Michał Braun

Michał Braun – Director of the National Freedom Institute – Polish Governmental Centre of the Civil Society Development and a co-chair of the National Public Benefit Council.

An expert and practitioner in the field of public participation and the third sector with eighteen years of experience in non-governmental organizations. He managed many non-governmental organizations in Poland, worked as an expert, among others, for the European Commission and the Foundation for the Development of the Education System in Poland, assessing Erasmus+ and AMIF applications, as well as worked in incubators of non-governmental organizations and social economy. As a project coordinator, trainer and consultant, he worked in Erasmus+ educational projects in many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.

For years associated with the Volunteer Center in Kielce, which he managed in 2010-2015. He dealt with youth work, projects for local democracy and nationwide youth policy, including the EU youth dialogue, chairing the National Working Group. Former member of the Monitoring Committee of the regional EU funds of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. In 2011-2014 vice-chairman of the board of the Polish Council of Youth Organizations, and in 2015 member of the board of National NGO Federation. He also gained experience working as a volunteer, among others, in a primary school in India, a prison and at universities in Bolivia as well as for equality organizations in the USA.

Graduate of European Studies at the University of Warsaw, the Academy of Managers of the Third Sector of Collegium Civitas, the 26th School of Political Leaders and the Batory Foundation Local Government Workshop. Participant of the Young Elected Politicians program of the European Committee of the Regions. Completed a six-month scholarship at the Danish People’s University in Hadsten and an Erasmus scholarship at Charles University in Prague. Speaks English and Spanish. In the years 2019-2024 Councilor of the City of Kielce. Member of the Public Benefit Activities Council.