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Statistics of the non-profit sector in Estonia. Ülle Lepp Civil Society Excellence 3rd - 5th March 2005, Tallinn. Statistics of the non-profit sector (NPS): for what and for whom?. Overview of current state of affairs Overview of developments within the NPS
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Statistics of the non-profit sector in Estonia Ülle Lepp Civil Society Excellence 3rd - 5th March 2005, Tallinn
Statistics of the non-profit sector (NPS): for what and for whom? • Overview of current state of affairs • Overview of developments within the NPS • Basis for international comparison with other countries • Important for decision-makers • Important for the NPS itself to develop strategies • Important for the general public to form opinions on the activities of decision-makers and those of the NPS
Statistics of the Estonian NPS and the EKAK • In the course of development of the EKAK it became obvious that current statistical data was not sufficient and reliable enough • The EKAK points out the improvement of NPS statistics as one of its short-term priorities • In 2002-2003 with the support of BAPP Estonia policy center PRAXIS conducted a pilot project to map the current state of statistics of the Estonian NPS and offer policy recommendations • The activity plan for the EKAK for 2004-2006 points out the Goal 8 - adequate register of NPOs
Pilot project of PRAXIS Objectives: To map the current state of statistics of Estonian NPS • To analyze theoretical issues related to the organization of NPS statistics • To offer recommendations for the improvement of situation in Estonia • To offer public institutions the findings of the pilot project as basis for improvement of situation and expert assistance
Progress to date • Mapping of the current situation of statistics of Estonian NPS • Detailed analysis of the Handbook on Non-Profit Institutions in the System of National Accounts by the Johns Hopkins University • Verifying of the methodology of data collection and surveying of NPS in Estonia • Working out of recommendations for improvement of the organization of statistics in Estonia
Current state of statistics of NPS in Estonia • Current state does not allow anyone to receive exact enough information needed for decision-making • Data-collection is not being organized systematically and data-collectors are not usually familiar with specific characteristics of NPS • System of national accounts does not allow to have a full overview of NPS • Lack of systematic efforts to improve the situation nor financial resources for that • Lack of political will to change the current system (vs readiness on the level of specialists of Statistical Office of Estonia)
The Handbook on Nonprofit Institutions in the System of NationalAccounts • The Handbook was prepared by The Johns Hopkins University in cooperation with the UN Statistics Division and was published by the UN in 2003. • The Handbook calls for national statistical agencies to bring together data on non-profit institutions in a satellite account. • As part of creating satellite account statistical agencies are being asked to: • Broaden and improve their coverage of nonprofit institutions • Compute the amount of volunteer effort these organizations mobilize and include this as part of economy
Policy options for the future • Option 1: To maintain Status Quo • Option 2:To improve the current system of data collection on NPS • Option 3: To start working out a nonprofit institutions satellite account within the current system of national accounts
Policy recommendations for the improvement of NPS statistics I • Technical improvement of the Register of Nonprofit Institutions • Working out and implementation of the Estonian version of the ICNPO • Conducting of a national census of nonprofit institutions in 2006 • Establishing of a special unit within Statistical Office of Estonia working with NPS statistics • Making data gathered by various public authorities available both for Statistical Office of Estonia as well as the NPOs and general public
Policy recommendations II • Raising the awareness of NPOs on obligations related to registration procedures • Raising the awareness of NPOs to provide necessary data to Statistical Office • Ensuring that The Joint Commitee of Government and NPO representatives on the Implementation of the EKAK makes the improvement of statistics as one of its priorities and guarantees necessary financing
Implementation of recommendations 2004 - 2005 • The conclusions of the pilot study were used as an input in the governmental working group of implementing the Estonian Civil Society development • The tested methodology of data collection has been used by the other institutions in conducting the surveys on Estonian NPS