|
Parents and community involvment in school life
FORUM MNE short evaluation 2008 -2010
FORUM MLADI I NEFORMALNA EDUKACIJA (Forum MNE) is active in Montenegro since 2002: first as PRONI Institute for Social Education, than as Forum Syd; and now as Forum MNE.
Based on vision and mission, the organisation has developed four main components of work:
- Education of youth leaders and youth workers – University course “Leadership and developmental community youth work”,
- Development of youth work and youth information work – setting up community youth clubs/programmes and youth information programmes,
- Creating network of volunteers – training and supporting volunteer initiatives,
- Developing youth policy in Montenegro – capacity building stakeholders and supporting process of development at national and local level.
Offices are opened in Podgorica, Kotor (youth club in Muo community), Niksic, Berane, Tivat, Bijela, Rozaje (projects and activities). Organization is employing 10 persons and has network of about 100 students and 50 volunteers, other than students.
Organization has governing board, working on voluntary basis and it is consisted of 5 individuals from different backgrounds, institutions/organizations. They are all in charge for monitoring and contributing to a specific work area of Forum MNE. The organization’s assembly is consisted ofnumberof delegates proportional to the number of active youth during the year (delegates - representatives of young people, parents and students of the course ''Leadership and developmental youth work'').
Forum MNE is localized from international project to local NGO by decision of founding assembly and Board of Forum Syd on 28th March 2007. Organization is part of Forum Syd network and continues to work in partnership with this international NGO on developing local strategy for community development through non-formal education and youth work.
Organization have developed Human resource management policy, Child-protection policy, Quality assurance of community youth work policy, Volunteer policy and is organizing course for youth workers according to University of Jonkoping regulations. Organization has issued several publications: Youth camps as a model of working with vulnerable youth groups, Youth camps tool kit, Organizing learning exchanges, Youth work in Montenegro, Youth Information practices, etc…
Forum MNE has sound financial procedures and is working according to long term strategic plan.
Forum MNE/Vision, mission and field work
The vision of Forum MNE is:
A just and peaceful society which contributes to the development of active young citizens.
The mission of Forum MNE is:
Forum MNE is an organization which achieves its vision by supporting the development of young people into conscious, responsible and active individuals that are able to recognize, seek and realize their rights and contribute to the development of a peaceful and just society.
We develop and implement programs of informal education, youth work, voluntary work, creativity and activism among young people and support the development and implementation of strategies for youth in cooperation with all relevant stakeholders in society.
Forum MNE implements all of its programs in line with four main strategic directions:
1. Advocacy and lobbying targeted at a better situation for young people
2. The recognition and identification of non-formal education in society
3. Strengthening international cooperation
4. Provide functional and operational centers for non-formal education
And through the following programs:
1. Youth work through programs of youth clubs
2. Efforts towards the recognition of youth workers as well as the introduction of academic programs specializing in youth work
3. Organizing volunteer programs
4. Support to the development of policies and strategies for children and youth at both national and local levels
5. Development of structured and comprehensive youth information
Forum MNE/Personnel
Forum MNE currently employs 5 people in central office:
Podgorica Office
Elvira Hadžibegović–Bubanja – Executive Director
Dijana Uljarević - Program Manager
Dražen Rajković - Financial Manager
Tamara Čirgić - programe coordinator
Dragana Papić - Coordinator of Youth Information Program / Office manager
Forum MNE/Governing Board
Svetlana Zecevic, President of the Board, Prof. Faculty of Philosophy in Nikšić
Dragutin Scekic, vice president of the Board, elementary school teacher in Kotor
Dragan Perišić, marketing manager
Željko Korać, teacher
Forum MNE/The Assembly
The Assembly of Forum MNE has a number of delegates proportional to the number of active young people during the year and depending on the number of activities and projects taking place. These delegates then acts as representatives for the young people, their parents as well as the students of the university program, "Leadership and youth work in the community”.
The Assembly’s functions
The main function of the assembly is representing the diversity of the members and their specific needs, as well as acting as the verification of Forum MNE being a membership-based organization. This means that the Assembly is composed of representatives from members of the youth clubs, the volunteer groups, the group of students, the parents and other members of the organizations that are in the network of Forum MNE.
Membership of the Assembly
Any individual with a Montenegrin citizenship may become a member of the Assembly. Individuals of a foreign nationality, either person or organization currently active in Montenegro, may also be eligible. The members may act as either representatives or take active participation in the organization, if they accept the principles and the Statue of the organization. The representatives are chosen through a non-discriminatory democratic process by their peers.
How the Assembly operates
The Assembly shall meet as often as necessary, but at least once a year when it is time to approve reports of a financial nature and program activities, as well as approving plans for the future, elect members of the Board, confirm the selection of director, decide on the amount of fees and adopt guidelines for the development of the organization. The Governing Board is a body composed of 7 persons and has the responsibility of strategically manage the Organization according to the guidelines adopted by the Assembly and is responsible for submitting annual reports and plans for final approval by the Assembly. The Supervisory Board is a body composed of 3 persons and acts as supervisor of the organizations work and the operation of the board in terms of compliance with policies and procedures, values and the vision of the Organization. They also submit reports and recommendations to the Assembly.
Why does Forum MNE need an Assembly?
Being a representative of the Assembly of Forum MNE contributes to some valuable things:
- Contributes to the ability to best tell the needs of your own group and to represent its interests
- Ability to contribute to the development of communities and especially development of young people in Montenegro, through the programs of the organization
- The experience of participating in the assembly of your first organization teaches you to in a structured way to address the needs of young people of Montenegro
- Contributes to a positive atmosphere in the work environment which is filled with energy and volunteers, young ideas, different world views and desire for community development.
The rules for selecting representatives of the Assembly
Representatives of the Assembly should above all else be motivated to take part in the body that makes decisions regarding the future of the organization and its programs, and thus directly affect the development of communities in Montenegro, through informal education and youth work, and to have sufficient time for this voluntary work.
Elections of representatives in Assembly are held once a year. The mandate of the representative is good until the next election. The mandate of the elected representatives in the Assembly lasts a year, with the possibility of a maximum two re-elections. The mandate is terminated beforehand if the member becomes inactive.
Representatives are nominated by themselves or by one of the Assembly’s members. The voting takes place by the way of a secret ballot. Changes in representation must be announced at least two weeks prior to the scheduled session of the Assembly, after which the presence of the meeting is confirmed. For the regular selection each party (membership club, student group, club volunteers, parents of club members, etc) choose a commission consisting of one employee and two members elected by each party.
The criteria for the representatives in the Assembly
The Assembly consists of representatives of all active members of the Organization according to the following categories:
- Student representatives:
- Representatives from youth clubs, depending on the number of members
• 100 members of the club equals two representatives,
• A club with over 100 members gets three representatives.
- Representatives from each clubs volunteers
• One representative from 25 volunteers,
• Two representatives from 50 volunteers,
• Three representatives from a club that has over 50 active volunteers.
- Parent representatives for each club
• Club up to a 100 members gets a representative.
• A club with over 100 members gets two representatives.
- Representatives of other active members
• One representative of 50 other active members,
• Two representatives from 100 other active members,
• Three representatives from more than 100 other active members.
As well as one representative of each legal entity involved (organizations etc).
|
