ICA Leadership Team Report: August 01 2011
Activities
Continued working with Canada on the 2010 Audit
Activity to support the final draft of 2010 Annual report.
Dialogue with member organizations to finalize intentions for dues and membership.
Peer to peer
Working with editorial team for preparation of Sept 2011 inaugural edition
of new global magazine. Working with US ToP network, Asia and Europe networks exploring Virtual facilitation options.
Challenges
Now that we have clarified members intentions, how do we support all members to meet the 10 commitments established at the last GA?
How do we recreate the image of leadership, as each ICA is the leader on peer to peer and the follower etc.
What are the responsibilities and opportunities for ICAI and the GLT? What are the structures needed as ICAI when the only clear criteria is matching cost to dues?
Next steps
1) Finishing Audit and Annual Report
2) Another round of sphere dialogues are being scheduled (A. N&S America, B. Africa -Euro-Middle East, and C..Asia Pacific)
3) Recommend process for all members and associates to meet 10 criteria by GA 2011
4) Work with Nepal and the globe to prepare for Oct. Kathmandu preparation gathering.
Larry Philbrook larry@icatw.com
ICA Leadership Team Report: July 01 2011
News
Experienced a great meeting of most of the ICAs in three regional meetings. Still working on the Annual report and 2010 Audit.
Peer to Peer
Beginning to collate all the conversations in each region
Newsletter team is inviting articles from each ICA and editorial assistance.
Concerns
Wiring together all the ICAs especially in Africa.
Next steps
Following up and supporting the frame of peer to peer activities that are taking place across the world.
Larry Philbrook larry@icatw.com
AUSTRALIA: August 01 2011
Location: Sydney
As many of you will know ICA-Australia is a voluntary network organisation. Members are engaged in many different aspects of human development, not necessarily linked to ICA.
This weekend saw a convergence of some of the activities and networks, that members are engaged in!
The first was a network gathering where over 20 colleagues (from almost as many cultural backgrounds) from various community development, social, environmental and educational networks gathered, over a potluck lunch, to share stories of passion, engagement and care, at the Hutchinson's - part of the new face of the 'church in action'!!!! Such supporting network gatherings are held from time to time in various homes.
John Telford representing the Blue Mountains Timor Leste Support Group, returned home, after two weeks in Timor Leste - not in time for a report yet!!!
Ray Richmond visited Sydney for the purpose of attending the opening of the first stage of a major redevelopment of the historic and world famous Wayside Chapel - probably the most 'green' and cost effective renovated building in Sydney!
It was the vision of Ray and Elaine, of over 10 years ago, coming to fruition against many odds. Ray was the pastor of the Wayside Chapel at the time. This was a wonderful celebration on Sunday with a contemporary service, lots of laughter, lots of colleagues and old acquaintances, followed by a tour of the 5 story building with a rooftop vegie garden.
Google Wayside Chapel to find out more!
Robyn Hutchinson John & Robyn Hutchinson
ICA ASSOCIATES INC. (Canada) July 01 02011
Our long term training continues with The Kitchner Waterloo Community Care Access Centre. Jo Nelson and new intern, Emma Sobel led the sessions.
Jo also facilitated a set of planning workshops with the Ministry of Education.
We held 2 full courses this week. Facilitated Planning is our ToP strategic planning course. Advanced facilitation Tools uses a team approach to enabling people to learn and use a suite of ToP facilitation tools related to managing projects and implementing strategic plans. Most of the participants in both courses were ToP users who came back for more depth. Associate Erwin Allerdings, ToP facilitator and trainer and also one of Canada's experts in the area of operational and strategic plan management, taught with us. It was an enriched learning experience for everyone
We re-launched our website this week. http://ica-associates.ca
Wayne Nelson also launched an ICA Associates Facebook group. This will be a place for keeping in touch, updates, stories, questions and dialogue. Please visit Facebook.com and look for ICA Associates.
Duncan Holmes and Jo Nelson have reviewed our advanced training curriculum. They have integrated our experience of teaching these courses in to our version 2.0 and have updated the course manuals as well.
Wayne Nelson wnelson@ica-associates.ca
BANGLADESH: August 01 2011
ICA Bangladesh had two board meetings and one general meeting in July (9 and 15). At the first Board meeting, two new members were co opted to the board. At the second, the board appointed a vice-chair person, a treasurer, approved the auditor, and also formed the AGM 2011 organizing committee, based on the decisions of the general meeting. The General meeting proposed September 16 for the AGM.
Aziz and Zaki had a skype meeting on July 28 with the Panther Social representative Mr. Ahad and the Yunus Center representative, Ms Carolina Santamaria, to discuss the Panther Social Rickshaw branding project and possible ICA partnership in the future. ICA Bangladesh has been running a rickshaw project for the unemployed since 2007 and has been working with this project for its continuance as a social business.
ICA-B constructed a school building and handed it over to the government of the Chandpur Ghormara community in 2010. The ICA-B team has had a good response from the community and has been running the school with partial support from the parents of the children, but we still have to continue with our own support. We are working with them to find ways to make this school project self-sustainable.
The Phulki project for the street children in Dhaka city is gaining momentum with the help of an improved curriculum and the involvement of those in the community who are interested in making a difference in the quality of life for the street children. Recently we expanded our life skills and awareness-raising for some contemporary issues – road safety, birth registration, crime and violence, access to information and children rights and services. ICA volunteers and staff members are working with the kids and their guardians. They have also had city corporation councillors and local clubs involved.
ICA Bangladesh is expecting to complete its terrorism study project by the end of August. The team has already completed a content analysis of 2 newspapers for a period of 10 years, 10 expert interviews and 5 case studies. This project belongs to ICA-B’s research and advocacy program. The study project is being supported by the government’s, Social Science Research Council, with a small institutional research grant.
Aziz aziz.rahman@utoronto.ca
COTE D'IVOIRE: July 01 2011
As part of the collaboration between ICA-CI and the farm school, Houdegbé, I visited Benin from May 9th. to June 15th. 2011. The object of the visit was to provide support for young agriculturists in Dekanmey city, regarding the cultivation techniques suitable for growing and exporting: sweet corn, peanuts, okra, and papaya solo lantille.
The visit also made it possible for several meetings with my colleagues from Benin and Togo. The meetings were very successful and helped to boost our relationship. At the last meeting we discussed the difficulties of voicing our needs and raising funds through our offices. To this end we hope that Ms. Seva Gandhi, ICA USA and Mr. Wayne Ellsworth, ICA Japan can help us obtain research funding. Our goal is to obtain funding for our various projects and to be able to pay our dues regularly.
In return for his visit to Benin, ICA Director Eugene Kassimou has promised to have his colleagues from Benin and Togo visit with us at ICA-CI.
Eugène Kassimou and Adufu
INDIA: August 01 2011
The Community Development Project involving a partnership between ICA Japan & ICA India is nearing the completion stage. The focus was on Sustainable Agriculture, Commercial Farming, Agroforestry, Dairy Development, Alternate Energy (Bio-gas construction) and the Capacity building of local partners. The project has been successful in terms of timing, and accomplishing its objectives, however to make it stronger and sustainable, we will continue the program for two more years.
Over the next two months we will host our partners from Japan and continue evaluating the project that has been running now for 3 years.
With regard to Facilitation: we conducted a three day methods training class for 40 village leaders. It was a combination of ToP, Agriculture and Agroforestry methods.
We also conducted two days of training for our ICA India Staff and other CSR project staff. The training was based on Group Facilitation Methods; it was held at our Training Center.
As this is the time for planting rice, we have arranged a month long programme, at the field level, with a government Agriculture group. This will provide an Agri School for farmers who will attend on a weekly basis, focusing on the natural/organic way of farming.
Shankar Jadhav icaiindia@vsnl.net
ICA India, Pune.
JAPAN: August 01 2011
ICAJ Global Buzz
Reiko, Takako, Yuichiro, and Wayne went to Fukushmi, South Soma, and delivered 200 flower boxes, 600 plants, and a truck load of potting soil to the citizens who lost everything in the 9.0 Earthquake followed by the 3 giant waves of the Tsunami. The people came out to help pot the flowers and to talk with each other and with ICAJ reps. After the potting was done and the flower boxes were placed at each temporary home we did short workshops, listening to their concerns, and pointing them towards their three year recovery. We plan to return in August and do one day workshops with them to build up their sense of community and to form leadership teams in each of the five sites, South Soma having temporary housing.
June 30 was ICAJ's fiscal year end, and we worked steadily to prepare for our audit on July 29th. It was a difficult task since we now use a new, (to us), official finance system, which has a hard to use, user interface. To complicate matters, the accounting for handling donations has changed this year and it gave us the opportunity to re-think every grant we received last year, in a brand new light. Much to our surprise, our income and expenses doubled over the previously year, to about two million dollars.
Naomi went to Vietnam for three months to help Japanese companies working in Vietnam and she continued to to help ICAJ finish the JICA funded project in Isinya, Kenya, answering many questions for the new staff in JICA. Eiki Kubokawa took a two day break from his farm and wrote a grant proposal for the Philippines to research building another women's training center.
Shizuyo gave direction to ICAJ by working on several grant proposals, which included revising the proposal for a three year grant for the building of 10 community multi-purpose community centers and providing training in leadership, agriculture, micro-fiance, and community development. We will be working with HDCI in India as a partner and will do some of the training. Mr. Kubota and Mr. Fukushima will also go to Bihar to inspect the buildings.
ICAI heard a report from the NEC's creative CSR department which wants ICAJ to introduce them to mutual opportunities in several countries. The first country to be introduced will be Pune India in October where they will teach villagers about hi-tech hydroponics and how to market their products to upper class people.
Wayne finished reading the Ringing Cedars Series, beginning with "Anastasia", then "The Space Of Love", and the "Book of Kin", and others. He is convinced this is the most insightful book series of the 21st Century, and hopes all of ICA's around the world will at least read the first book "Anastasia". It has insights using Imaginal Education that will last the Millennium!
Shizuyo, Yuichiro, and Wayne went to Haiti to begin the building of a second eight room primary school, and to touch up the first school prior to the resumption of classes in September. Our colleague, Hughes, is super great, and asked for both the English and French manuals of GFM, PSP, and CDI. Larry Philbrook and Bill Staples helped with whatever portions they had. Everyone in ICA is asked to offer parts of the CDI in French to help make the complete manual.
We had an accelerated membership campaign in June, and with the help of Andrew Hashiba and Susumu Harada, we achieved about 230 membership donations. With 200 or more donations of at least 3000 yen each in the last two fiscal years, we can now apply for certified NPO status, which will make it possible for companies to make tax free donations to ICAJ. This will be another task for Shizuyo, with the help of Board member Mamoru Iwata.
We passed the US$1,000 grant from Gifu Zonta on to Puthrika for the school we built in Sri Lanka. We corresponded with Eugene in Cote d'Ivorie and found out that the Embassy of Japan re-opens on August 1, making it possible and timely to write a proposal for them. And JANIC asked us if we are going to provide Emergency Aid to Eastern Africa, for instance, Somalia and Kenya.
Staff trips planned as of now are: Shizuyo to Kenya, India (Pune), and Haiti, Wayne to Pune and Haiti, Yoichiro to Haiti, Takako and Reiko to Tohoku.
I wrote this on the Shinkansen returning from South Soma, so I have probably left some activities out. I am sorry about any omission.
Wayne Ellsworth wayne@icajapan.org
ICA Japan
NEPAL: August 01 2011
Conference Issues
ICA Nepal is preparing for the Sept. meeting for conference preparation. The meeting is expected to finalize everything that we have done so far and for making future plans. At present we are focusing on identifying the conference venue, (to be finalized during Sept. meeting), to identify and approach a national theme coordinator, and to approach co-sponsors etc.
We are requesting Rotary Club, World Bank, UNDP and others to be the co-sponsors.
Courses
We are also planning a course on PJD along with ICA Taiwan. At present we are running Gender Mainstreaming course for the UNDP project.
Projects
We are running a few community development projects with the support of Rotary Club.
Study Tour
We are also planning a development study tour jointly with ICA Australia, India and others.
Change in administration
Mr. Kushendra B. Mahat joined ICA Nepal as Executive Director in early 2011. Mr. Mahat had served more than 20 years in a senior position in several national and international organizations. He is also working as the Fund Raising Coordinator for the conference.
Kushendra B. Mahat ica@icanep.wlink.com.np
PERU: July 01 2011
Location: Around Peru
The month of June began a whole new challenge for our staff -- dealing with the extremes of altitudes and climates. Two teams began working with communities at altitudes of 4,000 and 4,600 meters, which is real headache country for most people to say nothing of the freezing cold, yet we will carry on for our four months of implementation. Then at the end of the month Jesusa Aburto will head back to the deep jungle to continue her series of training sessions for tribal groups to write their first proposals for development projects to be funded by extraction reserve funds. Meanwhile we had to move our June program back to make room for the second round of national presidential elections, making our 3-week June AVANZA PERU run right into the July program, creating six weeks of continuous formation training in Azpitia. Great challenges for our mighty staff!
An exciting breakthrough is that an old colleague from CARE offered to secure funding for a complete program for the communities around the archeological site of CARAL, the oldest known civilization in the Americas. Besides forming a leadership team for their development, we will be assisting the local residents to organize a Tourist Package to attract families for overnight stays in homes where they can participate in the household life and crafts -- we call it authentic tourism, and it is catching on here, especially with young European tourists. It's going to be an exciting challenge for our staff to rise to this challenge.
Finally, one result of the North/South America conference call last week is the potential to collaborate with ICA-USA in bringing some Spanish speaking ToP trainers to events in South America, especially in relation to the leadership training of college students. We are looking to next January as the opportunity to make this happen, perhaps even in collaboration with Guatemala and Chile. How rich is the soup!
Staff admin@ica-peru.org
Sri Lanka
ICA SL, a newly registered ICA, (still in the making) yet Puthrika has been an ICA colleague/friend for over 25 years....
o Puthrika continues to guide and be responsible to the ongoing Rural Montessori school in the north western province in Sri Lanka. A school built by the ICA Japan way back in 1997, which was in response to an availability of a fund to support a preschool in Sri Lanka, (thanks to Wayne, and Shizuyo, our dearest ICA friends of over 15 years.)
It is a much respected preschool in a remote village, that has done a great service to the children of that community. Each year we have approximately 70 students, and over 1500 young minds have graduated from here and have benefited by this valuable learning environment.
This year, we did an experiment in teaching meditation and mindfulness for the young minds and their parents and it was a positive outcome. We hope to give it priority and continue such programs to help create an atmosphere of value, where by, they value them selves, their relation ships, their society and their environment.
o We are also writing/in discussion, regarding a proposal to ICA Japan for future funding, (for ICA SL)
o Kevin Balm will be the mentor for ICA SL
o Puthrika is engaged in a living values: educational programme, as a resource person.to promote Peace education....
o An in Depth article on a social issue...... ICA SL felt that this is something the world can be proud of.....A speech from the heart!! Kumar Sangakkara's 2011 MCC 'Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture' in full.
See here:
Puthrika puthrika@gmail.com
EHIO Tajikistan: August 01 2011
At our Monday staff meetings over the past few weeks we have reviewed and summarized that weeks activities and made preparations for the coming week.
In July PO Ehio-Farhang va Tarakkiyot conducted activities on such projects as TSEP, IREX, AKF and GIZ. At the end of June the director of PO EHIO-Farhang and Tarakkiyot participated in training sessions on the topic: Networking and Capacity building, and also conducted the exchange experience between the Association of Agrodonish, of the Republic Tajikistan and the similar Association of Agroinform of Moldava. Both associations were created within the framework of project EU, as an association of developing areas on agriculture consultation.
TSEP project
Two-day training sessions were conducted on the topic, Advanced Consensus Building and Conflict Management, in the seven communities of Garm district and in the Shahrituz district. There were 177 participants. In Garm the first training session was conducted on the 6th and 7th of July, in the village of Kul. The second, on the 11th and12th of July in the Rasht district of the Obi Mehnat community in the village of Mullobadal. The third one was on the 13th and 14th of July in the Obi Mehnat community village of Dahana in the Rasht district. The forth training session was held on the 18th and 19th of July in the village of Miyonadu, Sangvor community, Tavildara district and the fifth training session was conducted on the 20th and 21st of July, in the village Hipshon. The last one was conducted on the 22nd and 23rd of July in the village of Lairon, Tavildara community. Training sessions were also conducted in Shahrituz on the 17th and 28th of July in the target communities.
The AKF project
July was the most fruitful month. On the 14th to the 17th of July, the forth public certification of the Organization of Civil Society was conducted, on a voluntary basis.
The members of the certification commission were representatives that were appointed on the advice of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Parliament, and business organizations, both international and local. One can establish this fact by the initiative introduced by PO EHIO-Farhang and Tarakkiyot in the framework of the project enhancement. The competency and the sustainability of high quality CSOs in Tajikistan along with partner program, Organization of Civil Society of Aghakhan, was founded on the financial support by DFID. In total 160 CSOs were certified. These are organizations which undertook self-assessment to pass certification, and they received it.
On the 23rd and 24th of July, in the South of Tajikistan, two CSOs were subject to audit, resulting in the vacating of their offices. Such audits are going on in other organizations.
The project Youth Theatre "World".
In June for the project IREX, small grants were given out to five theoretical groups to organize camps for training on the education methodology of Drama of Conflict for Transformation. It had already conducted two camps in J.Rasulov, one camp in Isphara and one training in Isphara.
GIZ project
On the 8th the 13th and the 18th of July, monitoring of the Greenhouses in the GIZ project was conducted in the jamoat, Lohuti Kanibadam district.
Nigina Sadikova nigina7811@rambler.ru
EHIO Tajikistan: July 01 2011
Every Monday at the EHIO-Farhang va Tarakkiyot office we have a staff meeting, in which we summarize the organizations activities over the past week and discuss plans for the coming week.
Project TSEP
Four training sessions were conducted in June, from the 9th. to the 10th. and from the 21st to the 22nd. These were held in the Asht district of jamoat Kirkuduk and Oshoba, and in the Isfara district of jamoats Lakkon and Navgilem. All were on the topic " Advanced Consensus building and Conflict Management for members of cluster committees."
Project Youth Peace Theatre
In June we taught the methodology of the Drama of Conflict for Transformation, and gave out small grants to theoretical groups, to conduct educational camps and training in their communities.
Project GIZ
On the 24th. and 28th of June in the Kanibadam district of jamoat Navbakhor, training sessions were given on soil preparation for greenhouses. A greenhouse is being built in this area.
Project WB
On project WB: The number and type of demonstration plots were selected for this project from Dekhan farms, and a group of specialists were chosen to give instruction for vegetable growing, cotton growing, and gardening; and to set up the demonstration plots.
Project ACDYl/VOCA
Training was conducted on the topic of drying apricots with farmers in Asht jamoat Shaidonand Kimishkurgan and jamoat Oshoba and Shodoba. The Voucher Programme is being monitored by a questionnaire for the farmers, to ensure that training is adequate
Project AKF
Preparation is being made in Dushanbe, to conduct certification sessions and an audit for project AKF. In June we finished the process of self-assessment. All consultation centres conducted a self-assessment CSO in accordance with TOR. At present thirty CSOs have passed self-assessment and have an application and the necessary protocol to participate. Among the thirty CSOs, twenty will pass the social certification which is planned for the 14th -17th of July and also the five Organization of Civil Society and the five CSOs-Programme audits. Among them 2 CSOs in Khatlon will have their certification on the 23rd -24th of July. The list of CSOs with a planned schedule, or those whom have been given certification by us from the Consultative Centre, are attached to our report.
Nigina Sadikova nigina7811@rambler.ru
TAIWAN: July 01 2011
Events
GFM 2 was held. Continued to revise the Profound Journey Dialogue. Visited with Wuhan University to discuss options for cooperation. Held Open Space Training. Worked on designing
Peer to Peer
Larry worked with the GLT and Sistahs on the global dialogues.
Evelyn worked with Seva Ghandi in ICA US and Peter Ellins on the ICAI website.
Working with Nepal on the Profound Journey Dialogue.
Preparing programs in Kenya and Zimbabwe involving other African ICA's as well.
Concerns
Sorting through the options for China that promote ToP and respect global needs
Next steps
August PSP
Larry Philbrook larry@icatw.com
UNITED STATES: July 01 2011
ICA-USA programs are alive and well! In the swing of summer, things are getting pretty busy around here, but we are enjoying it!
Transitions Chicago
Transitions held a weekend workshop called "Training for Transitions". There were over 35 people in attendance, including a lot of youth. Transitions is a grassroots movement that looks to help neighborhoods create resiliency plans that will help them move away from oil dependency and instead help implement permaculture principles.
Service Learning
At the end of July there will be 5 students from Oklahoma City University coming to stay at the ICA, and be the first to attend ICA's pilot 3 week service learning program. The program includes a social justice based curriculum and civic engagement time throughout Chicago neighborhoods. Students will spend their time working with Transitions Chicago.
International Initiatives
The international initiatives office has been busy partnering with organizations around the globe in capacity building initiatives. They were a participant on the Global Call between North and South America and were very excited to get updated on all the great work other ICAs are doing.
Learning Basket
In addition to the programs that are currently operating on their own, this spring ICA-USA finished up two new successful Learning Basket Parent Group Programs.
One at Stockton Elementary in Uptown, which was conducted in Spanish, and had 8 program graduates. The second program was at the Niles Township ELL Parent Center in Skokie. It was conducted in English with 15 participants from 6 different countries.
The intention is to continue both programs in the same location this coming year. Participants and staff from both programs participated in a 3-day Learning Basket Practitioner's Course on March 26th-28th, ensuring their continued participation in the program and aiding in program sustainability for the Stockton and Niles sites.
This week will begin a Parent's Course at the Bhutanese Community Center in Rogers Park. This coming year, Learning Basket will be working on partnerships with RefugeeOne, Catholic Charities, and a couple of suburban school districts. We hope to hold the next practitioner's training in August.
Seva Gandhi sgandhi@ica-usa.org
