About Us
Who we are
Established in March 2000, CEC – Acting for Social Inclusion is a Brussels-based European network that brings together national and regional organisations from across Europe. It connects around 1,600 local associations and structures — including local authority integration services, schools, vocational training centres, work-based training enterprises, social cooperatives, social enterprises, and residential services. Together, these actors support the training and the social and vocational integration of over 100,000 young people and adults.
Our origins trace back to the late 1990s, when Jean Degimbe, then Director General of the European Commission’s DG for Employment and Social Affairs, recognised the vital role of grassroots associations in combating poverty and social exclusion. To bridge the gap between field actors and EU institutions, he initiated what would become the CEC.
For over 20 years, we have actively participated in and coordinated a wide range of European projects, from the following programmes such as Erasmus+, Progress, CERV, and the European Social Fund (ESF). We foster continuous reflection on the European dimension of socio-professional integration for disadvantaged groups and enables members to exchange experiences and identify good practices through strategic partnerships.
OUR OBJECTIVES
We aim to strengthen social inclusion across Europe by promoting collaboration among members, with the goal of enabling participation in European projects, fostering innovation, and facilitating the exchange of effective, experience-based practices.
We seek to increase the collective impact of our members and inspire systemic change through coordinated action. One of our key objectives is to influence the development of public policies—particularly at the EU level—by supporting inclusive approaches to employment and social integration.
We also aim to contribute to the design of frameworks that empower individuals who are excluded from, or distant from, the labour market, with the overarching goal of advancing socio-economic integration and building a more inclusive and cohesive society.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to strengthen and support European partnerships that promote the social and professional integration of individuals facing barriers to employment. These efforts focus on developing a wide range of skills—technical, social, and behavioural—through customised training programmes, hands-on work experience, and integration pathways that respond to the needs of enterprises and the labour market.
Through our member organisations, we help vulnerable young people and adults by implementing structed integration pathways that typically involving four key phases: rehabilitation, training, workplace integration, and long-term employability support.
OUR ACTION
We actively participates in the public dialogue on social inclusion, particularly with European institutions and key stakeholders such as public authorities, civil society networks, companies, and social partners.
We foster partnerships and European projects between our members in order to stimulate innovation, identification and dissemination of good practices based on the exchange of experiences. Our network emphasizes local engagement, co-creating initiatives with stakeholders to ensure alignment between public and private actions.
Our members provide targeted vocational training, job placement, and social entrepreneurship opportunities, alongside holistic integration pathways that combine education, employment, and mentoring to foster active citizenship. They collaborate with institutions, companies, and NGOs to maximize impact and reach.
Through these efforts, we strengthen the collective capacity to advance social inclusion across Europe.
OUR METHODOLOGY
Our methodology is rooted in the principles of equity, empowerment, and sustainability, with the goal of promoting social inclusion across Europe.
We foster collaboration by connecting members, encouraging knowledge exchange, and enabling the formation of strategic partnerships. Through regular events, debates, and meetings, we create spaces for dialogue, idea generation, dissemination of project results, and the development of policy recommendations.
By bringing members together in inclusive and participatory settings, we strengthen cooperation, promote learning, and empower each member to contribute actively to our shared mission.
