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ASSESSMENT REPORT

OF HRD PROGRAMS 1982 – 1987

BY NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

 

I.    Preamble

The countries represented were Aotearoa, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.

 

II.   Breakdown of HRD participants 1982-1987

Please refer to appendix I for details in the breakdown of women student/senior friend participants and men student/senior friend participants in the HRD programs from 1982 - 1987.

a)   The total representation of women students was 39.5%. The Singapore delegates themselves made up 36.7% of the total women participants (30). Seven countries have sent less than 50% women student. India and Taiwan have yet to send delegates in this category.

b)   In the women senior friends category, Aotearoa's contribution is the most significant. Four countries (Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Thailand) have yet to send delegates from this category.

c)   In the men student category a majority have less than 50% representation. Two countries (Singapore and Taiwan) have yet to send delegates to this category.

d)   India is the biggest contributor to the men senior friends category with 33%, whilst Aotearoa, Hong Kong and Singapore have yet to be represented.

 

III.  Expectations of the National Movement

The expectations of the HRD Program as reported are listed and collated below in terms of priority:

a)   Personal development of participants, enhance participants' understanding of her/his role in society.

b)   Improve understanding of SCM's vision and mission.

c)   Challenge and train participants to be involved in SCM Movement Building.

d)   Share experiences internationally.

e)   Build networks.

f)    Facilitate biblical, theological and ideological exploration.

g)   Deepen commitment to Student Movement and People's Movement.

 

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h)   facilitate international self-understanding.

i)    Recruitment.

j)    understanding the thane of HRD through preparations prior to and during the program.

 

A discussion as to whether the expectations were wet produced the following comments:

 

item a)  was met by the HRD programs.

item b)  was generally met

item c)  three countries (Aotearoa, Malaysia & Thailand) expressed satisfaction. One participant commented that because of the attitude of university students to social realities and the absence of follow-up by the sending organization the training received could not be fully implemented for the process of Movement Building.

item d)  well met (unanimous).

item e)  was ambivalent; two countries (Japan & Singapore) expressed their observation that networking was more along a personal basis.

item f)   the majority feeling is that the participants did not benefit greatly  in this area. The sessions were commented as not participatory enough, dynamic or in scene case not too relevant to the respective national situations, in order to seriously combat the strong conservative, fundamentalist and reductionist forces in our respective countries, this area needs to be looked into urgently.

item g)  satisfactorily met.

items

h & i)    were satisfactorily met.

item j)   Taiwan expressed dissatisfaction with respect to this item, as they felt that the language barrier, lack of preparation and participation were the factors that need to be improved on.

 

IV.  Overall evaluation of HRD and its impact on SCMs

a)   It is the general consensus that the HRD is a worthwhile leadership formation program serving varied functions. The impact to the life of the respective national movements is positive and significant.

 

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b)   The HRD is seal as an important source of alternative education for the participants.  Critical and relevant perspectives on the Church, University and Society are offered for study, reflection and discussion. The structural nature of exploitation, oppression and injustice are analyzed in juxtaposition with the Christian Faith in order to understand and delineate what might be the contours of Justice, Love and Peace in our national and regional contexts.

c)   As a leadership formation program, it has deepened the participants' perception of the vision and mission of SCM.

d)   The programs have also facilitated the building of closer personal and corporate links between movements in the region. In particular, the experience of cross-cultural communication has been very beneficial to many.

e)   A large majority of the participants have been challenged to contribute significantly to the life of their respective movements in various capacities. More details are found in the next section.

f)    A number of national representatives also commented that the present HRD program can still be developed and improved. Further, there appears to be certain weaknesses of the HRD community, which needs to be addressed to and self-critically dealt with. Details are provided in Appendix II to the report.

The intention and hope of these criticisms and suggestions are, that future participants of this program will stand to benefit more in the task of enabling more members and friends to become active agents of the SCM's ecumenical vision and mission in this part of the world.

 

V.   Contribution of HRD Participants to the leadership and Growth of the National Movements

Most HRD participants have made significant contributions to the growth of their National Movements upon their return from HRD. They have become more involved in the leadership of their movements in some cases they have taken specific initiatives within their movements. An example of this is the leadership training program initiated by the Thai SCM participants after they had participated in HRD.

List of roles HRD participants have played in their National Movements after their return.

Staff Persons                       Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Aotearoa.

Office Bearers                      Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Aotearoa.

 

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National Committee              Hong Kong, Aotearoa, Bangladesh,

Members                             Thailand, India, Malaysia.

Program Committees           Singapore, Aotearoa.

Local Committees                Bangladesh, Thailand.

Note –   In the case of India SCM, HRD participants were chosen from amongst the full-time staff. On their return, they have shown greater ccnrnitment to their work and have been active in training and recruiting new members, as well as raising awareness about justice issues. Taiwan SCM also sent a staff person as one of their participants.

 

VI.  Contribution of HRD Participants to Leadership and Decision Making in the Churches and the Ecumenical Community

In nearly all cases, where participants have become involved with their national churches or ecumenical community, it has been at a leadership level. Many have taken initiatives within these organizations.

List of roles played by HRD participants after their return in churches and the ecumenical community.

 

Church Workers                   Malaysia, Bangladesh, Thailand,

(or similar body)                   Hong Kong, Aotearoa

National Council                   Malaysia, Bangladesh, Thailand,

of Churches                         Hong Kong, Aotearoa.

WSCF                                Malaysia, Singapore, Aotearoa.

U.R.M. or U.I.M                   Thailand, Hong Kong.

Y.M.C.A.                             Bangladesh

CCA YOUTH                       Singapore, Hong Kong.

Catholic Justice and             Singapore, India.

Development Commission

 

VII. Contribution of HRD Participants to Groups involved in Action for Justice and Peace in the Larger Society

Following is a list of groups that the BED participants have become involved with after their return:

Women/Sexism                   Hong Kong, Singapore, Aotearoa, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Japan, India.

Human Rights                      Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan.

 

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Social Awareness                Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Taiwan.

Ethnic Minorities                  Aotearoa, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore

Political Groups                   India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Japan

Urban Poor/Slums                Hong Kong, Aotearoa, Thailand, Bangladesh

Farmers/Rural Fishermen     Japan, Taiwan

Cultural Communication        Bangladesh, Japan

Environment                        Thailand, Taiwan

International Development     Aotearoa

Agencies

Trade Unions                       Bangladesh

 

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Appendix I

 

Aotearoa

Bangladesh

Hong Kong

India

Japan

Malaysia

Singapore

Taiwan

Thailand

Total

♀ stu.

1

2

8

–

1

1

11

–

6

30

(39.5%)

♀ st.

6

1

–

2

–

1

–

2

–

12

(15.8%)

♂ stu.

1

4

4

1

3

2

–

–

7

22

(28.9%)

♂ st.

–

2

–

4

2

2

–

1

1

12

(15.8%)

 

8

9

12

7

6

6

11

3

14

76

 

key:      ♀stu. – Women Students                       ♂ stu. – Men Students

            ♀ st. – Women Senior Friends                ♂ st. – Men Senior Friend

 

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Appendix II

Suggested areas of Improvement

a)   More care and thought should be given to the selection and preparation of participants by the national movements taking into account:

*  balanced representation of sexes

*  priority for students

*  participation of oppressed ethnic groups

b)   The resource personnel selected should be more from the national movements in the region. Local theologians should be involved in the biblical and theological inputs. More women resource persons should be invited.

c)   Explore new ways of varying the educational process in the HRD to be less a 'banking system' and more a dialogue or process of learning and growth.

d)   The process of HRD should involve more participation and effort from the participants. This could be done through the greater use of small group discussions and workshops. Also creative activities (e.g. drama) should be encouraged - this could be one way of getting round the language barrier.

e)   More attention and effort given to integrating the personal, spiritual aspects with the intellectual aspects of the program. Celebration of life (liturgy) as the core of Justice and Peace work.

f)    Incorporate some community building insights and skills in the program - What are the ways and processes we can use and share in building/organizing students?

g)   A less structured program to allow participants to interact freely.

h)   The exposure programs are not long enough; this part of the program is seen as the key to initiating reflection and action by the participants. More attention be paid to analyze the causes and forms of oppression and exploitation.

i)    A re-evaluation of the way exposures are carried out. There is danger that they merely put the poor on show and this further adds to their exploitation. What is gained from the exposure needs to be analyzed more deeply. Also, when possible contact with or information about powerful groups are made, they should be included so that a better understanding can be reached as to how they benefit and exploit people.  Finally, some women participants from Aotearoa have expressed anger at how men have treated exposures to prostitution and night club areas.

 

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j)    More serious efforts in providing translation facilities for non-English speaking participants for maximum discussions is also very important.

k)   More attention be paid to the community life of the HRD participants; there are cases where dialogue and discussions have broken down because the interpersonal dimension is overlooked.

l)    More consultation with the National Movements in the selection of the HRD themes.

 

 

Working Group