|
April 12, 2016
Steps toward designing a WILPF US Program Strategic Plan
Program Chairs Maureen N. Eke and Odile Hugonot Haber invite members and branches to review and participate in designing the strategic plan for our Section's programs. You can go directly to the website
members-only page
and get started in time to provide feedback by May 4.
Process
In early January 2016, a small working group began meeting weekly to organize documents generated during the October 2015 Des Moines Program retreat, feedback from various committee chairs, branch representatives, and individuals into a cohesive, at least, useable draft document to present to the general membership. The document would serve as a catalyst for discussion as we think about program priorities. We began with a suggested first goal for review throughout the Section.
[i]
Working with more than 80 pages of material, the working group coordinated responses and concluded that the suggestions focused on two dominant areas: 1) program and 2) development. A third area with minor emphasis was communication, but, it intersected with the two dominant areas. Because the conversation at the Des Moines Program retreat was overwhelmingly about giving us more visibility and coherence, the working group focused on one of the devised "retreat goals" with the most suggestions and for which we also received a lot of feedback: Goal #3: Advancing Peace, Justice, and Human Rights. This goal also naturally reflects WILPF's founding principles, and vision, as well as traditional and on-going foci. The working group, therefore, believed that WILPF US as an organization would be better served by an uncomplicated and implementable Program Strategic Plan draft document with a distillation of suggestions from the retreat and our follow-up review, offering five associated objectives, actions, and activities for our consideration by the general membership. Some of the topics targeted include: ending all wars and abolishing nuclear weapons; converting the military budget into a peace budget; and working towards climate justice, women, peace, and security. Please visit our designated webpage to read the full version of the Program Strategic Plan and accompanying memo.
What you can do
We (the working group) are seeking constructive feedback from all members on the draft document, highlighting how it could be improved but also made more actionable. We believe that every voice counts and collaborative ownership of our program focus and activism, even in the first steps of review towards clarification and new action, is crucial. We recognize that the best way that branches often can discuss issues of importance is to circulate the information in advance of a periodic branch meeting and then meet in person to collaborate and pursue answers.
So we are hoping that members in branches will circulate this memo and the draft plan document and then meet in a branch meeting, hopefully, before the beginning of May 4, 2016. We also hope that this document will encourage and enrich our conversations.
Interim questions can be sent to Odile and/or me, the Program Committee chairs, while we look forward to your important constructive input on how we can collectively move our program priorities and goals forward. Please send us your feedback, using our emails, shown below:
Thank you for your cooperation.
Maureen N. Eke, Program Chair
|
