Influencing & Advocacy
This area covers a range of evidence-informed activities designed to influence opinion, discourse and practice affecting children’s well-being and development.
It includes activities which focus on
- influencing policy (e.g. Assessment as Dialogue, Quality of Childhood Sessions at the European Parliament, Core Capacities for Living and Learning)
- influencing “influencers” (e.g. Lifelong Learning Platform’s workgroup on the Wider Benefits of Learning, Children and Young People’s Thematic Network within the European Foundation Centre)
- influencing the children and supporting adults (e.g. ACT2gether Global Voices).
The foundation also considers that (d) being a role model —”walking the talk”— by embodying its own approach is crucial to its advocacy work.
Thematic Network on Children and Young People (Philea)
Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea) gathers around 10,000 foundations, philanthropic organisations, and networks in over 30 countries that work to improve life for people and communities in Europe and worldwide.
Philea came into existence in December 2021, when Dafne and EFC – Donors and Foundations Networks in Europe and the European Foundation Centre – converged to form a strong, united voice for European philanthropy.
The Learning for Well-being Foundation co-chairs the Thematic Network on Children and Youth at Philea with the Bertelsmann Foundation. Launched in December 2019, this network of philanthropic organisations involved in children’s issues works to support the Convention on the Rights of the Child, helping to put children’s rights onto the international agenda and taking a collective step towards the realisation of those rights. This network also focuses on enhancing children’s participation and raising their voices within organisations that work on their behalf. The framework of L4WB-F and the projects our organisation develop, enrich the work of this group of organisations greatly.
Other organisations that are part of this network are: Foundation Botnar, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo and Open Society Foundations.
“Quality of Childhood” Sessions (European Parliament)
Assessment as Dialogue
The Quality of Childhood (QoC) sessions aim for European societies to place the quality of childhood in the centre of all their activities, while thoroughly assessing the effects of their decisions on children.
The L4WB Foundation, in partnership with the Alliance for Childhood Network Group works with Members of the European Parliament to develop the agenda for the QoC sessions.
The sessions are organised six times per year, and are open to the public. Each session is hosted by a Member of the European Parliament.
Click here to see an overview of the sessions already held by the ‘Quality of Childhood’ Working Group.
Guest speakers are invited to produce articles, based on their presentations, which are compiled in annual publications.
Elham Palestine
An Inclusive Partnership for Change in Education
Elham Palestine was the first – country-level – pilot developed by the L4WB Foundation and its partners. Elham is an Arabic word meaning ‘inspire’, and the genesis, design and structure of this programme is intended to celebrate those who are developing initiatives in the educational systems that can inspire other intrapreneurs.
Elham was created and operated in a national partnership that engaged education, health, ICT, civil society and children in a collective effort to enhance learning environments of Palestinian children to become more conducive to their holistic development and well-being.
In 2008, Elham was awarded in Helsinki the Global Best Award for an Innovative Partnership in Education. In 2012, Elham was awarded the Arab Achievement Award in Education. It has served as inspiration for other bottom-up and top-down approaches to systemic change.
After ten active years of operating, we are currently reviewing our activities to reorient them more closely to the L4WB principles, and to offer greater support in cultivating capacities for making decisions for individuals, groups and communities.
PARTNERS: Palestinian Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and UNRWA.
