We are in the final stretch to the beginning of the seventh annual European Freelancers Week (#EFWeek), with just 14 days to go.
This year, the theme of #EFWeek2022 is; Freelancers: We are the drivers of the economy.
In a first for #EFWeek, the theme was voted on by the public on social media and newsletter outreach. It forms a fitting banner for this year’s celebration and the positive role freelancers play in inclusive economic development.
An inclusive economy benefits the majority, and not only the mean. It focuses on growing the economy fairly and aims for the creation and equal distribution of opportunities for everyone.
Freelancing plays a fundamental role in promoting inclusive economic development because freelancers lead the way right across Europe in the development of skills and flexibility within a skillset.
Read more about freelancing and the role it plays in inclusive economic development.
Freelance Business Community, a partner to #EFWeek2022
Freelance Business Community, creator of Freelance Business Month, has been a proud partner of #EFWeek for over two-years now. The EFWeek has become an integral part of the Freelance Business Month.
The partnership between us which highlights education, networking, and policy reform for the sometimes forgotten freelancer, created the perfect pair.
In a blog post speaking about the relationship with Elina Jutelyte, founder of Freelance Business Community, she says “by adding our forces together we can ensure that freelancers have access to the social policies they need.”
Jeannine van der Linden, director at the European Coworking Assembly, the coordinators of #EFWeek says, “our work to highlight the role of freelancers in the European Economy is never done, so working with Freelance Business Community and Elina brings a wonderful synergy for us as for the EFWeek,:..”
Sign the #EFWeek2022 manifesto
Our push for recognition of freelancers in the European economy is spearheaded by the #EFWeek manifesto that aims to:
- Recognition: Recognise the value of freelancers as economic agents in their own rights, providing an important and distinct benefit to the European economy, its member states, and their communities than do employees and entrepreneurs.
- Definition: Define freelancers as a specific heterogenous subset of micro enterprises for the purpose of the European SMEs definition.
- Regulation: Produce “Better Regulation” and simplified policy that specifically consider the needs of freelancers.
- Access: Create the right incentive structures to ensure freelancers can access work, foreign markets, public procurement, finance, and infrastructures and tax benefits as microbusinesses, and also social security, training, and protection from discrimination, at the same levels and conditions of employees
- Counting: Calculate freelancers in national statistics and in the Eurostat LFS as to validate the growing size of our demographic.
- Coworking: Recognise independent coworking as the infrastructure and ecosystem of the New Economy and as such critical to solving problems such as economic downturn, and development in rural and suburban areas as well as decongesting cities and minimising the negative climate and social effects of large cities as they are now operated.
By adding your name to our manifesto we increase the call for political action. Join us as we take this petition to various government entities and demand change.
Highlighting the #EFWeek2022 IDEA Kickoff Event
For the seventh year in a row, the European Freelancers Week is hosting our own kickoff event on Monday 17 October at 10:15 GMT/ 11:15 CET.
This year, the European Coworking Assembly is piloting the opening ceremony, driven by Tash Thomas, the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion around the newly released ECA IDEA Handbook.
This handbook has been a three-year long vision of the ECA that is finally available in PDF format for a nominal download fee.
If you don’t know yet, IDEA stands for inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. It’s a value system that all businesses need to construct as part of their DNA. It promotes healthy business practice and fosters close collaborations with a wider audience. These principles encourage people to bring their whole selves to work every day.
Tash will explain the difference in these values and how they translate in business, with expert advice and actionable ideas in a 30 minute discussion and interactive 15 minute Q & A to conclude the session.
Register to join the kickoff Zoom session.
Submissions for #EFWeek2022 events open
Organisations and people who have anything to do with the freelance industry are welcomed to submit their events to #EFWeek.
Events already planned for the month of October, or planned specifically for #EFWeek needs to be added to this Google Form, where it will then be loaded to the European Freelance Week website, shared on social as well as in our newsletters to our freelance community.
Remember to make use of the save-the-date banners on your socials to remind your followers to attend the session, using these assets.
To view the full list of 2022 #EFWeek events, visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn for more updates.
