Trends in Consulting in V4 Countries

Proceedings of the international conference

On November 25-26, 2004 Partners for Democratic Change Slovakia in cooperation with VIA Foundation (CZ), CSDF (HU) and SPLOT (PL) organized international conference on Trends in Consulting in V4 Countries. The conference took place in Bratislava. It gathered more than 70 participants coming from V4 countries as well as Bulgaria and Romania.

Our intention was to have a conference of a "working nature". It was not meant to be information exchange or lessons learned from already implemented activities but more defining and forming of some questions as well as looking for a framework for agreements on joint procedures which need to be faced by the consultants of Visegrad countries after EU accession of their countries.

Main aim was to:
1/ name the changing needs for consulting services for non-profit and public sector linked to EU accession, what consequences it has for the character and kind of consulting services, their institutional background and regional (cross-border) consulting help,
2/ look for and formulate agreements for joint projects of consultants and consulting institutions of Visegrad countries (in areas such as educational projects, third countries developmental aid, changing character of civil society, consulting situations for local development and work with minorities|,
3/ exchange experience with institutional base for work of consultants in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Team foto

Photographs from the conference.

Thursday, November 25, 2004

10.00 -10.15 Introduction of the program and objective of the conference
Explanation of the working groups format

• Dušan Ondrušek, PDCS, Slovakia

10.15 -11.15 Presentation of invited speakers with key contributions on trends in social and community development and demands placed on consultants:

• Ms. Jana Simonova, UNDP and
• Mr. Kuba Wygnanski, KLON Poland

Discussion

11.30 -12.30 Presentation of invited speakers with key contributions on trends in consultancy work in international context:

• Ms. Nilda Bullain - ECNL Hungary and
• Mr. Allan Bussard – Integra Venture Foundation, Slovakia

Discussion

14.00 -15.40 Parallel workshops:

• Chaired Workshop A: Consulting in community development context (emerging needs for community development, regional development and EU programs)
  (chair: Ms. Karolína Miková, PDCS/SK, and presentations of 3-4 speakers + discussion)
• Chaired Workshop B: Consulting in developmental (foreign) aid context (experience of development organizations’ platforms working in Visegrad countries, experience of UNDP)
  (chair: Mr. Milan Nič, Pontis/SK, and presentations of 3-4 speakers + discussion)
• Chaired Workshop C: Consulting to develop civic sector and philanthropy strengthening
  (chair: Mr. Boris Strečanský, Ekopolis/SK, and presentations of 3-4 speakers + discussion)

16.00 -17.40 Parallel workshops:

• Chaired Workshop D: Consulting in the context of majority/minority co-existence
  (chair: Mr. Dusan Ondrusek, PDCS/SK, and presentations of 3-4 speakers + discussion)
• Chaired Workshop E: Consulting in OD and organizational change for non-governmental and public sector
  (chair: Mr. Ján Mihálik, PDCS/SK, and presentations of 3-4 speakers + discussion)
• Chaired Workshop F: Consulting with respect to structural and communitarian aid programs in expanding EU
  (chair: Mr. David Stulík, NROS/CR, and presentations of 3-4 speakers + discussion)

Friday, November 26, 2004

9.00 - 9.30 Information on functioning of trainer/consultants associations in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia
Brief speeches given by representatives of the associations:

• Rafal Klepacz – SPLOT Network, Poland
• Jan Kroupa - OK and Kateřina Bláhová – VIA Foundation, Czech Republic
• Nilda Bullain - CSDF Board Member, Hungary
• Dušan Ondrušek - TaK
• Jana Malovičová – OK, Slovakia

9.30 -11.00 Visegrad Consultants Bazaar
Large “discussion happening” and group collage with 50 participants

11.20 -13.00 Two parallel working groups:

• Working group G: Ethical aspects, codes guiding the work of consultants (comparison of customs, codes, institutions, standards)
  (facilitator: Mr. Jan Kroupa, Podnos/CR)
• Working group H: Educational needs and needs for further development of consultants (experience exchange, identification of needs and supportive supervisory programs)
  (facilitator: Ms. Zora Paulíniová, PDCS/SK)

14.00 -15.00 Conference conclusions in plenary

• Facilitator: Dušan Ondrušek, PDCS, Slovakia (discussions and final agreements from the A-H working groups)