People making change - the results
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 26 January 2012 15:17
Thank you to all those who attended the ICA:UK AGM & Annual Conference "People making change: sharing approaches that work" in Manchester last Saturday.
Watch this space for more photos, videos and reports, and in the meantime download the tweets #pmc12.
ICA:UK Network News #45
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 15 December 2011 11:53
The latest issue of the ICA:UK network newsletter is online today, with 12 pages of news, reports & features from ICA:UK and our members, partners & Associates in the UK and worldwide - click on the image (right) to download the pdf, or visit our ICA:UK Network News page.
People making change: sharing approaches that work
Written by Martin Gilbraith Monday, 31 October 2011 15:08
Please join us for the ICA:UK annual conference and AGM, Saturday 21 January 2012 in Manchester.
BOOK NOW, or for details please download the invite (pdf), the programme flyer (pdf) and the AGM notice (pdf).
Join us to share approaches that work, as we celebrate 50 years of ICA supporting people to make change worldwide.Free & discounted facilitation training at your place
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 27 October 2011 13:01
"Brilliant! The Group Facilitation Methods course was an excellent two days, expertly delivered and consistently engaging. I am already thinking of loads of ways I can use it!" - Eleanor Pryde, Programme Performance and Support Officer, Locality
Are you under pressure to collaborate more, to engage with your stakeholders and work in partnership, more and more effectively?
Are you also under pressure to be more enterprising, to sweat your assets and to generate new sources of revenue?
Well, if you might be able to provide space for our training, then we might be able to help on both counts. We would like to establish partnerships with local organisations who can host our training courses in exchange for free and discounted delegate places.
We would offer you free or discounted facilitation training at your place, wherever you are - including any of the courses already on our public schedule, or even custom training drawing on our extensive experience of facilitating participation and partnership working in the youth & community sector, in international development, and in the wider voluntary and public sectors.
In exchange for say 2 or 3 free course places, we would expect you to provide the venue & catering (and maybe even trainers' board & lodging) to accommodate a public course for say 10-18 participants in total, so that we can charge our regular fees to the others to cover our trainers' fees and any other expenses.
If you think you could fill more than 2 or 3 places, from among your own people or by publicising the course through your own channels and networks, then we can provide you with your very own promotional code so that those you recruit will get a special discount and so that you will get a cut of what they pay as well.
Interested?
Follow the links above for details of our training & expertise, and please contact Martin Gilbraith right away, to talk about how we might work together. We would also be happy to talk about offering discounted course places in exchange for discounted facilities, if that works better for you.
Trustee Vacancies
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 20 October 2011 11:01
We are looking for additional volunteer Trustees to join the Board of ICA:UK from January 2012 - for details please see our vacancies page.
ICA:UK Network News #44
Written by Martin Gilbraith Wednesday, 21 September 2011 11:00
The latest issue of the ICA:UK network newsletter is online today, with 24 pages of news, reports & features from ICA:UK and our members, partners & Associates in the UK and worldwide -download the pdf from our ICA:UK Network News page.
Building a future together
Written by Martin Gilbraith Monday, 12 September 2011 14:53
Broadening ownership in corporate planning.
How do you develop a new plan for organisational growth and success and, at the same time, design a process which provides the opportunity for full involvement of the organisation‘s members, staff, and partners?
The article "Building a future together: Broadening ownership in corporate planning" by ICA:UK's Jonathan Dudding & Ann Lukens describes how we worked with Bron Afon Community Housing on their year-long journey as they sought to develop a new corporate plan, build up an internal team of facilitators, and strengthen the members‘ ownership of their future direction.
The article first appeared in e-Organisations and People Vol 18 No 3, Autumn 2011 and is reproduced by kind permission of AMED. This special edition, "Building bridges through facilitation", is a collaboration with the International Association of Facilitators to mark the IAF 2011 European conference, Istanbul, Turkey, from 14 to 16 October 2011. The whole edition of e-O&P may be downloaded from AMED, priced at: £27.50.
ICA:UK gets a DFID Innovation Grant
Written by Jonathan Dudding Thursday, 04 August 2011 09:49
ICA:UK has been successful in obtaining an Innovation Grant from the Global Poverty Action Fund set up by DFID. The funding, which covers two years of activities, is to enhance education for rural communities in Togo, supporting 8 communities in Zio District to improve the quality and sustainability of the schools they have set up to fill the gaps left by the national education system. The programme will be delivered by our partner, ICA Togo, with our support and guidance. We are really excited by this achievement and we plan that this programme will develop into an approach which can be used elsewhere in Togo and in other countries where rural communities are often neglected in drives for universal primary education which are often under-resourced.ICA:UK supports IofC Conference
Written by Jonathan Dudding Thursday, 16 June 2011 14:24
Initiatives of Change is organising a Conference on "Learning to Live in a Multicultural World: Diaspora and Peacemaking in Europe". To be held in Caux, Switzerland from the 26th-31st July, the Conference will bring people from across Europe to discuss this very relevant topic and identify ways forward together. See more at the Conference website or download a Conference brochure.
ICA:UK and ICA Spain are supporting the organisers with the design and facilitation of the sessions, as well as running the Learning Track on facilitation in conflict.
Impact in Kenya
Written by Jonathan Dudding Thursday, 09 June 2011 07:36
See the latest report of the work that the facilitators trained by our partner SCR are doing with HIV+ people in Kenya- sharing their learning with their wider support groups and changing lives: http://www.globalgiving.co.uk/pr/5100/proj5050d.htmlFeminist Webs Project part time post
Written by Amelia Lee Monday, 18 April 2011 13:56
ICA:UK has recently been successful in applying for some money from Young Roots to undertake a new feminist webs project, 'Girls are Strong'. In order to comply with their guidelines, we need to have open recruitment for the 2 day per week coordinator post for this. If you are interested in applying please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and put 'Fem Webs Job' in the title.ICA:UK Facilitation courses are now accredited with ILM, and we are celebrating!
Written by Alan Heckman Wednesday, 23 March 2011 07:15
We are very pleased and proud to announce that ICA:UK facilitation training courses have been approved for accreditation by the Institute of Leadership and Management!
Our courses have always offered the very best training for facilitating groups, and we are pleased that our course participants will now have a new way to demonstrate their learning to clients and to current and future employers.
The Institute of Leadership and Management is the UK's largest awarding organisation for qualifications in Leadership, Management and Enterprise. Because ILM has approved ICA:UK facilitation training courses, participants in our courses are eligible to register for an ILM Development Award for a cost of £25.
The accredited facilitation courses include:
- Introduction to Group Facilitation
- Group Facilitation Methods
- Group Work Skills
- Action Planning
- Participatory Strategic Planning
- Organisational Transformation
Registered participants also receive a year's studying membership with ILM.
In order to celebrate this new accomplishment and help spread the word, we are offering two absolutely amazing deals on our upcoming April and May courses:
£300 for three days of training – if you book now on the April Group Facilitation Methods course and the Action Planning course that immediately follows it (April 5-7), you pay only £300 for both courses, including ILM Development Award certificates for both. Standard prices for both courses with the Development Award are £700 for public and private sector employees or £510 for voluntary sector employees, so this is a BIG discount. We are aiming to price this low enough that it will be worthwhile for people who taken the GFM before, because you will get a great review, plus the action planning course, plus two ILM Development Award certificates for a very low price. Book now using promotional code “ILM300P” to receive the discount.
15% off every course in May - We are running four courses this May, more than we have ever run on one month before! We have also spread them out across the UK with Group Facilitation Methods courses in Taunton, Gateshead and Belfast, so there is likely to be one near you even if you don’t live in Manchester or London. In order to make sure our courses are full, we are offering this discount in addition to any other group booking or voluntary organisation discounts. Book now using promotional code “MAY15P” to receive the discount.
Both of these deals are strictly subject to availability of places, so book right away to avoid disappointment!
Latest report on Kenyan HIV/AIDS project
Written by Jonathan Dudding Friday, 11 March 2011 09:17
Thanks to the generous support of individual donors, the HIV/AIDS project in Kenya is well under way. Implemented by our partner, Supporting Community Response, the first training of HIV+ facilitators took place in January 2011. Read the full report atICA:UK welcomes Nick Rogers on placement
Written by Amelia Lee Thursday, 10 March 2011 12:30
Here is a bit about Nick in his own words...
My name is Nicholas Rogers and I am currently doing a work placement here at the wonderful ICA:UK. I have been here for a month so far and I apologise that it has taken me this long to write this for you! But it has been because I have been getting so involved in ICA:UK that I have not found time until now. I have been on the Group Work Skills training, which I would highly recommend for anybody who works with groups, the Group Facilitation Methods training, which I would recommend for everybody, and I have even been co-facilitating some of the teamwork and active citizenship training with the youth participation network. I plan to fundraise some money for the youth participation network as well as complete a resource pack which explores some key issues on what it means to be a young man in today’s society.
I am here from the University of Manchester where I am in my second year of the applied youth and community degree course.
I'll keep you posted!
Nick
New paticipation films
Written by Amelia Lee Thursday, 03 March 2011 17:23
Have a look at our Participation Resources Page for the 9 new and wonderful vox pop films we created at our recent conference which explore why participation is needed during a recessionICA:UK Network News #43
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 10 February 2011 18:52
The latest issue #43 of the ICA:UK network newsletter is online today - download it from ICA:UK Network News.
Tips & Tools for Participation and Partnership
Written by Martin Gilbraith Friday, 04 February 2011 09:42
ICA:UK has teamed up with ACEVO to offer a workshop as part of ACEVO's Survival Workshop Week, 28 March to 6 April 2011.
The week of workshps are designed to equip voluntary sector Chief Executives and their senior managers with practical tools and tips to successfully run their organisation and deliver their charitable aims.ICA:UK's workshop is titled "Practical Tips & Tools to Develop Your Capacity for Participation and Partnership Working". In this new era of collaboration and partnership, new skills and tools will be required to enable people to work together more effectively, within and between organisations and communities. The workshop will demonstrate a proven and powerful approach to facilitating creative thinking and consensus decision-making in groups, and enable participants to share their experience and learn from others - on what is working already, and on what will be needed in the future.
For full details & bookings for this and all 28 workshops, visit ACEVO's Survival Workshop Week.
ICA:UK offers a new service for in-house facilitators
Written by Jonathan Dudding Tuesday, 01 February 2011 20:37
In these hard economic times, organisations often want to keep their facilitation work in-house. Nevertheless the imperatives of maximising the use of staff members' time together and the need to reach firm conclusions and clear outcomes puts pressure on your in-house facilitators who may need support and guidance as they design and prepare for the meeting, and as they deliver it.
ICA:UK can help! Call on our experienced and professional facilitators to work with you to design the meeting, clarify your role and build your confidence; developing your capacity not just for the next meeting but for future events as well.
Contact us to discuss your needs.
Quality and ethics in participation and partnership
Written by Martin Gilbraith Monday, 10 January 2011 00:00
What will it take it to develop capacity for collaboration and facilitation that can realise the benefits of Big Society and mitigate its risks?
Follow the lively discussion prompted by this question on the Big Society group at LinkedIn
Participation, involvement, engagement, collaboration – matters close to my own heart, and at the heart of the Big Society according to most commentators, it seems.
I am prompted to raise this question after reading that Nat Wei’s next blog post will address the challenge of how to encourage participation - see http://natwei.wordpress.com/
The way I see it, as I commented on his January 3rd post, too many people feel alienated and powerless to make a difference in their communities and workplaces. Also, too many leaders, at all levels in communities and organisations, are frustrated in their efforts to involve and empower others because they lack ways to do this effectively. Too often they are even unaware that there are methods and skills that can help them, which they can learn.
There is a great deal spoken & written about participation, engagement, involvement etc. in relation to Big Society, but as yet (as far as I am aware) little recognition of the risks associated with poor practice or a lip service approach to participation; or of the benefits to be gained (for the poor and vulnerable, and for society at large) by participation facilitated ethically and competently; or of how capacity might best be developed at scale for more effective participation and partnership working, if the benefits of the Big Society are to be realised and the risks averted (see, for example, http://www.neweconomics.org/publications/cutting-it).
I hope to read Nat Wei’s thoughts on this in his next post - but I’d welcome your thoughts as well now.
I am Chief Executive of ICA:UK, the participation & development charity, and also Chair of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF). On the ICA:UK website you’ll find details of ICA:UK seeks to address these challenges, including an upcoming opportunity to meet and discuss the issues in person at our annual conference and AGM, in Manchester on January 22nd, on the theme of Building Strong Communities Through Participation. All are welcome - details at http://www.ica-uk.org.uk/icauk-annual-conference.htm IAF’s Code of Ethics and Core Competencies for facilitators can be found at http://www.iaf-world.org.
CIPFA - Facilitating Participatory Budgeting workshops
Written by Martin Gilbraith Wednesday, 05 January 2011 12:52
ICA:UK has teamed up with CIPFA's Performance Improvement and Finance Advisory Networks to offer a pair of workshops, in London on February 10th and in Leeds on March 2nd.
Participatory budgeting involves engaging voluntary and community groups in decision-making and resource allocation. Originally developed in Brazil, it has been piloted on a relatively small scale in the UK over recent years, but is set to become increasingly popular over coming years as the Government seeks to implement its ‘Big Society’ and ‘localism’ agendas. Not only does it aim to increase citizen engagement, but advocates of the approach also argue that it can improve services and reduce costs, since local people are likely to know what particular approaches or services would work best in their communities.
These workshops will cover the main principles behind participatory budgeting and highlight the key lessons that can be drawn from those organisations that have adopted it so far. They will also give delegates the opportunity to identify some key facilitation skills that will be necessary to engage with and support voluntary groups in making budgetary decisions.
To download the full programme and book online, please visit the CIPFA Networks website.
IAF Chair
Written by Martin Gilbraith Saturday, 01 January 2011 00:00
ICA:UK is pleased to announce that Chief Executive Martin Gilbraith has assumed the post of Chair of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) for 2011 & 2012.
IAF is the foremost professional organisation for facilitators in the world, and is dedicated to growing facilitators and encouraging the use of group process methodologies world-wide. It was formed by a group of professional facilitators seeking an avenue for interchange, professional development, trend analysis and peer networking.
Community Work in Nordic Countries
Written by Amelia Lee Monday, 13 December 2010 15:27
Amelia Lee of ICA:UK has just reviewed a book on Community Work in Nordic Countries. To read the review go to page 95 of Youth and Policy available hereICA:UK in new book 'What is Youth Work?'
Written by Amelia Lee Friday, 10 December 2010 14:14
Children and Young People Now reviewed the new book 'What is Youth Work?' this week, which features a chapter co-authored by Amelia Lee, ICA:UK's Youth Participation Programme Manager. The review commented on that fact that 'old favourties such as participation and partnership read fresh and relevant for today's youth work environment'. Just up our street!Vacancy - newsletter editor/designer
Written by Martin Gilbraith Wednesday, 08 December 2010 12:38
We are looking for a skilled and/or experienced volunteer to work with us to produce and develop our regular newsletter, as our key means of communicating with our members & other supporters. For details please see our vacancies page.
ICA:UK Annual Conference
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 25 November 2010 13:16
BOOK NOW! ICA:UK's Annual Conference & AGM:
Building Strong Communities Through Participation - Saturday 22nd January 2011, at Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester (Didsbury Campus).
For full details, please see the most recent programme and download the invitation & booking form (pdf) or invitation & booking form (MSWord).
If you can't attend yourself (or even if you can), please consider making a donation to support a young person to attend - each young person's bursary place costs ICA:UK £25. To donate online, visit our GiveNow page, and please be sure to note "AGM bursary".
Places are limited and advance booking is essential - with queries, or to book, please call or email Clare Vermes.
We look forward to having you with us!
CPSP@LGIU
Written by Martin Gilbraith Wednesday, 10 November 2010 15:58
ICA:UK Chief Executive Martin Gilbraith is pleased to have become an Associate of the Centre for Public Service Partnerships.
The Centre for Public Service Partnerships at the Local Government Information Unit (CPSP@LGIU) is an independent research and policy and practice centre. It undertakes independent research, policy development and consultancy on public service strategic commissioning, productivity, performance and governance with a specific interest in partnerships between public agencies and between them and the business and third sectors. The Centre contributes to the development of policy and practice and works with the public, business, third and academic sectors.
our new 3-year strategy, 2010-13
Written by Martin Gilbraith Monday, 01 November 2010 12:12
Too many people feel alienated and powerless to make a difference in their communities and workplaces. Also, too many leaders, at all levels in communities and organisations, are frustrated in their efforts to involve and empower others because they lack ways to do this effectively. Too often they are even unaware that there are methods and skills that can help them, which they can learn.
ICA:UK responds to these challenges in its work with people from all walks of life, from top leaders and senior managers within organisations and partnerships to some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in local communities, both at home and abroad.
What we do is to demonstrate what is possible by using tried and tested approaches to help people work more effectively, with each other and with others, to bring about the kind of change that they want to see in their own situations. We do this by using our methods, skills and experience to design and facilitate processes that help people to understand each other and their situations better, to find creative new solutions to difficult problems, and to make plans together in a way that everyone feels committed to making them happen. We also train and consult with people to support them to use these approaches themselves in their own situations, and with others in theirs. We also partner with others to design and deliver projects to promote and support these ways of working, and to develop and test new approaches. We use the same facilitative approach in how we plan and manage our own work within ICA:UK, and with the many associates and partners that work with us to deliver our services to others.
Our services are open to all, but particularly tailored to reach and to impact on sectors in which we have particular interest and expertise, and in which we have established relationships with partners and clients. These sectors, and the outcomes that we aim to achieve in them, are outlined in terms of seven strategic aims. The outputs that we intend to deliver within each strategic aim are detailed in a separate Monitoring Framework. A separate Marketing Strategy outlines how we intend to connect and communicate with these sectors.
As we mobilise the necessary resources, and work to achieve these outputs outcomes and, we are also working to grow ICA:UK and strengthen our relationships - in order to improve our sustainability and resilience as an organisation, and so to secure long term capacity to carry out our mission and embody our values.
For an overview of our new 3-year strategy for 2010-13, please see our actvities.
The Bacteria Party 25th October 3-7pm FREE event
Written by Amelia Lee Friday, 15 October 2010 12:43
The Dragons Den Has Decided...Our surprise free event for people of all ages will be...‘The Bacteria Party’
Everyone loves a party, especially the ‘B-Team’!
You collect your invitation to the party at the first station – a passport which you fill with stamps as you make your way through the five interactive science stations to the big cake finish at the end!
The Bacteria Party will bring together a whole host of games and interactive activities like top trumps and skittles but there’ll also be a chance to look down the microscope and interrogate those bacteria!
Come down and learn everything you could ever want to know about bacteria and all things scientific like antibodies, antibiotics and amazing bugs and germs, whilst playing some games and eating cake! And, like any good party, there’ll be party bags packed with fun and facts too!
Come down to this free event in Half Term and join us, ‘The B-Team’ between 3pm-7pm at Zion Arts Centre, Hulme on Monday 25th October to join the most fun bacteria has ever had!
The Bacteria Party - Monday 25th October from 3pm-7pm at Zion Arts Centre, Hulme.
To pre-book your free tickets e-mail Sarah Evans This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call ICA:UK 0161 232 8444
Press Release
Written by Amelia Lee Wednesday, 13 October 2010 14:27
After fifteen years, founder and CEO of Safe Ground, Antonia Rubinstein is leaving to pursue her career in the arts, education and media.Antonia has created and led one of the leading prison education charities in the country and will be sorely missed by staff and colleagues alike.
Antonia hands over to Charlotte Weinberg, an experienced Youth Arts and community development activist with a long history in both the UK and abroad.
The Board of Trustees wish them both well and look forward to future successes at Safe Ground and in Antonia’s next venture.
ICA:UK Network News #42
Written by Martin Gilbraith Monday, 13 September 2010 15:43
The latest issue #42 of the ICA:UK network newsletter is online today - download it from ICA:UK Network News. Thank you to Rachael Huggins, editor of this issue.
International Year of Youth
Written by Amelia Lee Tuesday, 10 August 2010 15:38
The UN has announced that Thurs 12th August will be a day to recognise the international year of youth. Young people make up 25% of the world's population and are the largest group of under-represented people in decision making. Read moreWelcome to Alan Heckman
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 22 July 2010 08:51
We are delighted to welcome Alan Heckman to the ICA:UK staff team. Alan has been an active member and Associate of ICA for many years, in both the UK and the USA, and has been recently appointed to the new post of ToP Training Programme Manager - see contact us.
Vacancy - Youth Participation Programme Worker
Written by Martin Gilbraith Wednesday, 16 June 2010 13:16
This is a 6-month Future Jobs Fund post, open only to those in Manchester who are long term unemployed or who are 18-25 and have been unemployed for 6 months.
For more information, please see our vacancies page.
Vacancy - Volunteer Book-keeper
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 20 May 2010 10:58
Vacancy - Volunteer Book-keeper
We are seeking a volunteer book-keeper to work with our Administrator to maintain the financial records of the charity and produce timely and accurate financial information.
For more information, please see our vacancies page.
NEW! - Sticky Wall kits
Written by Martin Gilbraith Friday, 14 May 2010 09:38
Now available - complete sticky wall kits, including your choice of sticky wall plus a can of repositionable spray mount adhesive, a roll of masking tape to attach your sticky wall and a box of multi-coloured scented markers, all in an environmentally responsible hessian bag.
Everything you need to get started using your sticky wall, short of paper - and people with ideas of course!
For details, see books & resources.
Steps to Success at Marches School
Written by Amelia Lee Tuesday, 11 May 2010 14:32
Working collaboratively, in teams, is an important skills for learners to live successful lives in 21st century. Marches School is developing activities and frameworks which will facilitate the development of skills for working together, including many different strategies for debriefing the process.
Last year in Learning to Learn, staff and pupils developed a framework (with the help of ICA:UK ) for working collaboratively on projects. We called this 'Steps to Success':
•Leader – someone to keep as eye on how the process is going and direct it.
•Brain storm – all ideas and thoughts at this stage are useful and recorded (Brain drops is also used as a term)
•Outcomes – what do they want the end result to be – projects can only end well if everyone agrees what it is they are aiming for.
•Key actions – what do they need to do to reach the outcomes. How they will space out their time – a time/action plan.
•Who will do what – everyone in the group should have role.
•Time keeper – someone who ensures the task does not run behind
•Evaluation and reflection – we only get better at doing anything if we stop and think about how we did this time, what are the lessons to be learnt?
IAF Europe 2010
Written by Martin Gilbraith Monday, 10 May 2010 11:01
ICA:UK is proud again to sponsor the annual European conference of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF), October 15-17 2010 in Helsinki.
The theme for this year’s conference is the Paradoxes in Facilitation, exploring the light and darkness - for full details, visit www.iaf-europe-conference.org
Woman’s Hour Jenni reads our new publication
Written by Amelia Lee Tuesday, 27 April 2010 09:38
Jenni Murray of Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour recently picked up one of our new postfeminist booklets at the Annual Brook Conference Last month. Here she is pictured having a look through it. The booklet comprises of over 138 contributions of postcards from young women who explored what body image means to them, what young women want and need today and what feminism means to young women now. Copied can be ordered directly from us via amelia [at] ica-uk [dot] org [dot] uk
Dotmocracy at Marches School
Written by Amelia Lee Friday, 26 March 2010 15:29
Students at Marches School supported by their teacher Lucy Wright (part of our ICA:UK Youth Advisory Group) are working on a dynamic new learning environment project using some handy tips from the ICA YPP programme-
http://marchesschool.co.uk//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=484&Itemid=192
ICA:UK Network News #41, March 2010
Written by Martin Gilbraith Wednesday, 17 March 2010 17:18
The latest issue #41 of the ICA:UK network newsletter is online today - download it from ICA:UK Network NewsWelcome to Rachael Huggins
Written by Martin Gilbraith Thursday, 04 March 2010 14:27
Welcome to the ICA:UK staff team to Rachael Huggins, who has just joined us as Youth Participation Programme Worker on a 6-month placement financed by the Future Jobs Fund - see contact usPartnership Learning Report
Written by Jonathan Dudding Sunday, 24 January 2010 01:14
Just out! See the new Partnership Learning Report from Sightsavers International, reflecting on the development and introduction of their Programme Partnership Policy. ICA:UK supported Sightsavers in this process by facilitating a survey of their partners to assess the current situation, carrying out desk research and assisting with the refining of the policy. We also worked with Sightsavers to develop guidelines and tools to support the implementation of the policy, and to design and deliver the induction process for Sightsavers staff and partners.Martin Gilbraith appointed Chief Executive
Written by Martin Gilbraith Wednesday, 13 January 2010 00:00
Participation & development charity ICA:UK appoints new Chief Executive
ICA:UK, the participation & development charity, is announcing the appointment of Martin Gilbraith as its new Chief Executive with effect from January 1st.The ICA:UK Board has created this new, single Chief Executive post to bring stronger and more focused leadership to the charity, in order to enable a new step-change in its growth and impact. Until now the charity has been led by the Board of Trustees and a management team of two Directors. Jonathan Dudding will continue in his role as ICA:UK’s Director of International Programmes.
Martin Gilbraith has served as ICA:UK’s Director of UK Programmes & Organisational Development since 2004, and has worked with ICA (the Institute of Cultural Affairs) in Britain since 1996.
Martin has already made his mark on ICA in Britain by developing and growing its national programme of facilitation and facilitation training since 1996, by leading its transition to the present charitable company ‘ICA:UK’ in 2000, by establishing and managing its office and staff in Manchester since 2001, and by overseeing and supporting the launch and development of ICA:UK’s Youth Participation Programme since 2004.
Martin has also served on the Board and Executive Committee of ICA International from 1998-2006, as a Trustee of youth development and volunteering charity FOCUS since 2005, and on the management committee of Quaker Congo Partnership since 2008. He is a member of the International Association of Facilitators and an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator, and he has served on the Board of IAF since 2008 and been appointed incoming Chair for 2010.
Martin earned his MA in Development Administration and Management from the University of Manchester’s Institute for Development Policy & Management. Prior to 1995 he worked for six years with ICA MENA in Egypt, with the development charity AFRICA NOW in London, and as an international volunteer with ICA India in 1986.
Martin Gilbraith said: "Building on over 35 years of ICA experience in the UK and worldwide, ICA:UK has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence in facilitation & facilitation training, in youth participation, and in partnership & participation in international development. Our challenge now is to weave these threads together in such a way that they better strengthen each other, in order to secure and grow the impact of ICA’s unique approach to enabling people to bring about positive change - toward a just and sustainable world for all. I am excited to have this opportunity to lead ICA:UK as Chief Executive through this next phase of its growth and development. I will work to unite and mobilize ICA:UK, and all of our stakeholders and new support as well, behind this goal."
Andy Fitton, Chair of the Board of Trustees, says: "We are very excited about this new appointment. Martin has demonstrated strong facilitative leadership and management skills, both within ICA and in his volunteer and governance roles. His extensive experience of ICA’s unique approach, and of working with ICA:UK’s own people and with its partners and clients, will be invaluable. We are confident that Martin will realise the potential of this new role of Chief Executive, and that in it he will enable ICA:UK to continue to build its reputation and capacity to enable people to bring about positive change in their organisations and communities – whether they be disadvantaged young people in inner-city Manchester, villagers affected by conflict or HIV/AIDS in Africa; or others who are, or aspire to be, facilitators and leaders themselves."
Welcome to our new website
Written by Martin Gilbraith Monday, 19 October 2009 14:08
Welcome to the new ICA:UK website! We would like to thank our new website volunteer Simon Keslake for all his expertise, time, and patience over recent months which has made this possible.
This new site is built with open source Joomla software, for 'content management'. It replaces the old 'static html' site (for those in the know). This had served us well for many years, but probably for longer than any website should! The first big difference that the new site will make is that we will now be able to add and update content quickly and easily ourselves, and keep the site up to date and relevant.
Initially the new site is largely a replica of the old, and deliberately so in order that visitors will hopefully recognise the site easily and be able to find their way around much as before. However we hope that you will notice and appreciate the refreshed look and improved navigation (drop-down menus, search facility and site map). And we hope you will notice and appreciate the updating of content that we have already done - notably the thoroughly revised International pages, and the new 2010 ToP course schedule. We have been working on a thorough revision of the Youth Participation pages as well, so that will be the next major content update.
The other big difference that Joomla will make is that we will now be able to relatively easily restructure and redesign the site to better meet the needs of ICA:UK and its users, and to add new areas and new functionality to the site over time. For example, we have plans to introduce an ecommerce area, for online payments for course fees, books & resources; log-in and members-only areas, with social networking forums to replace the present yahoogroups and a searchable archive of newsletters and other resources to download; and ultimately a 'customer relationship management' function that will allow course participants, for example, to log in to download course joining instructions or transfer their booking themselves to an alternative course.
We will use this weblog to let you know what has changed, each time we make substantial revisions, and to let you know what we are planning next.
We very much value your feedback and suggestions as we expand and develop the site over time, to know what is working for you and what is not, and what you would like to find on the site and how you would like to be able to use it. When you do feed back, please let us know what browser you are using (eg: internet explorer, firefox) as that affects how the site appears.
So, please use the online feedback form, or otherwise contact us in person to let us know what you think!
In the meantime, thank you also for your patience if you do not find everything as you would like or expect to find it...
Upcoming Facilitation Training Course Dates
|