Who We Are

• Representing the collective interests of members and increasing influence
• Evaluating the fitness for purpose of key existing laws and policies based on the collective view
• Starting to develop solutions to identified gaps and issues
• Advocating to adopt these solutions

Our objective is to ensure that European and international norms are fit for purpose – that gaps and weaknesses are properly identified and that effective, efficient and feasible laws and policies are developed.

• Working to identify and assess areas of non-compliance and the impact caused
• Encouraging compliance through the gathering and provision of information and advice
• Supporting enforcement through evidence provision

It is not enough for laws and policies to be adopted. They must result in real rights, which are available and accessible to victims. Our objective is to ensure we understand whether victims’ rights are available in practice and, where they are not, to support implementation and enforcement of those rights.

• Developing communication and engagement capability
• Developing effective media products
• Capturing and sharing the victim experience

Our objective is to maximise the use of technologies and communication tools that exist in our societies today to improve how we tell victims’ stories, to explain their needs and to exercise their existing rights. Our aim is for our messages to be heard as widely as possible and for victims to be a part of that process.

Under our mission to SUPPORT SERVICE DELIVERY, we will

• Identifying current and future unmet needs and begin analysis of key areas
• Facilitating members’ gathering and exchange of knowledge
• Developing information, advice and products to support members
• Reviewing and working towards common quality standards

We will use VSE’s access to European and global knowledge on effective practices and bring this knowledge together in the most relevant and usable form for national organisations.

Promoting removal of barriers for victims in cross-border situations
Enabling members to act in unison to respond to a cross border crime
Whenever a crime involves a cross border element – whether a person is victimised abroad, a criminal is abroad and victimises the victim in their home country, or the criminal is arrested abroad, victims and those serving victims face a range of additional problems. Our objective is to identify the problems faced by victims and develop practical and legal solutions which can be adopted by governments, governmental authorities and by organisations assisting victims.

Under our mission to OPERATE SUSTAINABLY WHILST GROWING CAPABILITY, we will

• Collaborating and developing effective partnerships
• Bringing members together to increase their individual and collective influence
• Facilitating members’ exchange of business knowledge
• Creating opportunities to gain cost efficiency for members
• Promoting volunteering
• Recruiting and widening VSE membership

VSE is best able to achieve its Vision by working in partnership with others and strengthening the collective capability of its membership. This means developing VSE policies based on that collective knowledge and bringing members together to increase their ability to deliver for victims at the national level.

• Establishing an effective governance system
• Creating and maintaining an effective operating environment
• Developing an efficient , capable and highly motivated workforce
• Maintaining an optimised information architecture
• Strengthening the VSE brand

VSE’s ambitious mission will only succeed if we have the right infrastructure. VSE will develop its internal governance structures, staffing and information systems alongside and in anticipation of growth, to ensure those structures support and enhance the delivery of all other objectives.

• Diversifying income streams
• Ensuring resources are managed efficiently and effectively
• Fundraising
• Exploring and protecting commercial and intellectual property opportunities
• Delivering products and services

VSE’s growth is contingent on developing and broadening our income streams to reduce risks to the organisation whilst increasing the type of activities VSE can engage in and the geographical scope of those activities.

To access the full document of Victim Support Europe Strategy just follow the link.