Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Regional Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
Technical Assistance Service Contract for the implementation of the project
“Capacity Building of Civil Society in the IPA countries and Territories”
(Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey)
EuropeAid/127427/C/SER/Multi – additional services
Open Call for Participants
Regional Strategic Workshop: “Connecting the Links – Capacities and Relations between
CSOs and the Media” (Priština, 18 June 2013)
Background information
The general objectives of this project are to strengthen the overall capacities and
accountability of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) within the Instrument for Pre-Accession
Assistance (IPA) beneficiaries and to guarantee the quality of services of CSOs and a
sustainable role of the CSOs in the democratic process. The main purposes of the project are
to:
 increase and improve the capacity and actions of CSOs and to
 improve the democratic role of CSOs.
An important activity under this heading is raising visibility, increasing knowledge and
gaining insight on relations and opinions that the media have towards CSOs; CSO visibility in
the media and the opinion of CSOs on the role of the media; and the capacity building of the
CSOs in their relations with the media.
Objectives and focus
A report that was recently published by TACSO, The Missing Link: CSO-Media Relations
and other similar reports are showing a more or less clear direction for the relations between
CSOs and the media. This direction indicates that the trust between the media and CSOs is not
very high; the media do not see CSOs as a helper in building democracy and reaching the
citizens; CSOs do not see the media as an independent actor towards the civil society and the
citizens; and neither have strategies on how to work together.
For that reason, the TACSO Regional Office is organising a strategic workshop: Connecting
the Links – Capacities and Relations between CSOs and the Media, which will be the first
step in this direction. The results of the regional workshop are expected to provide initial
plans on the short and long term perspective for developing the capacities of CSOs and the
media in regards to procedures, standards and strategies in a local context with a specific
focus on CSOs.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the
Kosovo declaration of independence.
TACSO Regional Office • Potoklinica 16 • 71 000 Sarajevo • t: +387 33 532 757 • f: +387 33 532 757 • e-mail: info@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resource Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania
Technical Assistance for
Civil Society Organisations
Regional Office
This project is funded
by the European Union.
Who can apply?
Representatives of CSOs and CSO networks, including independent civil society experts and
researchers who are based in the IPA countries can apply. Participants are expected to have
experience in the field and act as resource people throughout the workshop by sharing and
discussing good practices and lessons learned.
Individuals should have experience in the CSO/media environment for the last five years
with an advantage being that they have ten years of experience. Participants’ experience can
be in non-profit media, social media, public relations, commercial media, or in a media
watchdog organisation. Applicants need to be fluent in English to the extent that they can
actively participate in the conference.
Application procedure
Interested applicants are requested to submit:
 updated EU CV
 Short bio note
 Motivation letter, which should describe expectations from the workshop as well as a
discussion of CSO/media relations (in the applicant’s country or at the regional level),
what the applicant believes are the main issues and recommendations.
The completed application needs to be sent to the e-mail address of your national TACSO
office (contact details for all TACSO countries listed below) by 30 April 2013 with the
subject heading: Regional Workshop - Connecting the Links. The selection process should
be completed by 13 May 2013. Please note that only selected applicants will be contacted.
For selected participants, the organiser will provide travel costs (including costs of visas, if
applicable), accommodation, meals and refreshments during the conference. Further
information can be obtained from the TACSO Web site (www.tacso.org). If you have any
additional questions on the workshop please contact the local TACSO offices.
TACSO contacts:
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
Kosovo
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Montenegro
Serbia
Turkey
info.al@tacso.org | info.albania@tacso.org
info.ba@tacso.org
info.hr@tacso.org
info.ko@tacso.org
info.mk@tacso.org
info.me@tacso.org
info.rs@tacso.org
info.tr@tacso.org
TACSO Regional Office • Potoklinica 16 • 71 000 Sarajevo • t: +387 33 532 757 • f: +387 33 532 757 • e-mail: info@tacso.org
SIPU International AB Sweden • Civil Society Promotion Centre Bosnia and Herzegovina • Human Resource Development Foundation Turkey
Foundation in Support of Local Democracy Poland • Partners Foundation for Local Development Romania