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Measuring What Matters

April 22nd, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

By Elizabeth Derby Every delegate comes to the Summit with a project in mind – some idea for global change that they want to achieve – but how do they really know whether they are successful in their endeavors? While having a plan of action is important, having clear goals that can be measured is even better. The start of the workshop began with a simple question for all of the attendees: What was your highest grade and what class was it ...

Workshop Cheat Sheet: Sustainable Funding: Ensuring Long-term Growth for your Project

April 22nd, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

An afternoon workshop on "Sustainable Funding" with Garret Neiman, co-founder and CEO of SEE College Prep, proved to be an informative and engaging session. Delegates listened intently as Neiman offered invaluable advice about fundraising and networking. Interestingly enough, Neiman was a GES delegate in 2008 and has progressed significantly since then by raising $1 million dollars last year alone for SEE. His secret to success? Strategy and persistence. "The best way to be sustainable is ...

Workshop Cheat Sheet: Preparing for the Future-Scenario Planning in Development

April 22nd, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

Don't have time to attend a workshop? Check out notes from this session: 1. There are four different futures scenarios: The Ostrich, the Lame Duck, the Flamingo, and the Icarus. The Ostrich is a type of project which has high financial aims but does not notice wider context. The Lame Duck is a type of project which stays in the idea phase and does not move into implementation. The Flamingo is a type of project which has a good balance between ...

Workshop Cheat Sheet: Advancing the Movement for Global Health Equity

April 22nd, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

Don’t have time to attend a workshop? Check out notes from this session: What is Health Equity? Generate a definition of global health equity: equal access, equality of treatment, paying attention to vulnerable, marginalized populations, subsidized drug costs, basic health insurance, necessary infrastructure (water, sanitation, transport and equipment), health education, providing health in a culturally sensitive way, focus on both treatment and prevention Why do we care? Basic human right, impact of health on life is huge, economic & societal good, critical about outcomes, ...

Workshop Cheat Sheet: Culture in Exile: Issues of Forced Migration

April 22nd, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

Don’t have time to attend a workshop? Check out notes from this session: Case Study 1: Sudanese- not just the Lost boys who were settled in American-went to closer places such as Egypt o Tried to protest their conditions in 2005 and many of them were shot o Nothing changed in their condition, many people are dying o Not given opportunities to be resettled anywhere o Paid traffickers to get them of Israel – severe abuse and now Israel is not letting people in any more- ...

Workshop Cheat Sheet: Lessons from the Field

April 22nd, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

Don't have time to attend a workshop? Check out notes from this session: Phillip Williams, the facilitator for the workshop Sustaining the Environment, Sustaining the Future, works with the Nollen Group which is a financial firm that invests in natural capital and creates sustainable, environmentally-friendly projects all across the world. Over $100 million are invested in projects in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Americas. He talked about his work and different projects, successful and not so successful. Lessons from the field Patience >> Your first ...

Workshop Cheat Sheet: Confronting Culture Shock

April 22nd, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

Don't have time to attend a workshop? Check out notes from this session: 1) When confronting culture shock, language barriers are not completely inhibiting. Understanding unspoken communicative norms and cultural body language will bring individuals closer to community members 2) Culture shock is an inherently stressful experience, and removing oneself from the culture is an unhelpful response. Adapt to the situation by "becoming part of the process." Constantly integrate new information about the community and its members. 3) Culture shock is not ...

“The factor that is dividing them right now can also be a glue in bringing them together”

April 22nd, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

Faith is a powerful asset. Lauren Marino’s workshop entitled “Channelling Change through Faith and Community” explored answers to questions about working with interfaith groups, the role of faith in development work and the connotations of faith and social justice. “I went to bed crying several nights in a row because I felt like people were disrespecting me and disrespecting each other,” said Marino, describing her experience working in an interfaith fair trade delegation to South Africa in college. That experience ...

From Delegates to Facilitators

April 21st, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

It’s the first full day of GES, and after the first panels and first of the Short Talks, it was time for the first of block of the summit’s workshops. I attended “Utilizing Resources for Effective Community Outreach”, led by GES alums and Triple Thread Apparel founders Kyle McCollom and Chris Cole. As this dapper duo—Kyle was sporting a sharp blue bow-tie—led the group with their framework of creating and taking value at six different levels of shareholders, I could ...

The Importance of Design

April 21st, 2011 | Filed under The Summit

Remember those dungy hallways lined with clanky metal lockers. It’s no wonder you counted down the days until your high school graduation, but your restless venturing spirit isn’t the only factor to blame for your angst. Problems plague secondary education in the United States. Over 1.2 million students drop out of high school each year. Their decision costs them $329 billion throughout their lives. During the first workshop session, Trung Le of Cannon Design proposes the solution ...