Meeting of Indaba-Network

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The first meeting of Indaba-Network took place from December 4th to 6th, 2009 in Bogève, France, near Geneva. 


1. Present

  • Dominique Bénard, France
  • Claire Bénard, France
  • Gemma Berri, Italy
  • Nathalie Boyer, France
  • Ferran Guimaraes, Spain
  • Eduardo Missoni, Switzerland
  • Sylvain Riss, France
  • Alvaro José Sanmarti, Spain
  • Michel Seyrat, France
  • Patrick Suarez, Spain

2. Welcome and  et agenda approval

  • Eduardo Missoni welcome all participants. He underlines that this is the first time Indaba-Network is able to organise a real face to face meeting, until now members have worked together through the net only. He thanks those who did not hesitate to make a long road  in order to participate to the meeting, This demonstrate the quality of their commitment towards the project. Some participants, living in other continents were unable to come and in the future we need to look at this problem and find solutions.
  • The agenda is approved

3. The history of Indaba-Network, what we have achieved

  • Indaba-Network's Origin. The project started in 2008 with some people around him and Dominique wishing to create a network of researchers, educationalists and committed young people with the aim to work together on three main topics: education, social commitment and values-based organisations. At the beginning, the idea was to create a "think tank" and share ideas and experiences with the support of a webblog completed by a cooperative space for debates and e-learning  (Indaba-Academia) ; then the webblog was transformed into a website by merging with www.guidepourlaroute.net which had been developed at the same time by Dominique and Michel with the aim to provide young people with resources for personal and collective projects. The four founder members were Eduardo, Dominique, Michel Seyrat and Lara Paoletti.
  • What we have achieved for the time being. along 2009, the project was developed with the creation of three main tools: the "World Citizens" programme, coming from "Guide pour la Route", Indaba-Magazine with three issues published since March 2009 and the "Toolbox", which now offers 92 handouts in French and/or in English on personal development, forming a team and starting a collective project. The site is published both in French and in English and a Spanish version is under preparation. During the last week, the site registered 1382 "page views" and 3966 "hits". In complement, a platform for cooperative work and distant learning - Indaba-Academia - was developed. For the time being, it is used for the common work of members only. 
  • The members. At the beginning of 2009, Dominique sent a membership form to all people who had demonstrated some interest for Indaba-Networl. For the time being 32 people have sent back the form (see the list in annex).  
  • Task Groups. 6 task groups have been set up in Indaba-Academia: 
  • Indaba-Magazine, tutored by Dominique Bénard and including : Michel Seyrat ; Marta Pieri ; Robert Lynn ; Nathalie Boyer ; Patrick Suarez. Some members of the group were actually involved.
  • Website and e-learning platform. Magdi Negm ; Gino Lucrezi, Josh Kirby and Andres Herrada. Gino Lucrezi was approached to become the group tutor, but he was too much busy to accept. The group is not operational.
  • Liberating Education. The group tutor is Gemma Berri. The group members are: Michel Seyrat ; Sylvain Riss, Magdi Negm ; Annamaria Magi ; Andres Herrada ; Habib Ashraf ; Jocelyne Gendrin-Guinebault ; Peter Blatch ; Dominique Bénard. Gemma was not able to play fully her role for health reasons. Only French speaking members were actually involved.
  • Huamn Rights, responsible Citizenship and Political Involvement. The Group Tutor is Melissa Martins-Casagrande. The group includes : Biorn Maybury-Lewis ; Pietro Giulio Mariani ; Ferran Guimaraes ; Bernard Dumont ; Hakki Camur ; Arturo Romboli. Melissa and Biorn were active in preparing the third issue of Indaba-Magazine focused on Human Rights. The group is not yet operational.
  • Human Development and Social Economy. The Group Tutor is Eduardo. The group includes Lara Paoletti ; Biorn Maybury-Lewis ; Licius Karenzo ; Hubert L'Hoste ; Bernard Dumont ; Carillo Jimenez ; Dominique Bénard et Patrick Suarez. The group is not yet operational.
  • Values based organisations. The Group Tutor is Eduardo. No registered participant.
  • The legal registration of Indaba-Network. Indaba-Network is being registered as a legal entity. It is agreed that this association will not cover the whole Indaba-Network but will have the mission to support the network. The Chairman is Eduardo Missoni, Michel Seyrat is the Secretary and Dominique Bénard the Treasurer.

4. The mission of Indaba-Network. Our shared vision.

  • Discussion. A long discussion took place and allowed the participants to share their vision about the nature and mission of Indaba-Network. 
  • Ferran provided a tool to help members identify Indaba-Network's niche within other organisations having similar objectives. Several criteria were identified to set up Indaba-Network's map : Youth - Adult leaders ; Local - Global ; Professional commitment - Civic commitment ; Personal project ; Collective project.
  • Today, one of the largest world problems is the transition from adolescence to adulthood with the four thresholds that youth need to pass through to achieve this process: entering he work market; becoming independent from their parents (financially self-sufficient with their own home); couple life and creating a family; citizenship and social/political involvement. Indaba-Network should help young people get over these thresholds and become able to a positive contribution to society. It is necessary to mobilise both researchers and educationalists in order to be able to develop new approaches and resources because neither the school system nor youth organiations seem to be able to address this problem efficiently. 
  • Ethical and values issues are essential. Society cannot be improved but through the involvement of youth as agents of social change.  The participants  brainstormed to list the key words which can describe the project of Indaba-Network : Education, Social Justice, Peace, Employment, Change, Entrepreneurship, Solidarity, Social Development...
  • Transition from adolescence to adulthood is a time during which adult leaders must accompany young people towards the achievement of personal and collective projects. By achieving these projects young people have the opportunity to acquire the motivation and skills to become agents of social change.
  • Indaba-Network is not an organisation, it is a network looking at gathering educators, researchers  and young people themselves  in order to develop new approaches and resources in the fields of education, social change and values-based organisations.
  • Mission of Indaba-Network. At the end of that discussion, an agreement was reached on a mission statement for Indaba-Network, in French and in English:
  • Développer un réseau international d'éducateurs, de chercheurs et de jeunes,  pour soutenir les jeunes dans la réussite de leurs projets personnels et collectifs, les aider à trouver leur place dans la société, et agir pour la justice sociale, le développement durable et la paix aux niveaux local et mondial.
  • To develop an international network of educators, researchers and youth to support young people in achieving their personal and collective projects, finding their place in society and acting at local and global level for social justice, sustainable development and peace.
  • Indaba-Network Association. The Association is aimed at supporting the development of Indaba-Network particularly by collecting funds. The statutes of the Association were revised in order to reflect the mission of Indaba-Network.

6. Objectives for the future

  • NMC Project : Eduardo presented the NMC project (in esperanto : Ni, Mondlokaj Civitanoj = "We Local-Global Citizens" - for more details visit www.nimociv.org). NMC objectives are very close from Indaba-Network's objectives. This is a unique opportunity to promote Indaba-Network, find allies and an international network to support our development. 
  • NMC organises on January 19th, 20th and 21st the 'First International Youth Meeting for a Sustainable Future' in Bari, Italy. 
  • Indaba-Network will participate in preparing a debate on non-formal education and will run a workshop on social entrepreneurship. 
  • There is a need to find people ready to work with Dominique in running the workshop in Bari (Gemma? Patrick Suarez? Melissa?) 
  • We must very quickly propose names of young people who would be interested in taking part in the event as delegates. Each of us should find at least two young people and send them the registration forms to be collected before the 10th of December. Copies of registration forms should be sent to Eduardo (mail@eduardomissoni.net)
  • Also we need to propose experts for the various activities of the programme. 
  • How to improve the Website? 
  • Revise the first page of the website in order to make the access easier to young people looking for a support for their project and secondly to educators and researchers wishing to join in the network.  
  • The mission statement of Indaba-Network will be put on the first page of the site in place of current elements that will not be deleted but put on another page with a link "to know more".
  • Under the mission statement, there will be two buttons: (1) "If you need any support for your project", giving access to tailored guidance, to the 'World Citizens' programme et to the 'Toolbox'; (2) "If you want to contribute to the network" giving access to various possibilities of involvement including writing articles for Indaba-Magazine, taking part in the development of 'World Citizens', writing handouts for the 'toolbox', etc.
  • Nathalie Boyer proposed to revise the site in order to make it more attractive and interactive. We need to find a webmaster able to implement her proposals. 
  • It was decided to create a Spanish version of the website. A first page in Spanish will be put on line in January (Patrick Suarez and Dominique Bénard)
  • An Italian version will also be created and a first page in Italian should be put on line in January as well (Gemma Berri, Lara Paoletti and Dominique Bénard)
  • It was decided to ask Biorn and Melissa to help for English texts and to check English translations.  
  • Indaba-Academia: how to strengthen the cooperative work? 
  • The various task groups are put in reserve for the moment. The collective work will be focused on a single "forum" which will propose a common topic for a limited period. Tasks will be shared between the various members to implement the conclusions of the forum. The first topic will be 'Social Entrepreneurship' in order to prepare the workshop in Bari.  
  • Access to Indaba-Academia should be facilitated.

7. Developing the 'World Citizens' programme and supporting youth's projects

  • Ferran is in charge of 'Communication' (helping young people promote their projects) 
  • Gemma will bring elements on fundraising.
  • Michel will work on "Expression and Culture"
  • Claire will propose resources on "Personal Development" 

8. Promoting d'Indaba-Network

  • Develop contacts with various youth organisations in various countries to propose Indaba-Network (Michel: Scouting in France; Nathalie; CEMEA in France; Gemma: AGESCI in Italy; Patrick, Alvaro: ASDE in Spain?) 
  • Prepare a special issue of Indaba-Magazine to promote the network in Bari (Michel, Nathalie, Eduardo, Ferran, Dominique).
  • Revise the membership form (improve the part on skills, etc.)
  • Study the project to publish the book that Michel started as a promotion tool.  

9. Next meeting

We should look at the possibility to organise the next meeting in Catalunia or in Nice before the Summer (Ferran, Michel). 

15 nov. 2009 18:16