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The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.
Socrates

Annual narrative reports on the years of 2011 and 2012

Gabriela Tanasan
Chair of ENUSP for two years, October 2010 October 2012
I am a survivor of psychiatry and an activist for user involvement in Romania since 1996. I am the Chair of
Horizons Foundation (member of ENUSP). In March 2009, I was co-opted by the Board of ENUSP as the
individual responsible for the Central European Region. Working on behalf of ENUSP, I was the main person
responsible for organizing the 6th ENUSP Congress held in Thessaloniki in 2010. I was elected as the Chair of
ENUSP and acted so until 15 September 2012 when I resigned.

2010
The 6th ENUSP Congress in Thessaloniki
October, Thessaloniki, Greece
ENUSPs Board members, who were elected in Thessaloniki on 30 September 2010:
Chair: Gabriela Tanasan
Deputy Chair: Rafal Daem (Belgium)/Erik Olsen
Central region: Stefan Bandol (Romania), Debra Shulkes (Czech Republic/Australia)/Michal Caletka (Czech
Rep)
North West region: Jan Verhaegh (the Netherlands), Sabita Gurney-Branford (UK)/Sean Crudded (Ireland)
South West Region: Rafal Daem (Belgium), Erveda Sansi (Italy)
Northern Region: Erik Olsen (Denmark), Maths Jesperson (Sweden)
North East Region: Piotr Iwaneyko (Poland), Berthold Ksel (Germany)/Reinhold Hassel (Germany)
South East Region: Katerina Skourtopoulou (Greece)/Marina Lycovounioty (Greece), Asmati Augustin
(Georgia)

Chair between 30 September 2010 15 September 2012

For me the two years as a Chair meant hard work and commitment to put into practice the promises I
made in Thessaloniki: creating a functional and solid structure of ENUSP, obtaining financial support, while
following the work plan approved by the General Assembly.
This is what I have done and accomplished during this period:
Legal registration of the new board and opening a new bank account a quite difficult first task. This
process took almost 6 months.
Administrative work.
Daily correspondence.
Organizing board meetings and writing the minutes for most meetings: 4 board meetings in 2010, 10
in 2011, and 6 in 2012
Organizing the Empowerment seminar in Brussels, May 2011 and the one in Zagreb, in October 2012.
The implementation of the Re-building ENUSP Project:

Developing the proposal for the project

Overall coordination

2011
The third Empowerment seminar - ACTION NOW! HUMAN RIGHTS AND RESOURCES
May 2011, Brussels, Belgium
ACTION NOW! featured a joint conference and debate among ENUSP and MHE delegates and
representatives from the European Commission and United Nations on the progress of deinstitutionalisation in the EU and the third ENUSP Empowerment seminar organized with support from the
European Commission Progress Programme and assistance from Brussels Uilenspiegel Flemish user group.
25 User/survivor delegates from 17 countries met privately the next day for a working seminar Building
the European Network: Status, Priorities, Action Plan. The presentations and discussion within plenary
sessions set emergency goals for ENUSP that balanced practical needs (like finding funding) with the most
vital work. Participants divided into 5 working groups:
Building the European Network: Planning key actions for the next 12 months, aiming to come up with
a realistic plan of the actions to be taken in the next 12 months;
Working on the CRPD: Lobbying and raising awareness in our movement, with the aim to bring
European user/survivor representatives together to talk about how we can work more effectively on
the CRPD;
The European MadPride Human Rights and Culture Festival, based on the idea to use the interactive
format, with participants input, to explore and plan different aspects of the Mad Pride human rights
and culture festival;
ENUSPs newsletter Advocacy Update focused on forming the basis for a cross-European working
group that to help keeping Advocacy Update alive, and
Peers in Progress, a peer support training proposal; the goal was to formulate a strategic plan to
make Peers in Progress a reality across Europe.
To carry on this important work, participants signed up for new ENUSP Taskforces, small teams focusing on
these or other topics.
One of the most important outcomes of the seminar was the determination of some people to approach
Open Society Foundations-Mental Health Initiative for financial support in order to address our top
priorities: creating a reliable and interactive structure to manage our work and strengthening internal and
external communications, especially through our website and our newsletter.
Jasna Russo negotiated the possibility of a grant for ENUSP. Elizabeth Winder, Debra Shulkes and Gabriela
Tanasan all worked on the grant application with support from Erik Olsen and Katerina Skourtopoulou.

2011-2012
Re-building ENUSP: Strengthening the network of users and survivors of psychiatry across Europe
The proposal was submitted on August 16th 2011 and was approved in late September.
Grant start and end date (month/day/year): 1 November 2011 11 May 2012 (with an approved no cost
extension until 11 June 2012)
Grant award amount: 31.060 USD
ENUSP contribution: 4.190 EUR

Project workers:
Debra Shulkes, project coordinator* 6 months
Elizabeth Winder, project assistant 4 months
Jasna Russo 1 month, strategy
Noemi Kiry Ambrus 3 months, membership and fundraising
Claus Bech Nielsen, accountant 6 months
Rodica Anton, web design and webmaster 6 months
*I promised from the very beginning that I would give my full support to the project implementation and
therefore, I took over the project coordination (dealing with all the bureaucracy and with various
administrative activities) to support Debra who clearly specified that she prefers not to deal with these
aspects.
The project had three main goals:
I.

Set up organisational support systems, build up the membership and, draw up a 3-year strategy to
steer the work of ENUSP

Objective 1: Appoint Project Co-ordinator and Project Assistant and re-establish a central ENUSP
contact point
Objective 2: Create new member database and produce report outlining efforts to improve connections
with members and identifying potential members (Reference document for ENUSP strategy
development)
Objective 3: Draw up a detailed 3-year Strategic Action Plan for ENUSP based on widespread
consultation with the membership
II. Improve ENUSPs internal and external communications and strategically review representation in
external forums
Objective 1: Engage a web designer + webmaster
Objective 2: Develop, launch and maintain new website
Objective 3: Produce report on ENUSPs current representation in external forums, current procedure
for consulting membership, and trainings/resources needed by representatives (Reference document
for developing representation section of ENUSP strategy)
Objective 4: Prepare and publish one issue of ENUSPs newsletter Advocacy Update and six monthly
ENUSP bulletins
III. Take strategic steps to ensure the long-term independent financing of ENUSP
Objective 1: Investigate and report on at least 3 options for long-term operating funding
Objective 2: Take all preparatory steps to make at least one application for long-term operating funding
Objective 3: Prepare and submit at least one application for long-term operating funding by two months
before the end of the project period
Concrete outcomes:
One of the most important achievements of the project is that after 20 years of existence finally
ENUSP has a strategic plan which outlines the path of activities the organization should take; having a
Strategy ENUSP is no longer an organisation that reacts to what is happening around it and become
an organisation that looks forwards and plans our path through the opportunities and threats ahead
Membership issues up to date and a continuous communication towards the members

Active communication with our members about events and successes via the Info Bulletins and as
well the new website.
Meaningful representation in external forums
Despite some minor animosities as we embarked on very challenging organizational work together, the
project has initiated an important new development phase in ENUSPs life. We decided to take the journey
knowing that there is no way back. The 6 month project was only the boost, the generator of further work.
Milestones reached:
The milestones reached followed completely the structure of the project:
renewing membership
designing and adopting the strategy
communicating actively within the organization and outside (6 Info Bulletins and website)
increasing fundraising capacity
Difficulties/setbacks:
During the implementation of the project ENUSP has encountered several difficulties, had to overcome
several challenges
Challenges in project management and time management for quite a long time this was the first
project ENUSP has managed alone as an organization and was responsible for. It became very clear
that at the time of developing the proposal we were far too ambitious and planned much more than
it was possible to achieve this lead to increased workload of project staff, to their health problems
and ultimately to delays in the outcomes of the project.
Lack of active involvement of the members with both the membership renewal and the
consultation for the strategy the response rate was very low. In the future we definitely need to map
the human resources capacity existing in the organization, to concretely activate the taskforces
ENUSP through an adequate policy of cooperation to be sure that we can achieve the goals.
Slow decision-making process.
*Needs for development
Some of the training needs which were stated are:
-

Human rights and advocacy/lobbying, methods of lobbing of politicians in the implementation of

CRPD and the promotion of transformation.

Fundraising trainings as well as information on funding sources and information on organizations

interested in partnership projects

Training on capacity building.

Overall:
We knew that managing change it is a difficult process, but maybe we were not aware how differently
people would react and bear change. Old patterns switch on really easily and the task is to keep the
rhythm, to maintain the spirit of having a strategy and to make sure secured funding for the coming years
and for the planned projects is available. Hopefully by assuring human resources and financial resources we
can keep up the work we have started and re-building ENUSP as a concept develops building ENUSP to
become a professional organization that cant be left out from the human rights arena.

The 4th Empowerment seminar 2012

Zagreb, Croatia, October 2012
FROM STRATEGY TO REALITY - Mobilizing Users-X-users and survivors of psychiatry in Europe, based on
support from Mental Health Europe (MHE) under the European Commission Progress Program. Organized
with assistance of Shine, ENUSP member organization, the two-day seminar was held in Zagreb, 19-21
October 2012.
19 mental health service users and psychiatric survivor representatives of ENUSP member organizations
from 13 European countries came to Zagreb for an active and participatory working event, with the goal of
strengthening ENUSP and its participating members.
On Saturday 20 October, the program started with a plenary Open Thematic Dialogue, in which all
participants shared their current activities, work, achievements and challenges and gave a short country
report. This was very inspiring and unifying, and gave us opportunities to build bridges amongst ourselves.
In the afternoon four working groups focused on the main lines of ENUSPs Strategic Plan (2012-2015). The
thematic groups were:
1. Fundraising facilitator Nomi Kiry Ambrus,
2. Communication facilitator Erik Olsen,
3. Lobbying and representation facilitator Jasna Russo,
4. Preparation of the next GA facilitator Gabriela Tanasan.
The working groups came up with a list of priorities and a concrete plan of the actions needed in the next
14 months, which to enable the concrete development of ENUSP and implementation of the strategic
moves as planned in the ENUSP Strategic Plan (2012-2015).
On Sunday 21 October 2012, the working groups reported in a plenary session, and the working papers
were integrated into the ENUSP Action Plan 2012-2013.
1. Fundraising and Preparation of the next GA, facilitators Noemi Kiri Ambrus and Gabriela Tanasan
Actions to be taken:
Develop By-laws to be approved by GA
Develop induction packages for new members of ENUSP to be approved by GA
Develop new structure of ENUSP to be approved by GA
Organise the GA itself
Funding application(s):
-

Establishment of a fundraising group

Funding from: The State of the host country, ENUSP project(s), Member organizations' projects, MHE
for EU countries, OSI projects for non-EU countries

2. Communication improve internal and external communication, facilitator Erik Olsen

Actions to be taken:
Web site administration
1. Appointment of: a website administrator, proofreader(s), translator(s), coordinator of all incoming
information, editorial board
2. Create discussion forum as a tool for internal and external communication: (a) Forum with limited access
to Board (and project workers) for discussion and decision-making purposes, (b) Forum restricted to

members only, and (c) Open forum for members and guests for all kinds of info, experience and idea
exchange purposes
3. Provide other offers on web site:
Issuing ENUSP bulletin, advocacy update + other media
1. Appointment of an Editorial Board and a PR person for other media
2. ENUSP Bulletin should be published 4 times a year
3. Advocacy Update should be published 2 times a year
Gaining more members and co-operating with them better
1. Draw up a centralized list of all paying ENUSP members
2. Draw up a centralized list of ENUSP potential members
3. Use more personal contact (e.g., phoning with the help of this list) to recruit members.
3. Lobbying and representation, facilitator Jasna Russo
Actions to be taken
Position papers on fundamental issues:
forced treatment, including community forced treatment
harmful treatment methods such as ECT, restraint and seclusion
deinstitutionalization
legal capacity
understanding of madness and human crisis
ENUSP representation TEMPLATE designed by the group
ENUSP involvement TEMPLATE designed by the group
ENUSP policy on involvement in research projects SOME SUGGESTIONS
The main purpose of the templates is to outline some principles of our involvement for anybody wishing to
collaborate with ENUSP in research. The document should cover two main parts:
I.

Type of research

II.

Type of ENUSP involvement

2012-2014
ENUSP Supporter for two years
After two years of intensive work, in September 2012, for personal and organizational reasons, I made the
decision to resign. Still, I promised Erik Olsen, who replaced me, that I would help him and the Board as
much as I can.
Keeping the promise I continuously advised, supported, and helped the Board.
The organisation of the 5th Empowerment, Strategy for empowerment - Key areas of action
December 2013, Bucharest, Romania

Based on support from Mental Health Europe (MHE) under the European Commission Progress Programme
and with assistance of Horizons Foundation
The seminar brought together 19 representatives of users/survivors groups from 12 EU countries.

EPF Fundraising Training

As an ENUSP representative, in August 2014, I attended the EPFs Fundraising Training for EPF full
members. The purpose of the training was to deliver training and coaching on fundraising and assist the
trainees with developing a fundraising strategy and plan for their organisation.
With the assistance of the trainers after the face-to-face training and great help of Stephanie Wooley and
Olga Kalina, I start drafting the ENUSP Fundraising Strategy.

The organisation of the GA

Besides the organisation itself of the event, I supported the Board with preparing the documents for the
GA. Many thanks and my gratitude go to Karl-Bach Jensen, Claus Bech Nielsen, Stephanie Wooley and Olga
Kalina for their support and assistance.

During all these more than four years, I have enjoyed working with everyone and I appreciate all that I have
learned from all of you. Thank you for the trust that you have placed in me.

Thank you! Mulumesc!