Future Generations Empowerment Organization (FGEO) is an autonomous and self financed member of the Future Generations Global Family.
Future Generations Global Network (Future.Org) functions in countries as diverse as China, India, West Virginia, Haiti, and Afghanistan. From a UNICEF initiative, Future Generations emerged in 1992 as a charitable non-government and nonprofit organization for the purpose of learning from and building upon the world’s most successful examples of community empowerment and social change.
The family of organizations: Future Generations Af, Future Generations Arunachal, Future Generations China, Future Generations Haiti, and Future Generations University share and implement the common methodology of SEED-SCALE.
The accredited University (Future.Edu) offers a two-year applied Master’s Degree in Community Development and Empowerment to promote research, learning, and action toward inclusive and sustainable community change worldwide.
Future Generations facilitates connections and support for its global network partners to grow and share knowledge and practice that empower communities for equitable and sustainable change. It is complemented by the Future Generations Graduate School, incorporated in 2006 in the State of West Virginia with authorization to provide a Master's Degree in Applied Community Development.
In 2016, the Future Generations Graduate School was promoted to Future Generation University, and the Future Generations became a center for research and practice arm of social change within Future Generations University. At present, Future Generations is a global knowledge network of practitioners of social change and a center of research and practice collaborating with Future Generations University. The core of Future Generations work is a process that communities and governments can use to shape their future.
The Future Generations Empowerment Organization (FGEO) is a local nonprofit non- governmental organization registered under the Afghanistan Government to mobilize communities in most difficult regions to find enduring solutions for their most pressing needs. In 7th November 2022, this organization registered as International Organization in Sweden to operate around the globe.
Future Generations is an International NGOs working in countries as diverse as China, India, Peru, West Virginia, Haiti and Afghanistan. It is also an accredited University offers a two-year applied Master’s Degree in Community Development and Empowerment. The Future Generations emerged in 1992 as a charitable non-government and nonprofit organization for the purpose of learning from, and building upon the world’s most successful examples of community empowerment and social change. It is complemented by the Future Generations Graduate School, incorporated in 2006 in the State of West Virginia with authorization to provide a Master's Degree in Applied Community Development. In year 2016, the Future Generations Graduate School is promoted to Future Generation University and the Future Generations became a center for research and practice of social change within Future Generations University. At Present the Future Generations is a global knowledge network of practitioners of social change and a center of research and practice within Future Generations University. Members are organizations and individuals who link together to evolve global practice for sustainable, effective, equitable impact. The Center encourages life-long learning by providing educational resources, grant support, and strengthening of collaborative working relationships among its network of members. In return, the Future Generations University derives inspiration for curriculum enhancement through the innovative community-based accomplishments and research activities of its alumni and global partners. The core of Future Generations work is a process that communities and government can use to shape their future.
Strives for a just and lasting change in which the poor and vulnerable persons or communities have access to opportunities.
Future Generations Empowerment Organization strengthens the process of self-sufficiency and equitable community change to empower the poor and most vulnerable communities to shape their future; where human dignity, equal rights and equal opportunities are enjoyed by all
The FGEO head quarter is in Kabul with its Regional sub-office in Nangarhar Province. The Kabul office covers FGEO operations in Central region and the Nangarhar office manages FGEO projects in Eastern region. The FGEO organizational Structure encompassing of divisions at the central and regional levels. The policy and program development divisions are based in Kabul and the operational division is based in the region. The Administration and Finance Divisions provides administrative and finance supports and services to the FGEO management in Kabul and regions by implementing administrative and finance rules, regulations and guidelines.
Chairman
Secretary
Mr. Sakhizada has completed his specialization in computer science at the bachelors level and has a Master’s degree (MA) in Applied Community Change and Peace building from USA. He has more than 8 years of experience in Human Resources management, Administration and program management . He has previously served as a researcher and data analyst for a primary health care research project conducted by FGA in collaboration with John Hopkins University. He joined FGA as researcher in November 2006 and promoted as Admin Manager in 2011 and as program director in 2017 and he is now the Managing Director Organizational Affairs for FGA since Jul-2022.
Board Member
Mr. Shirzai is specialist in rural development and applied community change and conservation with over 30 years of experience in program design, NGOs management
and leadership in Afghanistan and abroad. He completed a master degree in rural development in Nepal and another master degree program in
Applied community change and conservation in U.S.A.
During 1980s he was associate professor in Kabul University, and from 1990 – 2006 he was working in various NGOs and from 2007 to 2010 he worked as strategic planning
advisor in MRRD and later as Head of Afghanistan Institute for Rural Development. Since 2011, he has been working as Country Director
of Future Generations Afghanistan. Presently, he is a Ph.D. Candidates at the School of Social and Behavioral Science of Erasmus
University – Rotterdam.
Member
Mr. Khalil Graduated in 1988 from civil engineering faculty (Diploma level) from Nangarhar University/ Afghanistan and got master’s degree for applied community change and conservation from US based Future Generation University. Started work from 1990 with City planning institute called PAMA as a building engineer and closely worked with Nangarhar Municipality for urban development activities for almost 6 years. Within the period, Mr. Khalil designed buildings and monitored the construction activities linked to the relevant governmental departments. He has experience working with many NGOs, INGOs, and UN agencies and has close working relationships with governmental sectorial departments for the coordinated works. Mr. Khalil has more than 2 decades of work experience as a civil engineer, overseeing projects from start to completion, he worked as a construction supervisor for Afghan Development Association from 1996 – 1997 and joined German Agro Action (GAA) and worked there for 5 years. He has been working with NGOs for almost 2 decades including, IFRC as an office manager, UNFAO as an Irrigation design engineer, Amerifa Construction Company as a aproject manager and joined FGA as a regional manager.
Member
Chairman
Jonathan Michael Feldman was born in New York City and has worked as a political organizer and researcher for several decades. He has graduate degrees in regional economic development from MIT (Masters in City Planning) and Rutgers Universities (PhD). He was a Corliss Lamont Fellow in Economic Conversion and Disarmament at Columbia University in the United States and a Postdoctoral Fellow at Linköping University in Sweden. He presently works at Stockholm University and previously worked at the National Institute for Working Life in Stockholm. He also cooperates with Erasmus and Radboud Universities in the Netherlands, specifically their programs related to ecology and cleaner production. He organized the first national Green New Deal conference in Sweden, broadcast by Swedish Television (SVT) in March of 2009.
Feldman is an expert in several areas including: the economic conversion of defense-serving firms to civilian markets and related questions of demilitarization; the economic, managerial and political factors influencing passenger rail car manufacturing and innovation and related green innovation and jobs questions; mechanisms for advancing green transitions; and various aspects of social inclusion, economic development questions and democratic empowerment. Current research projects include: investigations of the history of rail transit manufacturing; mechanisms for European engagement in Palestinian economic development; social transformation models for Iran and the Iranian diaspora; and demilitarization of arms-export dependent societies.
Feldman has supported efforts to support alternative energy and sustainable growth in Nigeria. He is also supervising a doctoral student based at Rotterdam University investigating the diffusion of solar power in Afghanistan, where an NGO working in that country might have a potential interest in diffusion of alternative energy systems. A recent paper explores how universities could act as diffusion agents for alternative energy through a mobilization process (published in Discourse and Communication for Sustainable Education): Learn more
A recent study on industrial production of passenger rail cars in the United States can be found here
Dr. Feldman has authored various academic articles which have been published in the Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace & Conflict, the Sage Encyclopedia of Transportation, the International Journal of Labour Research, Journal of Transport History, The Economics of Peace and Security Journal, Peace Review, Equal Opportunities International, Environment and Planning A, European Planning Studies, Discourse and Communication for Sustainable Education, Socialism & Democracy, and Economic and Industrial Democracy, and the International Journal of Multicultural Studies. He has also published public opinion articles in Svenska Dagbladet, a leading national newspaper in Sweden, and was interviewed this Spring by Dagens Nyheter and SVT about the Ukrainian crisis.
Secretary
Member
Ajmal Shirzai is specialist in rural development and applied community change and conservation with over 30 years of experience in program design, NGOs management and leadership in Afghanistan and abroad. He completed a master degree in rural development in Nepal and another master degree program in Applied community change and conservation in U.S.A. He is the research faculty staff of Future Generations University and County Director of Future Generations Afghanistan.
During 1980s he was associate professor in Kabul University, and from 1990 – 2006 he was working in various NGOs and from 2007 to 2010 he worked as strategic planning advisor in Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and development (MRRD) and later as Head of Afghanistan Institute for Rural Development. Since 2011, he has been working as Country Director of Future Generations Afghanistan. Presently, he is a Ph.D. Candidates at the School of Social and Behavioral Science of Erasmus University – Rotterdam. He is a master Sport -Basketball and former player of Afghanistan National Basket players. Learn more
Treasurer
Andrew Liebmann Has experience in project management with a demonstrated history of successful development and execution of effective project planning. Skilled in Business Process, Sustainable Development, Management, Green Economy. He has a Master of Science degree in International Relations from Stockholm University and a Master of Science in Sustainable Technology from KTH.
Member
Jonathan Collins is a PhD researcher at Charles University and Leiden University, analyzing social movements and alternative forms of community identity. For his master’s research at Charles University, he focused on the expansion of violent transnational movements, attempting to understand the essential ingredients for perpetuators of conflict. Jonathan grew up in Ontario, Canada, attending Western University and studying for a bachelor’s in history. His fascination with unpacking conflict and conflict resolution came from the multifaceted approaches he learned in his undergraduate degree, where he discovered the many deep-seated historical and sociopolitical issues resonating across different regions of the world. This fascination carries across his diverse areas of academic foci, with an immersive and holistic understanding of political violence and alternative social movements at the forefront of his research. In his free time, Jonathan is an avid lover of the great outdoors and summer sports, where he can be found climbing the Slovak mountains or on the football pitch.
This policy has principles, policies and procedures governing FGEO’s administrative framework and operating practices. It provides employees with procedural instructions, illustrates the scope of the responsibility and authorities of staff and program divisions and standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal control as well as improve transparency and accountability.
The policy outlines the general principles & standard of Human Resource process that apply in FGEO offices. It is intended for program managers to ensure that minimum personnel requirements are met, and for their staff, to inform them in general of theirs working entitlements. The purpose is to ensure that all staff members receive fair & equitable treatment while working in FGEO.
This policy provides a standardized set of concepts, principles & procedure of FGEO financial system to ensure consistent and effective operations throughout the FGEO offices in Afghanistan. It standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal controls, improve transparency and accountability and help the FGEO to safeguard its resources. As FGEO grows in size and complexity, program managers and field staff need to be clear about the extent of their financial responsibilities: the distinction between procedures which are mandatory and those with guidelines: and the way in which their work interacts with the finance division in the country office.
This policy provides a framework to FGEO management at different levels to identify and reduce the risk associated with staff, offices, assets and programs’ and to formalize the analysis of the security risks on the basis of the underlying threats and potential future threats rather than on the basis of historical incidents. The policy also provides guidance to all FGEO staff members and visitors on security issues. This document contains guidelines for the safety and security of FGEO’s employees, office, vehicles and property. This guideline can reduce risks, but does not eliminate them. The purpose of this guideline is to minimize security risks, and vulnerability of FGEO staff members working, traveling, and living in insecure environments.
This policy has principles, policies and procedures governing FGEO’s administrative framework and operating practices. It provides employees with procedural instructions, illustrates the scope of the responsibility and authorities of staff and program divisions and standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal control as well as improve transparency and accountability.
The policy outlines the general principles & standard of Human Resource process that apply in FGEO offices. It is intended for program managers to ensure that minimum personnel requirements are met, and for their staff, to inform them in general of theirs working entitlements. The purpose is to ensure that all staff members receive fair & equitable treatment while working in FGEO.
This policy provides a standardized set of concepts, principles & procedure of FGEO financial system to ensure consistent and effective operations throughout the FGEO offices in Afghanistan. It standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal controls, improve transparency and accountability and help the FGEO to safeguard its resources. As FGEO grows in size and complexity, program managers and field staff need to be clear about the extent of their financial responsibilities: the distinction between procedures which are mandatory and those with guidelines: and the way in which their work interacts with the finance division in the country office.
This policy provides a framework to FGEO management at different levels to identify and reduce the risk associated with staff, offices, assets and programs’ and to formalize the analysis of the security risks on the basis of the underlying threats and potential future threats rather than on the basis of historical incidents. The policy also provides guidance to all FGEO staff members and visitors on security issues. This document contains guidelines for the safety and security of FGEO’s employees, office, vehicles and property. This guideline can reduce risks, but does not eliminate them. The purpose of this guideline is to minimize security risks, and vulnerability of FGEO staff members working, traveling, and living in insecure environments.
This policy has principles, policies and procedures governing FGEO’s administrative framework and operating practices. It provides employees with procedural instructions, illustrates the scope of the responsibility and authorities of staff and program divisions and standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal control as well as improve transparency and accountability.
The policy outlines the general principles & standard of Human Resource process that apply in FGEO offices. It is intended for program managers to ensure that minimum personnel requirements are met, and for their staff, to inform them in general of theirs working entitlements. The purpose is to ensure that all staff members receive fair & equitable treatment while working in FGEO.
This policy provides a standardized set of concepts, principles & procedure of FGEO financial system to ensure consistent and effective operations throughout the FGEO offices in Afghanistan. It standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal controls, improve transparency and accountability and help the FGEO to safeguard its resources. As FGEO grows in size and complexity, program managers and field staff need to be clear about the extent of their financial responsibilities: the distinction between procedures which are mandatory and those with guidelines: and the way in which their work interacts with the finance division in the country office.
This policy provides a framework to FGEO management at different levels to identify and reduce the risk associated with staff, offices, assets and programs’ and to formalize the analysis of the security risks on the basis of the underlying threats and potential future threats rather than on the basis of historical incidents. The policy also provides guidance to all FGEO staff members and visitors on security issues. This document contains guidelines for the safety and security of FGEO’s employees, office, vehicles and property. This guideline can reduce risks, but does not eliminate them. The purpose of this guideline is to minimize security risks, and vulnerability of FGEO staff members working, traveling, and living in insecure environments.
This policy has principles, policies and procedures governing FGEO’s administrative framework and operating practices. It provides employees with procedural instructions, illustrates the scope of the responsibility and authorities of staff and program divisions and standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal control as well as improve transparency and accountability.
The policy outlines the general principles & standard of Human Resource process that apply in FGEO offices. It is intended for program managers to ensure that minimum personnel requirements are met, and for their staff, to inform them in general of theirs working entitlements. The purpose is to ensure that all staff members receive fair & equitable treatment while working in FGEO.
This policy provides a standardized set of concepts, principles & procedure of FGEO financial system to ensure consistent and effective operations throughout the FGEO offices in Afghanistan. It standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal controls, improve transparency and accountability and help the FGEO to safeguard its resources. As FGEO grows in size and complexity, program managers and field staff need to be clear about the extent of their financial responsibilities: the distinction between procedures which are mandatory and those with guidelines: and the way in which their work interacts with the finance division in the country office.
This policy provides a framework to FGEO management at different levels to identify and reduce the risk associated with staff, offices, assets and programs’ and to formalize the analysis of the security risks on the basis of the underlying threats and potential future threats rather than on the basis of historical incidents. The policy also provides guidance to all FGEO staff members and visitors on security issues. This document contains guidelines for the safety and security of FGEO’s employees, office, vehicles and property. This guideline can reduce risks, but does not eliminate them. The purpose of this guideline is to minimize security risks, and vulnerability of FGEO staff members working, traveling, and living in insecure environments.
This policy has principles, policies and procedures governing FGEO’s administrative framework and operating practices. It provides employees with procedural instructions, illustrates the scope of the responsibility and authorities of staff and program divisions and standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal control as well as improve transparency and accountability.
The policy outlines the general principles & standard of Human Resource process that apply in FGEO offices. It is intended for program managers to ensure that minimum personnel requirements are met, and for their staff, to inform them in general of theirs working entitlements. The purpose is to ensure that all staff members receive fair & equitable treatment while working in FGEO.
This policy provides a standardized set of concepts, principles & procedure of FGEO financial system to ensure consistent and effective operations throughout the FGEO offices in Afghanistan. It standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal controls, improve transparency and accountability and help the FGEO to safeguard its resources. As FGEO grows in size and complexity, program managers and field staff need to be clear about the extent of their financial responsibilities: the distinction between procedures which are mandatory and those with guidelines: and the way in which their work interacts with the finance division in the country office.
This policy provides a framework to FGEO management at different levels to identify and reduce the risk associated with staff, offices, assets and programs’ and to formalize the analysis of the security risks on the basis of the underlying threats and potential future threats rather than on the basis of historical incidents. The policy also provides guidance to all FGEO staff members and visitors on security issues. This document contains guidelines for the safety and security of FGEO’s employees, office, vehicles and property. This guideline can reduce risks, but does not eliminate them. The purpose of this guideline is to minimize security risks, and vulnerability of FGEO staff members working, traveling, and living in insecure environments.
FG has a history of self-reliance and community empowerment that is based on a participatory and inclusive decision-making processes; gender equality, transparency and accountability and sustainability. It has used its proven approach (SEED-SCALE) in its target areas in Afghanistan. SEED is an acronym for Systems of Self Evaluation for Effective Decision-making. The focus of activities from the beginning is to facilitate sustainable community based, community owned socio-economic and systemic change in resource-poor settings. Rapid expansion occurs with systematic promotion of training and support with ideas but with minimum outside funding to build self-reliance, community capacity, changes in behavior and social norms and community empowerment. The SCALE is an acronym for Systems for Communities to Adapt, Learn and Expand in rapid extension from successful local sites, then transforming the best successes into Learning Centers, which extend to new regions to form a network of Learning Centers for national coverage. The SEED-SCALE is the FGEO Framework for action that allows communities to analyse their conditions in relation to national dynamics, take appropriate actions based on their priorities and resources and lasting change.
FGEO specializes in a partnership-based approach that strengthens linkages and skills among communities (bottom-up human energy), government (top-down enabling policies and financing), and non-governmental organizations (outside-in technical support) to address the needs of people living on the margins of society and protect fragile ecosystems. The core of FGEO's work is a system that communities and governments can use to shape their futures. In its entire project portfolio, FGEO stresses the importance for self-reliance and empowerment of local communities. The institution’s intention is to create the attitudinal and behavior changes that will improve the lives and livelihoods of community people. In our approach, efforts to instill in all activities a “You can do it” set of convictions builds capacity in our entire target areas.
It is common these days to speak of methodologies of self-reliance and empowerment – almost all organizations in the world claim to do or at least promote these. But most organizations attempt self-reliance and empowerment by giving services. Self-reliance is not giving to, but rather it is building out from people. Future Generations has an exemplary world-encircling evidence base of achieving both self-reliance and empowerment. Distinctive about the Future Generations approach is that it is based on scholarship begun with funding from UNICEF in 1992, which continues today. The methodology that has been developed is known as SEED-SCALE that the process was first presented in two monographs at the 1995 United Nations Summit in Copenhagen and more recently articulated in the book Just and Lasting Change: When Communities Own Their Futures. It continues to be refined through ongoing research, collaboration, and field application. FGEO implements SEED-SCALE theory of change that offers a process for each community to develop its own services and enhance its efficacy and control. The approach uses resources all communities have, and builds from actions that have already started. The SEED-SCALE process activates the energy and resources of communities (SEED) and expands successes across large regions through government partnership (SCALE). SEED-SCALE is a framework to understand how to enable community empowerment as well as methodology (complete with guiding principles, action steps, and evaluation criteria) that can be taught to and used by communities functioning at the most basic level.
The essence of SEED-SCALE approach is the recognition that community members are the primary
authors and
actors for addressing their socio-economic problems, and awakening them to a possibility for
a better
life and self-reliant actions. FGEO will ensure its humanitarian and development programs
with
communities are:
Targeted the most vulnerable – for their Self-sufficiency that is the ability to provide
everything one
needs in sufficient quantities to save life and livelihoods.
Dynamically Transformative - community members uncover their own definition of human
well-being and the
direction they themselves define as most desirable to ensure it. This shifthelps them to
move away from
dependencies.
Empowering - communities through participatory planning, implementation, and management of
local
development activities.
Improving – local leadership will be strengthening to become more accountable and inclusive.
Connected – although arising as local initiatives, strong linkages and partnership are
forged with
regional and national development actions.
Iterative – so community initiated success leads to another and then to another until
community networks
are established district wide, regionally and nationally.
In all its humanitarian and development works with communities, FGEO will not present itself
as a source
of funding, but as a facilitating partner and capacity builder. The SEED-SCALE approach has
enabled the
FGA to focus communities on how they themselves can channel their social and human capitals
towards
overcoming socio-economic problems rather than always looking for outside sources of support
and
funding. This means the work of FGA promotes self-sufficiency in the emergency or
humanitarian situation
and moves toward self-reliance and empowerment.
| Distinguishing Features of SEED-SCALE | ||
|---|---|---|
| SEED-SCALE | Traditional Development | |
| Key Resource | Human Energy | Financing |
| Planning Mindset | Evolutionary Growth | Construction Engineering |
| Planning Process | Agenda - Plan - Budget | Budget - Agenda - Plan |
| Who Does the Work | Three-way Partnership | Professionals |
| Implementation Structure | Local Institutions | Consultants/Project Units |
| Ultimate Accountability | Community | Donor |
| Approach | Build on Successes | Fix Problems / Answer Needs |
| Criteria for Decisions | Evidence | Power, Opinions b Habits |
| Major Desired Outcome | Behavior Change | Measurable Results |
| Criteria for Evaluation | Strengthening 4 Principles | Budget Compliance |
| Learning Mode | Iterative, Experimental | Get it Right the First Time |
| Management Mode | Mentoring | Control |
| Commitment Horizon | Depends on Utility of Partnership | Depends on Donor's Budget Cycle |
Crops grow through a cycle that is followed the world around: prepare the soil, plant the field, irrigate for germination, nurture its production, protect it from invasion, and then harvest. Social change apparently also follows a cycle. We first found this cyclical approach to be globally applicable in UNICEF, with the triple–A process of assessment, analysis, and action. The three larger steps of triple-A became more specific as the global SEED-SCALE task forces crafted the seven tasks. Twenty years of field trials for the seven –task cycle have shown it to work across cultures and economic circumstances, a universal process to evolve site- specific solutions for building capacity (assessment), choosing (analysis), and getting the desired results (action).
Evolve leadership. Leadership is likely to be more effective if it is not limited to one person. A coordinating committee gathers the community together to plan action using local data, get cooperation from both long- standing and recent faction, and points to changed behaviors. Once communities feel they are reaching commonality, action strengthens. The initial committee is reconstituted as people rotate off and others fill their places. So, the first task is to create a local coordinating committee to supervise the other six tasks.
Determine what has worked already. The community s desired future will seem more achievable if it grows out of past successes. Action draws on that experience and confidence. People are continuing processes they know and, being familiar with these process, have the skills to start improving. A second task is to find local successes.
Learn from other; don’t try to originate action alone. Encourage people to visit other projects and learn from them. When people see an idea and learn what is involved in it, they are more likely to try and experiment with it. Onsite visits are one way to gain knowledge, but with the Internet, cross-community learning is easier, faster, and less expensive. A third task is to learn from the experiences of others.
Every community has the opportunity to decide its direction (and as doing so at some level already). Growth occurs by moving from what the community has (SEED) toward what is desired (SCALE). This requires evidence, which, as decisions are being made, shapes them to be more effective. AS communities review their direction (self-evaluation), they identify successes and challenges and produce a functional analysis from which jobs are assigned to everyone (effective decision – making). These are evidence- based decisions, specific to that community.
Self–evaluation involves cyclical assessment of households and socio-environmental conditions, using key indicators to grow increasingly complex understandings over time. Such assessments are most accurate with a diversity of inputs from women, students, men’s groups, and experts. Communities can conduct independent assessments, but in trying to act alone, they miss using techniques that experts can assist with, such as existing evidence bases a community may not about, and key indicators to survey. A fourth task is use self– evaluation in understanding your community.
Effective decision-making analyzes gathered evidence to create work plans
that
are doable. There are three steps in this: causal analysis, functional
analysis,
and role reallocation. In making work plans, the objective is to involve all
partners and to balance needs against the uses of time, finances, government
services, and natural resources. The outcome produces tasks that people will
perform in the coming year. Plans have a negative value if the work is not
done;
their proposals must be doable.
The fifth task is to create a community work plan.
This is a public document – a simple chart assigning roles that target the
achievement the community aspires to. There should be roles for all:
community,
exports, and the government. A good work plan can be read at a glance,
showing
what each participant must do, and when to do it. Some communities may want
a
one –year work plan, but our growing experience with SEED-SCALE indicates
that
plans are more helpful when done quarterly or even bimonthly. Consider
posting
the plan in public place, such as on the side of a building or a sign coming
into town. Select a place that prompts discussion and remind those who have
not
done their jobs that they need to act. This document is the community s
future,
and an inventory of past work plans outlines the community s history of
social
change.
Actions always elicit a choice between paid- for and volunteer work.
Each type of actor has value. Paid –for actions require a source of money, and money
is a scarce resource, so this choice may limit the work that can be accomplished.
Thus volunteers are helpful to all community plans. The major advantage of
volunteers, however, is not free labor, but the fact that these people are acting
from self-interest, where the work itself viewed as something to improve their live.
As people agree on a priority, action should start. If a group gives itself
a name, this builds pride and justifies their actions. The term we use is
action groups, but many other names are possible for groups of people who
are acting for the community instead of acting for themselves. Failures will
be frequent- getting the action right is not as important as getting the
action going, discovering flaws, and then making it better.
Thus a sixth task is to act according to the work plan.
As communities move forward, they must also look sideways and backward.
Because communities thrive on anecdotes and not on evidence, rumors and
stories will abound. A countervailing forum of formal discussions, based on
evidence, is one way of stemming their harm. This 360- degree perspective
will guide adjustments in goals, finances, training, and oversight to ensure
inclusiveness and sustainability. Discussions stemming from multiple
perceptions are recursive –going forward, stepping back, looking around- and
create a momentum that grows into actions.
The key is to keep moving. A community going forward with its successes
calls in outsiders at the same time as it gathers up insiders. Patience will
be needed to keep time –driven outsiders (who report to other outsiders with
other priorities) from taking over. One exciting feature of SEED-SCALE is
when communities that are investing their resources experience this energy
draws in others. The community feels it is part of the bigger world, a very
different feeling from being victimized. Those who labored in the early
stages, however, will often think that the new-comers are taking advantage
of their earlier work. This is an unfortunate dynamic, and its negative
consequences should never be underestimated.
Effective midcourse corrections make the next cycle of community activity more affective.
A good midcourse correction may (but need not) adjust what is being done to reach the work plan target, which is the usual expectation. In SEED-SCALE, midcourse corrections always shift actions toward strengthening the four principles. Community commitment grows and keeps going forward when principles are strengthened. Thus the cycle of seven tasks come to its final task, to make midcourse corrections.
The sequence in which the tasks are accomplished does not matter, and this sequence should be adjusted for differing situations (Humanitarian and or Development). What is important is that all seven tasks be done, and doing an excellent job of any one tasks (or all of them) is not a priority. Doing them all again, and making the cycle better the next time, is what counts.
| The Seven Tasks: Their Objectives and Process | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Task Objective | Tasks / How? |
| 1 | Develop Leadership | Create or re-recreate a coordinating committee and use that to mobilize both the community and its partners. An individual leader can get caught between factions, while a committee can bring groups together and has the potential to distribute responsibilities |
| 2 | Find a Starting Point & Resources | Identify past successes. Whatever a community has done best in the past will be the most likely base for future success. An existing success within a community is the strongest base for future success. On its own, a community may not see its strengths; experts can help identify these. |
| 3 | Obtain a Relevant Education | Visit other communities to learn about their successes. Find where worked for others people in similar circumstances and adapt these practices. Send community members who will actually perform the tasks on these visits (instead of just the powerful ones), so the workers get trained. |
| 4 | Fit situation-ecology, economy, values | Use self-evaluation. Evaluate the situation objectively – and for that, get evidence (gather data, information and problem specific to each community). Such objective data provides a better basis for action, therefore, use evidence as the base, instead of decisions stemming from opinions, power or who has the money. |
| 5 | Determine direction & partners | Employ effective decision-making. Working from data specific to each community, discussion will identify and clarify actions that can solve problems and build community confidence. Discussing these matters collaboratively, the community probes the sources of problems and explores alternative solutions and prioritize what is attainable. Once community members (in public meetings, guided by the coordinating committee) have agreed on an achievable course of action, it’s time to create a project and or an annual work plan that assigns specific jobs and functions to all. Under emergency or humanitarian situation, most of the activities for this step will be performing by outside – in experts and organization. |
| 6 | Coordinate people, resources & time | Act or Start Popular Project. Involve as many community members as possible. Start projects that will be popular. Action grows when it is successful and addresses priorities. |
| 7 | Keep momentum on track |
Make midcourse corrections. Monitor the momentum of community action, in
order to make necessary midcourse corrections. Identify gaps during the
course of work plan implementation. Corrections should strengthen the
principles – commend success, grow partnerships, refine evidence, nurture
behavior changes – with the larger result that community energy rises.
Strengthening principles is the objective, and it is more important than achieving work plan targets, because community fabric grows stronger through strengthened principles. Under humanitarian situation, improvements will only be short-term when the natural resource base is declining. On-going, multilevel monitoring is critical, with all three partners participating, gathering data, and revising targets to maintain the collective focus on creating more just, sustainable, and community-specific futures. Involvement of objective outsiders can be very important in this phase. |
This policy has documented the principles, policies and procedure governing FGEO’s administrative framework and operating practices. It provides employees with procedural instructions, illustrates the scope of the responsibility and authorities of staff and program divisions and standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal control as well as improve transparency and accountability.
The document outlines the general principles & standard of Human Resource process that apply in FGEO offices. It is intended for program managers to ensure that minimum personnel requirements are met, and for their staff, to inform them in general of theirs working entitlements. The purpose is to ensure that all staff members receive fair & equitable treatment while working in FGEO.
This policy provides a standardized set of concepts, principles & procedure of FGEO financial system to ensure consistent and effective operations throughout the FGEO offices in Afghanistan. It standardizes all organizational rules and procedures in order to create a system of internal controls, improve transparency and accountability and help the FGEO to safeguard its resources. As FGEO grows in size and complexity, program managers and field staff need to be clear about the extent of their financial responsibilities: the distinction between procedures which are mandatory and those with guidelines: and the way in which their work interacts with the finance division in the country office.
This policy provides a framework to FGEO management at different levels to identify and reduce the risk associated with staff, offices, assets and programs’ and to formalize the analysis of the security risks on the basis of the underlying threats and potential future threats rather than on the basis of historical incidents. The policy also provides guidance to all FGEO staff members and visitors on security issues. This document contains guidelines for the safety and security of FGEO’s employees, office, vehicles and property. This guideline can reduce risks, but does not eliminate them. The purpose of this guideline is to minimize security risks, and vulnerability of FGEO staff members working, traveling, and living in insecure environments.
The Anti-Corruption Policy aims to communicate FGEO policy regarding the deterrence and investigation of suspected misconduct and dishonesty by employees and others, and to provide specific instructions regarding appropriate action in case of suspected violations. The policy provides a framework for all employees in the prevention, detection, reporting and management of fraud and corruption in the FGEO workplace in Kabul and provinces. The policy applies to individuals who are engaged in providing services to the FGEO or receiving services from the FGEO, its partners, counterparts, contractors etc.
FGEO recognizes that gender relations and inequalities are fundamental causes of poverty and social exclusion. The organization has increasing worked with a gender perspective over the years. The experience has led us to acknowledge that women’s empowerment and the recognition of women’s rights are essential for sustainable development. Therefore, the FGEO’s gender policy aims to ensure gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to FGEO at program level, organizational culture, public image and finance and resource allocation.
The program management manual helps FGEO employees and stakeholders to understand Future Generations approach to self-sufficiency and social change. The manual describes self-sufficiency and social change diagram of FGEO, the FGEO operational strategy (SEED-SCALE), its four principles, seven tasks and five evaluation criteria. The manual also explains the dimension of SEED-SCALE approach and the scale up strategies. The positive impacts of Future Generations projects and organization operational strategy are mentioned in the last section.
The program management manual helps FGEO employees and stakeholders to understand Future Generations approach to self-sufficiency and social change. The manual describes self-sufficiency and social change diagram of FGEO, the FGEO operational strategy (SEED-SCALE), its four principles, seven tasks and five evaluation criteria. The manual also explains the dimension of SEED-SCALE approach and the scale up strategies. The positive impacts of Future Generations projects and organization operational strategy are mentioned in the last section.
Future Generations Afghanistan uses the European Commission Monitoring Tools Manual, which is prepared for NGOs. The manual contains the communication tools including how to conduct (a) numerous types of interviews (individual, key informant, focus groups, hold a lesson-learned meeting etc.), (b) different analysis (gender, stakeholder, livelihoods, risk, conflict etc.), (c) several assessment techniques (surveys, participatory etc.). The manual also explains on how to carry out a field visit, or set up a complaints and response mechanism.
Future Generations as learning organization requires to evaluate its program, and regular gather and disseminate new knowledge among Future Generations Global Network including experts of Future Generations University. The program evaluation manual helps FGEO managers to design evaluation for donor funded development and humanitarian projects. It will also help the employees in information gathering, analysis and presenting conclusion and recommendations. The manual explains the evaluation reporting template including reporting requirement of AHF funded projects.
The FGEO Access Strategy is a policy for FGEO to render humanitarian assistance in insecure area. The Access Strategy aims to provide FGEO and their partners with the flexibility to experiment with alternative forms of implementation that are tailored to the local context including provision of alternative approaches for inclusion of women as members and decision makers. The policy defines measures to mitigate fiduciary risk inherent to operating in a volatile insecure environment and also establish a framework in which FGEO and its donors, and communities can evaluate the successes and failures of alternative implementation approaches and share lessons learned. The access strategy establishes further decentralized mechanisms within the humanitarian program structure that allow local decision-making, timely sub-project identification, rapid delivery of humanitarian assistance and development project implementation as per the outline specification mentioned in project document.
The FGEO head quarter is in Kabul Afghanistan with its liaison office in Sweden. The Afghanistan office is managed by Executive Director, responsible for Board of Director. The main sections are (a) Research, (b) Program Design, (c) Program Implementation sections. The finance section and the Admin & HRD sections are the supporting section of FGEO, provide administrative and finance supports and services to the FGEO management program units.
FGA is the member of Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA)
www.cansouthasia.net.
It is a coalition of over 150 civil societies organizations working in eight South Asian countries.
CANSA aims to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change in
a manner that promotes equity and social justice between peoples, sustainable development of all
communities and protection of the global environment.
CANSA has been at the forefront of representing the southern perspectives at international
climate negotiations and undertakes inter-governmental, regional, and national actions. With
its large membership base CANSA works towards linking policy work, research and action based
work in the region to address and set workable solutions to the adverse effects of climate
change affecting the region.
http://www.cansouthasia.net/future-generations-afghanistan-2/
FGEO in collaboration with governmental and social institutions facilitates a process of equitable social change to empower youths and local communities to shape their futures..
Participation in the establishment of a civilized and secure society on the basis of principles of Self-sufficiency, Democracy and Social Justice.
