About EHSN
From the yearly CEO-meeting in London, November 2024.
The European Humanist Services Network (EHSN) is a devoted partnership of 19 European humanist organizations who wish to make humanist services available for everyone who wants them.
The partnership is network-based. Willing and able humanist organizations sign a partnership agreement outlining the commitments to the network.
Organizations who want to become a partner must be full members of the worldwide humanist umbrella organization Humanists International.
Initial work with this project started in the autumn of 2021. EHSN was established as an independent network 1.1.2024. Some structural revisions were made after the CEO-meeting in London 21 November 2024.
About humanism:
Humanism is a non-religious lifestance based on reason and compassion. Check here for the latest declaration on humanism, adopted in 2022 by Humanists International.
Current partners:
- Belgium: Demens.nu
- Denmark: Humanistisk Samfund
- Finland: Suomen Humanistiliitto
- Finland: Vapaa-ajattelijain Liitto ry
- Germany: HVD – Humanistische Verband Deutschlands
- Germany: Humanistische Vereinigung
- Hungary: Humanists Hungary
- Iceland: Siðmennt
- Ireland: Humanist Association of Ireland
- Italy: UAAR – Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti
- Lithuania: Laimingas Zmogus
- Luxembourg: AHA – Allianz vun Humanisten, Atheisten an Agnostiker
- Malta: Humanists Malta
- Netherlands: Humanistisch Verbond
- Norway: Human-Etisk Forbund
- Poland: Polskie Stowarzyszenie Racjonalistów
- Romania: ASUR – Asociația Secular-Umanistă din România
- Scotland: Humanist Society Scotland
- United Kingdom: Humanists UK
EHSN community gathered outside Conway Hall Ethical Society in London, November 2024
Network structure:
- Three meetings per year. Two digital, one in-person.
- Participants are CEOs (or similar) from all partner organisations.
- Decides vision and direction of the network.
- Decisions are consensus-based.
- Approves a yearly activity plan.
- Discusses resource allocation from partner organisations.
- Outlines the conditions of cooperation.
Network manager:
- Has an executive role in network management.
- Plans and chairs CEO meetings.
- Coordinates the cooperation between the partner organisations and is responsible for keeping all partner organisations informed about the progress of the activities.
- Secures sub-project deliveries.
- Reports to contributing and relevant partner organisations
- Is accountable to the CEO meeting regarding the long-term strategy and direction of the network.
Sub-project manager:
- Manages one of the agreed-upon sub-projects.
- The working hours of the sub-project managers are provided by partner organisations, either as in-kind or direct financial contributions to the network.
- Participates in cross-project coordination in a management group with the Network coordinator and the other sub-project managers.
Working groups:
- Plans and executes activities within the sub-project, according to the activity plan.
- Membership in the working groups is based on an opt-in/opt-out principle and is financed by the partner organisations as in-kind contributions.
Participants at the 2023 CEO-meeting, outside HVD‘s humanist house in Schöneberg, Berlin.