CONNECT International
Acronym: CONNECT
General Information
Identification Code: 184027545471-80
Website: [object Object]
Entity Form: AISBL - ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONALE SANS BUT LUCRATIF
Registration Category: Non-governmental organisations, platforms and networks and similar
Registration Date: 2/24/2022
Last Update: 2/21/2024
EP Accredited Number: 0
Mission & Interests
Goals: CONNECT International (CI) is a Brussels-based international network founded to serve as a hub for various stakeholders working on the digital agenda and in the field of digital rights.
CI started operating as an informal network in 2012 and grew in profile and experience until it was officially registered in 2017. CONNECT International now has 31 NGO members and 16 stakeholders from 31 countries.
Our members believe that partnerships and networks are vital agents of change. The network is led by an experienced team of professionals, and it brings together members and partners working in the aforementioned fields. All member organizations are involved in the everyday work of the CI, through delegated responsibility for the implementation of activities in their area of expertise.
CONNECT International brings together individuals and organizations focused on its four pillars:
1. Digital Citizenship
2. Digital Rights
3. Digital Access
4. Digital Innovation
Interests Represented: Does not represent commercial interests
Interests:
- Communication
- Culture
- Culture and media
- Digital economy and society
- Education and training
- Employment and social affairs
- International co-operation and development
- Research and innovation
- Sport
- Youth
Levels of Interest:
- european
Activities
Main EU Legislative Proposals: *A safer internet:
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- EU Cybersecurity Strategy
*Shaping Europe's digital future:
- European Security Union Strategy
- Action Plan on Disinformation to fight fake news and disinformation
- European Democracy Action Plan
- Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online
- European strategy for a better internet for children
- Digital Services Act
- Data Act
- Digital Education Plan
- Digital Skills and Jobs Platform
- Connecting Europe Facility Programme
- European Data Strategy
*Research and innovation:
- Digital Europe programme
*Digital:
- EU Digital Strategy
- White paper on AI
- Regulation laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence
- Digital Compass
- European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade
*Education:
- Lifelong learning – European qualifications
- Technology and open educational resources to reshape EU education
- Mobility for students, trainees, young volunteers, teachers and trainers
- Erasmus+ EU programme for education, training, youth and sport
- Developing media literacy and critical thinking through education and training
*Youth:
- Mobility for students, trainees, young volunteers, teachers and trainers
- European Solidarity Corps programme 2021-2027
- Youth Guarantee
- Erasmus+ EU programme for education, training, youth and sport
- Youth empowerment and participation in civil society
- Structured dialogue
- European Youth Strategy
- European Youth Goals
*European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan
*MFFs 2021-2027:
- Digital Europe Programme
- Connecting Europe Facility - Digital
- Horizon Europe
- Creative Europe
- Next Generation EU
- Recovery and Resilience Facility
- Erasmus+
- IPA III
- Global Europe
Communication Activities: Over the last 10 years, CI has implemented over 35 projects and carried out over 70 activities clustered around our work's pillars that are related to different EU policies, as the EU itself has funded a significant number of our projects. Over 10,000 people were involved in our projects’ activities and reached millions through various communication channels.
Under different EU programs, we implemented projects such as "Algorithm of Mobility" (Erasmus+), which served as a tool for promoting youth mobility participation in Europe. The "European Living Library for Young Citizens" (Network of Towns) has been implemented since last year, aimed at linking citizens of the EU on different levels. With the support of the CoE, we worked on "Youtilize e-democracy," with the goal of making local government decision-making e-tools more youth-friendly in order to encourage active citizenship and youth inclusion. Our work is directly focused on the 3 horizontal priorities of the Erasmus+ program: "Digital transformation," " Participation in democratic life, common values and civic engagement," and "Inclusion and Diversity." Our projects are also linked with the European Year of Youth, the European Youth Strategy, and European Youth Goals, as we engaged with youth during the pandemic and supported YOs in ensuring that youth work and youth services did not cease during the pandemic. When doing so, we specifically focus on digital transitions and promoting a more digital Union. Our organisation is also actively contributing to Next Generation EU efforts, ensuring that digital work maintains youth services and youth work efforts while mobility is not possible. Our projects are linked to lifelong learning while promoting mobility for students, trainees, young volunteers, and trainers, including the intercultural components.
With the support of the European Youth Foundation, we implemented "Updated-Towards digitally safe youth organizations and youth workers" that provided training and youth-friendly resources for the GDPR application and data protection, thus ensuring young people's rights, safety, and privacy in the programs of youth organizations. To promote the European Democracy Action Plan, the Code of Conduct on countering illegal hate speech online, and the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children, we ran the "Think! Don’t Hate" project, aimed at training youth workers to improve young people's critical thinking, prevent hate speech online, and use social media for good. Within "Do (not) Digitalize Me", we gathered trainers and youth workers to work on proposals for improving digital non-formal education in line with the Digital Education Plan and Digital Skills. In collaboration with Youth Express Network, CONNECT developed the project "Soci@lise: Social Rights in the Digital Era" through which we addressed the impact of digitalization on social rights, in line with the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. The project "The COMPASS for my Virtual Life" aimed to create a theoretical approach to Human Rights Education that would ensure the implementation of the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade.
Our experience is also related to the EU Digital Strategy, Digital Compass, and Data Act as we implemented "BITE of Art," project which aimed to introduce innovative business models in contemporary art, ensuring the financial sustainability of cultural operators and involving young people in it.
Descriptions of all our projects and related activities are available on our website: connect-international.org
Our publications are available here: https://www.connect-international.org/resources/
Inter-institutional or Unofficial Groupings: Artificial intelligence and digital,Social economy,Climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development,Competitive European Industry: long-term and sustainable investment,SME
Head Office
Address: Rue d'Anderlecht
Post Code: 1000
City: Brussels
Country: BELGIUM
Phone: [object Object]
EU Office
Address: Rue d'Anderlecht
Post Code: 1000
City: Brussels
Country: BELGIUM
Phone: [object Object]
Financial Data
New Organisation: false
Closed Year: [object Object]
Current Year: [object Object]
Membership Information
Members10 Percent: 20
Members25 Percent: 10
Members50 Percent: 2
Members75 Percent: 0
Members: 33
Members F T E: 6.5
Info Members: Apart from people paid for administration and project work, Ci is engaging a number of volunteers across Europe. Our project work is also relying on work of Member Organisations and for this reason our centralised capacities are decreased.
A Full time employee is the General manager coordinating office in Brussels with support of part-time staff operating from other countries as well as accountant and volunteers in Brussels.
Board members and people doing structural work are calculated at 25% while experts pool members are 10%.
Structure
Structure Type: Structure
Is Member Of: Our network runs with the support of members and partners from all around Europe who are helping us achieve our goals. In order to achieve our goals we involve members coming from the NGO sector and stakeholder members who are important for ensuring implantation of our strategic goals.
CONNECT International brings together non-governmetal organizations from all around Europe which are dedicated to bringing humanity to digital world. they are full members with voting rights at General Assembly.
List of NGO members: https://www.connect-international.org/members-coming-from-the-ngo-sector/
Stakeholders membership: It is a non-statutory membership that was created in 2020 as part of CI effort to create close cooperation with institutions, public bodies, and businesses who can help in our efforts with their work. It is like a club of CI supporters who contribute to CI by providing us with access to decision makers, resources, experiences, and know-how from the field they are involved in and in return receive from CI view on their work through youth glasses. https://www.connect-international.org/stakeholder-members/
Organisation Members: Advisory Council on Youth of Council of Europe - https://www.coe.int/en/web/youth/advisory-council-on-youth