ICAI Leadership Team Report: September 01 2011
News
Second round of global conversations focused on Communities of Practice. We need to see what emerges but initial conversations by regional group:
1) Africa/ Middle East/Europe:
Self help group Interchange, Youth, Top expansion, and Nepal Conference.
2) Asia Pacific:
Selected for work at the dialogue: Community development curriculum, 2012 Global Conference in Nepal, Deepening our ICA community/philosophy - putting ourselves on the cutting edge, ToP global strategy & structure/form around connecting ICAs with ToP facilitation training.
Discussed but not worked on: Capacity building, Seek collaborations with other organizations (related to conference).
3) N/S America:
ToP Network, Global Conference, and Leadership development (including communities and other types of leadership).
Continued work on Audit and annual report - these were delayed but are now in process.
Peer to Peer
Meeting with Nepal colleagues to work on strategies for expanding and integrating the globe into the conference prep.
Working to support the Communities of Practice as they emerge.
Issues/Concerns-
Getting the audit done,
Working with Nepal to invite the rest of the world into the preparation and opportunity represented by the Nepal conference.
Coming up
Nepal Gathering Sept 3-5
To be recommended: Community of Practice global check back, Sphere gatherings to prepare for the GA, GA scheduling.
Larry Philbrook larry@icatw.com
ICAI 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
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
BANGLADESH: September 01 2011
Four major events in August were important for ICA.Bangladesh
The Street Children under the Phulki project were visited and offered stipend on the eve of Eid.
The Chandpur team visited the Ghoramara Human Development Project community and consulted with the community about various activities.
ICA Bangladesh expressed deep respect for Moklesur Rahman for his sudden demise. We had already sent a condolence message. Since 2004 Moklesur Rahman helped the community and supported ICA activities. As a community leader and general secretary of the Ghoramara community shelter project, he organized and assisted ICA members. We lost a big supporter of ICA, and the community definitely lost a great leader.
ICA Bangladesh held an AGM preparation meeting and an iftar party.
Zaki admin@ica-bangladesh.org
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
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
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 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: September 01 2011
Location: Lima
Over the past two years the staff of ICA-Peru has been developing a capability to train and assist community leaders in the development of their Local Economy with a particular focus on the internal economy of the communities we serve.
The situation is this: in many rural communities in Peru the men and youth go out of the community to earn salaries, but very little of that money returns to the community. Much of it goes for alcohol and other diversions before any of it returns to the family; then the family proceeds to buy packaged foods,soft drinks and clothes made in Lima or China. So the net result is that this salary income comes into the community and leaves the community with very little real effect on the local economy.
The solution is simple in concept -- there need to be a variety of local products and services available in the community to attract local purchases and facilitate the CIRCULATION of money before it leaves. Economists tell us that if this process of circulation is done well that the Local Economy will grow by SEVEN times, and very quickly. This is being done very effectively in over 300 communities in Britain be using local currencies, and that movement is spreading in Europe and the US now. But such currency systems are too complicated for rural communities in developing countries.
The focus that we have been building here is to introduce and demonstrate new family businesses that can be done easily with little capital. These businesses can transform local products for more value, add important services to the life of the community and replace products imported into the community from national and international factories. We are currently offering over 60 businesses which are grouped in Productive Networks (Guilds) along the lines of common interests and needs. While this collaboration is a challenge to initiate, it has be quite effective where the people have picked it up. The demonstrations of these businesses easily capture the attention of the families, especially since they are conducted by leaders from their own communities who we have trained. We are currently adding a couple of new demonstrations each month to our range of businesses, and that variety helps the acceptance of the Local Economy approach. We have visions of a Local Economy Blog as we move forward which could move this local dynamic in a movemental direction, but for now the work is pretty much face to face because of limited Internet access in the rural sector.
We are most interested in being in dialogue with others about the Local Economy process and how to accelerate it, as the current domanance of the Global Economy is a trend that urgently needs to be re balanced all around the world if we are to have a sustainable future.
Staff admin@ica-peru.org
Sri Lanka August 01 2011
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: September 01 2011
Every Monday at the office of EHIO-Farhang va Tarakkiyot, we conduct a staff meeting, at which we summarize the organization's activities for the past week and plans are discussed for the following week.
In May PO EHIO-Farhang va Tarakkiyot conducted its training on such projects as: TSEP, IREX, WB.
1. Project TSEP
The TSEP project is a module developed on the topic of the management and utilization of technical objects, to take in account ecological requirements. This module was translated into three languages and was used for training in our target districts. On the 18th and 19th of August training sessions were conducted in Asht jamoat Oshoba and Kirkuduk, and from 23rd to 25th of August they were also conducted in Isfara jamoat Navgilem and Lakkon on the given topic. A module of household budgeting was also developed by TSEP trainers and is now in preparation for conducting training sessions.
2. Project IREX: training and education sessions were conducted for 20 participants of secondary schools 26, 27, 11, 29, in Kanibadam and in the Isfara district of jamoat Pulton, Hamroboev and jamoat Surkh. The training was conducted by our theoretical groups: Javoni, Nargis and Gurdofarid. In addition to that there was a meeting at the Consultative Centre in Kanibadam, J.Rasulov and in Isfara.
The meeting was with the Chairman of the Department of education, in Kanibadam, J.Rasulov and Isfara region with aim of providing letters about opening theoretical circles in these regions.
3. On project WB: modules were developed with the aim of conducting training sessions on the topic, Intensive technology in the growing of tomatoes, defining a routine of Dripping irrigation in agriculture, for the demonstration plots and the technical elements of furrows, and the continuation the agricultural observations on the demonstration plots.
NiginaSadikova nigina7811@rambler.ru
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
TAIWAN: August 01 2011
Coaching, mentoring, healing, and monitoring continued in July. Dreamworks, Truth About Life and FDP programs took a break. Larry attended training in Hong Kong for certification in Hogan Analysis Instrument and visited the Nichols/Lush family before conducting the UN program on Long Island. Larry also joins the Philbrook family reunion in Springfield, IL as he returns to Taiwan via Chicago.
Planning our next steps in Taiwan, Greater China and Asia which has been our focus this month here in Taiwan.
Tasters Virtual Meetings offered us new experiences and connected many of our colleagues in Asia and Europe hosted by Sheila Legeros and Esther Mae Cox.
Peer to Peer:
-ICA Nepal PJD is set for 1-2 Sept. and the 8th Human Development Conference Preparation Meeting 3 -5 Sept are solidified .
-Preparation meetings for Zimbabwe 6-16 Sept., and Kenya 20-25 Sept. continue around facilitation training offerings with ICAs.
Challenge:
-Deciding that we can get paid for what we do.
-During the summer brooding we ask ourselves what is the new edge that people want for positioning themselves in the 21st Century? What is the ICA Taiwan niche? In these times of chaos, what do people want and need?
Future:
-FDP: Participatory Strategic Planning in August, and the Spirit of Facilitation offered in October.
-Amazing response from International Coaching Federation members to an offer by Dick to share personality styles program
-Zimbabwe and Kenya facilitation training
-Preparing for Appreciative Inquiry offering with the US ToP network in January
-PJD guide prep for Nepal
Submitted by Evelyn Philbrook
