“Putting Plans in Action”

Planing and Execution of our Project

 And, so after surveys and weeks of weeks of good sessions the M.A.D. Youths of this group settled on their project. With our focus both on making a difference no matter how unusual (M.A.D.) it seemed and with our great focus on youth we decided to help the Rasville community by piloting a programme for approximately 20 young children of the community – Youth’s Making a Difference Mentoring and After School Programme. The focus was on augmenting the public school curriculum by offering the students sessions in weak subject areas, twice a week, for an eight week period beginning in Mid-July. But more than just assistance in subjects, the programme hoped to get to the root of one of the constant complaints in the community – a lack of appreciation and regard for education. Working with children, most of them ages 6 to 11, the members of this group intent on Making A Difference felt they were best age group to begin a new way of thinking in the community. Instilling them, not only, with an appreciation for school but mentoring sessions encouraging them to be confident children, unafraid to speak with their opinions and with the assurance to do good in their endeavours.

We first presented our Plan of Action on Friday June 21 for Mr Urling and the other participants in the Y.E.S. Programme where we were given feedback on how to make our initiative more effective. Then a modest opening on Saturday June 28 followed where the students participating in the programme met at the New Guyana School building for registration. There was an unfortunately low turn-out from parents who did not have sufficient time to attend and since the only way our group can Make A Difference in these impressionable minds is by getting parents on board, our group decided a re-visit to the community was essential. We would ask the parents of registered children what they would specifically want out of a programme such as this and ensure their suggestions are heard because to Make A Difference in the lives of these young children cooperation from all facets must occur.

And leadership demands that we adapt to challenges and then conquer them. That is how we can Make A Difference.

“On Dreams of Change”

A Poem on Dreams and Change

Oftentimes artists become a vital part of the movement for change and essential to strides towards Making a Difference. Guyanese poetry legend Martin Carter was one such pioneer who in addition to writing beautiful words, also wrote evocative and inspirational words which inspired his readers. His notable poem “Looking At Your Hands” provides some rousing words for consideration.

No!
I will not still my voice!
I have
too much to claim—
if you see me
looking at books
or coming to your house
or walking in the sun
know that I look for fire!

I have learnt
from books dear friend
of men dreaming and living
and hungering in a room without a light
who could not die since death was far too poor
who did not sleep to dream, but dreamed to change
the world.

And so
if you see me
looking at your hands
listening when you speak
marching in your ranks
you must know
I do not sleep to dream, but dream to change
the world.

“In the Sacred House”

A Visit to Parliament Buildings

On June 17 the participants of the Youth Leaders’ Leadership Development Programme visited Parliament Buildings where the country’s National Assembly is housed for a sit-down with the Speaker Raphael Trotman.

The Speaker began his meeting with the young leaders by reminiscing on the history of the building. The foundation for Parliament Buildings was laid in 1829 and completed five years later in 1834, designed by Joseph Hadfield. Some years later, in 1875, Cesar Castellani – a noted artist – designed the ornate ceiling with a sunken panel design. The ceiling is one of the noted intricate designs which the buildings are noted for. The group noticed the paintings of Guyana’s deceased presidents hung around the room. More history came with the note of the Speaker’s Chair (an Independence Gift from the Government of India) and the Sergeant-at-Arms chair (an Independence Gift from Great Britain).

Less ceremonial was the history the building played in a perceived slave rebellion after the abolishment of slavery, a reminder of the tragic history which Guyana is built upon.

The meeting was not just one which dealt with the retrospective, though, Speaker Trotman relayed his thoughts on the importance of the National Assembly and questioned the effectiveness of the traditional mode where the government and the opposition are set-up as adversaries precipitating an even more adversarial relationship during debate. He suggested that a dramatic shake-up of the parliament’s seating could help in abating such combative tendencies. The question was, however, raised that with so many other countries functioning successfully with minority governments in this same makeup why was Guyana still unable to use its current parliament mode to benefit the country.

Other issues which were brought up for discussion was the role the average Guyanese plays in the machinations of the National Assembly. As the public is responsible for the formation of the parliament, the divide between constituents’ needs and the infighting in the National Assembly came into question. Speaker Trotman intimated that there have been outreaches where the parliamentarians have gone into schools so the relationship between the citizens and the members of the house is not fractured but one of open and accessible easiness.

Ultimately Trotman agreed that improving Guyana is a work-in-progress dependant on every stakeholder working together for the betterment of the country. He praised the Blue Caps initiative and was impressed with a body formed to fill the leadership gap in the country. We are sure that the speaker would agree with the members of this group that ultimately Making A Difference – and sacrificing personal hang-ups to do so – are essential to making Guyana a better place.

“On empathising and appreciating others”

A Quotation on understanding weakness in others

Leadership can come from various places, and sometimes they may not even come from people we usually consider as “leaders”. Maya Angelou was not elected to office, but she was an inspiring writer and activist who stood as living proof that where a person came from could not prevent them from reaching greatness. Her work was important for the empathy and sympathy it showed for flaws in the human spirit and her ideology of kindness is so often something which we, as leaders, can all take into consideration.

“Each of us has lived through some devastation, some loneliness, some weather superstorm or spiritual superstorm. When we look at each other we must say, I understand. I understand how you feel because I have been there myself. We must support each other because each of us is more alike than we are unalike.”

 As leaders we must heed Maya Angelou’s words. Sometimes the best way to mobilise persons is by recognising their strengths but also acknowledging their limitations and understanding them rather than castigating them.When we team together and help each other to grow, then we can Make A Difference.

“Real Big News”

Blue Caps in the Media 

The group of participants in the Youth Leaders' Development Programme visited Parliament Buildings and various media coverage ensued.

Capitol News

Stabroek News

June 18, 2014 · (stabroeknews.com)

Saying that power needs to be returned to the people, House Speaker Raphael Trotman yesterday sounded a call for “real decision making” to begin at the community-level.

“We have to change our decision-making policies…there should be an inclusive form of governance in Guyana and decision-making processes so that all the different factors and sectors of our society should be factored into the decision-making,” he said during a meeting with members of the new Blue CAPS non-governmental organisation at the Public Buildings yesterday.

“I believe that the real decision-making should be made at the bottom. So, we need to devolve more power to the people at the local government level. A community in Ann’s Grove or a community in Tain, Corentyne shouldn’t have to wait for a minister to say that a bridge should be built… that should be left to the people; they know best for themselves,” he added.

Trotman further stated that Parliament should instead focus on the national issues and leave the basic issues to the Guyanese citizens, especially willing youths such as those that had been in attendance.
“I’d like to see the power given back to the people. There is too much power centred around Parliament,” he noted. “The real power should go the peoples of Guyana and the more national aspects should be left to Parliament.”

....more media coverage below the jump....

“Dare to rise to greatness”

 A Quotation on Daring to be Great

Robert F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, is considered to be one of the great men of the 20th century to have shown positive and laudable leadership examples to his fellow humans. In his quote below he delivers some provocative words on each human's worth to be excellent. The members of M.A.D. are willing to take up his mantle to rise to greatness, even in the smallest of ways.

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

“Checking it Out”

The Team Heads out to the Community

The Youths Experiencing Service (Y.E.S.) initiative was designed in order that at the end of  classroom training, participants partake in the YES! (Youths Experiencing Service) component and undertake a community development project after consultations with the residents of a selected community. Youths Making a Difference undertook phase one of the YES component in the Rasville community. We visited over 40 households to determine the overall community satisfaction of the residents, thereby focusing on the problems they faced and possible solutions to those problems. The results were overwhelming as the residents wasted no time in making their issues and concerns vocal. 

Meeting the people.

Men, women, children gave opinions of what they believed were the main issues and problems stymieing development in their community which ranged from improper drainage mechanisms, delinquency, lack of sport and other recreational facilities and decaying road constructions among others. Notwithstanding the appearance of a community rife with inadequacies and multiple problems, it was quite astounding that most the residents when asked what they did like about their community gave responses alluding to its safety, peace and harmony.

The residents also made sure that their suggestions and solutions to the problems were heard by our team of youths. These included a proper functional community body to bring representation on their behalf, facilitation of sport and other after school training and teaching sessions for the ;children of the community andentrepreneurial and skills development training for the youth of the community. Clearly the residents in Rasville all appreciate each other and if given assistance can transform the perception of the community. The team was especially overjoyed at the level of commitment the residents pledged to making a differencing in their community and some were even excited and looking forward to our return.

The residents of Rasville are a great set of people.

Meeting with a resident of Rasville who has resided there for over half a century.

We are ready to help them get M.A.D.

“Putting it Together”

Clinton Urling on Community Organizing Day 3 BCLT.

Community Organising 

WEEK TWO

 Day 3 of the BCLT got off the a smooth and early start on the morning of June 14th, 2014. The session commenced with discussions of whether there was a distinction between community service and community organising, and what was that distinction. Urling, in his presentation, firstly explained that Community Organising was "the bringing together of people in a community to engage in actions and make demands in a collective voice to powerful individuals and groups in order to improve the lives and conditions of their community and constituencies."

By the end of the session, it was noted the distinction could be explained as community organising's
 most basic goal being to bring about social change, which community service restricted this goal since it fails to deal with the underlying issues that are cause by polarised interests.

“Ready to get M.A.D.”

Tomorrow, Saturday 14th, beholds another day of youth leadership through community service.

It is the first part of the Youths Experiencing Service YES! component. M.A.D. finally gets the opportunity to meet and interact with the folks in varying communities. Must say, we are excited about it.

Definitely looking forward to the challenge of assisting the needs of persons in the communities in whatever way we possibly can. Simply put, Making A Difference gets me excited!

“You shall know our velocity”

A Quotation on Velocity
 
 Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali polymath who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. He was instrumental in shaping Bengali literature and music. In the quote below he espouses an excellent point.

“We believe that mere movement is life, and that the more velocity it has, the more it expresses vitality.”

To Make A Difference requires change and it requires movement and that movement must contain velocity because it is with our velocity that we express our vitality - vitality is the state of being strong and active. Vitality is energy and energy is essential for change and by our velocity we show our energy and ensure that those around us are encouraged to be more energetic  and thus we begin our journey towards Making A Difference.

“Hearing from those with experience”

A Panel Discussion with those who have shown Leadership

WEEK ONE

Mr Eric Phillips, Mr Joel Simpson and Ms Vanda Radzik were part of a panel discussion moderated by Mr Clinton Urling. The three spoke from a place of experience relaying their experience working in leadership positions and they ways they have managed to be successful in their organisations and their professional careers despite hurdles and challenges. The panel discussion gave way to a fruitful session where the participants of the programme asked questions of the panellists – from the question of how to balance work responsibilities with personal desires to effect change and advice for those now beginning their journeys to leadership.

Throughout their presentations the panellist highlighted attributes that the members of M.A.D. prize – the need for tenacity, the need to be unwavering in your belief, the willingness to stand up and oftentimes be vocal and the need to have a strong belief in your work. For, when those things are accomplished the journey towards Making A Difference becomes easier.

“Communication – the key to personal and professional success”

The Importance of Effective Communication

WEEK ONE

The morning of June 7 the Youth Leaders’ Leadership Development Programme was back on track with two presentations on communication, its importance and ways to enhance it. They were conducted by Dawn Stewart and Ruel Johnson.

In her presentation Ms Stewart raised the issues which often come with communication – the difficulty in communicating, the impediments which prevent communication, the many forms of communication and the channels necessary for effective communication. As members of organising trying to effect change communication is essential. Everyone has a message within them which they hope to share with the world but until we are able to efficiently organise our thoughts, and clearly and confidently put them into words we will not be communicating using our full potential.

How many of us have had crises in our homes, within our families, made attempts at communicating our issues but failed? It was one of the stimulating questions Ms Stewart asked the audience. Why is it that parent/child communication – especially from the younger person to the older one – is so often received in a different way than the sender intended? Ms Stewart provided a number of examples of the “younger” generation – dating from Plato’s era on ward – being accused of being complacent by their elders.

“Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it.”

George Orwell

_____

Mr Johnson’s presentation was on the written word. As members of organisations oftentimes correspondence plays an important role in getting the message of the group out there – letters to the editor, press releases.

Before the pen hits the paper, the writer must be certain that they have conviction on the topic being addressed that they comprehend it and they are competent in it. In communication, both written and verbal, tools of rhetoric are essential.

Logos – the use of logical ideas to appeal to audience
Pathos – an appeal to the audience’s emotions
Ethos – the author’s credibility

Ms Stewart pointed out these three facets in her piece on verbal communication and they were reemphasised in Mr Johnson’s piece. Arguments must be organised and logical. And it is imperative that as leaders we use all within our arsenal to appeal to emotions of those around us. We must also be credible and ethical in our communication. When we are logic, incite passion in the hearts of others by appealing to emotion and have shown ourselves to be ethical we can then create change.

Ms Stewart broke the participants into groups. One representative from each group was givenc an image which the other participants must replicate without actually seeing it. The point was for the leaders of each group to communicate - use words to explain what was needed. How effective could they be at communicating? The exercise was a key example of the difficulties which can sometimes occur when communicating and the need for questions and follow-up conversation to ensure that all parties understand each other.

With effective communication problems engendered by generation gaps, differing classes, different experiences, will be diminished and when we can communicate effectively we can then begin Making A Difference.

“Change can be hard”

A Quotation on Change

As laudable as our plans to Making A Difference are, as humans it is sometimes difficult to avoid getting waylaid by the difficulty of effecting change and making that difference. But even as it is difficult to mutate from one state to another, change is essential and if we cannot accept change and become willing to change for the goodness of the world, we will be swept away.

Pulitzer Prize winning writer Tony Kushner wrote a musical play in 2004 with Jeanine Tesori, Caroline, or Change, about the struggle for civil rights in the sixties. Its protagonist was an African American mother of four working as a made, afraid of what the future held for her. In a pivotal scene in the play a friend urged her about the importance of change.

“I know it hurts to change. It actually hurts, learning something new, and when you full-grown, it's harder, that's true. It feels like you gotta break yourself apart, it feel like you gotta break your own heart, but folks do it. They do. Every day,  all the time - alone, afraid, folks like you. You've got to let go of where you been. You've got to move on from the place you're in.Don't drown in that basement. Change or sink.”

The words are evocative and a lesson to anyone in times when struggling to change presents difficulty. Think of great leaders of the past willing to effect change, no matter how difficult. Instead of sinking in the status quo and all that came with it, they were willing to break themselves apart, break their own hearts to change and to effect change around them. That's what going M.A.D. is about. That's how one Makes A Difference.

“Getting Things Done”

Tips and Techniques for Getting Things Done

WEEK ONE

The final presentation on that first day of presentations was Clinton Urling’s presentation on ways to accomplish goals. As members of various organisations, and as members of the M.A.D. group the participants were all – in various ways – trying to accomplish things. But, so often, when faced with challenges, new territories to explore or setbacks which can seem debilitating the question of HOW to accomplish all that we imagine becomes an issue.

As former president of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the founder of Blue CAPS Mr Urling had much to share about how he has not just been a “leader” but someone who has used techniques of adaptive leadership to effect change and development in his organisation. Like the members of our group Mr Urling has strove to Make A Difference.

Mr Urling shared a host of salient tips and points for effecting change:

1. Ideas and actions are bigger than the organisation
2. Stay focused on the work and goals of the organisation
3. Think big but implement gradually
4. “Every battle is won or lost before it is fought.”
5. Pay attention to detail
6. Keep working
7. The press is your friend, so use them
8. Embrace change and be willing to adapt and challenge the status quo
9. Do not listen to the noise or take criticisms from back channels personally
10. Always thank people – immediately
11. Try not to serve alone – COLLABORATE
12. Maintain openness, high integrity and honesty
13. Read at least one newspaper a day

The members of M.A.D. found much to retain in his points. The need for heavy planning before any real change is effective was most instructive as was the point to pay attention to detail. For us, Making a Change is no ad hoc or reckless action – it is a system, focused, planned initiative to successfully implement positive changes in our societies. And for this change to occur we must work together with persons from all facets of that society because unless we collaborate with each other and use our collective attributes to complement each other we will not be able to effect constructive and lasting change.

“On becoming citizens who can mobilise people to solve problems”

Adaptive Leadership 

WEEK ONE 

Immediately after the opening of the Youth Leaders’ Leadership Development Programme on June 6, the programme was underway with the first presentation on Adaptive Leadership by Floyd Haynes – founder and Managing Director of Haynes, Inc., an accounting and management consulting company based in Washington DC. Haynes presentation on leadership saw its genesis in the teachings of his former professor Ronald Heifetz, author of Leadership Without Easy Answers. Haynes presentation began with an immediately stimulating idea – what is leadership?

With the root word “lead” in common, it has been incidental that we always expect that all leaders display elements of leadership, but Haynes forced us presents to confront this idea. Is a “leader” inherently someone who displays leadership? What situations demand leadership? And, are all types of leadership the same?

“Leadership is the activity of a citizen from any walk of life mobilising people to solve problems.”

Heifetz, Leadership Without Easy Answers

This profound quote from Heifetz attacks one of the key precepts of our M.A.D. ideology. For leadership to occur, citizens must be willing to mobilise persons. Mobilisation is not just about the literal action of something being moved but it is when persons are encouraged and organised and motivated to take collective action in pursuit of a particular objection. And leadership, true leadership, can only be effected when persons have become willing to become active and committed to Making A Difference. Leadership is doing the adaptive work necessary to mobilise people to tackle and solve tough problems, while elevating them to a higher moral level.

Haynes’ presentation zeroed in on the difference between technical and adaptive problems. Technical problems are those which are clearly defined, and solved in a straightforward manner. However, in this constantly changing world we are experiencing problems which present adaptive challenges. They require learning before they can be defined. They require learning for us to even begin thinking about solving them and oftentimes they are so ever-changing a true solution often seems elusive.

Haynes’ battle cry for the participants was simple – in order to effect real and profound effects on the persons in our organisations and the persons we come into contact with as Youth Leaders we must be ready to assist with Adaptive Challenges. We must be ready to do adaptive work.

As Heifetz notes in his text Adaptive Work requires a change in values, beliefs or behaviour. Change is essential. Indeed, adaptive leadership is about effecting change. In short, Making A Difference.

“And so it begins…”

The Launch of the Youth Leaders’ Leadership Development Programme

WEEK ONE

In May Blue CAPS – a social change group – was launched. The group, founded by Clinton Urling, posited that the tenets on which the organisation rested were change, advocacy, policy and service. Its mission? To educate future leaders who will go back to their communities to serve and develop solutions to solve problems and advocate public policy prescriptions.

In keeping with these laudable goals of empowering change through youths – future leaders – Blue CAPS launched their first youth leadership development programme in June targeting a score of youth leaders from various organisations in a quest to aid in improving their capacity for leadership and their ability to achieve organisation goals.

The one month training session occurring over the course of four weekends was launched under the theme: “Creating the Future Begins with Cultivating the Leaders of Tomorrow”, an admirable theme encompassing the investment and work that is essential before leaders are created.

The name of the programme itself suggests so much. More than an incidental seminar where opinions are espoused for a congregation to absorb, the programme is specifically one of development – a process of bringing something to a more advanced or effective state. With this inaugural programme for the Blue CAPS, then, Mr Urling and company have honed in on committing to putting in the work to achieve the results. The Youth Development Programme exists as a means of changing, educating and advancing the abilities of the participants.

At 4:00 pm on Friday June 6 the programme was officially opened at the New Guyana School. In his address Mr Urling emphasised the goal of the programme and its intent on sharing essential information about leadership which would prove helpful to the participants.

The feature address by Major General (Retired) Joseph Singh applauded the Blue CAPS team for their initiative. In his presentation Mr Singh stressed the need for future leaders to avoid becoming like Alonso Quixano – the protagonist of Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Mr Singh’s intent was clear, as laudable as the staunch idealism of Quixano’s was in text form as youths on their way to become leaders it was vital to be aware of the real world issues and not be distracted or mired with thoughts of the imagined. In short, only with an awareness of reality could real world change be effected.

Major General (Retired) Singh’s presentation brought the opening of the event to a close.