CANADA:

Fred got a call from Ghana this week. He spoke with Joseph and a Canadian volunteer, Judi, who has been working with ICA Ghana on fundraising and proposal writing initiatives. Their latest idea is to include ICA Canada in a project that will have Canadian youth trained in YFL methods go over to Ghana to train staff and youth members there. This got Fred, Cara and Eowynne thinking. Stay tuned for further developments of this idea.

Cara Naiman           cnaiman@icacan.ca

ICA ASSOCIATES INC. (Canada)

Bill Staples is in Whitehorse, Yukon to do a series of courses with managers in the Yukon Public Service.

John Miller has trained people in the Waterloo Public Health Unit and Toronto's United Way.

Jo Nelson has done a training event with the Halton District School Board that may lead to more in depth worth with another school board.

We have been pleased to receive a number of requests for the free personal coaching we offer with our courses. It gives us an opportunity to work through a facilitation plan with people who really want to apply our methods in their situation. In past years, we found ourselves coaching independent facilitators.  The recent requests seem to be coming from people who are facilitating within their own organization as a part of their job.

Wayne Nelson and Manfred Humphries are perparing the web site for a new bookstore. Having established a data base and a secure payment system for our public course, we are extending the back-end infrastructure to the bookstore in order to make the site easier to use and more secure for our clients.

We have sent CD's with some of our training curriculum to many ICA's who requested them. If there are ICA's who want this curriculum for your own  development, please contact us and we'll send you a CD.

We are currently preparing our French curriculum for ICA's working with French clients. We want every ToP facilitator to be at your best as a facilitator and a trainer. If these manuals can help you, we will be very pleased.

Wayne Nelson           wnelson@ica-associates.ca

MENA Middle East and North Africa (Egypt):

Location: EGYPT

Sabah and Mohamed Fekry facilitated the first regional Telecenters workshop for IDRC in Cairo. Mohamed Sayed continues to oversee refurbishing and renewing our office space in Cairo.

Seham and Kamal began to implement an evaluation consultation for GTZ in Aswan.

ICA-MENA signed a three year extension contract to do CDA capacity building in ASWAN in collaboration with the ESDF.

Hala Elkholy and Fekry convened the first steering committe meeting for the Children at Risk project with our main partners SEKEM and PAVI.

Madeleine michel is recoverng after a car accident last Tuesday. Her team continue to collect data for the preperatory survey of the three Governorates of the project.

Resident expert Giezela finished her staff interviews and will submit her Organizational development report and recomendations next week.

Hala Elkholy attended a meeting with the new GTZ Participatory Urban development program coordinator to explore cooperation.

Hala also attended the celebration of 50 years of AMIDEAST in EGYPT with  a symposium on EDUCATION and EMPLOYMENT with the US assistant secretarty of state for culture and exchange, Dina H. Powell as its key note speaker.

Dina el wakil began implementation of our newly awarded research grant from IDRC.

Hala Elkholy           hala.elkholy@ica-mena.org

PERU:

Location: 100 Valleys

A new strategy was formed for the major funding proposal, and Ken began the work of putting the presentations together.  More great appointments were done to market the 3 week AVANZA PERU program in January.  Esaud and Gloria are preparing for a large team-building event for a mining company next week.  The team put together a great celebration for Alison's birthday and is really appreciating being together again.

Ken Hamje           kenh@ica-peru.org

ITERLENG ICA South Africa:

The YFL 16 days activities are in full motion and will come to an end on Sunday the 10th,  International Human Rights day when all the groups will hand over petitions to their local police stations. Dineo and Sello have been training the drama groups in kagiso, Alex and Jabulani to assist them in preparing for Community theatre events as part of the 16days campaign.

A three days event was conducted in the North West province with community dialogues, theatre events and door to door campaign.We have recently been offered  training work from Aids Consortium, CARAS  and Unicef Sudan all due to take place early next year.

Thembi and Tshepiso are currently undergoing a two days ToT on BVV training on  Sexual Violance and HIVAIDS  from an organisation called Community Information for Empowerment and Transparency, if accepeted as part of the team they will start training next year in various provinces.

We are looking forward to our long awaited PSP next week from 12-15 December 2006. 

From Itereleng ICA-SA Merry Xmas and a prosperous new year to everyone.With warm regards,

Muzi Mbonani           icaadmin@telkomsa.net

TANZANIA:

Lynn Connell from Canada is working with, Handeni Community particularly schools, PLWHA and Traditional healers, on how to use art to deliver messages. She is also, training PLWHA how to use meditation as a ralaxing tool. After a session, one patient said, "I have never  experienced such  powerful energy coming into my body".

Doris Mutashobya           dmutta01@yahoo.com

UNITED KINGDOM:

UK and Africa

Jonathan met with the Elton John AIDS Foundation re further funding for Living Well and completed the Village Volunteer newsletter, and Martin facilitated another session with Manchester City Council.

Jonathan Dudding           jdudding@ica-uk.org.uk

UNITED STATES:

Claim the Past  Build the Future was the phrase newly elected ICA USA Board President Carolyn Houpt Antenen used to characterize the organizations task for 2007, during the December 1-3 Board Meeting in Chicago. Dr. Kirk E. Harris, recently appointed Interim Executive Director, encouraged those present to Transition to Success by building and strengthening new and old relationships, developing strong lines of business, expanding the market for ICA methods with brand recognition, selling our story to funders, and discerning a winning leadership model both internally and externally.

Highlights of the Boards work included-Commitment to increase the size and quality of the communication loop with stakeholders, including work on a compelling new website design for access to timely information and products.
-Work with the ToP Trainers Network to develop a mutually agreeable business model.  -Laying the groundwork for the new ICA USA through events in 2007  Create the process for Expanded Table Conversations around the country, and identify the focus and format for the rescheduled redesigned Living Legacy event. -Giving attention to connections and work with ICA Canada, ICA International and global program initiatives.The ICA USA Board of Directors remains committed to sustaining and clarifying the mission of the organization, honoring the contributions of the past, and engaging stakeholders in the work of the future.

Dr. Kirk E. Harris           kharris@ica-usa.org

ICAI:

Lambert and I worked on the boilerplate language, strategic plan for the 2008 conference, and memorandum of understanding for 2008 conference partners. Received the official news of approval for subvention from Montreal International's Board. Finalized and circulated job descriptions for the 3 new staff positions. Met with supporters in the NY area. Met with Montreal International and explored office space options in Montreal. Sent new year's cards/end-of-year appeal. Finalized and circulated 2008 conference invite. Assembled articles for January Network Exchange and global institutional donor database. General planning for the next phase of operations.

Sarah Miller           sarah.miller@earthlink.net