Showing posts with label OA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OA. Show all posts

Friday, July 9, 2010

Letter from the President

Dear friends,

Just a few weeks ago, on June 19th and 20th, nine regional delegates, two youth representatives, members of National Council and some of Development and Peace’s staff from across departments and around the country, came together for the Alternative Orientation Assembly. This much anticipated and much talked about event did not disappoint us, as we shared this privileged moment to reflect on and discuss our movement and organization’s next strategic plan for 2011-2016.

In the months leading up to the meeting, we introduced new ideas and ways of communicating with each other through the AOA blog, set up in time for the Regional Assemblies. Thus began our trek towards our “alternative” assembly. You will recall that at each of the Regional Meetings, we discussed the impact of the current political climate in Canada, the context of the Catholic Church in Canada and in the world, as well as some of the issues of concern that have emerged in consultation with our Southern partners. Each Region named a delegate and drafted a report rich with comments, suggestions and input from membership at the grassroots. Over 500 members participated in this Canada-wide discussion and consultation on the future orientations of Development and Peace.

These reports and their synthesis became the basis for the Agenda of the Alternative Orientation Assembly. We began our intensive two-day experience by hearing your voices, through the short flips (video/voice messages) which you carefully recorded in each of the Regional Meetings in April and May. This again was a way to connect people in a new and innovative way and we can be proud of the result. Your messages to the AOA were our opening comments and set the tone for the rest of the meeting. I cannot express enough how profoundly your words spoke directly to the core purpose of the gathering. You reminded us of who we are as Development and Peace, why we exist, what our message is and where our energy should be focused.

Throughout the first day, we connected with many of you through other means as well. The AOA blog became the portal of our small gathering to the outside world. We shared pictures and questions with you in real time, and received and read your comments and suggestions back through the plenary discussions. Later in the day, we joined another 20 diocesan delegates through our 8 teleconference workshops to move from strategic orientations to strategic actions. Everybody spoke of the closeness they felt during the discussions even though some of you were physically quite far away from Montreal.

On the Saturday evening, as we gathered for our liturgy and social gathering, a synthesis committee worked late into the night assembling some of the thoughts and impressions of the day and drafted a preliminary report which was presented to the assembled group on Sunday morning. We had once again the opportunity to feed back and include comments from participants outside the room. Though the final report is not ready just yet and will only be sent to you in August, we can already share with you the first conclusions and initial strategic points that emerged from this process and, which received full endorsement from all who were participated.

Vision, mission and values:
The time has come for Development and Peace to stand tall and speak proudly of who we are. Let us reaffirm our values, rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and the Gospel. Our mission and vision of social justice has sometimes not been well understood; and in recent times, we have admittedly taken a defensive stance.

We feel that going forward, we should now take on a proactive stance and never take for granted that people know who we are or what we are about.

Vision: In 2011-2016, we see ourselves reaffirming our preferential option for the poor, while incorporating a preferential option for the earth through a better understanding of eco-justice issues.

“Our message is so strong and true that we cannot fail”. “Development and Peace will emerge as force to be reckoned with” (from the members assembled at the AOA).

What are our strategic priorities for 2011-2016?
• Increasing visibility, public image and presence of Development and Peace. This means increased and more diversified use of media, both traditional and new technologies.
• Reaffirming our dual mandate (partnership and education) and strengthening our position in advocacy and public engagement.
• Strengthening and mobilizing our membership as this is our most precious asset.
• Building stronger strategic alliances and working more closely within the Church, with Clergy, the Bishops and Parishioners and all others who share our values.

Though not cited directly as a strategic priority, all agreed that we have to put energy and focus on strengthening and diversifying our financial sources and stability. Our reliance on our two traditional and historic forms of funding (CIDA and Share Lent) must be augmented by a strategy which will incorporate new ways of working and ensure more independence to our work.

A more complete and final report will tell of the strategic actions which were suggested in order to accomplish our mission in the next five years. As of the Fall, both National Council and Management of Development and Peace will work together to incorporate all of this input into an integrated strategic plan for 2011-2016.

In conclusion, there is much to be learned from the AOA and the lead-up to the event. The evaluations speak of an overall satisfaction but also of concerns on how this will all unfold. This is the key responsibility of National Council and Management: to ensure that the energy and consensus reached together translates into concrete action which we can all take on together.

Allow me to share a few final statements as we left the Assembly and headed home with this message.


“Let us be the voice for those who have none”
“We don’t have partners; we are partners facing common issues together”
“We have a shared responsibility to ensure that Development and Peace’s mandate is a living and breathing one”.

A special thanks to everyone who took part directly or indirectly in the event, those who helped us prepare, through the Diocesan Councils and Regional Meetings and all of you who ensure, on a daily basis, that our voice and message is heard.

In peace and solidarity,

Pat Hogan
President, National Council

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Closing Remarks: Time for action!


The orientation assembly is now wrapping up, but please continue to send us your messages and comments as these will definitely taken into consideration for the final report.

Everyone in the room agrees that over these last two days large orientations and priorities have been set for D&P, however, now comes the next challenge, which is to set the specific actions that will allow D&P to meet these objectives and attain its potential. It will require collective action from all of us across the country.

And lastly, we must never forget the strength and courage of our partners in the Global South. As it was put so eloquently this weekend, "We don't have partners, we are partners."

Thank you to everyone who participated and continue to send your messages!

The six priorities for our 2011-2016 strategic planning

Here are the six selected priorities:

- Reaffirming our identity
- Mobilizing the membership
- Aim to diversify funding sources
- Work at the heart of the Church
- Improve the visibility and the public image of D&P
- Reinforce alliances and partnerships

Narrowing our focus

Gradually the group is coming to consensus as to what D&P needs to focus on in the next five years:
  • Approaching foundations that could possible support us
  • Working with solidarity visitors using social media to create better awareness
  • Create tools for parishioners and clergy
  • Place accent on diversification of financial resources (this came up several times)
  • Work to make our message clear and easy to understand, make ourselves known; adapting our message to different audiences
  • To have a clear and concrete identity
  • Making alliances with social justice groups
  • Enter more into social media
  • Mobilizing and recruiting members
  • Have a dynamic approach to reaching youth

Missing elements? What should we add to our report?


After further group discussions some missing elements were identified. Those that are highlighted are under consideration to be added to the final report.

Strengthening and mobilizing our members, including parishioners

Greater emphasis on advocacy

The diversification of revenues and financial stability

Visit from partners from the Global South

Need to include outreach to children

Clarification of who we are, our identity

Education and advocacy are linked but both need a firm identity

Greater emphasis on the Catholic Social Teachings and Caritas in Veritate

A recruitment strategy must encompass non-practicing Catholics, ethno-cultural communities and those who share our values

Do a better follow-up after immersion trips

Need to engage teachers and others in the educational profession

Need to reach the 25 to 55 age group

Gives us the means to reach our financial objectives

Education versus awareness

The role of the members in realizing the strategic planning

Anything to add? Let us know!

We need you input: Synthesis of yesterday's discussions

Here is a synthesis of the ideas and themes that came out of yesterday's discussions:

- Reaffirming our vision
- Better engagement with the Church and clergy
- Mobilizing and reinforcing our membership
-Improve the visibility of the organization and its public image
- Strengthening our partnerships and alliances

Do you agree with this list? What would you add? Remove? What are your ideas for strategies to address these objectives?

The big themes


In lengthy discussions with our partners, they defined our work by the following themes, and it seems that everyone in the room agrees:

Peace and Conflict
Management and Control of Natural Resources
Empowerment of Women
Citizen Participation
Eco-justice

Do you agree? Are there any missing?

Partner message: D&P must continue to support human rights work

Last night, our assembled members had the opportunity to hear another testimonial from one of our partners from the Palestinian Territories. Raffoul Rofa is executive director of the Saint-Yves Society of the Latin Patriarchate, a human rights organization and legal resource centre in Jerusalem.

He spoke at length about the difficult challenges faced by families, women, youths and individuals living in the Palestinian Territories, whose rights are often ignored.

He left off with a special message for D&P and its members. Here is an extract:

" Through its involvement in Human Rights work and through its partnership with different human rights Organizations including the Society of Saint Yves, Development and Peace is empowering the poor and the oppressed of the world to attain at least some of their rights.

In the context in which the Society of Saint Yves works, the partnership with Development and Peace is enabling the Society to hire people, lawyers and paralegals in this case to provide essential legal assistance and aid to many people both Christian, Muslim, immigrants and even Jews on a couple of occasions who otherwise would not have been able to get such assistance and aid should they were left to their own devices.

Development and Peace's partnership with the Society of Saint Yves allows the Society to provide vital services to the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized of the Holy land through resorting to peaceful means of resolving these problems thus leading by example and proving to people that it is possible to resolve problems peacefully without the need to resort to violence which nearly always results in adverse results even if the person who reverted to violence was the victim or the oppressed side. "

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Alliances and awesomeness.

I never did my blog introduction (sorry!) but I thought I would post while here at this fabulous assembly!

I'm Kaitlyn - the youth rep for Anglophone Canada, from Ottawa. I'm so thrilled to be a part of this dynamic and motivating discussion of where we've been, where we're at, and where we're going.

I'm very inspired by the forward-thinking discussion being had by all here. We just took part in a workshop where each group divided up and discussed priorities and strategies for implementation. Our group was discussing how we should adjust our strategies to address our changing role in the Catholic Community as well as the current Canadian political context.

I was a little bit worried about how concrete and solution-based our discussions would be, but it turns out that I had nothing to fear! I feel really confident about the strategies that have emerged from this section. What excited me most is the discussion around building alliances with other groups within th Catholic community, other international social justice organizations, and strengthening links with the Catholic education systems. We have so much to gain by working together - the opportunity to raise our own public profile, the enhanced capacity to lobby the government in favour of stronger support for international development, a chance to learn from the experiences and stories of other groups and their members, a larger network of contacts that can be mobilized for our educational campaigns - the list is endless! Pretty stellar, eh? :)

Thank you for your presence, virtual or physical, and I can't wait to see what comes out of the rest of this weekend!

In solidarity,

Kaitlyn DK

Inspired at the AOA

Dick Mynen here, coming from inside the room at the AOA. What a wonderfully inspired group this is. As a new member of the national council, it’s hard to imagine a better way to bring the voice of BC to Development and Peace than to be part of a meeting where people from across the country and the world are coming together in person here in Montreal as delegates and more importantly from the blog site, emails, prepared submissions and from video feeds right across the country.

This is truly is a National Assembly, where the voices of our grass roots are shaping our thoughts and focusing our discussions on what the people are saying. The issues of our roots, faith, branding, education, the environment our ecology, and at the fore front, the people of the global south whom we are here to serve. They, we, are all part of the conversation while change is everywhere around us and within us.

Please keep your comments and thoughts coming from across Canada as we are eager for your input as we help to set the stage for the next 5 year strategic plan.

Message from B.C.

Thanks for posting the heart warming message from Luis Arriaga Valenzuela from our partner in Mexico, Centro Prodh. It is so important for us to hear from our partners and, about their work to enable us to be in solidarity with them realizing the importance of our collaboration. We learn a great deal from our connections with such groups and have a better understanding of the overwhelming need there is for people everywhere to struggle for structual changes that bring dignity to all. We are called by God in a particular way to be in communion with our sisters and brothers who are facing social repression, poverty, lack of adequate food and who lack basic human rights.

Each of us has our part to play in this struggle and we are thankful for our many partners throughout the world who continue to provide support to those with the greatest need. May God continue to bless them and keep them safe.

Barry Nelson, DC Nelson, BC Diocese
PS Looking forward to many more comments on the blog.

Message from Luis Arriaga Valenzuela, Partner from Mexico


Luis is Executive Director of the Centro Prodh, a human rights centre in Mexico and a D&P partner. He sent us a special message for the Orientation Assembly:

"PRODH was founded in 1988 by members of the Society of Jesus in Mexico, as a response to the climate of increasing state repression against social activists, Church leaders and political dissidents. The Jesuits created this centre as a means of fighting for the human rights of the general population, which at that particular time, was experiencing great suffering under an authoritarian regime.

Centro Prodh's core value is the belief that the dignity of each human being is in the image of God. Its members, however, work actively in a broad spectrum of many different, and iften overlapping, sectors of our civil society.

Thus, any act violating this dignity, perpetrated by government officials, is an act committed against God and, as such, carries repercussions. Our work focuses on protecting the dignity of all human beings, most specifically, the dignity of those who are most excluded from our society: women, indigenous peoples, migrants and victims of social repression. Through their generous support for the type of work we do, institutions such as Centro Prodh and D&P contribute tot he advancement of structural changes towards the elimination of discrimination in Mexico and a society allowing its people to live in dignity in the full enjoyment of their human rights.

This is the cause we are championing and this is why we would like to thank all the volunteers of D&P for their important work on behalf of human rights. More specifically, we thank them for supporting noble causes, such as those espoused by the Centro Prodh, which aim to build a world of great humanity, brotherhood and equality to all."

Orientation Assembly underway


After a warm welcome from D&P President Pat Hogan and the introduction of this weekend's animator D'Arcy Martin, the assembly is now underway. D'Arcy is a longtime collaborator of D&P and his links with us go back to the 1970s. He is an adult educator and social activist and it is our pleasure to have him with us this weekend to guide through the many topics and issues that we will need to address this weekend.

The room here is packed and everyone is listening attentively to the messages sent from the Regional Assemblies. There are great ideas being expressed from embracing environmental justice to considering other areas to explore such as human trafficking, but with the caveat of always staying true to our mission of addressing poverty and injustices in the world. If you have any ideas or messages to add send them now!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Press On

There are certainly indications for concern in the NGO community but I believe it is imperative that we do not place our shining light under a bushel. We need to model our partners and press on through adversity. I am anticipating fruitful discussions as we gather to formulate our new strategic plan this weekend.

Bernadette Schmeisser
NC member for Charlottetown Diocese

Monday, June 14, 2010

Looking Forward to Organizational Assembly

Recent news that CIDA has cut funding for the Canadian Council for International Cooperation and Kioros underlines the importance of formulating a strategy on how we approach the federal government. We must enlist their support in supporting Development and Peace's efforts in funding programs by our partners in the Global South fulfill our mission of helping the poor peoples help themselves . I am looking forward to discussing how we can best achieve our objectives at the Organizational Assembly next weekend.

Verden

Thursday, June 10, 2010

President Looks Forward to OA

In just nine days, our much-anticipated OA will begin!!All National Council members are looking forward to this important event in the life of our movement. We will hear the priotities and concerns of members from coast to coast and together we will plot our strategic long-range objectives for D&P for 2011-2016.

The input from our nine Regional Assemblies-as expressed in person by the attending delegates- will be a most valuable resource from which we will all benefit.


Personally, I'm anticipating a lively and productive gathering. and an opportunity to meet old and new friends from cross the country! Peace,


Pat Hogan, President of National Council

Monday, June 7, 2010

AOA 2010 - 12 days to go

As we get closer and closer to the AOA, things begin to take shape. Delegates have been confirmed and contacted. A draft Agenda has been circulated to those attending and those participating from afar. People are preparing for the meeting by reading the documents that are posted on the secure website and some are discussing it all with members in their area. Speakers are reviewing their presentations.

Our facilitator is busy organizing the format of the discussions, while staff is preparing all the small details, the set-up of the meeting room, the breaks, the materiel to be shared on-site, the technical details regarding coomunications and so much more that goes on behind the scenes.


Most of all, we're thinking about Development and Peace and we're looking towards the future, with questions and challenges, but also with hope and excitement.


Josianne Gauthier

Friday, May 21, 2010

Nine delegates

The nine regional delegates to the Alternative Orientation Assembly were all chosen at each of the Regional Meetings held in April and May. They are:

• Mike Rebstein (British Columbia/Yukon)
• Lys-Divine Ndemeye (Alberta/MacKenzie-Fort Smith)
• Hélène Tremblay-Boyko (Saskatchewan / Keewatin – Le Pas)
• Verden Jeancart (Manitoba)
• Larry Martin (Ontario)
• Françoise Lagacé (Québec / New Brunswick)
• Normande Turgeon (Québec / New Brunswick)
• Sharon Beals (Maritimes)
• Susan Walp (Newfoundland and Labrador)

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Regional Delegates

Members participating in the four regional meetings held so far have chosen delegates to represent them at the Orientation Assembly on June 19th and 20th in Montreal. The regional delegates are Mike Rebstein (British Columbia/Yukon), Lys-Divine Ndemeye (Alberta/MacKenzie-Fort Smith), Hélène Tremblay-Boyko (Saskatchewan / Keewatin – Le Pas) and Sharon Beals (Maritimes). (Picture: Svilen Milev)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Five regional meetings to come

Next week-end, Development and Peace members from Atlantic Canada will be gathered in their annual regional meeting. On the agenda, the next Orientation Assembly in June and the choice of a regional delegate to attend the meeting to be held in Montreal. The following week-end (April 30th, 1st and 2nd of May), members from Ontario, Manitoba as well as Québec and Francophone New-Brunswick will be holding their regional meetings as well. Finally, on May 15th and 16th, members from Newfoundland and Labrador will wrap up the process with their own regional meeting.