FECAS - ECSVS Forum

From Lungos to Ceps…

31-October-2014



The work of a board of an Inter-organisational NGO (Part 1/2)

In its annual general meeting (AGM) on November 8, 2014, the Liaison Unit of Non-governmental Organisations (Lungos) will be considering a motion to dissolve itself and in doing so subsequently establish Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps).

All the assets of Lungos will be transferred to Ceps which will be an inter-organisational NGO, whose members are organisations and therefore as a platform would function in a slightly more complex environment than an NGO which has “individuals” as members.

Ceps board members will also be elected at the meeting to be held in the afternoon of November 8. The work of the board of Ceps requires dedicated and committed individuals that are willing to give time for fulfilling the mission and objectives of Ceps.

The policy engagement side of the work of Ceps requires that the general opinions, concepts and ideas of civil society be translated into policy engagement language, preferably backed by research and evidence which can contribute to policy and law-making processes. Therefore to effectively achieve its objectives, the work of an inter-organisational NGO also requires, alongside the board, a secretariat with full-time professionals that have expertise in various professionally trained areas such as public administration, policy engagement, communications, law, economics, environment, social work, political science, project management etc.

Usually, the roles of board members of a platform are not only restricted to policy and taking part in board meetings, but they are also required to perform some executive and implementation functions associated with the role on a needs basis.

“Board membership work requires devotion, attention and can sometimes require dedicated time, but it is really rewarding to contribute to the development of one’s country,” said the chairperson of Lungos, Marie-Nella Azemia at a meeting of the board of Lungos in October 2014.

Being part of a board can be enriching and rewarding, but it requires commitment. Through elections, the members of Ceps will be called to make a choice for their platform, and the choice they make will be crucial to the success of Ceps.

Contributed

Source Seychelles Nation

Ceps chief executive Steve Lalande resigns

12-February-2015
Citizen Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps) chief executive Steve Lalande has resigned.

News of his resignation was relayed to the Seychelles NATION by Jules Hoareau, chairperson of Ceps.

Mr Hoareau has said that as per the standard operating procedures, the vacant post will be advertised and in the interim he will, as chairperson of Ceps, oversee the running of the secretariat.

Mr Hoareau added that following the dissolution of Lungos (Liaison Unit of Non-governmental Organisations), all staff including the chief executive were offered six-month contracts with the new organisation – Ceps.

All contracts expire in May 2015, but unfortunately Mr Lalande has resigned from his post two months prior to the expiry date and no explanation for his departure was given.
http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=244488

Le Seychellois Hebdo

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (CEPS) Steve Lalande is stepping down.
Mr. Lalande has been at the head of the nongovernmental organisation formerly known as LUNGOS since August 2006.
In a statement released by CEPS Mr. Lalande said: "I have dedicated 9 years of my career to civil society and I feel that now is the time to seek new opportunities."
Vacancy for the post of CEPS CEO is now open as Mr. Lalande's resignation takes effect as of 1st March.

https://www.facebook.com/18975358108895 ... 09/?type=1

National Youth Policy Forum

26-February-2015
A coordinated approach to addressing issues affecting the youths

The National Youth Policy Forum is a multi-sectorial working group established under the auspices of the Youth Department with the primary role of providing advice and making recommendations aimed at ensuring youth policy objectives in priority areas of concern to young people are effectively carried out.

The Forum comprises the principal secretary for youth who is the chairperson, the principal secretaries for employment, for education, for health, for social affairs, the chief executive of SNYC (Seychelles National Youth Council), as well as its deputy and the director general for youth affairs.

The Forum convenes once every month and may co-opt other individuals to its meeting as and when necessary.
When creating the working group which constitutes the Forum, care was taken to ensure that the selected candidates adequately represent the more glaring priority areas identified for action, namely: education and training, economic participation, health and well-being, social ills, promotion of youth empowerment and moral values.

These are very sensitive issues which, if not sufficiently addressed, can adversely affect the lives and upbringing of our adolescents and youth, causing damage to their personal well-being. To note that discussions related to education, training and employment and healthy living continue to feature prominently in separate workshops and gatherings being held throughout the year.

Progress in other priority areas such as culture, environment and ICT, will be pursued with the same intensity albeit through different channels.

The National Youth Policy Forum represents a striking example of inter-ministerial co-operation bringing together a group of people, determined to address the challenges and concerns outlined in the National Youth Policy document.

It is to be recalled that the 2013-2017 edition of the National Youth Policy came into being in September 2013, following the approval of Cabinet and was officially launched during the Youth Festival the same year by Vice-President Danny Faure, in his capacity as Minister responsible for Youth. It was compiled following intense discussions and consultative work sessions held over several months with the participation of government agencies, civil society organisations and youth representatives from Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

As comprehensive as the policy might be, fulfilling its objectives requires the same kind of multi-sectorial effort and enthusiasm which were apparent during its formulation hence, the creation of the Forum.

Through a result-oriented approach, it strives to bring about workable solutions which would have a positive impact on the well-being of adolescents and youth who should continue to benefit from all the opportunities being put at their disposal.

The Forum has realised at least two major programmes the ‘SEYx30’ and ‘Values for One, Values for All’ which hold the promise of elevating the social well-being of the youth population.

Working in tandem with the Social Renaissance initiative, the ‘Values’ campaign seeks to reinforce the significance of making these noble principles so cherished by our society, a way of life within the family, the school compound, the workplace and the community at large.

The SEYx30 programme on the other hand aims to generally promote physical exercise as a vital component of healthy living while specifically encouraging young people from all corners to use it as a means to lessen, prevent and restrain the incidence of obesity and overweight which is now becoming rampant among the population.

Setting up the National Youth Policy Forum as a multi-sectorial entity is a way to acknowledge the importance of mobilising the effort and expertise of relevant stakeholders in a co-ordinated manner in order to achieve meaningful progress in a critical area such as youth development.

http://www.nation.sc/article.html?id=244635