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Global Buzz Report: 2013 03 01

ICAI Board Report:      March 01 2013

ICA International Board February Update

The ICAI Board has met three times in January & February. Much of our time has been spent developing our new 2013-14 business plan, in consultation with numerous members and volunteers.  This is now about to be circulated in English, French & Spanish - please ask if you would like a copy, and please let us know if you have any questions or feedback.  In the process of these meetings we we have been establishing our meeting practices, including use of technology and formats of agendas, reports and minutes.

We have been able to use the @ica-international.org domain to establish new ICAI email addresses for all Board members and an email list for the Board.  We have now also established an ICAI email list for the global network of ICAs, with over 100 ICA represenatives in over 40 countries, to facilitate dialogue among and between ICAs.  Having overcome some technical hurdles, we are now in a position to establish lists also for the conference teams wishing to continue their dialogue by email after the Nepal conference.

We have submitted overdue reports too in order to maintain and update ICAI's UN consultative status with ECOSOC, and we have confirmed that ICAI's consultative status remains valid with FAO and UNESCO as well.

We have agreed with ICA Nepal to make it's new book Changing Lives Changing Societes available globally on a print-on-demand basis via Amazon and other channels, and will be arranging that soon.  In the meantime copies are available from the USA via Ebay at http://www.ebay.com/itm/changing-lives-changing-socities-/121054989009

We are now making preparations to survey the network over the coming months in order to update basic data on the current status and activities of ICAs worldwide, as a baseline for further supporting peer-to-peer activities within the network.  As we do that we will also be inviting ICAs to pay annual dues for 2013 to renew their membership with ICAI, and to participate in the first online regional gatherings of the year, on March 25-26.  

Martin will be attending the ICA European Interchange in Paris, March 15-17, and hosting online sessions for those who would like to connect virtually - if you are interested to do that please email Martin at president@ica-international.org

We are also beginning to work with ICA Canada to prepare the annual audit report for 2012.

Martin Gibraith           president@ica-international.org


ICAI Board Report:      February 01 2013

ICA International Board January Update

The new ICAI Board has met twice so far this year with a focus on completing its 2013 Business Plan and Budget.  The Business Plan, to be circulated by mid-February, includes historical and background information, overall strategic directions, objectives tailored to each Board role as well as general operations information for how the Board intends to run in the coming year.  The draft plan was circulated at the General Assembly in December where members voted yes to the Board proceeding with developing the broad strategic directions identified therein.

New ICAI Board President, Martin Gilbraith, and the Board have been actively working to set-up efficient communication and collaborative systems in an effort to set the stage for productive work as a new team and to assist the Board in achieving its 2013 objectives.  Tools such as DropBox, Adobe Connect, Skype, Google Drive and Doodle are all being explored and utilized to refine communications practices.  Board members are working to become more familiar with these tools not only for their work together, but also as part of the ongoing work to assist in improving peer-to-peer possibilities between ICAs.

The next monthly ICAI Board meeting will take place February 19th.

The Board would welcome contact from anyone with questions, comments or simply wishing to connect:

Martin Gilbraith, President: president@ica-international.org
Staci Kentish, Secretary: secretary@ica-international.org
Shankar Jadhav, Treasurer: treasurer@ica-international.org
Seva Ghandi, VP Communications: vp.comms@ica-international.org
Gerald Gomani, VP Africa, MENA, Europe: vp.eurafrica@ica-international.org
Isabel De La Maza, VP Americas: vp.americas@ica-international.org
Krishna Shrestha, VP Asia & Pacific: vp.asiapac@ica-international.org

Staci Kentish, Secretary: secretary@ica-international.org


BANGLADESH:      February 01 2013

Aziz returned on January 28th. He is now preparing a work plan for ICA Bangladesh activities to be accomplished by the local team. On January 31st he met Zaki and Muksud to discuss the plan.

The new year started with a new roster for faculty development. Two faculty sessions were held, one on January 16th and one on 26th. It was decided that one of the faculty members will coordinate the sessions.

Two proposals were submitted to the SSRC for research. Another proposal is under review of the US Embassy.

A student survey was conducted for 2013 at the Phulki street children project. School teacher and program officers visited the community. Muksud also consulted with the Phulki rickshaw beneficiaries for new arrangement.

Our Phulki rickshaw donor, Mr. Kaiser Ahmed was sent a report about the rickshaw distribution made in November. He has contacted COO regarding another working gift for GHDP.

Zaki           admin@ica-bangladesh.com


PERU:          February 01 2013

Report: Happy New Year to everyone, and we are off to an exciting new year here in Peru. We are pleased to welcome Bernardina Gonzales, Fanny Ichpas and Pamela Alvarado to our permanent staff as we expand our field teams in response to increased programming projected for 2013 and beyond as our leadership formation projects are extending from 6-months to 12-months for a number of clients. Our clients are growing in their understanding of the time it takes to develop young leaders who are ready for the challenges of community consensus forming and who are also accepted by their communities to play the needed facilitation role.

Maryann Philbrook from the US has also joined our staff this month to work with us for a year or more in developing a national movement of community leaders, starting with the 250 communities where we have formed new leadership teams in the last 6 years. She's excited about being here and we're excited to have her energy and creativity moving us forward with this next challenge for our service to the rural sector of Peru.

We've now outgrown our office space so we will be using a "cool seat" ap roach to desk space for our field staff when they hit the office for a few days each month -- you take the desk with a cool seat -- not in use at the time. From there on we will just have to see where the future takes us!

Staff          admin@ica-peru.org


UNITED STATES:          March 01 2013

Engagement phase of Accelerate 77 kicks off with regional gatherings in Chicago.

Community leaders on the south and north sides of Chicago gathered to envision the sustainable futures of their communities. Their visions will shape Phase III of the Accelerating Green Initiatives in Chicago's 77 Community Areas (Accelerate 77) Project.

On February 9th, community leaders gathered at Chicago State University on the south side of Chicago. Attendees included community organizations from across the south side, as well as groups from other regions of the city interested in collaborating on south-side projects. A variety of approaches to sustainability were represented; groups like Fishin Buddies, which offers fishing and conservation programs for youth, worked with the community gardeners of the Green Lots Project to determine the characteristics of a sustainable south side. ICA facilitators worked with the group to organize their visions into categories like Engaging and Preparing Youth for a Sustainable Future, Community-based Agriculture. Attendees broke into teams based on these categories, and established concrete next steps that they could partner on in the next 6 months. Eager to meet again, community leaders took the lead and volunteered to host the next planning meeting, set to take place on a community farm in the Morgan Park community.

On February 21st, north side collaborators met at the ICA Greenrise building and took part in a similar visioning workshop, with equally exciting results. Groups like Funder Hut, a community-based fundraising tool, found shared values with organizations like LETS GO Chicago, which brings youth onto community gardening projects. The groups next meeting will be hosted at the Waters School, which features a garden plot for each of its classrooms.

Feedback from the gatherings was quite positive.
A south side attendee remarked: I liked the diverse talent in this room and the different careers we are coming from and that will be valuable if we harness them. I see shared values but also a collection of one voice.

North-siders had similar feelings:
I was looking for a niche where I fit in and I find it so interesting that something I have a passion for can be something so much bigger it was surprising to find you're not in the world by yourself.

Gatherings will take place in the west and southwest regions of the city in March and April.

Dylan Amlin           international-assistant@ica-usa.org