MEMORANDUM
TO: All Civic Action & Community Service Personnel
FROM: Mission Control Directorate
Agency for Consolidated International Assistance
In response to a request received from the Parliament and Prime
Minister of the "Democratic Republic of Bonmaristan" --Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is as follows:
Provide initial draft recommendations for curriculum and course
content outlines to prepare 12-member Mobile Training Teams
composed of indigenous personnel to:(1) Introduce rural village residents of Bonmaristan to the concept
of locally controlled non-profit community service corporations,
and assist them in establishing and successfully operating such
organizations for purposes of constructive civic action and
development.(2) Actualize, through the medium of such locally organized
corporations, latent skills and capabilities possessed by the people
to successfully undertake and carry out community development
and sustainable modernization operations throughout
Bonmaristan's rural villages.Persons recruited in-country to become members of Mobile
Training Teams will have the equivalent of a U.S. high school
education. Time period allocated for team training and
preparation: 24 months. Facilities, housing, and logistical
support during team training will be provided by the National
University of Bonmaristan.Team size of twelve members has been established due to the
ease with which it lends itself to the creation of smaller task-
oriented detachments of 2, 3, 4, or 6 members, as needed.Each team member will receive training to qualify as a specialist
in two skill areas relating to administration of community
development programs and/or implementation of projects of
specific type, and two skill areas relating to intermediate/
appropriate technologies for sustainable village modernization.
Successful graduates of this program will become members of
Bonmaristan's new, permanently established National Civic
Action & Development Corps.Upon completion of its preparation, each team should thus be
able to provide training and technical assistance at the village level
in up to 24 different community development administrative and/or
operational skills, and up to 24 intermediate/appropriate
modernization technology skills. Recommendations for specific
skill areas to be included in the Mobile Training Team instructional
program should be identified in your draft curriculum/course
content outlines.Concept for field deployment envisions each team being introduced
into an assigned area of operation for a period of 12 months, at the
end of which time it will be responsible to have trained a "carbon
copy" of itself from among volunteer village inhabitants, who will
have attained the capability: (1) to successfully initiate and carry out
local civic action and community development projects, and (2) to
mobilize the financial and other resources necessary for continuation
of these activities without need of further governmental assistance or
support.Draft Mobile Training Team curriculum/course content outlines
may also include pertinent recommendations/options concerning
standard team organizational structure, equipment, transportation,
operational methodologies, and field logistical support.In the absence of descriptive information about key characteristics
of Bonmaristan -- such as its cultural and religious make-up,
economy, legal and political structure, climate, and geography --
reasonable assumptions are allowable for the purpose of this
exercise, but should be clearly stated.If you elect to participate in this invitational planning process,
websearch terms which may prove helpful include: community
development, community economic development, sustainable
development, non-profit corporations, appropriate technology,
intermediate technology, volunteers in technical assistance,
volunteers in asia, peace corps training, whole earth catalog,
etc.
Note 1: Attempting to respond to the entire scenario outlined
above would be a large undertaking. This invitation is limited
to the degree of participation for which you feel qualified and
comfortable. Consider addressing only those portions of the task
with regard to which your knowledge, skills, and experience are
applicable. Professionals in the field have the option of sharing
this exercise with their co-workers. Educators may wish to invite
their students to participate.Note 2: For the Third World nation of "Bonmaristan," the scenario
envisions creating Mobile Training Teams to be operated by an
indigenous "National Civic Action and Development Corps." The
desirability and/or necessity of such a governmental agency in
First World settings is a matter worthy of discussion. Clearly,
arguments to the effect that it is unnecessary will be most effective
if they can illustrate how functions described for such teams can
be accomplished by already-existing institutions and/or processes
(e.g., colleges and universities, existing civic & community
development organizations, and/or the Internet, for example).Note 3: If you'd like to share your knowledge and insights, and to
engage in discussion with others interested in matters of this sort,
you are cordially invited to post your comments on the "Civic Action
for Your Turf" (CA4YT) International Training and Service Group, and/or
the World Educational Civic Action Network Group.If you have questions about this activity, desire further information,
and/or wish to offer suggestions for improving it, please feel free to
e-mail the Facilitator, by clicking on the last link shown below.Best wishes, Dave Matthews
Return to: The International Training and Service Teams' Forum
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Return to: The World Educational Civic Action Network
Return to: The "Universal Civic Action Network" (U-CAN)
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