the organization s
general condition but also result in suspension of its activity or even its ultimate liquidation. We have organized over 600 hours of consulting meetings in many various subject areas, so far. 1.4. Thematic seminars The primary aim of seminars is to complement and broaden the knowledge acquired during workshops and coaching sessions. Subsequent editions of workshops and coaching sessions accompanied by thematic seminars organized as a part of the project Effective communication. Up till now, we organized 10 seminars for more than 100 participants. 1.5. Web site/social media promotion of the Poznan NGO Center In 2012 we created the Poznan NGO Center s Knowledge Portal (http://centrumngopoznan.pl/) and a Facebook profile (https://www.facebook.com/centrumngopoznan). Every month we choose a leading topic coordinated by the Content Expert who writes and publishes the articles. The number of entries on our web page is over 53 000, now. 1.6. The Poznan NGO Center Week promotion of the Poznan NGO Center (non-project initiative) The Poznan NGO Center Week organized for the NGOs from Poznan and Wielkopolska was designed to provide a non-project support which covers subjects areas practical for NGOs in their day-to-day work. The event acts also serves the promotion for the Poznan NGO Center. Thus far we set up 10 editions of the event for 300 participants. 1.7. NGO the knowledge for START (non-project, additional initiative) The event NGO the knowledge for START was created to meet the needs of those who want to establish a non-governmental organization.
So far, we offered 10 editions of the event for nearly 150 participants. Subjects of the meetings pertained among others to: legal aspects of starting up an NGO, financial and accounting issues, fundraising, free Internet and social media promotion, etc. 1.8. The newsletter (non-project, additional initiative) We also regularly distribute the newsletter which includes all the current information on the Poznan NGO Center activities. The newsletter also emerged as an additional initiative of the Lifelong Learning Foundation PERITIA to keep the NGOs informed about the activities of the Poznan NGO Centre. Currently the Foundation's database contains over 2700 records about the non-profit sector organizations from Poznan and Wielkopolska. 1.9. Other (non-project initiative) Apart from the happenings mentioned above, we organized also in the Poznan NGO Center an event called Benefits of the Status of Public Benefit Organization for accountants. Its main goal aimed to present to the NGOs the most important accounting issues and enhance them to acquire the Status of Public Benefit Organization. Group coaching session was another undertaking, performed as a part of the International Coaching Week. 1.10. Evaluations Quality of provided services is our priority. Hence, we check this issue on a regular basis by the means of questionnaire surveys. Services provided by our trainers got 9,38 points on a 10-point scale. Services provided by our coaches got 9,51 points on a 10-point scale. Almost 1000 members participated in events and meetings organized by the Poznan NGO Center.
II. EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE LIFELONG LEARNING FOUNDATION PERITIA FOR THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS FROM POZNAN AND GREAT POLAND (WIELKOPOLSKA) FOR YEARS 2012-2014 The Lifelong Learning Foundation PERITIA originated from a passion to share knowledge, education, promote self-improvement and personal development. All the actions addressed to the non-governmental organizations gave birth to the idea of a series of thematic conferences concerning the nonprofit sector. We organized 7 conferences/seminars combined with workshops, for more than 340 participants. I Regional Conference - Fundraising for the non-governmental organizations from Poznan and Wielkopolska, March 26, 2013. I Conference Social Media in the service of the non-governmental organizations from Poznan and Wielkopolska, April 22, 2013. II Regional Conference Fundraising for the NGOs from Poznan and Wielkopolska Philantrophy has more than one name May 23, 2013. I Regional Conference Volunteering is GREAT! Volunteering Fair, June 26, 2013. II Conference Social Media in the service of the non-governmental organizations from Poznan and Wielkopolska ONline4ever, October 15-16, 2013. III Conference Social Media in the service of the non-governmental organizations from Poznan and Wielkopolska ONline4ever Turn on the action part II, March 19, 2014. http://fundacjaperitia.pl/ http://online4ever.eu/ III Regional Conference Share Online Donate by the Facebook, Fundraising Conference, May 29, 2014. http://dzielsieonline.pl/
III. EVENTS OFFERED BY THE LIFELONG LEARNING FOUNDATION PERITIA TO YOUNG PEOPLE (YOUTH, STUDENTS) ENTREPRENEURIAL AND CREATIVE WIELKOPOLSKA (WPiK.pl) 2011-2014 Workshops, seminars, and conferences that help young people from Wielkopolska by the means of promoting the inventive and proactive attitude. WPIK.pl is a series of free training courses, workshops and lectures/presentations for: ambitious and creative students who are interested in personal development; young people who seeking for the possibilities of financing their activities, those who are interested in innovative and pro-active actions. WPIK.pl workshops and conferences mail goals: 1. To be knowledgeable and innovative. 2. To be able to answer the question: how to be pro-active, innovative, and how to create own personal development consciously. 3. To acquire the knowledge about different funding sources to fulfill own dreams/desires or start own business.
Several institutions got interested in our event and thus we gained: Honorary Patronage of the Voivodship Marshal Marek Wozniak; Honorary Patronage of the Poznan President; Attendance of five universities: Poznan University of Technology; Adam Mickiewicz University; Poznan University of Economics; Poznan University of Life Sciences; High School of Humanities and Journalism. In total, during 6 editions (2 editions of Cytrynarium-only conferences and 4 editions of WPiK.pl- conferences + workshops) participated nearly 1200 students from Poznan and Wielkopolska including nearly 120 pupils from high schools and grammar schools. http://wpik.pl/ COACHING FOR HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH 2012-2014 Foundation PERITIA performed coaching sessions as a part of the project Youth Academy of Responsible Business Leaders. The project was enforced by Wielkopolska Foundation of Enterprise Development, Learning Association Pro Academia and the participants of Academy of Responsible Business Leaders (including Foundation PERITIA ). It was designed for young people (grammar schools and high schools) who are going to realize their ideas aimed to the local communities as well as to their personal development. The Lifelong Learning Foundation PERITIA offered 2013-2014 also free coaching sessions for the high and technical schools youth (16-19 years old) http://fundacjaperitia.pl/coaching-dla-mlodziezy-liceum-16-19-lat-nieodplatny/ In total, in the period of 03.2010-12.2014, more than 2400 participants took part in our events.