Description
The goal of the project is to engage companies and business professionals into solving some of the societal challenges via utilizing their skills through pro bono service. Nonprofit organizations lack access to high quality professional services in law, marketing and communication, leadership and HR, strategy and management or IT that they need to further their mission. The project supports creating an ecosystem to strengthen the capacities of NGOs and supports active citizenship. The project is expected to achieve sustainable system and methodology on providing pro bono services in various fields. Through the partnership with Prospera Network and Norwegian Bar Association we will exchange know-how and experience and deliver trainings to selected target groups. The beneficiaries of the project are NGOs, companies and pro bono volunteers. Besides pro bono marathon, service grants and events, our objective is also to engage more attorneys and law firms into pro bono by connecting them with strong and reliable CSOs, providing them high-expert educational opportunities regarding human rights, promoting value, need and impact of pro bono systemic legal help to wider public and packaging up our gained know-how into a handy manual for the use of others in Slovakia and abroad. For example, we led a public discussion with attorneys and social workers on systemic barriers to homelessness to break the general “prejudice” and show clear points where the system itself prevents those who want to from getting out of their harsh life situation. Two educational events for attorneys – seminar on strategic pro bono and legal training on human and refugee rights brought us new attorneys into program. Through provision of 4 high quality legal material for public policy influencing we increased legal awareness of three high potential social purpose organizations and contributed to current process of creating National Strategy on solving and prevention of homelessness in Slovakia.
Summary of project results
From the very beginning, the project has been designed to strategically contribute to the long-term goal of the Pontis Foundation to connect the sectors of Slovak society and bring the partnerships between business, public administration and nonprofits to the next level. After 17 months of project realisation we can conclude, that it has succeeded to visibly boost the pro bono culture in Slovakia, bring new and strengthen existing tools of intermediating pro bono services in law, marketing and communication, IT and strategy. It has also increased the attractivity and active citizenship awareness among professionals, for the public good. The project has brought a valuable impulse in period, when enabled to pilot various models of intermediating pro bono services and therefore contributed to gain best practices and know-how, which can be further used and developed for the benefit of nonprofits and engaging further companies and pro bono consultants. The unique value of the project lies in increasing the available resources for the nonprofits, and thus to strengthen their sustainability, increasing effectivity and enlarging the circles of supporters. Partnerships with Norwegian organizations have been positive enrichment of the project by the means of new views and specific high added value expertise. We plan to continue our cooperation – with Prospera Network within the Global Pro Bono Network. The cooperation with the donor has been good, however in comparison to other donors with higher administrative demands.
Summary of bilateral results
We have realised the project in cooperation with Norwegian partner organisations – Prospera Network and Advokatforeningen/Norwegian Bar Association. Anne Aaby, the director of Prospera NEtwork has taken part on the Corporate Philanthropy Forum and Pro Bono Workshop in november 2014. As a follow-up, we have exchanged our experiences on a day-long working meeting led by Max Skolnik from the Taproot Foundation, the leading organization in pro bono, also driving the Global Pro Bono Network. In cooperation with the Norwegian Bar Association, in april 2015 we have conducted a seminar Strategic pro bono help and human rights. In october 2015 we have conducted a seminar for the attornes – Refugees and their rights – from theory to practice. The partnership has enabled us to gain and spread a unique expertise of lawyers from the country, that is a great inspiration in the approach towards minorities and human rights, Exchange experiences and enrich bilateral partnership with the relations with organisations from other counties (the membership of prospera in the Global Pro Bono Network).