Final Report of Missions to Coastal Habitat and Resources Management (CHARM) ; dated April to June, 2007By Thai Funds Foundation
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Final Report of Missions; dated April to June, 2007 By Thai Funds Foundation The present report consists two parts. The first part is presented in table describing a number of activities done within the scope of ILC’s development framework. And the second part is a general observation and analysis on each existing ILC, as well as their perspectives of development in the period to come. Also, in this part, a number of tables are presented to illustrate general performance of each ILC perceived by members of some ILC working teams. The step-by-step development process of all the ILCs was described in the other document written in Thai version entitling “Information and Learning Center Development Instructional Kit” which is an explanation how the working team’s members of each center had experienced their working steps to prepare the creation of their ILCs. The contents guideline of the mentioned manual include: (1) General ILC Concept : (2) Different Steps of ILC Development : 2.1 Conceptualization of ILC; 2.2 Brain-storming Activity and Output Made; 2.3 Nomination of task-force (working team) to Handle ILC; 2.4 Designation of Global Scope of Data & Information Contents in Database System of ILC; 2.5 Finalization of ILC’s Action Plan to Implement during the 1 st Year Period; 2.6 Introduction of ICT for Information & Knowledge Management; 2.7 Database System’s Developed; 2.8 Training & Workshop for ILC’s Working Team; 2.9 Implementing Period of ILC’s Activities Planned; 2.10 ILC’s Monitoring & Mentoring Phase. (3) Case-Study of ILCs in Three Particular Tambons : 3.1 ILC of Tambon Leeled; 3.2 ILC of Tambon Thakam; 3.3 ILC of Tambon Koh Lantanoi. Final Report of Missions 1
Transcript
Final Report of Missions; dated April to June, 2007By Thai Funds Foundation
The present report consists two parts. The first part is presented in table describing a number of activities done within the scope of ILC’s development framework. And the second part is a general observation and analysis on each existing ILC, as well as their perspectives of development in the period to come. Also, in this part, a number of tables are presented to illustrate general performance of each ILC perceived by members of some ILC working teams.
The step-by-step development process of all the ILCs was described in the other document written in Thai version entitling “Information and Learning Center Development Instructional Kit” which is an explanation how the working team’s members of each center had experienced their working steps to prepare the creation of their ILCs.
The contents guideline of the mentioned manual include:
(1) General ILC Concept:
(2) Different Steps of ILC Development:
2.1 Conceptualization of ILC;2.2 Brain-storming Activity and Output Made;2.3 Nomination of task-force (working team) to Handle ILC;2.4 Designation of Global Scope of Data & Information Contents in Database System of ILC;2.5 Finalization of ILC’s Action Plan to Implement during the 1st Year Period;2.6 Introduction of ICT for Information & Knowledge Management;2.7 Database System’s Developed;2.8 Training & Workshop for ILC’s Working Team;2.9 Implementing Period of ILC’s Activities Planned;2.10 ILC’s Monitoring & Mentoring Phase.
(3) Case-Study of ILCs in Three Particular Tambons:
3.1 ILC of Tambon Leeled;3.2 ILC of Tambon Thakam;3.3 ILC of Tambon Koh Lantanoi.
Final Report of Missions 1
1st Part:Activities during the 3-month Period
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved OutputsILC, tambon Thakam - two working sessions
in development of local curriculum on “Geographical, Natural and Environment Resources;
- two meetings for assessment and informal evaluation on roles and activities of CRM Committee and those of the occupational groups in the previous months;
- a collective meeting of all communities working groups for evaluating and planning their working perspectives after the termination of CHARM Project.
- ILC working team and teaching representing tambon’s schools
- CRM Committee and a number of people representing occupational groups of the tambon
- Editing work of local curriculum on the chosen subject is today in progress, but not yet completed.
- A number of limits of CRM Committee were raised and discussed;
- The concrete actions to solve the existing problems were suggested.
- Planning session of future activities of each action groups was suggested to be done as soon as possible.
Final Report of Missions 2
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputs
- TAO strongly affirms to support initiatives of these action groups after the termination of CHARM Project.
ILC, tambon Suso - A rapid visit and meetings took place by the end of April and May, 2007, with the purpose to know the dynamic of ILC during the period.
- A meeting held with occupational groups’ representatives for discussion of information survey about the existing groups and their operation, and the evaluation on the role of CRM in the previous time.
- Chief of TAO (Khum Sombat) and some people working in the office.
- 10 Representatives of the occupational groups, with the presence of person from Provincial Fisheries Office of Trang province.
TFF
CHARM’s Staff, TFF, and Rakthai Foundation
- There is lack of continuity in the operation of ILC, the only reason is no key person handling tasks to operate all activities initially planned.
- The questionnaire for information survey about the existing occupational groups within the tambon, the answers given in the questionnaires are insufficient and impertinent.
- The CRM was setup, but not so functional in practice. The revision in terms of its
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Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputsregulation or its persons was suggested to be done.
ILC, tambon Leeled - Three visits and meetings were done with the Advisory Committee to update the progress of activities, including that of ILC.
- The last two meetings were done to prepare inauguration ceremony for the new building, and also for preparation of people’s forum to be organized the same day.
- The mentioned event took place in June 23, 2007.
- Key persons working in the Advisory Committee
TFF and CHARM’s staff.
Contents of People’s Forum organized in the afternoon of June 23, 2007 are:
• Eco-tourism development;
• Operation MCS;• Fishing community
model;• Operation CBM;• Advisory Council or
CRM, as local mechanisms for development resource management;
• Environment action (case of garbage management in Leeled)
- The operation of ILC of tambon Leeled has been continued in perturbed manner due to irresponsibility of the person assigned to handle the tasks.
- It was suggested that the community learning center should have been operated by some key persons already active in the Advisory Committee, and some among them are director and teachers of Wat Bang Pla School.
- The office building newly finished and opened can be, from now on, a community common place to
• TOA Policy for community development resource management.
conduct several activities dealing with coastal resources management works. And, since the TAO has no commitment or interest to take part in the movement, the future working resources (budget) shall be therefore mobilized by the committee.
- It is therefore important that the committee should have worked and found appropriate strategy to gain acceptance and support from public, both inside and outside the tambon communities.
ILC, tambon Takrob - Meeting with community's environment monitoring team;
- About 50 attendants in the workshop, including school teachers, community
TFF and ENVISION - ILC of tambon Takrob was created and today in existence. The progress of works
Final Report of Missions 5
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputs- Meeting with school
teachers for discussion on local curriculum using information of the ILC.
- Organization of one-day learning workshop on: “community-based Coastal Habitats Survey and monitoring techniques”
people active in environment surveillance and protection, as well as interested school students.
relies mainly on activeness of persons in charge of the center. The main problem of the center is the fact that no specific person in charge of operating activities initially planned, the future of the center is therefore unstable.
- Number of tambon schools’ teachers having attended in the meetings organized during the last 2 months. Their commitment to join working in the Center shall be of great potential to make its operation more possible and realized.
- The TAO should be more active to support the operation of the center, mobilizing
Final Report of Missions 6
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputshuman resources especially from tambon schools to help development of the center to become community’s learning profit.
ILC, tambon Plaiwas - Three monthly meetings were organized with ILC of tambon Plaiwas, the main working issues of the meetings include, follow-up of working progress of ILC in general and monitoring progress of local curriculum on geographical, natural, and environmental resources in tambon communities.
- The last meeting in June, 2007 focused to
- ILC Working Team;- Teacher from tambon
schools participating in local curriculum development.
TFF - ILC’s working team of tambon Plaiwas is one among some three others who have well committed to work for the center.
- The operation of the center has gradually progressed, however the initiatives to make the center more active in the organization of learning activities for tambon communities seems always unscheduled.
- The TAO of Plaiwas is
Final Report of Missions 7
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputswork on evaluation of ILC and its planning of the next steps of work after the termination of CHARM Project.
supportive in certain level to the existing center. Hopefully when the concrete learning activities planned, more supports should have made possible from the local public administration.
- It was proposed in the last meeting that ILC (with participation of school teachers) should have fulfilled the production of local curriculum which is partially done at this stage.
- Seen the termination of CHARM Project, it was also suggested that the working team of ILC continues its connections with TFF as well as searching some other supportive
Final Report of Missions 8
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputsactors to help development of ILC in the period to come.
ILC, tambon Koh Lantanoi - Three monitoring action and meeting with ILC working team had been done monthly from April to June, 2007.
- The first meeting of April was objected to assess and discuss the output of 2-day training & workshop of March, specially organized for ILC working team.
- The second meeting session in May integrated the action groups already existing and working with CHARM Project (CRM Committee and some occupational groups). In the meeting, a number of
ILC Working Group
ILC, CRM Committee, and representatives from the existing occupational groups.
- Field working during the 3-month period in tambon Koh Lantanoi integrated collaboration of three parties, which are Rakthai Foundation, field staff of CHARM Project, and TFF.
- Development period of ILC of tambon Koh Lantanoi had been short, but the learning outcome of its working team is comparable to many others having more period of development.
- Real commitment and qualifications of people composing the team explain, in major part, this successful factor.
- In discussion about the CRM Committee issue, number of problems and limitations were raised and a number of possible measurements suggested for its solution.
- The collected questionnaires with
Final Report of Missions 9
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputscopies of questionnaire were distributed to representatives of the occupational groups to fill as part of information and detailed survey about the groups. The information gained will be concluded and made resourceful for mutual learning among people within tambon communities.
- And the last meeting, was the final and evaluation meeting with ILC, CRM committee, occupational groups, and Chief of TAO of tambon Koh Lantanoi.
ILC, CRM Committee, occupational groups, and Chief of TAO.
the filled information had been made concluded and to make this presented on database system of ILC.
- All activities launched for implementation in tambon communities were accepted well by TAO. The Chief of TAO expressed clearly his commitment to support the on-going phase of these activities after the termination of CHARM Project.
ILC, tambon Bangteoy - Three meeting sessions were held monthly in tambon Bangtoey in the presence of all concerned parties:
- CRM Committee,- Representatives from
the existing occupational groups.
- CHARM Staff, - Rakthai Foundation, - TFF.
- ILC of tambon Bangtoey is not successful since the beginning phase of development. The
Final Report of Missions 10
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputs- The meeting with key
persons representing ILC and CRM of tambon Bangtoey for assessment of general progress of activities conducted by each party.
- Each meeting was conducted in presence of Rakthai Foundation (Mr.Adul and his assistants) and field staff from CHARM Project.
- Three meeting agenda include: Roles of CRM Committee to deal with coastal resources management possibilities; occupational groups as one among concrete actions in term of resource management in tambon communities; and ILC
training & workshop provided to develop capacity of its working team attracted temporarily attention of its participants.
- No particular persons were assigned to take responsibility in the operation of the center. The coordinator of CRM committee seems to be the only person to centralize all responsibilities, including that of ILC.
- It was then proposed during all meeting sessions that a number of things shall have been revised, one among these concern ILC case, the other concerning revision of CRM’s structure, regulation, management
Final Report of Missions 11
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputsas learning mechanism for all development actors within tambon communities.
- Operation of information survey was conducted by the team from Rakthai Foundation for collection of occupational groups’ information. The operation had lasted within two months. Data and information gained was concluded and to be presented on database system of ILC.
approach, as well as recruitment of right persons of real commitment to take responsibilities for the more successful coastal resource management’s challenges and ambitions.
ILC, of Chalong Bay’s Community Organizations Network, Phuket
- On Saturday 28 th April, 2007, there was Chalong Bay’s Forum organized by local TAOs and some other organizations. The session of the day
- The event was opened to large public, and the Chalong Bay’s Community Organizations Networks (CCO) had taken part in the event.
TFF, as observer in the event
- Differ from other ILCs generally localized in rural tambon communities, the one newly created by CCO remains less recognized by TAOs
Final Report of Missions 12
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputsincludes: sea animals liberation; cleaning of the beaches; goods exhibition; thematic exhibitions presented by different institutions; People’s Exchange Forum on resources management in the tambons of Chalong Bay; and on environment problems existing and their solutions; etc.
- Meeting and discussion done informally with Mr.Suta, the only coordinator of the network, for making general assessment of ILC.
within the areas.- The persons
composing ILC working team seem not to be well orientated on the direction, not only of ILC itself but also of CCO’s movement in general. Their solid commitment to development of ILC is, therefore, not so clear.
- The status of CCO appears to be an informal movement of small fishermen within the areas who are conscious of coastal environment issues. Unlike TAO which is more institutional, the status of CCO seems less affirmative to handle ILC if there are no specific persons or team work to manage
Final Report of Missions 13
Tambon Areas Activities Participants Partners Involved Outputsall activities of the created center.
- It is, therefore, suggested that the center should be integrated to become part or functional sector within Marine Resources Research Institute of Phuket, where CCO can make use of information of the center to run its campaign or movement for coastal resource & environment management actions in the future.
Final Report of Missions 14
Final Report of Missions 15
Last 3 month TFF and others CHARM's partners pack together to the ILC areas for integrate the knowledge from their activities to the community.
Final Report of Missions 16
Final Report of Missions 17
The example of learning material that will provide to each Information and Learning Center.
Final Report of Missions 18
2nd Part:Reflections of ILC Experience & Perspective
Since the middle of 2006, 9 ILCs were created within nine tambons of five southern provinces localizing a number of coastal communities’ resources management programs with supports from CHARM Project. The first-six ILC were created and developed during 4-month period in the pilot areas totalizing 4 ILCs in Suratthani province and 2 ILCs in Trang provinces.
They are, respectively:
- ILC of tambon Leeled;- ILC of tambon Takrob;- ILC of tambon Plaiwas;- ILC of tambon Thakianthong;- ILC of tambon Thakam; and - ILC of tambon Suso.
The other 3 ILCs were extensively created and developed within a short period dated from February to March, 2007 each of it in Phang Nga, Krabi, and Phuket provinces. They are, respectively:
- ILC of tambon Bangtoey;- ILC of tambon Koh Lantanoi; and- ILC of Community Organizations Network of Chalong Bay
in Phuket.
In general point of view, these centers have all shared in common their models of development (conceptual and operational framework, working guidelines, ICT technical support for management of database and information system, etc.), with regular academic, technical consultation and support assured by the team from Thai Funds Foundation.
The differentiation among all these centers concerns generally the particularity of the task-force or persons (inclusively their qualifications) forming and taking responsibilities for operation and development of each ILC. This particularity influences, more or less, the appearing result and performance of each ILC today; the point that we would make some reflections herein.
The following tables are assessment of general performance ILC perceived by some their working groups:
Final Report of Missions 19
ILC, tambon Leeled
Performance Observed Qualifying LevelsGood Moderate Weak
1) Consolidation of the Working Team (WT) √2) Keenness in terms of role and responsibility of the working team
√
3) Information & knowledge management skills of the team’s members.
√
4) ICT skills for information & knowledge management.
√
5) Collective performance of WT as animator of community’s learning actions.
√
6) Working regularity collectively seen from meeting attendance and work commitment.
√
7) Representation of Key-person to become team’s leader/animator.
√
8) Support from TAO. √9) Recognition of local communities. √10) Global strength of the Team √
Totalized: 3 6 1Note:
- The Advisory Committee of tambon Leeled needs to newly set up the more committed and responsible persons forming the new “working team” to handle activities of ILC in the coming period. It was quite a waste of time that development of the center in the previous phase had been delayed with inactivity of person wrongly assigned to be in function.
- The newly assigned working team should have learnt the previous plan already worked out, revising it, and making it more applicable and corresponding to the global context of works or activities mobilized by the Advisory Committee.
- The most suitable or leading person to take care an operation of the center at this stage should be the Director of Wat Bangpla School who should form the team to make the operation of the center to become benefit of the whole communities.
Final Report of Missions 20
ILC, tambon Plaiwas
Performance Observed Qualifying LevelsGood Moderate Weak
1) Consolidation of the Working Team (WT) √2) Keenness in terms of role and responsibility of the working team
√
3) Information & knowledge management skills of the team’s members.
√
4) ICT skills for information & knowledge management.
√
5) Collective performance of WT as animator of community’s learning actions.
√
6) Working regularity collectively seen from meeting attendance and work commitment.
√
7) Representation of Key-person to become team’s leader/animator.
√
8) Support from TAO. √9) Recognition of local communities. √10) Global strength of the Team √
Totalized: 7 3Note:
- ILC of tambon Plaiwas has a coordinator to make things organized and communicated among its working team, but this is still not enough. In fact, it needs the leading person capable to really gear community learning process. This responsibility has to be assured by a person having experienced in community development. He (or she) has to organize not only planning of activities of the center to be operated time after time, but also the person should have performed the role of leadership to animate collaboration of different parties to work together for community learning and development purposes.
Final Report of Missions 21
ILC, tambon Thakam
Performance Observed Qualifying LevelsGood Moderate Weak
1) Consolidation of the Working Team (WT) √2) Keenness in terms of role and responsibility of the working team
√
3) Information & knowledge management skills of the team’s members.
√
4) ICT skills for information & knowledge management.
√
5) Collective performance of WT as animator of community’s learning actions.
√
6) Working regularity collectively seen from meeting attendance and work commitment.
√
7) Representation of Key-person to become team’s leader/animator.
√
8) Support from TAO. √9) Recognition of local communities. √10) Global strength of the Team √
Totalized: 4 5 1Note:
- The spirit of team working of ILC’s working team of tambon Thakam is so significant, with a number of persons well dedicated to work for the center. It is important that they should have committed one or two persons who can contribute more time than other to take operational planning of the center.
- One of them should take responsibility in updating or transferring data & information into the system in place, and the other one should have developed the regular schedules of learning forum to be occasionally organized.
- The working team of ILC in tambon Thakam are apparently well motivated people to learn and to develop themselves. This qualification is also important to have them resourceful for further development of their ILC, profiting also the good connections they’ve created many outside people willing to support development of the tambon communities.
Final Report of Missions 22
ILC, tambon Bangtoey
Performance Observed Qualifying LevelsGood Moderate Weak
1) Consolidation of the Working Team (WT) √2) Keenness in terms of role and responsibility of the working team
√
3) Information & knowledge management skills of the team’s members.
√
4) ICT skills for information & knowledge management.
√
5) Collective performance of WT as animator of community’s learning actions.
√
6) Working regularity collectively seen from meeting attendance and work commitment.
√
7) Representation of Key-person to become team’s leader/animator.
√
8) Support from TAO. √9) Recognition of local communities. √10) Global strength of the Team √
Totalized: 0 8 2Note:
- Further development of ILC of tambon Bangtoey needs special efforts and commitments of all parties. First among these, the CRM committee who should be the main party to make use of the center to serve its role as coastal resources management mechanism working closely to TAO and giving adequate advises to this last one for making decision to support local development projects.
- The confusion in terms of roles and responsibilities of CRM Committee (especially among its members) has given obstacle to have them seen clearly the importance for ILC’s existence, as well as how they can make use of this to serve learning purpose of people with whom they have worked.
- Time will be needed for members of the committee to have discussed and clarified their working direction in the period to come.
Final Report of Missions 23
ILC, tambon Koh Lantanoi
Performance Observed Qualifying LevelsGood Moderate Weak
1) Consolidation of the Working Team (WT) √2) Keenness in terms of role and responsibility of the working team
√
3) Information & knowledge management skills of the team’s members.
√
4) ICT skills for information & knowledge management.
√
5) Collective performance of WT as animator of community’s learning actions.
√
6) Working regularity collectively seen from meeting attendance and work commitment.
√
7) Representation of Key-person to become team’s leader/animator.
√
8) Support from TAO. √9) Recognition of local communities. √10) Global strength of the Team √
Totalized: 7 3 0Note:
- Tambon Koh Lantanoi is the last area to have development ILC of this kind. The phase to prepare readiness of its working team had lasted not even one month before the two-day training & workshop started in mi-March, 2007.
- Through this rapid rhythm of work to have things fulfilled within limit of time having ahead, the shortly-formed working team of this last ILC has shown strong performance to make their center existing and operational. And this performance can be said “comparable” in quality to some other ILCs previously developed.The remarkable particularity of people groups in tambon Koh Lantanoi is in their openness, cooperative spirit, and desire to learn to develop themselves.
- The operation of all activities in the framework of CHARM Project in this tambon (CRM Committee, occupational groups, ILC) has been well cooperated by local administration, particularly TAO who started from facilitating the activities launched into the area. From facilitating, the TAO expressed today its commitment to support working direction and concrete actions already initiated within the area by CHARM Project.
- The other partners like Rakthai Foundation, TFF, etc., should have maintained their contribution to the area in order to make all useful initiatives already started going through its successfulness.
Final Report of Missions 24
Perspectives
It is too fast to evaluate the successfulness or failure of all created ILCs in each tambon locality. They are, first of all, local mechanism recently developed and having been expected to become information resource to contribute the learning process of people in coastal communities. When people learn better, they will act or do things better. The fundamental concept for development of community “information & learning center” is, therefore, to make interaction possible between “knowledge” and “governance” in community resources and development management practice
Development practice will not happen if man or human being (as its main actor) is ignorant in all things. But it will be executed only by men well educated and informed because we are in the world of the sight, not of the blind. Better we’ve seen our reality, better we do it better to improve our conditions and quality of life.
Information & Learning Center is therefore something to reflect rural reality in all sides or dimensions to make people seen, understood, and learnt for the betterment of their living reality, which including: geographical (environmental), historical, socio-economical, political, and cultural backgrounds.
All ILCs previously created and developed during the past 3 to 8-month period are, therefore at this stage, one among products of co-management between CHARM Project and development mechanisms (especially the TAOs) in different tambons of coastal provinces.
The two parties have agreed to collaborate in setting up and developing the information and learning center to become local resource management and development mechanism within the period to come. The implantation of such a kind of center will be corresponding to public policy in development local mechanism to gear knowledge and information-based society to qualify community development process in the period to come.
What had been already done in the previous phase of development of ILCs include:
An ILC’s development model, activities already planned in particular areas; Information & Communication Technology (ICT) has been today introduced to
be applied in information and knowledge management for community learning and development purposes;
Development of capacity of “human resources” to become actors who take responsibilities to operate the center as planned in each locality already assured;
Operation of the planned activities gradually in progress differently in accordance to reality and conditions of each locality;
Integration between “information & knowledge management” and “community learning actions” already initiated in the final short period of intervention and collaboration of TFF, Rakthai Foudation, and ENVISION. This should have been made progressed more and more;
Final Report of Missions 25
The networks had been already made to provide opportunity to local actors (especially TAO and community development mechanisms created) having been connected with different partners and development supporting actors from outside. This will precondition possible cooperation and collaboration between development actors of all levels. Their common goal shall be, as always repeating many people, to make development in all aspects be proceeded towards sustainable outputs.
The long-term perspective of development of the existing ILCs will rely mainly on its present performance and effectiveness to provided services satisfying development needs of people within coastal tambon communities. In the meantime, valuable experiences and lessons learnt from the center in one area should have made recognized and introduced to learning and applying elsewhere.
Appendex- Result of evaluation Tambon Plaiwas 27- Result of evaluation Tambon Thakam 30- Result of evaluation Tambon Leeled 31- Result of evaluation Tambon Bangtoey 33
Final Report of Missions: Final Report of Missions: Tambon's Information and Learning Center, Tambon's Information and Learning Center, dated April to June, 2007dated April to June, 2007In cooperation with Thai Funds Foundation ad CHARM project
