The Role of Civil Society (Video)
As part of the European Parliament funded project, Europe’s Future: Activating Youth and Community Involvement in European Decision Making, The Wheel produced a short video filmed during their recent conference on the role of civil society in Europe.
The video features input from Lynn Boylan MEP on the European Parliament and why Irish civil society should engage with European democracy. Also featured is Siobhan Fitzpatrick, CEO of Early Years – the organisation for young children; Hugh Quigley, Chairman of the Access Europe project; and Deirdre Garvey, CEO of The Wheel. They each highlight the important role that civil society has to play in shaping a successful and sustainable future for Europe and the value of participating in European projects, exchange of best practice, and innovation. Finally, European Programmes Officer at The Wheel, Emma Murtagh, outlines practical means of engaging with the European Parliament and the supports that The Wheel provides to civil society pursuing EU funding.
This project has been a valuable experience for both The Wheel and their project partners, the Union of Students in Ireland and SpunOut.ie. Through it, we have been able to provide insight to our target groups on the workings of the European Parliament and the impact that decisions made at a European level have on the communities represented by our sector. Various members of the European Parliament have been involved in the delivery of this project, including Lynn Boylan MEP, Mairead McGuinness MEP, Liadh Ní Riada MEP, Sean Kelly MEP, and Marian Harkin MEP. We look forward to continuing to work alongside them so that European decision-makers and civil society can collaborate in building the best possible future for Europe and its citizens.
For more information on The Wheel’s European Programmes Team’s work visit: