OD and INTERNATIONAL/COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (OD/ICD SIG)

SIG Leader                Frank Page (fcpage@yahoo.com) | 202-595-4830

Steering Committee: Oscar Abello (oabello@cipe.org) | 202-5074055
Jenny Lyman (jennifer.lyman25@gmail.com | 202-257-1498)
Winta Teferi (xxwintex@yahoo.com | 202-595-4830
Priscilla Enner (priscilla.enner@gmail.com | 551-427-7433)

SIG Description: 
The OD/ICD SIG is a forum for collective learning and exchange among professionals who, in their own work, support development and positive change through collaborative partnerships in the arenas of Organization Development (OD), International Development (ID), and Community Development (CD).  The SIG is a multi-directional conversation among participants with diverse worldviews, theories of practice, and partnerships; and a common desire to create positive, sustainable change through trusting, transparent, accountable, and powerful collaborations and organizations.  Participants are aware of the challenges and opportunities inherent in issues facing the world (e.g., material poverty, violent conflict, climate change, social injustice, and more).
    
The SIG is a multi-directional conversation between diverse participants, and draws on presenters from within and without the participant base, prioritizing presentations with experiential components. Because participants lead busy lives, the participant base will be different in each meeting, creating a dynamic and evolving community. Current interests of the SIG participants include:

• Enhancing Practice and Results 
  
  • exploring ways to create positive, enduring project results; 
  • designing work so that beneficiaries are increasingly self-reliant;
  • supporting development of collaborative, transparent, accountable partnerships and organizations;
  • exploring case examples and success stories from the field; 
  • applying new skills/methods, and moving from theory to action; 
  • leveraging multi-culturalism, inter-culturalism, identity, and genuine participation through cultural competency; 
• Expanding Competencies and Connections
  
  • exploring new practices and theories, such as complexity science and how it relates to knowledge management; 
  • learning about relationship dynamics in ICD from key initiatives such as the Paris Declaration, the Accra Agenda, and the Millennium Development Goals;  
  • networking with potential collaborators and finding synergies; 
  • finding support and community among others working across cultures and disciplines;  
• Furthering Awareness and Thought Leadership
  
  • exploring the question “what is development?” in multiple fields;
  • discussing openly the assumptions and power dynamics in the OD/ICD SIG and in our communities of practice; and
  • gaining competence in critical issues facing society and the planet and how exploring how they challenge us to evolve our theories, practices, and partnerships.  
• Selected Themes for Fall 2010/Winter 2011 SIG Presentations
  
  • sustainability
  • multi-culturalism / “inter-culturality” / identity
  • partnerships
  • complexity science / knowledge management
  • power and empowerment

Mission:
The OD/ICD SIG is an exploratory, action-learning forum for professionals seeking to strengthen their ability to partner with clients and stakeholders in meeting the challenges and imperatives in International and Community Development (ICD) by creating positive change and enduring results at multiple levels of system.  The SIG provides support and stimulation for SIG participants using Organization Development (OD) and similar participatory methods that prioritize involvement of people and organizations in creating their own sustainable future. The SIG is also a forum for input from diverse fields to help evolve thought leadership and practice in OD and ICD.  

Who would benefit from attending:  Practitioners, change agents, leaders, social entrepreneurs, policy analysts, grassroots activists, and partners in the arenas of International Development, Organization Development, and Community Development. These may include representatives of any sector (e.g., government, international institutions, philanthropy, civil society, academe, corporations, social entrepreneurs, etc.). 

Meeting Frequency: Second Thursday of each month.

Time: Evening - Check specific programs for exact times.
 
Venue: Usually in Dupont Circle. See links below for specific meeting locations.

RSVP To: To attend one of the OD-ICG SIG meetings, please click on the corresponding link below and register to attend.  Registration is free.

SIG Leader Bio: Frank Page (fcpage@yahoo.com) | 202-595-4830 

Frank Page is an independent consultant recently returned to the States after 17 years of consulting with and managing community based development projects in Indonesia. He specializes in strategic planning, project planning, community development, and organizational diagnosis. Over that time his clients have included capacity building, community development, AIDs prevention, environmental protection, and democratization NGOs/projects. During this period, Frank was also the Urban Program Manager for CARE International Indonesia, where he managed child nutrition, TB prevention, and avian influenza prevention projects. All of these programs worked closely with local governments to help them adopt better practices to deliver these programs once the CARE programs were completed. Frank’s last work in Indonesia was with an AUSAID Reducing Emissions from Forest Degradation and Destruction (REDD) pilot project. His role was to develop the facilitation and consulting skills of the project’s community engagement team and to facilitate integrated project planning. Frank began his career with the Peace Corps in the Philippines and has worked with Save the Children in Sri Lanka and OEF International in Somalia. He has an MSc. in International Agricultural Development from the University of California, Davis and an MSc. in Organizational Development from the AU/NTL program.

Previous Meeting Notes