MISSION

Community Aid Network (CAN) is an NGO resource centre and community network in Brasov County.

Our Mission is to network and provide services for the civil society NGOs of Brasov County; particularly those that work with the disadvantaged, the poor, the sick, children and youth.

An NGO is a 'Non-Governmental Organisation'. In our literature an NGO is also referred to as a charity or a charitable organisation.

OUR OFFICES

Our main office is at Casa Corpului Didactic, 52 Iuliu Maniu Str, Brasov.

Our Director's office is at no. 86 Castelului Str, Brasov.

Our hosting organisation’s office (FAST) is at Centre Ziurel in Sacele.

OUR STAFF

Our staff are responsible for the running of the NGO resource centre and developing and servicing the network.

Directors

Dominic McCann
Magdalena Iacob

Staff

Andreea Nicoara, Volunteer Co-ordinator
Madalina Mezei, Project Manager

Volunteers

Jason Musso
Monica Opricescu
Alexandru Pop
Monica Puscas

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Community Aid Network was conceived and developed by a group of NGOs, the Directors of these charities now make up a Board of Governors who supervise Community Aid Network:

Daniel Hristea - Fundatia pentru Asistenta Sociala si Tineret (FAST)

Mark Biech - Asociatia Hope for the Nations

Greg Helm - Fundatia Protectia Copiilor

Dolores Bota - Asociatia Centrul Vietii Noi

Maria Gavriliu - Fundatia pentru Copii Abandonati

Maya Scheytt - Asociatia Samariteanul Milos

HOW WE CAN HELP

Community Aid Network’s mission is to assist NGOs, and there are three ways in which we do this.

• The first is to encourage NGOs to assist each other, through sharing resources and experience and by encouraging partnerships among charities.

• The second is to encourage support for the NGOs among the wider community of Braşov County, and among potential supporters both nationally and internationally.

• Thirdly we offer our own support directly to NGOs through the work of our own supporters and staff.

WHAT THIS INVOLVES?

1. Knowledge of NGO activity and an understanding of their environments.

We do this so that no organisation that qualifies for our support is neglected. For CAN to realise its mission it is important for our staff to have a knowledge of all NGO activity in Brasov County and to understand the sector we are working in from the perspective of the people who create and manage these social projects. Our service will have a personal touch, in order that NGOs may know our staff personally and understand our activity on their behalf.

WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH:
i. A complete on-line database of NGOs and their projects.
ii. Visiting NGOs around the county.
iii. Making an annual survey of NGO managers’ needs and opinions.

2. Networking and creating partnerships among NGOs.

We organise meetings and publicise the work of NGOs within the sector in order to allow NGOs to help each other by sharing their information, resources and experience. Regular meetings will provide a chance for NGO staff to compare and discuss their activities and their challenges, which will create an environment for mutual assistance and future collaboration.

WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH:
i. Organising monthly social meetings in Brasov.
ii. Facilitating other meetings as necessary or when requested.
iii. Publicising projects within the Brasov NGO community.

3. Providing information services to NGOs.

We provide a newsletter and online services at canbv.ro in order to channel useful information for NGOs, gain valuable feedback from our members, and to ease the burden of management and administration on NGO leadership.

WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH:
i. Daily media monitoring.
ii. Info-bulletin services (news within the charity sector).
iii. NGO resources online – sample contracts, legislation, human resources etc.
iv. Information about reliable outsourcing services.
v. A monthly newsletter.

4. Creating and co-ordinating volunteering in Brasov County

Volunteering is an essential resource to charities of all sizes and structure, and it is a resource that we will endeavor to develop in Brasov County in order to help NGOs select the right people with the right background for volunteering positions.

WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH:
i. Creating a volunteer centre for Brasov County.
ii. Creating a volunteering training programme.
iii. Creating volunteering opportunities for foreign volunteers.

5. Improving relationships between NGOs and the wider community.

NGOs need to be locally integrated in order to support their communities, and these communities in turn need to understand and support their NGOs. We encourage open and mutually beneficial collaboration between NGos and the wider community as well as improvement in knowledge and understanding of NGO activity.

WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH:
i. Publicising NGO projects through our website and newsletter.
ii. Developing NGO relationships with local institutions
iii. Developing NGO relationships with local businesses.
iv. Providing local press releases about NGO activity in Brasov County.

6. Facilitating grants to NGOs for the creation and development of projects.

CAN will develop partnerships with donors in order to offer a series of grants targeted at Brasov NGOs. This can help to fill a gap in local NGO funding as well as encourage grant writing skills among charity sector workers.

WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH:
i. Setting up a grant making procedure for donors.
ii. Working to attract donors to this programme.

7. Improving national and international networking among local NGOs.

By helping to integrate NGOs into national and international networks, and by developing relationships with our own partners in Romania and abroad, we can help NGOs to benefit from already available support, and to create new opportunities for this.

WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH:
i. Working with CAN Britain with the aim of expanding our Network internationally.
ii. Establishing links with NGOs, community groups, institutions and businesses elsewhere in Romania and abroad.
iii. Creating a database of useful organisations covering the fields of activity of our NGO members, forming collaborations with these organisations, and encouraging collaboration with our network members.