Maria Joao Filgueiras Rauch

Maria Joao

Maria Joao Filgueiras Rauch

Validated Lead Expert

Generic Skills

B.1. Understanding of integrated and sustainable urban development:

My development in te field of integrated sustainable development has begun with the work related with the Learning Region concept in 1993 when I was representative of the Portuguese Govermnment for the negotiations of the initiaves Employment, ADAPT and art 6. In this context three Labour Ministries (Portugal, Germany and UK) have built up a first transnational project funded by the art 6 aiming a comparative research of policies and measures considered successful in the prevention of social exclusion and fostering social inclusion. the project was two years: a first year for the study and report and the second one to implement a pilot experimentation of the successful mechanisms in Portugal. The research showed the participatory holistic approaches with empowerment of actors as the most successful in the three countries. Therefore Amadora and Oeiras partnership was built to identify the main problems and to design a plan to face the challenges. It followed ( "Local development based on integrated platforms" -best practice by the European Commission) and EQUAL projects to further consolidate the partnership work. Moreover, to build up the Regional Pacts for Employment and Social Inclusion in Romania, animation of the Social network in North Portugal, expert of the OECD in the Forum for Partnerships (reviews of Romania and Croatia). The support to elaboration of integrated local development plans covered the economic, social and environmental dimensions.

B.2. Understanding of exchange and learning processes at transnational level:

Since 1993 that all projects I have worked with were transnational. In many of them I was the transnational manager and I developed a guide to support the organisation of transnational meetings and study visits that was used in all projects I have worked with. one of the best examples is the Munich EQUAL project with the transnational project EURODECO. The project had 4 thematic pillars working with 4 working groups corresponding to the pillars of the Munich project. In this way it was possible to incorporate the results of the transnational work directly in the project at local level. A report of each diomension was elaborated. An additional working group was built up for the policy dimension with political representatives of the municipalities involved enabling the signature of a Cooperation Agreement for further cooperation in the final conference. This work was praised by the German EQUAL managing Authority as a good practice in transnational work. I) have worked in the EQUAL CoP on partnership work at European level. I am an evaluator of projects for the European Commission since 25 years and one dimension being assessed is always the European dimension and the potential of the transnational work. I have organised and monitored 44 study visits in 8 different countries for every single regional TVET network in Romania.

B.3. Proficiency in English:

My work is essentially in English. The last three years I have worked as Policy Advisor of the Minister of Social Policy of malta and afterwards as advisor of the President of the Republic. As Advisor of the Minister I was attending the EPSCO meetings and with the President I was giving support to the attendance of the Arraiolos group meeting. This is only possible with a proficiency level of English. Moreover, the publications and reports I have done all these years are mostly in English. The chapetr about the case of Amadora as a learning Region in the CEDEFOP Anthology; the AEIDL Portugal report on the ESF and Local Development Study; the case study on Portugal also done for the AEIDL (contract of the European Commission); the reports on the Evaluation of the article 6 Local employment Development Initiatives for Spain (1 case by each Region of Spain, the report on the Gender Equality after the screening of all the Operational Programmes of the Community support Framework of Portugal. My interventions in conferences, transnational meetings and other European or International Events are made in English.

Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:

Summary Expertise for the design and delivery of transnational exchange and learning activities:

Portuguese expert in sustainable local development and public policies especially labour market and social inclusion. 81/86-company training department director. 87/95 Director of Studies and Organisation and member of ESF Programming group (Labour Ministry). From 95 in Germany working as expert in areas like employment, vocational training, sustainable local development and gender mainstreaming. External evaluator of the European Commission in projects and Programme evaluations . Expert work in Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Malta, Croatia, Turkey, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovakia. Transnational manager in more than 20 transnational projects. Development of a transnational guide for transnational meetings and study visits and a knowledge management tool for valorisation of experiences and peer learning acquired in events. Work at analysis level (swot analysis and participative diagnostic processes), at strategic level (institutional project/programme level), in PCM (project formulation, monitoring and evaluation), moderation of participatory workshops and training (PCM, partnership work and moderation). Some achievements in sustainable local development: development of local integrated development model in Amadora(10 years);development of 42 partnerships in Romania (8 Pacts+36 County Partnerships), animation of local networks (action plans) and support to creation of an Employment Pact in Alto Minho. OECD Expert, Forum for Partnerships (LEED Programme).

Thematic expertise:

Theme / Policy:

Active Inclusion of Target Groups

Summary Thematic expertise:

Expert with more than 25 years experience in the field and a solid action research work .Attendance of several thematic seminars and coferences organised by the European Commission and the OECD as well as a summer schol about the development of the third sector. In the field of policy development and implementation in social inclusion of disadvantaged groups I have worked mainly in bottom up approaches leading to the setting up of participatory structures. In the beginning in policy experimentations in within the Ministry of labour in portugal and afterwards as project manager in many local/urban development initiatives in Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Romania among others. Another example of a research was the comparative study of the social enterprises model in 6 different countries with policy and practice recommendations. In the policy implementation/projects essentially all the projects aimed at creating local integrated approaches at local/city level based on a bottom up partnership approach. This was the case in Amadora, Viana do Castelo (social network) in Munich and in Romania. In the field of evaluation I have participated in the EVASOC – Evaluation of the Social Inclusion European Programme and in EVALESI - Monitoring and Evaluation of the article 6 Program about the creation of innovative solutions for local employment and social inclusion through pilot projects aiming the holistic local development Furthermore, participation as expert in two policy reviews organised by the LEED Programme OECD (Romania and Croatia). During two years Policy Advisor of the Minister of Family and Social Solidarity Malta rsponsible for the preparation of the EPSCO meetings and other European Ministerial meetings as well as for the development of the LEAP project aiming to decentralise and de-institutionalise the social services in Malta based on the creation of Six regional networks. Finally one year as Advisor of the President of the Republic of Malta giving support on international contacts and cooperation schemes and agreements. Responsible for the Grupo de Arraiolos participation. In this context creation of an Association for CSR that brings together all the employers organisations of Malta and is afilliated in CSR Europe. Community of Practice for Partnerships member. Participation in the review of the partnership models in the ESF countries. Interviews with project teams in Belgium Flanders. As an advisory expert for local and regional authorities for the development of bottom up local integrated approaches I use many tools such as strategic planing, PCM, problems and objectives trees, stakeholders analysis, swot analysis, group dynamics (world cafe format is very successful). Tools are also used to create the necessary inputs for the learning process such as guides, questionnaires among others and depending on the type of action (project, evaluation, other). In each one of the projects that I have worked a report was elaborated including policy and practice recommendations.

Expertise support to local authorities and other stakeholders in designing & delivering integrated and participatory policies

E.1. Knowledge on participatory methods and tools for co-production and implementation of local polices :

The knowledge in the field was acquired through the participation in different seminars, conferences especially by the European Commission and the OECD. Moreover an extensive self-research and respective application in the practice for more than 25 years. 1)In the Ministry of Labour and Social,Affairs in portugal I was responsible for the project Development of innovative Employment and Social Inclusion Policies in collaboration with the Municipality of Amadora (article 6) for the implementation of a pilot project: establishing a regional partnership (involving public, private and non profit social organisations) to empower the actors and provide capacity building . (Learning Region Concept); 2)Conception, technical coordination and transtional management of the Project Local Development based in local Partnerships for the city of Amadora. It introduced the concept of active inclusion by creating community partnerships involving the local actors and the target groups’ representatives to develop employment opportunities and labour market integration schemes. 3)EQUAL–Integrated platform for the Local development of Amadora (employment and social inclusion) for integration of migrants. Main tools used: strategic planning, PCM to support planning and management of projects, swot analysis, problems trees and objectives trees to identify the problems and establish objectives, the strategic priorities and after that the Activities Plan (following the LOGFRAME)

E.2. Knowledge on integrated approach for the design, delivering, monitoring and evaluation of urban strategies/policies:

1)DGEFP - General Direction were related with the responsabilities of the institution: policy making proposals based on studies, monitoring and evaluation Main Tasks among others: • Participation on the “Observatory for Employment and Vocational Training” responsible for the observation and identification of problems related with employment and social exclusion and to propose the necessary corrections and adjustments. • Member of the working group that developed the Portuguese National Support Frameworks I (1989-1993) and II (1994 – 1999) and the other Programming documents within the cohesion policy (ESF Operational Programmes). • Member of the Team that prepared the Portuguese contribution to the “White Book for Development, Growth and Competitiveness in Europe” – EU (Jacques Delors) • Member of the Team that prepared and negotiated the first Portuguese “Agreement on Employment and Vocational Training” with the social partners - Social Dialogue - technical discussions; • Technical Portuguese delegate in the Community Social Affairs Committee for the discussion of the directive “Access to Continuing Vocational Training”; • Government representative in the Committee of the Community Initiatives – EMPLOYMENT aiming, respectively, the development of social inclusion measures addressed to: Disabled people (HORIZON), Women (NOW) and young people (YOUTH) 2)The Policy Peer reviews organised by the OECD (Romania and Croatia) OECD “Capacity Building for effective local employment partnerships ” have included the elaboration of a Study and evaluation mission to two regions in each one of the countries and the formulation of policy recommendations at local/urban, regional and national levels. 3) EVALESI - Monitoring and Evaluation (on going)of the article 6 Program about the creation of innovative solutions for local employment and social inclusion through pilot projects aiming the holistic local development . Use of monitoring guiding questionnaires for the interviews and group dynamics to gather together the different actors involved and get different perspectives.Elaboration of reports to the central coordination.Selection of good practice cases. Case studies elaboration 4) Communities of Practice workshop by Etienne Wenger. This workshop was very useful to learn how to structure, launch and maintain the CoPs and how to use the associated tools. One year later I have collaborated with Etinne in organising one workshop in Romania.

E.3. Awareness of the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level:

The update task is based on the regular consultation of the European Commission publications in the framework of URBACT, ERDN and other policy documents (Employment and social development in Europe reports) . Also the OECD has very good publications in this regard. As a member of the Forum for Partnerships of the LEED Programme and collaborating with the Trento centre I have access to the available publications. For instance: Local economic Leadership (2015) bring some successful examples of cities with a leadersip that fosters economic devlopment and social cohesion( Amsterdam, Manchester,Hamburg and Stockholm. These cities had their presentations and discussions during the Forum 2015. I consult also publications of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and working conditions, 0: The applicant does not describe how she keeps up-to-date with the main policy and funding schemes for sustainable urban development at EU and national level (for example by following certain websites, subscribing to newsletters, etc.). Instead she describes where she obtains reports and other publications on already implemented projects.

E.4. Ability to understand specific local situations and adapt tools and content to different local realities:

My work as technical assistance in different countries demands a permanent research on the national, regional and local realities of each one of the countries in order to be able to design the right strategy of intervention and to adapt the necessary tools. This was the case to build the Pacts in Romania that was different from building the local networks in the North of Portugal and again different from building the six regional networks in Malta. For instance in Malta I could support the Minister on the adaptation of a Brasilian Programme (Bolsa Familia) to the conditions of Malta by creating a conditionalism of avoiding school leaving and of monitoring the health of the children in order to get an extra cash subsidy associated to the minimum income. the design of the workshop to elaborate an action Plan in partnership was adapted (i.e.the type of examples, the mobilisation techniques, the group dynamics techniques) in Romania, in Portugal and in Malta.

Summary Expertise:

Expert with more than 25 years experience in the field and a solid action research work .Attendance of several thematic seminars and coferences organised by the European Commission and the OECD. In the field of policy development and implementation in social inclusion of disadvantaged groups I have worked mainly in bottom up approaches leading to the setting up of participatory structures. In the beginning in policy experimentations within the Ministry of labour in Portugal and afterwards as project manager in many local/urban development initiatives in different countries. Still in research a comparative study of the social enterprises model in 6 countries was done and policy and practice recommendations formulated. All the projects aimed essentially at creating local integrated approaches at local/city level based on a bottom up partnership approach. Participation in EVALESI-Monitoring and Evaluation of European Program on creation of innovative solutions for local employment and social inclusion through holistic local development pilot projects. Participation as expert in two policy reviews organised by the LEED Programme OECD (Romania and Croatia).My work as technical assistance in different countries demands a permanent research on the national, regional and local realities of each one of the countries in order to be able to design the right strategy of intervention and to adapt the necessary tools. Reports and policy notes were also elaborated.