MemCa It's Us: Leadership Team Meeting UK2004
MemCa Leadership Team Consultation-Summary
24-29 May 2004 Highfield Oval, Harpenden, United Kingdom
Hi MemCa! Greetings from France. It was so good to be together for our leadership consultation. This is a summary of our meetings, and will update you on some important directions for MemCa. We need and greatly value your input so please send any suggestions or questions too.
Let me begin with a few key items from our time together:
• Our Leadership Team (LT) has expanded/diversified, and includes two new members: Marina Prins from Member Care Southern Africa/RSA and Gloria Bustamente from COMIBAM/Mexico. The LT now has more responsibility for MemCa decisions/direction along with the Coordinators.
• We have adjusted the MemCa structure in order to include the category of “consultants” and the category of “network links” for those who represent regional/speciality networks.
• We have some new action points that relate to our ongoing goals, such as inviting NSC MCWs to international member care consultations, upgrading the Global Briefing and our web site, greater involvement in MemCare by Radio, and including the key role of sending churches.
• Much more below! There are three parts to this summary and four short appendices at the end. For additional information/paper trail see the Vancouver 6/03 Summary and the Project Review 1.04.
Warm greetings in our Lord,
Kelly and the Leadership Team
*******
Part One-Quick Overview
Many of these items below were discussed over the course of the three days, rather than sequentially. We also reflected on chapter eight of Zechariah each day, and had some good times of prayer and fun!
Day One: Connecting with each other and reviewing MemCa.
• The nature of our Leadership Team, purpose, accountability, consensus
• MemCa structure, history, member responsibilities, budgets, goals
• Progress on goals/projects, in light of our focus on NSCs and the least evangelised
• Updates from the regions (RIMAs) and speciality networks (SIMAs)
• Remembering Dave Pollock-reflections and implications for MemCa/missions
May 26, Day Two: Connecting with the future and exploring strategic projects.
• Proactive and ongoing connections with international member care workers
• Strengthening regional/national member care groups
• Global learning strategy: publications, web site, MC Radio, email forums, Briefing, brochure
May 27, Day Three: Connecting with humanitarian aid, human rights, and other sectors.
• Working together in the faith and non-faith based community
• Human resource development-People In Aid
• Human rights issues and the current context-International Centre for Justice and Reconciliation
Participants
Marion Knell, UK/Europe
Pramila Rajendran, India
Larrie Gardner, USA
Harry Hoffmann, Germany/Thailand
Marina Prins, RSA/Africa
Gloria Bustamente, Mexico/Latin America
Kelly O’Donnell, USA/UK
Special Guests/Consultants
Dick Gardner, USA
Jonathan Potter, People In Aid, UK
Graham Fawcett, International Centre for Justice and Reconciliation, UK
Part Two-MemCa Updates
1. We adjusted our MemCa description, adding the words in bold and removing those crossed-out:
MemCa is an affiliation of international colleagues committed to help develop member care resources within missions. We are comprised of member care specialists who come from different mission organisations and churches, and are part one of the seven task forces of the WEA Missions Commission. Our members work together and with other colleagues on projects which benefit the global mission community along with specific regions. A special emphasis is on supporting mission personnel from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and on those working among unreached people groups. Members are also committed to provide personal/professional and ministry-related support for each other as needed. Our desire is for our growing friendship and Christian fellowship to provide the foundation for our joint work. [note-church is at the core of missions, not just complementary!]
Another way of describing MemCa:
• The purpose of MemCa is to help develop member care ministry internationally. We prioritise resources to help support mission personnel from the Newer Sending Countries and those working among the least evangelised. MemCa is a core-alition-that is, we are a core group of friends and a coalition of networks. The different networks connect to MemCa via their liaisons who are part of MemCa.
Notes
We acknowledged that the global member care movement is broad and diverse, involving a fair amount of ambiguity and fluidity, something akin to a forest fire, and hence we needed to both tolerate and flow with this reality in order to do MemCa well. Therefore:
• We want to work from the foundation of service, from which we (along with many others!) help to provide and develop (provelop) member care resources.
• We want to help catalyse and connect, to support and to shape (along with others!) global and regional member care via our geographic and speciality networks.
• We want to help contextualise knowledge/practices in light of the international faces of member care, keeping in focus those working among the least evangelised.
• We want to maintain our passionate and at times prophetic contribution to the global flow of care on behalf of mission personnel. We dream (inspirationally), discuss (inclusively) and do (intentionally).
• We want to serve humbly-as MemCa we are special, but not so special!
• We want to keep in touch with various and overlapping areas that relate to the multidisciplinary field of member care, with a view towards being informed by rather than immersed in these areas
2. We affirmed and clarified the role of the Coordinators
Two people-Kelly O’Donnell and someone from the AAAA
• Appointed by the WEA Missions Commission Director/Staff
• Point persons connecting with:
a. WEA Missions Commission director (2x/year update; PRN)
b. MemCa Leadership Team (1x/month; phone calls about three times per year, PRN)
c. MemCa LINKs (1x/month)
• Editors responsible for the Global Briefing (3x/year)
• Appoint and stay in regular contact with a web master for the MemCa web site
• Are WEA Mission Commission Associates and:
a. Attend annual MC meeting (at least one coordinator)
b. Keep current with WEA/Missions Commission matters
c. Responsible to find material for the MemCa update in Connections (3x/year)
d. Put together an annual budget for MemCa with input from the Leadership Team
• Do an annual review of progress/objectives with input from the Leadership Team
• Facilitate with other LT members, MemCa interactions via email and MemCa consultations
• 3 year renewable commitment (finishes June 2006)
3. We affirmed and clarified the role of the Leadership Team
Includes Harry Hoffmann, Pramila Rajendran, Laura Mae Gardner, Marion Knell, Gloria Bustamente, Marna Prins, Kelly O’Donnell (Coordinator) and hopefully another person from Asia
• Diversity as much as possible: cultural, disciplinary, gender, generational, organisational
• Global perspective/involvement; some major on global and minor on regional and vice versa
• Support each other and help provide spiritual/practical oversight for MemCa
• Invite colleagues to join or move on from MemCa
• Meet once per year to evaluate goals/direction and plan future projects/MemCa meetings
• Monthly contact with each other, initiating/responding to important emails promptly
• Help monitor/communicate issues/trends and give input to Briefing, Connections, and web site
• Accountable to the WEA Missions Commission Director
• Leadership Team discussions are confidential unless we agree otherwise concerning specific items. We send out a general summary to the global member care community via the Briefing as well as a more detailed summary that goes to ourselves and the MemCa group.
• 3 year renewable commitment (finishes June 2006)
The Leadership Team Mission Statement:
“To serve and help provide direction to both MemCa and the Global Member Care Community.”
We do this by: (proposed wording from Kelly based on our LT meeting)
• Providing spiritual and practical oversight for MemCa and our projects
• Supporting, affirming, and connecting regularly with others in MemCa and the LT
• Communicating and connecting actively with the global member care community
• Identifying and analysing member care trends, issues, and future vision for this field
• Developing and tracking global members resources and training materials
Notes
Five key shifts for the Leadership Team (suggestions from Kelly):
• Shift from being part of MemCa to representing MemCa.
• Shift from Coordinators being responsible for MemCa to the LT being responsible for MemCa.
• Shift from helping to support MemCa to helping to shape a global movement.
• Shift from a “chore” mentality to a “call” mentality.
• Shift from projects and good ideas to prophetic and visionary ideas.
We want to help:
• shape the member care field with the authority entrusted to us
• support member care friends with affirmation to encourage them
4. We affirmed and slightly adjusted our membership guidelines/structure.
Members of MemCa are invited to participate by the MemCa Leadership Team. Here are the core guidelines for our involvement together--for selection and ongoing work.
Ÿ Spiritually and emotionally mature, and committed to quality relationships with one's spouse/family/friends (if married) and with family/friends (if single).
Ÿ Actively involved in member care, having member care skills and network connections.
Ÿ Broad international experience and is a respected leader.
Ÿ Has a call/desire to further develop member care beyond one's usual work setting.
Ÿ One's organisation supports his/her active involvement in MemCa--part of job description.
Ÿ Has access to email and communicates regularly as needed; meets at least every two years.
Ÿ Has adequate logistical support to participate.
Ÿ Willing to provide some personal and ministry-related support for other members.
Y Contribute materials when possible to the Global Briefing, Connections, MemCa web site.
Ÿ Agrees with WEA Statement of Faith, MemCa Guidelines for Conflict Resolution and Consensus.
Ÿ Term of service is three years.
Notes
We have divided membership roles into four categories-Network Links, Consultants, Leadership Team, and Coordinators. MemCa so far has developed in terms of regional networks more than speciality networks. We will be inviting others from the AAAA especially. We want to find practical ways to accomplish MemCa global and regional projects together as well as support each other in our more personal projects. We want to be sure to offer personal and ministry-related support to each other as possible. The list/emails are confidential for security reasons. It is not clear when the three-year renewable term of service begins/ends for everyone. More on this later. Questions/clarifications?
Network Links are liaisons/leaders for:
a. Regional member care networks: Asia, India, Africa, Latin America etc.
b. Speciality member care networks: medical, counselling, teams, radio etc
• They have a global perspective and involvement in addition to their region/speciality.
• Option of two reps per network for MemCa
Asia Network Links
• Southeast/EFA? Currently no (overall?/southeast) RIMA coordinator
• Central Asia Annemie Grosshauser, agrosshauser@yahoo.com (Germany)
• East Asia TBD
• India Pramila Rajendran, rajpramila@eth.net
• Korea Byung Moon Kang, byungmoonkang@yahoo.com (Korea)
Consultants in Asia Belinda Ng, belng@cyberway.com.sg (Singapore)
Gracia Wiarda, gtwiarda@starhub.net.sg (Singapore)
Philip Chang, pc@amssb.po.my (Malaysia)
JJ Ratnakumaar vlr_muttu1993@sancharnet.in (India)
Grace Lim, grace2yoo@hanmail.net (Korea)
Oceania Network Links TBD
Consultants in Oceania Murray Winn, Imurray@winnfarms.co.nz (NZ)
Don Smith, living.stones@clear.net.nz (NZ)
Africa Network Links
• AEA Naomi Famonure, naomi_messiah@hotmail.com (Nigeria)
• Southern Africa Marina Prins, mcsa@xsinet.co.za (RSA)
• North Africa Anke Tissingh, anket@gosahara.org (Spain)
Consultants in Africa Dirk Visser, pcsol@wol.co.za (RSA)
Darlene Jerome, darlene_jerome@sil.org (Ghana; Crisis Care Net)
Karen Carr, kfcarr@aol.com (Ghana; Crisis Care Net)
Middle East Net Links David Allen, 4adwest@pobox.com (Cyprus)
Europe Network Links
• Western Europe Marion Knell, marion@knell.net (TCK/Family Net)
• Eastern Europe TBD
Consultants in Europe Friedhilde Stricker, friedhilde.stricker@stricker-it.der (Germany)
Hartmut Stricker, hartmut.stricker@stricker-it.de (Germany)
Arie Baak, nl-office@omf.net (NL)
Michele ODonnell, michele.odonnell@free.fr (France)
Marjory Foyle, mfoylecompusrve.com (UK)
Siny Widmer, swidmer@twr-europe.ch (Switzerland; Radio Net)
*****
Latin America Network Links
• COMIBAM Gloria Bustamante, globuza@yahoo.com (Mexico)
• Brazil Marcia Tostes, mrast10@uol.com.br (Brazil)
Tonica van der Meer, tonica@cem.org.br (Brazil)
North America Network Links
• General Brent Lindquist, brentlindquist@linkcare.org (USA; Radio Net)
Consultants in North America
Dick Gardner, INTERNET:dick_gardner@sil.org (USA)
Bruce Narramore, bruce.narramore@truth.biola.edu (USA; Psychol. Net)
Kathy Narramore, kathy.narramore@verizon.net (USA; Pastoral Net)
Esly Carvalho, eslyc@attglobal.net (USA)
Ken Grant, keng@insight.org (USA)
Steve Burgess, steve_burgess@sil.org (USA; web site consultant)
Susan Burgess, susan_burgess@sil.org (USA)
*****
Leadership Team
Marina Prins, mcsa@xsinet.co.za (RSA)
Gloria Bustamante, globuza@yahoo.com (Mexico)
Marion Knell, marion@knell.net (UK)
Pramila Rajendran, rajpramila@eth.net (India)
Larrie Gardner, larrie_gardner@sil.org (USA)
Harry Hoffmann, hoffmannht@compuserve.com (Thailand, Communication Net)
Kelly O'Donnell, 102172.170@compuserve.com (France; Coordinator)
*****
WEA Missions Commission Staff
Jon Lewis, jlewis@worldevangelical.org (USA)
Bertil Ekstrom, bertilek@uol.com.br (USA)
Bill Taylor, btaylor@worldevangelical (USA; Director)
5. We adopted brief guidelines for “consensus decision-making” for the leadership team.
When we say we have a consensus decision we mean that all parties involved in the decision making process have had an opportunity to participate freely in the process and voluntarily decided to go along with the decision and support it. This does not mean that it was the preference of all the parties. It might even mean that you, as one of the decision-makers, have some misgivings about the decision but have decided that as most of the group prefer it, you will go along with the group. It would not be a consensus decision if you have serious concerns but the group is not willing to listen to them and consider them seriously. Consensus responses can be categorised on a one-six scale. Everyone must be at levels 1-4 for the decision to be accepted.
1. I can say an unqualified "yes" to the decision. I will support the decision.
2. I find the decision acceptable; perhaps with some minor concerns. I will support the decision.
3. I can live with the decision. I'm not especially enthusiastic about it, but will support the decision.
4. I do not fully agree with the decision and I need to register my view about it. However, I do not choose to block the decision. I am willing to support it because I trust the wisdom of the group.
5. I cannot support the decision at this time and ask for further explanation and discussion.
6. I cannot support the decision and ask that a special meeting be called to work on meeting the need or solving the problem in some other way.
Part Three-MemCa Action Points
• 1. Help establish and strengthen member care affiliations and regional consultations.
Asia
Regroup Asia RIMA and meet at an Asian missions conference, find coordinator. Meet at missions conference. (Kelly and others to help)
Africa
Regroup the Africa RIMA with a broader base, AEA and others such as MANI. Attend with a MC team Nov 2004 Mission 120 in Nigeria as well as the November 2005 MANI conference. (need input and advice from Naomi and also Marina and others)
Latin America
Continue to explore options for meeting in different sub-regions, e.g., at COMIBAM conferences. Need and help organise smaller gatherings/consultations at the regional level. COMIBAM web site now has many articles on member care topics in Spanish. (Gloria to contact others).
International Member Care Conference
Still an option but no clear way forward. May want to hold one on different continents. For now there is the sense that we need to focus on/strengthen Asia and Africa regions first. One idea though was for an International Consultation in April/May 2007 as part of the European MC Consultation, in The Netherlands. (Discuss this broadly and inclusively with those inside and outside of MemCa)
International Caregivers
Up to 30 mostly NSC colleagues are being invited/included in the April 13-17 2005 European Member Care Consultation. There are discussions about doing something similar for a member care gathering in the USA in 2005. Note this is more of an ongoing proposal, not just a one-time event. See appendix. (Kelly spearheading this but hopefully with an interagency group eventually)
Resource Teams
Members of MemCa are encouraged to form short-term resource teams to teach and train and attend conusltations in other/nations and regions.
• 2. Help establish and strengthen strategically located member care hubs/centres.
No further discussion on this crucial area.
However we did talk about the need to follow up on the plan to have hubs of content providers (with MemCa members and others) in different locations for TWR’s MemCare Radio, and felt this was very important. Feeling part of an international group of content providers, receiving monthly communication, would help cohesion. Pramila is also wanting to discuss the possibility of providing member care radio programmes within India and for Indian workers. Some possibilities for doing periodic or regular broadcasts in Spanish were also discussed, as was the new broadcast related to Asia. (Kelly to contact Siny Widmer and Brent Lindquist)
• 3. One ongoing goal has been to help develop networks of caregivers for the various specialist domains of member care (practitioners, training, literature, links inside/outside of the missions community, etc.). There are some special people and organisations developing global resources as well as networking. Many are not with MemCa officially. Others are developing these speciality nets more nationally/regionally.
Crisis and contingency management Interpersonal skills /team building
(Mobile Member Care Team) (Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills)
Human resource/personnel development Spiritual life/pastoral care
(People In Aid UK) (Barnabas International)
Family life/marriage/MK seminars Medical care
(Interaction) (IHM Canada, Interhealth, Elphinstone UK)
• 4. We want to update and upgrade the MemCa Web site. Harry is to look at possibilities of working with Jonathan from MemCare radio web site, while he is in Austria as of 12.04. Working towards a core consortium of member care web sites. Suggest EMA national and regional groups to link their sites with ours. See appendix.
• 5. As for research and writing, we focussed mostly on the Global Briefing.
Continue to send it three times a year. This is a main connection tool for global updates and analyses.
Update the format, with minimum bytes (Harry to explore this.)
Post on web site ASAP in Adobe (Steve Burgess).
Consider outsourcing-or hiring-a group to do this if necessary.
Get emails to send it to EMA leaders and Mission Com. Associates; links on their web sites (Kelly)
Bring hard copies of it when we travel to share (all of us).
Add a section on the sending church (Marina to write some things).
Translate it into a few other languages (Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, major Asian, French, other?--who?).
Get feedback on how to improve it-get outside input and do a short survey (Kelly and Harry).
Consider doing another Briefing oriented towards those just getting into member care.
We discussed the possibility of nice hard copies/postings but it is too cost-prohibitive for now.
• 6. We looked at briefly how to obtain additional funding for MemCa.
We want to do a good brochure. And explore doing a video brochure. (Kelly to explore/work on this)
We want to explore options for revenue streams. (Leadership Team to look at possibilities)
• 7. The training topic included the need for an on-line member care course (other courses too), nd possibly a person or group to champion this. (Kelly agreed to adjust his overview course, with input from a few others). Also, the CD in a major Asian language is going well, and is like a core version of Doing Member Care Well with contributions from Asian people. When we travel and teach/consult, we want to encourage team teaching/mentoring rather than travelling alone, as well as having people from NSCs and OSCs working together.
• 8. In general we thought we could form stronger connections by using the telephone more, including conference calling, in addition to email , and that we need to look into the use of phone services and internet telephone connections. Email only goes so far. An update on this topic would be good for the Global Briefing.
• 9. Harry Hoffmann is moving and will need to pass on his communication network responsibilities for the Asia and Europe email forums as well as the Global Briefing. At the latest he can continue until June 2005, so one more year.
• 10. Next MemCa Consultation is possibly 2005 as part of the Missions Commission Conference (if there is one, otherwise likely 2006). Next MemCa Leadership Team meeting will likely be in April or May 2005, at the same time as the MemCa Consultation if there is one.
Other items to add or clarify?
Appendix 1-The Global Faces of Member Care:
Proactive Connections for the International Flow of MCWs
Kelly O’Donnell (04/04)
How can we go deeper and broader as we help to further develop the member care field? One way is to intentionally connect more with international MCWs especially those from NSCs.
A Rationale for Gatherings
Let’s start with MCW gatherings. Some have been discussing possibilities of convening something like an international member care consultation, as far back as 1998. We as MemCa, for example, have discussed this regularly, yet not felt this is something that we could pursue, primarily because we felt other regions and nations needed more time to develop their respective member care experience and approaches. Not to mention the logistical challenges of trying to convene such a gathering! So we have opted to help support national and continental gatherings of member care personnel/mission leaders instead of trying to push for a larger more global one.
Why would such international gatherings be important? Basically, there is nothing like face to face connections to build relationships, exchange updates, consolidate learning, and acquire resources and perspectives to share back in one's respective setting/country/region. But even more fundamental to these benefits would be a sense of the Spirit directing many of us to help support the member care field in newer and more united and more international ways, on behalf of mission personnel.
In a way, the closest we have come to doing an international member care gathering was the MemCa-sponsored retreat, with help from Narramore Christian Foundation, which met after the at the 2000 MHM conference. We were a group of 25 people from various countries, and it really was a very special and intimate time. Also, the three ICMKs were like early international member care gatherings, focusing on MKs/families yet overlapping with other member care areas. The last ICMK (regional ones now) though, was about 15 years ago in Nairobi, and most participants were American.
Some Possible Ways Forward
So with some of this (very sketchy!) background in mind, here are three question:
• 1. Is it time to talk more about a combined effort to convene an international member care consultation? And possibly convene it every few years on a different continent? Or is it more practical to continue the emphasis on national and continental gatherings (some of which happen in conjunction with general missions conferences within a given nation or continent?
• 2. As an alternative to point one above, or as an interim step, what would it be like to invite many international member caregivers (people whose passport country is from the Newer Sending Countries) to the MHM, PTM or Personnel conferences or the European Member Care Consultations? These venues would seem like excellent places to connect for mutual benefit. Maybe have 30 or so international caregivers come? Or a ratio of 10 to 25%?
• 3. In addition, what about the idea of more of us going to national/regional member care gatherings as a small group-by invitation--in order to mingle and exchange updates and resources. Some of us in MemCa do this regularly, usually in ones or twos, yet the idea of small groups is new.
Some Invitation Criteria
*Recognised ministry in member care in one's region; approval from one's organisational leadership.
*Prioritising those from NSCs; include reps from different regions; proficiency in English
*Recommended by the RIMA coordinator and at least two other members of our group.
*Part of networks and have the desire and ability to connect with other groups.
* Participate in entire programme; have a brief written plan to apply experience nationally/regionally. *Do not usually come to such international member care events.
*Attend a special one-two day retreat afterwards; pay for some of their costs, case by case.
A final thought by Ortberg:
"People rarely drift into deep community...We try to create [book of Acts] relationships on a 21st century timetable, and it doesn't work...The requirement for true intimacy is chunks of unhurried time...Wise people do not try to microwave friendship, parenting, or marriage."
APPENDIX 2-MemCa Web Site Update and Proposal 5.04
Mission (proposal):
• To resource the global mission community with quality member care materials that inform (updates, analyses, links) and equip (guidelines, articles, tools), on behalf of both mission personnel and member care workers.
• To provide key ways for member care workers to stay current, connected, and cohesive as a field.
Key Features to Develop that are Unique to this Web Site:
• Monthly key article/resource with which to interact, to help visitors/MCWs stay on top of trends and to get into the habit of visiting the site regularly
• New mechanism for consolidated learning/updates: offer a template and place for regional and specialty member care networks to easily give readable updates of key events/issues, plans etc.
• Links to audio files via TWR etc
• Input and updates from a variety of colleagues from around the world
• A team of three web masters coordinating the updates
• An updated global calendar of member care events (consultations, training, etc.)
• An updated list of member care organisations and groups
• An updated list of key member care books
• Updated summaries of the major member care consultations in each region
• Copies of our MemCa Global Briefing to help keep track of significant global trends/analyses
• A commitment to use the most effective technology to help people access/use the material, including offering a way for people to download in 3 formats-PDF, Word, etc.
• A commitment to keep the listing of materials as streamlined and core as possible, with essential links to other key sites-develop a consortium of web sites? e.g., www.missionarycare.com
• Links to key secular sites related to member care such as the Humanitarian Practice network, International Society for Trauma Studies, Society of Human Resource Management, etc.
• Other site divisions to be developed which are cutting edge, such as member care for the persecuted church, ethical issues/guidelines for member care workers, member care courses, etc.
Comments from Jon Hirst, DevTech consultant:
“Really what we are developing here is a new paradigm for content development and distribution. I think it would be wise not to think of this as a Web site. Instead, think of it as your strategy for developing, organizing and distributing global member care resources. By having all of this data in databases that can be manipulated in the future, the articles and resources could be easily harnessed to develop a book, or a bibliography. The investment you are making is in a sustainable process for developing, managing and distributing content. In the future the outcomes of that process may look very different than they will the day the new Web site goes live.
One of the core challenges is not the technology but the management of content. In order to get enough users to come to the site and give us feedback about what they want, we have to have the content and info available to attract them. This point is the cornerstone of this plan. We must have the people within the association who are ready to help manage and update the content.
I think that once we ask the users what would be truly compelling, we will get a list of content and services that is needed. The development, management and marketing of those services will probably be beyond the budgets that the WEA can put together. We have to remember that we are competing with all of the HR / counseling / personnel resources globally and we are trying to make a case for why global mission-focused resources are more valuable and relevant I think that you can definitely let your partners focus on the services as they are probably better set up to deliver them. (TWR audio content services and Link Care online resourcing services). However, my experience working with associations has taught me that there are some services that cannot be adequately provided by a single agency or business. It needs the touch of a collaborative group, like an association. In my mind, the grant would be developed to fund key content development or services that will serve the global member care cause and could not be accomplished by any other body. That is what is fundable.”
Appendix Three-Graham Fawcett Presentation
Part One: Trauma /Stress Prevention
Best prevented by:
• Consultative leadership style
• Cohesive team
Social support model or stress management seminars for prevention? World Vision has gone for social support model. Emotional health is not measured by emotional indices in non-Western context.
World Vision
• Build in processes that track whether managers are doing a good job into anuual review
• Measure soft physical symptoms to determine emotional health.
• Difficulty in Asian context of putting in consultative leadership style - communication what leadership style helps emotional health, e.g. Arabic context style strong leadership with well-defined parameters helps staff feel secure. And in debriefing a more structured approach is helpful
• Job of member care is not to find way for workers to get by but to flourish. If they flourish , that witnesses to the gospel.
• High expectations of leadership and of teams
• The southern nations are being more assertive in their cultural dimensions
Virtual Teams
E.g. disaster Relief Team commits itself:
• Emails are for concrete information - not personal, policy, opinion shaping
• Prefer telephone conversations, only around issues where all stakeholders are present - conference calls
• Team meets every 10 months, face to face for 5 days of work, 3 days of play
There is a post-modern generation which does not and cannot understand modern mind-set. Setting policies by modernists. Younger generation more willing to cross the boundaries of world views.
Within our agencies:
• Post-modern youth will not join a modern agency
• Agencies are dying
• Southern agencies don’t want to play the northern agenda any more
• What is being done in southern world is bigger than northern e.g. Islamic banking
Two trends:
• Feminist theology - white, male patriarchal God (Why not women? By Laurie Cunningham)
• Women in mission
Debate is only occurring where a modern power structure is in place. (Grace van Leewuen - ‘Women are called’). Debate is not there for post-modern generation.
Feminism - Gender issues - Gender Justice - how men and women live/work together in societies.
Mary Daley: “If God is male, then male is God”
Language is not appealing, inclusive, relevant; seems patently false and therefore evanglicalism is too.
Cross-cultural preparation: dynamic of training to be sensitive in both directions.
South America and elsewhere:
Cultural rejection of member care because of the ‘faith’ movement that says God will provide and equip. Need to contextualise material and produce internally from southern/eastern nations.
Part Two: Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance Trends/Issues
• Space contested at physical (safety) and philosophical levels
• Member Care is a good but contested space
• Language of Human resources management is harmful (Heidegger)
• Technology of humans as tools - underpinning philosophy of Human Resources
• ‘Human Capacity Management’ (Martha Mussbaum)
• Calling ‘Member care’ is a prophetic action
• Neutrality (which war)
• Impartiality (help both sides)
• Independence (of government)
• Our neutrality is compromised our impartiality debated
• Human Rights is winning the battle of development, drives HA
• Development based on Hrights wrecks the efforts of neutral organisations because tarred with the brush of Hrights
• NGO principle-driven
• Red X
• Pragmatic - need leads to help and is influenced by self-interest/NGOs are grant dependent
• Solidarist - both protests and provides
• Faith-based - providing, preaching, advocating
• 9/11 trends - influences perceptions of NGOs
• Salvafic - we have the resources, you do not, we will help you
• NGO term contested - worsened after Abu Grabe, contractors call themselves NGOs
• Hearts and minds - job of military is to secure territory and kill people, hearts and minds is NGOS but has been hijacked by military
• Conference of 15 NGOs included NATO
• Delivering of food convoys - security guards?
• Reminding the Government of responsiblities Prov. 31:8
• Member Care is at forefront by
• Setting standards and values
• Professionalism of HA:
• Code of practice
• Audit
• Accountable to professional body
Appendix Four--Jonathan Potter Presentation
WHY IS HR IMPORTANT?
• People deliver missions
• Rights
• Duty of care
• Law (and fear of litigation)
• Loyalty
• Fairness, equality, transparency
Need for accountability to: Donors, Beneficiaries, Staff (who spend donors’ money on beneficiaries)
Surveys of HR Departments:
2002: 68% of respondents had staff dedicated exclusively to HR
2003: 26% had no HR department
2003: 18% had no staff policy statement or personnel charter
2003: 52% most senior person responsible for HR did not have HR in their title
ISSUES
• Recruitment
• Retention (35+ the cut-off point)
• Career development
• Balancing professionalism v. commitment
• Coping with legislative changes
• Loyalty and morale
• National staff inclusion and equity
• Capacity - building of partners
• Terms and conditions
• Performance management
• Security
• Management skills for technical experts - training
• Line v. HR department responsibility
• Budget alllocation not favouring HR activities
2003 SURVEY ON ISSUES FOR HR IN EUROPEAN AGENCIES
1. Recruitment and retention
2. Briefing/debriefing/counselling
3. Career planning and development
4. Insurance and health cover
5. Training
6. Compensation and benefits
7. Equity
8. Competition with other agencies
9. Threat of litigation
10. (No mention of safety)
HOW MIGHT AGENCIES ADDRESS THESE ISSUES?
• Motivate staff
• Develop staff skills
• Manage staff careers
• Reduce stress levels
• Retain staff longer
CIPD WORK ON PEOPLE AND PERFORMANCE
• A person who is unsatisfied with career opportunities is likely to bne 31.2% less motivated than the ideal employee
• Unsatisfied with training 26.3%
• Feeling little commitment 21.5%
• Low job satisfaction 41.6%
MOTIVATE STAFF
• Ethos
• Effective work with/for community
• Effective leadership
• A brand to be proud of
• Kudos
• Positive feedback
• Feeling valued
• Clear vision
DEVELOPING STAFF SKILLS
• Commitment to training
• Training needs analysis (appraisal)
• Learning v. training
• Learning on the job
• Courses - distance or workshop
• Mentoring or coaching
• Action learning sets ( with peers from other organisations)
Are you living the values of your organisation?
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
• 33% had policy
• 39% had budget (26% as a %age of staff costs)
• 52% ‘lack of time’ an important barrier
• over half of funding for training is taken from unrestricted budgets
• ‘on the job’ training is most appropriate overall classroom for large agencies
NON-TECHNICAL TRAINING
Most important
• Financial Management
• Strategic Planning
• Project Management
• Managing people
2002 taining actually attended
• FM
• SP
• PM
• Proposal Writing
• Security management
MANAGE STAFF CAREERS
• ANNUAL REVIEW, APPRAISALS
• CAREER GUIDANCE TESTING
• CAREER IN OR OUT OF THE ORGANISATION?
• SUCCESSION PLANNING
• SHADOWING
REDUCE STRESS LEVELS
• Working hours and work life balance
• Appreciation
• Realistic targets
• Risk assessment and management
• Proper briefing and debriefing
• Conflicts management
RETAIN STAFF LONGER
• SOFT REWARDS, E.G. HOLIDAYS, TRAINING, CANTEEN
• HARD REWARDS, E.G. PAY, PENSIONS
• OFFER CAREER PROSPECTS (INTERNAL/EXTERNAL)
• LIVE UP TO YOUR VALUES
• BE THE BEST
• DO YOU WANT TO RETAIN THEM LONGER?
TO MAKE ALL THAT WORK
• Strategy (Hr strategy part of overall strategy
• Values
• Buying in from the top
• Someone doing HR
• Knowledge of what staff feel
• Policies
• Resources
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