2014:

Dear Colleagues,

Some time has passed since our last newsletter; nevertheless the EURO-TC office has been keeping very busy trying to obtain new grants. Unfortunately the European Commission has stopped their operating grants last year which we - as one of very NGO´s – managed to obtain for the last 3 years. With very valuable help from our partner organisation CEIS Mestre – Coges, Andrea Jester in person – we managed to submit an application for the Action Grants of the European Commission but could not succeed (only 3 of around 50 were taken). In fact this means that after a longer period of income through grants we are again depended exclusively on membership fees to finance our activities. The grants certainly have been an important financial benefit, but through the very complex not to say sometimes absurd rules in handling accounting and applying, we are confronted with a sophisticated as time consuming work load witch sometimes overburdened the capacity of the office and implicated many hours of voluntary work beside the usual engagement.

On this occasion I want to thank Mag. Walpurga Sima who has taken over the work of the office manager on a voluntary basis after the grants have ended. This means that also the period where we had part time staff has unfortunately ended and all operations again depend on voluntary work.

We certainly hope in this situation that member organisations will stronger engage in making an active live of the organisation possible and help to keep the activities of the last years alive.

Following our tradition we are optimistic to organise our traditional events for 2014, which should be:

• Our annual conference together with the general assembly: we hope to organise an event combined with the activities of our member Communé die Venezia on occasion of their 25 year anniversary

• Our annual mother and children therapy seminar. Our partner colleagues from ANA Jovem have declared their intention to organise the event

• Our traditional theatre therapy seminar

• Supporting the annual soccer without drugs cup

In addition we think about continuation of the staff exchange and providing training for other organisations.

Just recently we have been invited to join the “Second regional consultative meeting towards networking of Drug Demand and Harm reduction NGOs”in Teheran, Iran organised by the Rebirth Society, biggest provider of Addiction Treatment in Iran. On this occasion the Rebirth Society has initiated the foundation of a new network” ECO with members from ECO countries. The conference as well as the founding meeting and first general assembly of the network have been organised highly professional on high level with support of the ministries in Iran and UNODC. Euro-TC is seen as an example of best practice in the tradition of a successful model of a treatment network and the colleagues in Asia are very thankful to share experiences and start a close cooperation with us. We were treated with upmost hospitality, more than usual and deep respect for our work and achievements. An associative partnership is intended and the topic will be on the agenda of our next general assembly.

In addition the Rebirth Society is strongly interested to receive training from specialists of our network and send staff for training and education to our facilities. We will involve you in these activities as soon as we come up with a concept.

More information about the event in Teheran you find in the report of Walpurga Sima.

Our intention for this year is also to increase the quality and effectiveness of communication to all members. In this direction I want to ask all of you to name a contact person, ideally English speaking, so we know whom to address , which is not clear for us with some member organisations.

Hoping to meet as many as possible of you at our upcoming events I wish you further success but also pleasure in your work .

With best regards,

Thomas Legl

President

2012:

Newsletter 2012

2011:

Newsletter 2011 (PDF)

2010:

Newsletter August 2010 (DOC)
Newsletter March 2010 (DOC)

2009:

Newsletter December 2009 (DOC)