General Assembly Meeting 2015

SAFE WORKING CONFERENCE IN WARSAW 2015: LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

“The conference was excellent”…
“It was one of the best conferences I have attended “…
“The organization was great and efficient”….

These were some of the enthusiastic comments received from 70 participants at the Annual Working Conference of SAFE held in Warsaw November 2015 – the biggest ever. The conference was an overall success – its organization, the venue and our local hosts, the stimulus for action, the quality and content of the presentations.

In our conference survey, ratings were high, nearly all being above 4 out of the 5 levels on all questions concerning the effectiveness of the different topics presented.

Participants seemed to be most interested in networking and exchanging ideas with other member representatives, receiving and providing practical suggestions for development of their organizations, generating new energy, inspiration and motivation and fostering a sense of working together as a whole organization. The sub-division of discussions in one session according to size of organizations was particularly effective in allowing a more intimate opportunity to share.

SAFE conference Warsaw

The open-ended responses highlighted participants’ thirst for new ideas, as well as the diversity of those attending and the difficulty in all topics chosen being relevant for all. It was satisfying to see that participants were able to transcend beyond the individual needs of their organization to identify with SAFE as a European organization:

“I had a chance to meet people from different professions that share the same goal.”
“There was a palpable sense of SAFE members wanting to improve conditions for stroke survivors across Europe, rather than being present solely to strengthen their individual organizations…”

Participants not only had a good time enjoying each others’ company – they also gained knowledge in what the organizers had aimed at imparting. With a view to the future, specifics in the visions for SAFE; how to start and develop different sized SSOs; the importance of our involvement with the European Stroke Organisation; interest in present and future initiatives and collaborations in research; trends in empowering patients and self-management; in addition to practical treatment for regaining motor function and an innovative aide on rehabilitation were all found effective.

In accord with suggestions, the Board will approach member countries for more involvement in future planning of the next working conference, to be held in Amsterdam.

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