CAL Members working and interest groups
"Volunteering" working group
Objective: to promote the development of volunteering and improve its system in Latvia
Key challenges:
- Encourage people to volunteer;
- Develop NGO capacity and competences;
- Involve different groups of society in volunteering;
- Promote the prestige and visibility of volunteering in society;
- Strengthen the coordination of volunteering in the context of security and resilience.
The Working Group is also represented on the Ministry of Welfare's Advisory Council on Voluntary Work and regularly discusses the topics to be addressed at its meetings. Agnija Jansone, the head of the working group, also represents the working group in the innovation sprint of the Ministry of Welfare and the State Chancellery on the creation of a common digital platform for volunteering.
Moderated by Agnija Jansone, CAL member and Vice-Chair of the Volunteering Advisory Board.
Contact details and if you want to get involved: agnija@nvo.lv
"Regional issues" working group
Objective: to promote the involvement of regional members in the work of the Civic Alliance - Latvia, to broaden the representation of the interests of CAL regional members in various decision-making processes and to address topical issues in accordance with the common priorities of regional members. The Regional Working Group also aims to promote balanced regional development in Latvia by strengthening the capacity, self-organisation and resilience of civil society and local communities.
Key challenges:
- Strengthen the participation of regional NGOs in the CAL's activities;
- Address issues of citizen involvement at local level;
- Promote dialogue with public institutions on regional policy issues and represent regional interests.
The working group has met several times in the last six months, with a particular focus on the implementation of participatory budgeting and the involvement of citizens and NGOs. Cooperation with the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development on the implementation of regional policy has also continued, highlighting inter-sectoral cooperation and the role of NGOs as policy co-creators. Coordination has also been carried out with decision-makers on citizens' councils and regional representation in EEA/NFI grant investments, and the Working Group's positions were represented at the 7th Latvian Rural Communities Parliament in Mālpils in June 2025.
News:
- Representation of interests on citizens' councils, participatory budgeting, on-demand transport and the future of parishes after the administrative-territorial reform;
- Strengthening the role of civil society in the regions by promoting the involvement of NGOs in decision-making and cross-sectoral cooperation in regional development.
- Preparation of proposals and recommendations together with CAL, drawing on the experience and expertise of regional organisations.
Moderated by \head of Public Relations of the "Latvijas Lauku forums" Dace Liepiņa-Zusāne
Contact details and if you want to get involved: regioni@nvo.lv
NGOs in civil protection
Objective: to strengthen the role of non-governmental organisations in civil protection and ensure their active participation in decision-making processes in this field.
Key challenges:
- Participate in national civil protection activities;
- Develop closer cooperation with national institutions and other partners;
- Develop practical solutions to improve the effectiveness of associations and foundations in the field of civil protection;
- Identifying and strengthening the competences of associations and foundations in this field.
The Working Group has set up three thematic sub-groups for practical actions:
- Evacuation subgroup. Develops best practice guidelines for organising mass evacuations, based on international experience and the work of non-governmental organisations with different groups in society.
- Communication and Information Circulation subgroup. Ensures the exchange of information between the members of the Working Group and the non-governmental sector, and works on the implementation of the "Civil Protection Week" in Latvia.
- Concept and advocacy subgroup. The group works on setting priorities for the "NGOs in Civil Protection" group, as well as on building cooperation at national level and on developing an algorithm and funding for the NGO sector.
The meetings of the Major Working Group are held online approximately once a month to ensure the effective involvement of regional NGOs. Subgroup meetings are organised as necessary.
Moderated by the Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation director Inese Vaivare.
Contact details and if you want to get involved: ca@nvo.lv
Social security advocacy network
Objective: to promote the representation of non-governmental organisations in the field of social security and to establish a network, strengthening the capacity of the network's member organisations and their members and cooperation partners, as well as developing the representation of the interests of the socially disadvantaged in public administration decision-making.
Each of the organisations involved in the working group is responsible for networking its own members, thus increasing the number of organisations involved in the activities and active participation in the partnership network, co-creating solutions, opinions and building cooperation for the common good of strengthening social security and reducing inequalities.
Moderator: Georgs Rubenis, member of the Board of Plecs Foundation
Contact details and if you want to get involved: georgs.rubenis@gmail.com