AWCF-FK exchange program needs young Filipino professionals

WANTED: Three young Filipino professionals, for posting abroad as exchange staff.  

Deadline for application—July 31, 2012.

 

The Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum (AWCF), a resource center and advocacy body on gender and co-ops in Asia, has been implementing for the past years the “Capacity-building for Gender and  Co-operatives in Asia” Project. The Project is an exchange program activity in partnership with Fredskorpset (FK) Norway, and is entering the Phase 5 of its implementation within the AWCF network. FK Norway is a government agency that arranges reciprocal exchanges of personnel between organizations in Norway and developing countries.

The Project is under FK’s “South-South Exchange” Program. In AWCF’s exchange program activity, young professionals from AWCF member-organizations are given the chance to work for 10 months in one of the network’s other member-organizations. These young professionals can either learn or teach--depending on the needs identified--in the member-organization to which each of them are assigned. AWCF’s members are the Center of Agricultural Extension Volunteers (CAEV), Vietnam; Credit Union League of Thailand (CULT), Thailand; Credit Union Promotion Club (CUPC), Malaysia; Forum for Indonesian Co-operatives Movement (FORMASI Indonesia), Indonesia; National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), Philippines; and Socio-Economic Development Organization of Cambodia (SEDOC), Cambodia.

The exchange program aims at propelling solidarity and collaboration in the AWCF network, and at capacitating the various members’ human resource in various fields of expertise like gender equality; co-operative services (financial intermediation, mutual benefit, cash management, housing, business development services, micro-enterprise, and micro-finance); sustainable agriculture (marketing and agricultural extension); training and education; information and communication technology (management information system, information technology-supported business development centers, accounting software); and other technical skills, such as project development, public relations, and documentation.

For the exchange program’s Phase 5, participants will be posted to their assignments from October 2012 to October 2013. And AWCF needs three young Filipino professionals, 22-35 years of age (up to 40 years old for females), to fill up the following positions:

1. Co-op Business Development Center (BDC) Specialist

(to be posted to CAEV, Vietnam)

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Contact farmers in project pilot sites to understand their behavior in receiving new and advanced  techniques
• Work with CAEV technical staff to help them understand the BDC. Help them in setting up and managing the BDC as well as to strengthen co-ops
• Assist in the development of new products and service offerings of the farmers
• Establish one BDC as a model for other co-ops or for project sites of CAEV to follow
• Develop BDC operations manual and training materials
• Help CAEV technical staff in editing CAEV’s English documents
• Learn the agricultural services for farmers in Vietnam 
• Submit monthly report related to the activities and their learning to host and sending partners 
• Submit terminal report on the exposure study to host and sending partners
• Learn the basic Vietnamese language

Qualifications:

• University graduate
• One to two years work experience in co-operatives
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Personal qualities: gender-sensitive; good knowledge of BDC development; willing to implement programs/projects; good interpersonal skills; good health; creative; and has entrepreneurial outlook

2. Credit Union Gender Equality (GE) Specialist

(to be posted to CULT, Thailand)

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Attend preliminary activities, such as basic orientation on CULT and its operations
• Attend exposure study to observe CULT program implementation
• Read documents and attend study visits to primary credit unions (CUs) to learn about the CU movement in CULT
• Develop a GE program in CULT, featuring— a) Gender Needs Survey and Sex-Disaggregated Data;b) Gender Training for Leaders and Staff; c) Develop GE Plan and Budget;  d) Create GE Committee/Appoint Gender Focal Person (GFP) Training Program; e) Assist the Education and Training Department staff in producing GE modules and in documentation; f) Assist the Human Resources Section in integrating GE in the Human Resource Policy
• Assist the Human Resources Section in integrating GE in the Human Resource Policy
• Assist the Training and Education Department in promoting GE in two pilot primary CUs, with GE plan developed, budget allocated, and GFP appointed
• Assist International Relations (IR) staff at CULT and primary CU in documentation in English  
• Give orientation to primary CUs about the co-op movement in the Philippines
• Submit monthly report related to the activities and their learning to host and sending partners 
• Submit terminal report on the exposure study to host and sending partners 
• Learn basic Thai language 

Qualifications:

• University graduate
• Background knowledge of co-operatives
• Background knowledge of gender mainstreaming
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Personal qualities: good interpersonal skills; good attitude; willing to assist CULT; willing to implement programs/projects; willing to learn; good health; creative 

3. Credit Union Business Development Center (BDC) Specialist

(to be posted to CUPC, Malaysia)

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Review the policies, systems, and procedures of CUPC’s BDC
• Assist in the BDC's systems installation (especially on the BDC fund and financial management)
• In cooperation with CUPC’s staff in charge for the BDC, prepare training modules of co-ops and BDC formation, and also catalogue the training modules
• Facilitate operation of the BDC (e.g., train and enhance the human resources, BDC staff, and National Women and Family Development Committee [NWFDC] of CUPC on conducting training, module preparation, training design preparation, training documentation, and similar activities)
• Facilitate and teach about promoting BDC services
• Conduct field visits to chapters of CUPC to gather data on the current activities on Small and Medium Scale Industries (SMI)
• Read documents on co-op development in the CUPC network and in Malaysia as a whole, and have exposure to some some co-ops
• Submit monthly report related to the activities and their learning to host and sending partners 
• Submit terminal report on the exposure study to host and sending partners
• Learn basic Bahasa Malaysia/Basic Tamil language

Qualifications:

• University degree in relevant field, preferably Economics
• Strong background on BDC implementation, especially on training, consultancy, and BDC  promotion
• At least two years work experience in business development
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Personal qualities: good interpersonal skills; good attitude; willingness to assist CUPC; willing to implement programs/projects; willing to learn; good health; creative; strong facilitation and leadership skill; able to work independently but is also a team player

Applicants may send their letter of intent and résumé/curriculum vitae to Ms Sally A. Ganibe (awcf@coopwomen.org) on or before 31 July 2012. For inquiries, please contact the AWCF Secretariat in the Philippines at phone number +632 4387666.

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NOTE: 

Two other participants in this exchange program activity will come from Indonesia and Cambodia, to be assigned to Philippines and Thailand, respectively. The selection and hiring of participants from Indonesia and Cambodia will be done by the AWCF-FK Project partners in those countries. 

AWCF-FK exchange project’s Phase 4 participants get busy

The Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum (AWCF) and Fredskorp set (FK) Norway are holding the Phase 4 or fourth batch (October 2011-August 2012) of the “Capacity-building for Gender and Co-operatives in Asia” Project. The Project is funded under FK Norway’s “South-South Exchange” Programme. AWCF is a regional resource center and advocacy body on gender and co-ops in Asia. FK Norway is a Norwegian government agency that promotes international understanding and mutual learning through institutional co-operation and exchange of people between Norway and countries in the South.

This AWCF-FK human resource development Project is implemented among AWCF’s member-organizations in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Philippines. The Project started in 2008, aiming at developing capacities and skills in the co-op and gender fields of personnel from AWCF’s member-organizations while they take part as exchange participants. The AWCF members act as the participants’ hosts or Project partners. So far, the Project has had three batches of exchange participants, with each batch staying with their host-organizations for 10 months. Aside from gaining professional (work) enrichment to be used especially for their co-op involvement back home, each batch’s participants are also expected to have personal development as they learn to relate with the people, language, and culture in their host-organization and host-country. The participants may actually find themselves in some situations that may not be really be so far off from their own Asian background, but their greater understanding of certain aspects in different cultures and countries will hopefully be an asset to their professional and personal development.

Phase 4 of the AWCF-FK Project has the following participants, with their individual photographs and a snapshot each of their activities in their host-organizations:

Mr. Ranie B. Catimbang is Project Assistant in AWCF, Philippines. He has a Communications Art degree, major in Speech Communication, with further studies on communication research, journalism, advertising, and public communication. He was a debater in school, which he frequently represented in national debate competitions. He was also in the editorial team of school publications. His college thesis, which dealt on Senate legislation, garnered a school award for best research output. Ranie has work experience on areas like utilizing different computer software; documentation; academic research; technical assistance in project implementation; advocacy activities implementation; articles and reports writing; and training event facilitation and management, including training for gender and co-ops.

For his posting to the Credit Union Promotion Club (CUPC) in Malaysia, Ranie as Research Documentation Specialist will help CUPC staff in setting up the organization’s research and development center by: preparing recommendations for the center’s formation, in consultation with the immediately previous AWCF-FK exchange staff assigned to CUPC; studying and making an inventory of CUPC’s current documentation; and mentoring and assisting CUPC staff on research and development, and preparing documentation.

Ranie is also to have an understanding of CUPC and Malaysian experience on the co-op movement, gender program, and other development activities through his study of CUPC’s programs and services and of the Malaysian co-op movement as a whole; visit to CUPC chapters to observe co-op program field implementation; and immersion in activities of the CUPC Women’s Action Committee to learn more about the gender program. In the above photograph, Ranie is leading a discussion among CUPC officers on the organization's communication plan.

Ms Ella Marie Francia works as Project Assistant in AWCF, Philippines. Her posting is as Business Development Officer in the Forum for Indonesian Co-operatives Movement (FORMASI Indonesia) in Indonesia. She majored in Computer Secretarial Education for her Bachelor of Science in Office Administration course. After graduation in 2006, she briefly worked for a drugstore in her province before becoming a staff in a leading community-based co-op also in her province. In this co-op, Ella Marie held various administrative and management positions, and participated in different co-op-related training and workshop events. All this experience developed and widened her professional skills. Her work proficiencies are in the use of various computer software; accounting and financial management; office administration; analysis and planning; working knowledge of business development centers (BDCs) and services; leadership, organizational, communication, customer service, and marketing skills; conduct of co-op related training; organizing of women work groups in a community; working knowledge of managing a micro-finance program; and other proficiencies.

In FORMASI Indonesia, Ella Marie is tasked to help in reviewing for improvement her host-organization’s policies, systems and procedures. She is also to help in facilitating the organization’s BDC operation (e.g., assist in systems installation, especially on fund and financial management; prepare training modules on co-op and micro-enterprise training and to catalog the same; teach how to promote the BDC; and do other BDC tasks, in cooperation with the BDC staff in-charge). She will also gain exposure to micro-enterprise service in agriculture through her visits to FORMASI Indonesia’s non-government organization (NGO) members that have this service. She will also learn more about co-op development work in her host-organization and in Indonesia by reviewing existing documentation and visiting co-ops. In the above photograph, Ella Marie is facilitating a trainers training for FORMASI Indonesia staff.

From being Project Assistant in AWCF, Philippines, Mr. Jason P. Isidro’s posting is as Information Officer at the Credit Union League of Thailand (CULT) in Thailand. Jason brings to his assignment in CULT his various experiences as an officer/staff and volunteer for youth activities, for a local co-op, and for business enterprises. He majored in Management for his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree. He gained many awards as a student and was active in school activities. Jason describes himself as having, among other traits, self-motivation, ability to deal well with people in various levels of an organization, and diligence in carrying out tasks from beginning to end. His rich work experience in information technology (IT) gave him knowledge of and skills in IT hardware and software, and also in properly dealing with fellow IT professionals as well as clients. Even with his hectic IT and business work, Jason still had time to do activities as a member and volunteer for a local co-op and for the youth sector. Some of these activities were in promoting co-op membership and youth involvement; coordinating linkages of the co-op with local government units; and participating in as well as conducting training for co-op members and young people like co-op orientation, savings, micro-finance, gender and development, and other topics.

In Thailand, Jason is to assist CULT’s International Relations Section staff in producing information tools in English (e.g., audiovisual materials, brochures developed through interviews, and data collection from primary credit union [CU] members); teach presentation skills to CU staff for visitors, using English information tools; and assist in conducting gender equality (GE) training to CUs, including teaching about how to promote GE in two pilot CUs with a developed GE plan, allocated budget, and appointed gender focal person. Jason will also have the chance to study CULT’s online platform (e.g., e-coop, IT@coops, etc.); and to give orientation on the Philippines’s co-op movement and, in turn, learn about CULT and the CU movement in Thailand. In the above photograph, Jason is giving a lecture on gender issues to CULT staff.

Mr. Oung Mean is Assistant of Administration and Team Leader of Kampot and Kep Province of the Socio Economic Development Organization of Cambodia (SEDOC), in Cambodia. Mean’s assignment is as Credit Union Technical Officer of CULT in Thailand. He majored in human resource management, finishing his studies in 2010. But he already started to work in SEDOC in 2007. Mean enhanced his skills in project appraisal, and in computer software and computer repair by attending training and seminars on organizational development, global economic issues and credit union (CU) leadership, basic accounting and financial management, and other topics.

In CULT, Mean is to develop English or Thai manuals on CU federation formation, operation, and monitoring; and also on mutual benefit services (applicable to Cambodia’s context); study formatting and computerization of CU records, and analysis of statistics; and enrich his awareness of the CU movement’s different aspects by studying CULT services/programs and Thailand’s involvement in CUs. In the photograph above, Mean is interviewing co-operators in the Soon Klang Thewa Credit Union, a member of CULT.

Mr. Hoang Viet Muoi is a Technical Staff and Project Accountant in the Center of Agricultural Extension Volunteers (CAEV), Vietnam. He is posted as Extension Programmer and Researcher in AWCF (Philippines office) and National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) in the Philippines. Muoi has a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal and Veterinary Medicine. He has work experience in the organic agricultural field; knowledge of agricultural extension work and co-op development; and skills in various computer programs and in report-writing.

Muoi brings his expertise to AWCF and NATCCO where his tasks are to visit demonstration farms and learn about high-technology organic agriculture program for fruits and vegetable production; do hands-on use of high-technology organic vegetable and fruit farming, food processing, and storage; study biogas tank system construction, use, and environmental protection aspects; document best practices on high-technology agriculture management, monitoring, and evaluation; know about the co-op movement in the Philippines, such as through orientation meetings with AWCF and NATCCO on their programs and services; and participate and assist in AWCF’s gender training so as to learn about gender equality in community development. On his return to Vietnam, Muoi is expected to share his learning with CAEV staff, and the farmers assisted by CAEV’s agricultural extension technicians and specialists. In the photograph below, Muoi is being oriented on the bookkeeping system of the Abra Diocesan Teachers & Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative, a member of NATCCO.