Transcript Belgium The League of Large and Young Families – The Bond

Belgium
The League of Large and Young
Families – The Bond
Pluralistic and nongovernmental
organization which began in
1921
Unites 300,000 families in
Flanders and Brussels,
representing more than 1 million
men, women, and children
Represents 1/6 of the
Flemish population
The Aims of the Bond
To promote solidarity between
families
To promote the interests of all
families
To work towards a family- and
child-oriented climate in society
The Bond’s
Organizational Structure
The Bond is organized locally
(1,100 branches), regionally
(33 regions), provincially
(5 provinces), and centrally
All representatives are
democratically elected every
6 years
Efforts are supported
by 14,000 volunteers
Volunteer workers
are supported by 120
personnel
The Bond’s Activities
Political action on behalf of
families
Promoting social life at the local
level
Providing family-oriented
services for member families
Successful Political
Initiatives
Preserving child allowances
Creating a minister for “Culture,
Family, and Welfare”
Making family impact
assessment of government
policies compulsory
Establishing home loans for
low-income families
with at least three
children
Successful Political
Initiatives
Laying the groundwork for
children to be heard in divorce
proceedings
Ensuring the right of
grandparents to see their
grandchildren
Banning television advertising
5 minutes before and
after children’s
television
programming
Methods of Accomplishing
Political Objectives
Organizing rallies
Encouraging regional
representatives to contact
politicians
Preparing press releases and
leaflets for distribution
Establishing commissions to
study important aspects of
family policy
Launching a five-year
program to follow
economic and social
trends in order to
formulate new policies
Methods of Accomplishing
Political Objectives
Organizing lunch meetings with
the press, politicians, and
organizations to discuss family
proposals
Scheduling audiences with
ministers to present aims and
requests
Representing families on
advisory bodies and
management
committees which deal
with family policy at the
local and national levels
Promoting Social Life at
the Local Level
Offering recreational sports for
young and old
Providing a range of quality
children’s films
Organizing children’s clubs and
workshops
Organizing family day trips
Providing educational
programs for
parents/grandparents
Provides Direct Services to
Families
Operates more than 800 babysitting services that provide care
for the children of 175,000
families per year
Provides newsletters to young
parents during pregnancy and the
first six years of life with costs
sponsored through advertising
Rents infant car seats
Provide discounts of
3% to 10% in family
stamps for food, shoes,
toys, clothing, furniture
Provides Direct Services
to Families
Offer vacations at their two
holiday centers including one in
Austria
Operate summer camps for
children 6 to 15 year-olds
Provide consumer advice,
complaint department, and legal
services
Offer counseling
services
Provide a weekly
magazine