PDO 2011 – India, Hyderabad – framework-contribution NGOs’
Time: November 5-10, 2011
Venue: India, Hyderabad – Provincial house (INH)
Participants: Salesian Provincial “Planning and Development Offices” (PDO)
Preparatory Commission of the PDO 2011(suggestion)
Missions Department, Economer General, General Councilor for Youth Ministry
Don Bosco Network + Other PDO related NGOs
India: Delhi Mission Office Director, South Asia PDO Directors (11 Provinces)
SDB Regional Councilors: Africa, America (2), Asia(2)
Introductory note
The definition of the Planning & Development Office (PDO) in the 2005 Rome Seminar on the PDO is very clear: “The PDOs should facilitate among the different provincial commissions the work out of development plans within the field of the Youth Ministry”.
How can the NGOs contribute to the development of the PDOs?
(cfr. Seminar on the Planning and Development Office, Rome,2005)
Moderation of the talks between province and the staff members who take over the PDO is very important. (COMIDE has already successfully spent much money on that.) The goal should be to clear the tasks and the mission of the PDO as well as its relation to the provincial structures.
Help by Capacity building: “Instead of fishing for them, we can teach them how to fish”: NGO may help teaching how to do fundraising locally and regionally; how to network; how to do the Job placement.
Consultancy sometimes is not enough. On the other hand, sometimes putting an external structure aside doesn’t work out because. NGOs need to help PDOs without creating dependency. A Good mix is needed.
One goal should be to build capacities so that the PDO is able to act as a counterpart of the NGOs especially of the NGOs in Europe and USA.
Our group would recommends to start with small structures. Starting with too many tasks and to big structures may lead to an overload of the PDO.
The paper of Fr. Francis Alencherry gives the ideal model for a PDO. It should be understood as the final goal, not as starting point.
The Number of staff members of SPDOs varies. E.g. there are quite big bureaus in India, while in Africa you often find small offices. However, the human resources of the PDO are very important. If staff member leaves there is the risk of brain drain. Thus institutionalization is needed to ensure the sustainability of the PDO.
NGOs should encourage to strengthen the role of Local Lay Persons in order to ensure continuity. Sometimes you find a Salesian in the middle, and lay persons around him just executing. Sometimes it is better to entrust more responsibility to the lay persons. Lay persons who work in an office for years sometimes have more experiences and/or competences than Salesians who have to change periodically. However, they have to be paid just and at local standards. They have to have the spirit of Don Bosco (e.g. former students)
It is helpful to the PDO to be involved in the provincial planning processes, e.g. by talking before the provincial chapter. In our opinion, the best way would be if the province would develop a unique vision of its work and a common commitment of the whole province. (Not only to avoid free lancers… ) So, we see the need to sensitize the provincial members to the urgency of the PDO and the role.
Bring the PDO to the attention of SDB Provincials
Section on PDO’s at New Provincials Course in Rome (June, December every year)
Communication to Salesian Congregation on PDO’s
Regional Councilors should check on the state of the PDO’s during their extraordinary (country) visits in the name of the Rector Major
Comments on Rome, 2005 PDO Seminar Conclusions (Fr. Alencherry)
Importance of Budgeting
Authorization of Projects, Interaction of Province &RM (Clarification needed)
15.3 Project justified by Province Organic Plan
15.4 In collaboration with Youth Ministry in working for social justice
15.5OK
15.6Missionary Accounts to be used for Province Development
Missionaries have sizable best eggs which could be used for needs of Province
15.7Salesian formation of lay workers
15.8OK
15.9Benefits Provincial House more than other houses
Networking with financial; agencies that can help
All points of the Conclusion (Fr. Alencherry, PDO 2005) depend on the Provincial animation (and not directly on the NGOs, n15.10)
The Provinces have they own autonomy, we need to sensitize them on behalf of better project mentality of Salesian Mission. PDO has a very important role within this frame.
To strengthen the PDO means also to strengthen the Provinces (provincial animation)
PDO and it’s role – not only for administration of funds, but also to be a point of reference for the synergy, cooperation, coordination of realization of PEPS, OPP. Is PDO included in our Provincial PEPS, Provincial Structures, Overall Provincial Plan (OPP)?
Councilor for the Mission can have a very important role in this process. Some explicit move of the General Council to include the PDO in official documents might be useful.
The challenge of relationship between Provincial Economer and PDO. Provincial Administrator should collaborate with the Provincial and his Council.
PDO should be also at the service of the Youth Ministry, not only in the field of the catechesis, but also in the field of cultural education, not only to manage the project funds.
Proposal: change the name from PD “OFFICE” to the PD “PROVINCIAL SERVICES”
All projects in the Province should pass through the PDO (not as in the past, between a single missionary and the Director of the Missions Office of Missions NGO). In other words, all projects are dealt through the relationship Provincial to the PDO – ONG
The terminology is not clear, needs to be clarified. Salesian vocabulary is not used, known by the civil society (ex: Project has different meaning for us or in the society).
Importance of the (joint) formation of the Local PDO personnel (SDB, Lay Mission Partners) for the ‘capacity building’. In this way the PDO will be at the service of provincial planning for the development of the provincial community and mission, according the professional standards and techniques (good also for our benefactors).
The presence of the Salesians SDB at the beginning of the PDO is very important.
PDO – not only the presence of the Economer, also other Provincial animators.
The expatriate volunteer (or ‘Cooperantes’) should be never in charge of the PDO. He should be present only to form the local staff (SDB & Lay Mission Partners) in the first years of the PDO.
Raise awareness of the Provincials and their Councils about the identity and role of PDOs, to that they will assume it as a necessary tool for the growth and animation of their Provinces.
Formation to the different aspects of the PDO: General concepts of the development cooperation, focused on the Human rights, Gender, Project Cycles, Administration of Projects, Strategic Planning.
Help the work of the PDO in the evaluation and elaboration of the provincial strategic plans of development (OPP)
Support of the Projects for the implementation of the Provincial Plan (OPP).
NGOs will commit themselves to develop any other project which is not supported by the Provincial PDOs’
Suggestions for program, method, contents of PDO Seminar 2011
Methodology
Focus of discussion on only few cases. We suggest to study some Cases studies: best practices, lessons learned .
Suggestion: discuss about if there is the necessity that Economer and managing director of PDO should be one person?
What are the Contents of the training for a typical PDO.
How to do capacity building leading to institutional strengthening.
How to best fund the running of the SPDO? What is just compensation / remuneration?
Give more time for participants sharing
Have a preliminary reflection on the PDO good practices in the Province
Present them in the Seminar
In the respective model Provinces should be involved also the Delegates of Youth Ministry and Formation.
Proposal: Create a Preparatory group in order to produce ‘unified format’ documents:
In order to analyze the local situation, look for the good practices
In order to point some path for different local situations
In order to prepare also the Seminar (Program, Contents)
In order to have a list of Provinces without any (working) PDO
Participants: Who will be invited? Not only the PDO Directors!
Topics:
How are missionary donations handled?
Best Practices that can be shared
Field trips to Successful PDO’s
Field trips to see and understand typical Indian street children program
Uniform Policies for Lay Volunteer Movement or (Salesian) Lay Missionaries
Contents (for 5 days Seminar)
Criteria for a model PDO: functions, structures, dependence, relations within the Province, Vision – Mission
Project Office is already established as a first step, before the buildup of the ONGs as Salesian works. We suggest that the „Development sector“ will become one of the Youth Ministry sectors in the future (GC 27).
The Project Offices have developed into the PDOs (Planning and Development Offices)
Share some succesfull models of the Indian PDOs.
NGO Seminar participants working language groups,
Rome, 17 October 2010
