guia participacion va v2 en

1 Guia participación VA_v2_en.doc

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Guide

PARTICIPATION OF THE RED CROSS VOLUNTEER IN

ASSOCIATIVE LIFE

Inter-personal knowledge

NGO

Associative Life

Volunteers participate in the

design

Leisure

Feeling of belonging

Humanity Impartiality Neutrality Independence Volunteering Unity Universality

SUMMARY 1. Justification

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2. Associative Life in the Spanish Red Cross 3. Reflections on Associative Life 4. The distribution of responsibilities within the sphere of Associative

Life 5. An introduction to working parties 6. An example of annual planning of Associative Life 7. An example of evaluation of the associative life activities 8. Good practices in Associative Life: actions aimed at promoting

participation in the Associative Life of the volunteers in the Red Cross 9. Some ideas to promote creativity: creativity techniques


1. Justification The participation of citizens in our type of organization is a democratic act motivated by individual decision. However, this individual decision must be synchronized with an open position on the part of the organizations who place them correctly to welcome these people. This open position involves several elements, but from our point of view, the most important of these are the following:

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1. It is advisable that a simple joining system is established which facilitates the entry of new members.

2. The tasks, rights and responsibilities of the people who may join the organization must be clearly identified.

3. An open, transparent and flexible decision making system must be established and be easily accessible to the people joining the organization.

In short, we are talking about organizations being open to the people! As mentioned previously, the Red Cross has very specific terms. The system of volunteering has been simplified over the years, reducing to the minimum the time taken for those who are interested in joining the organization, to do so and to start volunteer action. In addition, the Red Cross maintains and updates its catalogue of volunteer activity posts, an essential requirement for balancing the supply and demand of volunteer activity. Regarding rights and responsibilities, these are clearly defined in the statement of rights and responsibilities, and we emphasize the following two: • To participate democratically in the election of the bodies of representation,

management and administration. • To participate in the structure of the Red Cross, being able to gain access to the

bodies of representation, management and administration. These two rights make direct reference to what we said about the open decision making system. Nevertheless, in addition to these, there are other aspects that organizations must take into account. We must bear in mind that organizations are not abstract and impersonal. On the contrary, they are organized groups of human beings who pursue a certain aim. As a group of people, they must establish systems for those new members to get to know other members of the organization and to prepare them to work jointly in a coordinated manner. In addition, by default, these systems promote motivation and the feeling of belonging towards the actual organization. In the case of the Red Cross, these systems have been given the title of Associative Life, and are completely identified and supported. In addition, the organization has wide experience in the development of these types of activities.


Although up until now much has been done so that the Associative Life is a dynamic and lively part of the Red Cross, there is still much to be done so that it is an element of reference, managed basically by volunteers, and which offers a repertoire of high quality activities.

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We provide some ideas in this guide about the Associative Life, putting it into context and conceptualising on the scope of participation, and, most importantly from our point of view, some ideas are provided to encourage it The guide on “Participation of the Red Cross Volunteer in Associative Life” forms part of a collection of four participation manuals which also include the following titles: • Guide for the participation of the Red Cross Volunteer in activities. • Guide for institutional participation of the Red Cross Volunteer. • Guide for recognition of the Red Cross Volunteer. We hope you like them and that they will be useful to you.


2. Associative Life in the Spanish Red Cross Associative Life is perhaps, with participation in the activity, one of the areas of participation most developed by the organization. Quite possibly some aspects that favour its development are its leisure component, the diversity of the actions that may be carried out or the benefits identified by the organization as a whole to harness associative life. A proof of the development of Associative Life is the increasing number of activities listed that are reported year after year by the Local Assemblies and Territorial Committees. Nevertheless, the fact that there is a high level of development in Associative Life does not necessarily mean that we do not have to reflect on how it is planned or how it is executed and evaluated.

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Although the motivations are diverse, if we asked about them and the reasons why a volunteer decided to join a Non-Governmental Organization or a Non-Profit Making Organization (NGO/NPO), the vast majority would possibly respond with something related to improving the quality of life of people, or to aid the most vulnerable. Nevertheless, the NGOs, like other organizations have an entry of volunteers and a departure. The entry into an NGO can be determined by several elements, but all of them can be visualised from two perspectives: 1. The perspective of the person interested in voluntary work: the person who decides

to join an NGO may prefer to develop a specific type of voluntary activity that only one NGO offers, for those motives that person decides on the voluntary activity, etc.

2. The perspective of the NGO: each NGO has different recruitment strategies to suit their needs. There are those who have no type of strategy at all or do not even develop a recruitment plan. However, the entry, from the perspective of the NGO, does not depend exclusively on how they focus their recruitment but also on how they are organized internally, what type and volume of voluntary activity they offer, if they have affiliations or not with some religious denomination, or if they have a political leaning. This all forms the image that the NGO at issue presents to society, and it determines the potential entry that can be experienced.

Regarding the departure of volunteers from an NGO, it is possible to visualize this from the same perspectives that we presented above: 1. From the perspective of the volunteer: the degree of satisfaction that the volunteer

feels or perceives with respect to the NGO with which it has become involved, the feeling of belonging and identification with the organization or their personal situation, are key aspects that determine the size of departure.

2. From the perspective of the NGO: some elements that condition the departure can be the quality of the voluntary activity, the channels of participation offered in the actual activity, the level of internal democracy, the access to decision making, the training that prepares the volunteer for the voluntary activity and the inter-relationships that this produces in their heart.


According to this view, we can find three types of organizations based on the relationship between entry and departure: 1. Entry > Departure: this situation occurs when more people decide to join the

organization than those, for whatever reason, who decide to leave it. 2. Entry = Departure: the organization experiences a certain balance between the

people joining and those departing.

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3. Entry < Departure: a situation takes place in which the number of those departing surpasses those joining.

Although what follows is nuanced, situations 2 and 3 are not advisable for any voluntary organization. Bear in mind that when we refer to situations type 1, 2 or 3, we are really talking about the motivations which cause a volunteer to make the decision to leave the NGO with which they were involved. The incorporation of volunteers requires a high degree of effort from the organizations, effort that can be identified in a large number of events that take place before the volunteer begins to do voluntary work. The principle question here is the human capital of the group of volunteers. This capital is one of the main values of the NGO, and to lose it means to lose diversity, it also means the loss of knowledge, aptitude and experience. One of the strategies to achieve a situation where the departure is not greater than, or equal to, the influx, consists of promoting situations where the feeling of belonging and the identification of volunteers with the organization is high. The feeling of belonging can be defined as the degree of emotional affiliation of an individual towards an organization. This degree of affiliation favours that the individual feels an integral part of that organization and, sometimes, even part responsible for its future. This brings us to an important point which indicates one of the elements that may better contribute to promoting that feeling of belonging, and that is the Associative Life. It must not be forgotten that the Red Cross, like any other organization, is something tangible, formed by people who share ideals and standards. It is that specific tangibility in people which makes it especially useful to Associative Life. Associative Life constitutes one of the three areas of participation identified by the Spanish Red Cross. Let us remember what the other two are: participation in the activity and the institutional participation. Next we will comment on the different elements of Associative Life: 1. Activities directed at volunteers: associative life is basically an internal component

of participation within the organization. Its users are, mainly, Red Cross volunteers. In this way we consider that the purposes of Associative Life are to generate a greater feeling of belonging towards the organization and to promote organizational and interpersonal knowledge.

2.


Activities designed and executed mainly by volunteers: indeed this is the added value of these activities, nevertheless this fact does not prevent the staff within the organization participating in their design or execution. However, it must be prioritized and promoted that Associative Life is led by volunteers, since it will benefit the assumption of responsibility by this group in the decision making processes.

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3. Promote the feeling of belonging: As we said previously, the ultimate purpose of Associative Life is to promote a greater feeling of belonging towards the Red Cross. Actually, the feeling that it is your organization.

4. Incorporating a component of leisure and free time and inter-personal knowledge:

the leisure and free time component in Associative Life is perhaps the main distinguishing element of this area of participation. It is this element which facilitates inter-personal contacts between the volunteers who participate in Associative Life initiatives. Associative Life is, therefore, an excellent way to get to know other companions.

5. Scope of development of Associative Life: the scope of Associative Life is very

heterogeneous. From the Associative Life developed within the framework of a project or activity (for example, a dinner or a meeting of the volunteers for a home tele-attendance programme), developed within the framework of a Local Assembly (as a meeting of all the volunteers of the Assembly), Provincial Committee, Regional Committee or national environment (First-Aid courses, a torchlight procession, etc.).

In light of all the above, we could define Associative Life in the following way: A set of activities directed towards volunteers, mainly designed and executed by volunteers, which have the purpose of promoting a greater feeling of belonging, and which incorporate an important component of leisure or free time and inter-personal knowledge among the volunteers of the same project, in the same area

or plan of intervention, or of a certain territorial environment (local, provincial, regional, national or international).


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Inter-personal knowledge

NGO

3. Reflections on Associative Life Within the framework of the organization, work groups of volunteers on the one hand and the personnel on the other are developed with the purpose of extracting valid information on their perceptions and opinions about the participation of the volunteer within the Institution. One of the most remarkable conclusions gained by those work groups regarding Associative Life, was the following: the perception that the volunteers and the staff have about the information that the volunteers first perceived about what happens in their Local Assembly was satisfactory (the volunteers valued the quality of the information which they receive on what happens at their Assembly at 6.92/10, and the staff valued the quality of the information that the volunteers received at 6.29/10). When breaking down the results by Local Assembly, the volunteers and the staff of the Assemblies that did not pertain to provincial capitals had a more positive valuation of the information received by the volunteers. This situation can be motivated by the relatively smaller number of people receiving the information (generally there are more volunteers at the Local Assemblies in provincial capitals), or by the dynamics generated at these Local Assemblies by greater participation and involvement of volunteers on a daily basis.

Associative Life

Volunteers participate in the design

Leisure

Feeling of belonging


This greater, general day to day involvement of volunteers of the non-provincial capital Local Assemblies could well be a consequence of the smaller staff to volunteer ratio in those Local Assemblies. In those cases, volunteers assume responsibilities that, in other situations, are developed to a great extent by paid personnel.

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The following two graphs confirm the above: that 82% of the volunteers and 87% of the staff have knowledge of which associative life activities are developed within their Local Assembly. So, we can affirm that 8 out of 10 volunteers have that information.

¿Volunteers: Do you have knowledge about

the development of associative life activities in your LA?

18%

Yes No

82% Staff: Do you have knowledge of the volunteers development of associative life activities in the LA? 13% Yes 87%

No


The following two graphs give information on who organizes the Associative Life. Whereas in the previous graphs there were no large differences between that expressed by both groups, when asked who organizes the Associative Life at a Local Assembly, the difference in the results obtained is considerable. Some 37% of the volunteers considered that the associative life activities are jointly organized by volunteers and staff, whereas 32% considered that the volunteers organize this type of activity. The remaining 31% considered that associative life is pre-eminently and exclusively organized by the staff.

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If we look at the responses from the staff, 56% of them agree that associative life is jointly organized by volunteers and staff, 24% say that associative life is organized exclusively by them, whereas 11% consider that this area of participation is exclusively the responsibility of the volunteers.


Volunteers: Who organizes the associativelife activities in your LA?

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Volunteers of the LA 14% 32% Staff of the LA

Volunteers and staff

37% Don't know17%

Staff: Who organizes the associativelife activities in your LA?

9% 11% Volunteers of the LA

Staff of the LA 24%

Volunteers and staff

Don't know56%

With respect to the environment from which associative life is organized, the fact is emphasized that these types of activities are planned and developed for all the members of the Local Assembly (56% of the responses from the volunteers, and 58% of the responses from the staff), with the associative life activities planned and executed within the framework of the project in second place.


Volunteers: Environment from which the associative life is organized

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The associative life is

organized by projects 20% 24%

The associative life is organized by all the volunteers of the LA

Don't know 56%

Staff: Environment from which The associative life is organized.

8% The associative life is organized by projects

34% The associative life is organized by all the volunteers in the LA

58%

Don't know


Almost eight out of ten volunteers confirmed having taken part in at least one associative life activity during a determined time period, which supposes a high index of participation in these types of activities. If we enter the value of the opinion that volunteers and staff gave on the quality of the associative life activities, planned and executed within the Local Assemblies, one of the lowest data is obtained. The volunteers value the quality of the associative life activities developed in their Local Assembly at 5.95/10. This index descends to 4.97/10 when the staff values these activities. Everything seems to indicate that the organization must pay greater attention to the improvement of the quality of these activities, and that they should try to satisfy the demands of the participants: the volunteers.

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Volunteers: Valuation of the opinion of the volunteers on

the quality of the associative life activities developed in their LA.

5.95 0 1 2 3 9 10 4 5 6 7 8

1


Staff: Valuation of the opinion of the staff on the quality of the associative life activities developed in their LA.

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4.97 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1

After all that has been said, we can draw the following conclusions: 1. The Local Assemblies where the greater percentage of staff work are the provincial

capital Assemblies, and it is precisely within these environments where the volunteers have a lesser degree of involvement in the planning and execution of associative life activities, whereas it is in the Local Assemblies with a smaller number of staff where the volunteers assume those responsibilities.

2. The volunteers generally have information on the Associative Life activities on offer at the Local Assembly, nevertheless, they have the perception that it could be more attractive to them.


4. The distribution of responsibilities within the sphere of Associative

Life

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4.1. The voluntary post of Associative Life motivator As defined previously, Associative Life incorporates a voluntary character in its planning and scheduling (“Set of activities directed at volunteers, mainly designed and executed by volunteers”). In addition, a basic aspect in the development of any initiative is that of clearly identifying responsibilities, functions and tasks. It is therefore advisable that within the sphere of Associative Life there is a person who takes responsibility for motivation and that this person is preferably a volunteer. Among the functions that would have to be assumed by the person who motivates the associative life in a Local Assembly the following can be emphasized: 1. Identifying the demands and proposals of volunteers for associative life activities. In

view of the information on page 13 of this guide concerning the volunteers’ evaluation of the quality of the associative life activities developed in their Local Assembly, It is advisable that the planning of activities should involve the collection of the possible concerns and suggestions of the largest possible number of volunteers from the Assembly, and as accurately as possible.

2. Responsibility for developing the annual planning of associative life activities. The

annual planning is already a requirement for the system of quality in volunteer management. In addition, that planning must be dealt with annually, with previous approval of the budgets from the Local Assembly, at a meeting of the Local Committee.

3. Identifying the information systems that will be used to publicise and present the

associative life activities which the volunteers from the Local Assembly have planned between themselves. Where the Local Assembly has a communication contact, it is important that they coordinate well with the associative life contact regarding communication to volunteers.

4. Responsibility for the execution of this planning. The fact that responsibility for the

execution is indicated does not necessarily imply that this is the only person who takes part in the execution of the planned associative life activities. At this point it is important to emphasize the importance of team work, and the sharing of tasks and functions.

5. Responsibility can also be taken for the design and planning of ceremonies and

events to help the recognition of the voluntary work outside the sphere of the actual project.


6. It is advisable for the associative life motivator to contemplate some system to record the associative life activities being developed, as well as the degree of fulfilment of those actions based on the initial plan. This is a matter of producing an evaluation and report of the activities developed. This is an important point as it will ensure that the information on successes, aspects of improvement identified at that time upon which it is necessary to act, etc. will be recorded in the case of a change or the relief of the associative life motivator. This is a good system to avoid “reinventing the wheel”.

is important to remember that the identification of suggestions and proposals, as well

here follows a proposal for a Volunteer Activity Record that could be used by the

It

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as the planning and execution of the associative life activities do not have to be the exclusive responsibility of one person. The idiosyncrasy of the organization insists that these responsibilities are shared by a working party. In the following section, some keys points will be provided on the composition of that working party, as well as on their functions. Tassociative life motivator at a Local Assembly.


PROJECT/ACTIVITY RECORD Plan of intervention *: olunteering and Participation V

Programme *: Participation

Project *: Participation in associative life.

Date:

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PROJECT

Description of project: The goals to be achieved with the Associative Life project are those described as follows:

tionships

• sense of belonging and identification of the members of the organization with the

inally it is a question of promoting the development of actions, executed from the local, provincial,

itution

ssociative life constitutes a set of organized activities which are for the groups of volunteers from

• Improve the creation of suitable spaces for associative life, the networks of inter-relaof the volunteers in the different areas and to improve the communication channels to the volunteer. Promote a institution, designing and developing actions and measures that facilitate involvement in associative life as a way of increasing the degree of affiliation and satisfaction within the organization.

Fregional, national and international spheres, in an enjoyable and leisurely manner, aimed at deepening or consolidating the institutional values and the feeling of belonging within the Instamong the volunteers, as well as the internal actions of communication necessary to present the existence of these actions to the volunteers. Athe Local Assembly, for their recognition, continued training, entertainment, knowledge of the groupand themselves, motivation on the action, etc. To effect places to live and work together in the establishment, to live actively through the Institution and voluntary work.

Voluntary posts contemplated

in the project: 1. Asso ative Life Motivator.

fe Group. ci

2. Participant of Associative Li

Person in charge of the project:

Local Assembly volunteering contact


ACTIVITY/VOLUNTARY POST Name of Activity/Post: Associative Life Motivator

Target Audience: • Voluntary Red Cross personnel. • Group of Red Cross members.

Place where the Activity is developed: Local Assembly or Territorial Committee referred to.

Description of Activity:

• Identify the demands and proposals of volunteers regarding associative life activities.

• Responsible for obtaining an annual plan of the associative life activities.

• Identify the information systems that will be used to publicize and present the associative life activities which the volunteers of the Local Assembly have planned between themselves.

• Responsible for the execution of that plan. • In addition, take responsibility for the design and planning of

ceremonies and events that promote the recognition of voluntary work outside the sphere of their own project.

• Responsibility to produce an evaluation and record of the activities developed.

• Form, where possible, an, associative life working group composed of volunteers, with the purpose of promoting the participation of volunteers within that environment of participation.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VOLUNTARY POSITION:

Regularity of the Activity and Schedule:

Flexible schedule from Monday to Sunday between 9:00 and 18:00 hours.

Attendance: X Non-Attendance/On Line:

Continuous: X Periodic: Sporadic:

Person in charge of the Activity: Local Assembly Volunteer Contact.

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PROFILE OF THE VOLUNTEER Availability: Between 3 and 4 hours weekly. Sex M F Age

Training/Previous knowledge required :

Essential previous experience:

Previous experience is not required, although it is advisable to have had a year as a volunteer in the organization in the past.

Personal characteristics: Abilities to communicate and a capacity for the coordination of groups.


TRAINING BY THE INSTITUTION Training during participation. IFEE (Identification, Formulation, Execution and Evaluation) Training VOLUNTEER(S) REQUIRED

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Total No of volunteers required: 1 volunteer Observations:


4.2. The Associative Life working party As mentioned in the previous section, associative life does not have to be the responsibility of only one person. Furthermore, sharing responsibilities is especially enriching, particularly in the environment of participation. On the other hand, the volume of tasks needed to carry out planning and development of the required actions needs the collaboration and cooperation of a working party. The composition of the associative life working party could be the following:

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• The volunteer contact. • The associative life motivator. • The Local Director of Red Cross Youth. • Between 3 and 7 representative volunteers in the action plans developed within the

Local Assembly. With this composition a heterogeneous working group can be formed which is most representative of the Local Assembly. In fact, this composition is the one that is foreseen in the System of Quality in the Management of the Volunteers. Regarding the functions of the associative life working party, these would be the same as those described in the previous section on the local associative life motivator, but they are reiterated below: 1. The working party must agree on a system to know and obtain proposals and

suggestions for associative life activities at the Local Assembly. It is a matter of ensuring that the associative life activities proposed by the associative life working party are as close as possible to the concerns and needs of the volunteers. Many alternatives exist to get this data. Some ways to obtain it are: • Send questionnaires by electronic mail to Local Assembly volunteers. • Development of opinion groups to successfully obtain suggestions. • Participation of associative life working party members at certain moments in the

volunteers project meetings, to successfully obtain opinions of the volunteers who take part in them. Participation of associa• tive life working party members in the Basic Institutional Training to ask the volunteers who are joining for associative life action proposals.

2. Production of the annual planning of the associative life activities. In section 9 of

this guide a large number of creative promotional techniques can be found. These techniques have the purpose of making different perspectives possible which help us to achieve creative results. These techniques can be used to obtain imaginative associative life planning.


3. In coordination with the communication contact person at the Local Assembly, the team will have to think about an efficient means whereby the majority, if not all of the Local Assembly volunteers, have access to information on the associative life initiatives that are organized within their territorial environment.

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4. The team will have to take responsibility for the execution of such planning. For the execution of certain associative life activities, it could be interesting to have the temporary collaboration of people who are not members of the associative life working party.

5. Another important function will be to ensure that associative life planning

incorporates at least one activity of recognition of local voluntary work (local work referring to an activity within reach of all the volunteers of the Local Assembly).

6. Finally, the working group will have to anticipate a simple system to evaluate and

record, in writing, the associative life activities developed. There follows a proposed project specification card for voluntary posts for members of the associative life working group.


PROJECT/ACTIVITY SPECIFICATION

Plan of intervention *: Volunteering and Participation

Programme *: Participation

Project *: Participation in associative life.

Date:

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PROJECT

Description of the project: The goals to be achieved with the Associative Life project are those described as follows: • Improve the creation of suitable spaces for associative life, the networks of inter-relationships of the

volunteers in the different areas and to improve the communication channels to the volunteer. • Promote a sense of belonging and identification of the members of the organization with the

institution, designing and developing actions and measures that facilitate involvement in associativelife as a way of increasing the degree of affiliation and satisfaction within the organization.

Finally it is a question of promoting the development of actions, executed from the local, provincial, regional, national and international spheres, in an enjoyable and leisurely manner, aimed at deepening or consolidating the institutional values and the feeling of belonging within the Institution among the volunteers, as well as the internal actions of communication necessary to present the existence of these actions to the volunteers. Associative life constitutes a set of organized activities which are for the groups of volunteers from the Local Assembly, for their recognition, continued training, entertainment, knowledge of the group and themselves, motivation on the action, etc. To effect places to live and work together in the establishment, to live actively through the Institution and voluntary work. Voluntary posts considered in the project:

• Associative Life Motivator • Participant of Associative Life Working Group

Person in charge of the project:

Local volunteering contact

ACTIVITY/VOLUNTARY POST Name of Activity/Post: Associative Life Group Participant.

Target Audience: Voluntary Red Cross personnel. Group of Red Cross members.

Place where the Activity is developed: Local Assembly or Territorial Committee referred to

Description of the Activity: To collaborate and cooperate with the associative life motivator and the of members of the associative life working group, in the identification, training, execution and evaluation of the actions undertaken in this type oparticipation within the territorial environment during the year


CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VOLUNTARY POSITION:

Regularity of the Activity and Schedule: Flexible schedule of Monday to Sunday between 9:00 and 18:00 hours.

Attendance: X Non-Attendance /On Line:

Continuous: X Periodic: Sporadic:

Person in charge of the Activity: Local Assembly Volunteer Contact.

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PROFILE OF THE VOLUNTEER Availability: Between 1 and 2 hours weekly. Sex M F Age

Training/Previous knowledge required :

Essential previous experience::

Previous experience is not required. BIT (basic institutional training)

Personal characteristics: Communication abilities.

TRAINING BY THE INSTITUTION Training during participation. IFEE (identification, formulation, execution and evaluation) Training VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED Total volunteers required: 5

Level of cover to the date: optimal medium low

Observations:


Following is a proposal for a pamphlet to invite volunteers from the Local Assembly to join the associative life working party. This pamphlet can be distributed at the project meetings of the Local Assembly, during the sessions of Basic Institutional Training or it can be sent by email to volunteers with an email address in the data base, etc. Associative Life Working Party:

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Why don't we create an associative life group?

Well, perhaps we can invite the person reading this to join us…..

The associative life group will organize free time activities for the Local Assembly! My name is XXX. Contact with me by phone on XXX or by e-mail at XXX if you want to join this working group.

How do we do that?

I don't see anything!!

An alternative option, which could perhaps be made compatible with the previous idea to incorporate people into this working group is to identify the

people who can join and propose it directly to them.


5. An introduction to working parties 5.1. Meetings

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Meetings are the fundamental work units of a working party. This is why it is important to give great attention to the quality of working group meetings, since it will largely affect the work that the working party carries out, the projects that they will be able to put into action and the individual work of each member of the working group. In addition, the meetings constitute the most used instrument for the monitoring, control and execution of a Red Cross project. Some elements that should be taken into consideration when facing the accomplishment of a meeting are as follows: Before the meeting1. The calling of a meeting may only be done if there is a need is jointly put forward by

a functional group in a determined sense. A working meeting should never be organized unless totally justified.

2. The meetings must be organized with sufficient time so that each of the participants can prepare their input.

3. Specify the objective of the meeting clearly in the notification, and indicate to the participants what is expected of them. They should listen to the report, contribute data, etc. Many meetings fail because no effort is made to state the specific objective of the session.

4. The agenda must be well detailed. Do not include too many points, only those that can be dealt with in two working hours.

At the start of the meeting:1. Begin it punctually. 2. The coordinator of the meeting will remind the group of the objectives of the

meeting. Proposals3. for the agenda will be proposed and seconded, if they have not been previously established: subjects, order, time, etc.

During the meeting and discussion1. tween all the group members. 2. Have respect for the established order of speakers.

Stimulate exchange of ideas be

3. Give equal opportunity for all to take part. Avoid a few people monopolising the

4. discussion on track, focus on possible digressions. ordinator influence the

6. ator should encourage the participation of those less talkative.

meeting. Keep the

5. Summarize the discourse, so that the points of view of the cosummary. The coordin


7. Confused interventions should be clarified. 8. Admit equally all those opinions that may arise. Co-ordinate them without

committing to any of the points of view. This will enable a certain character of neutrality and moderation to be maintained and will avoid anyone feeling rejected, undervalued or unappreciated.

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9. Generate an informal and tolerant climate of collaboration. At the end of the meeting1. Detail the plan of action and the distribution of tasks derived from the adopted plan.

It is very important that all the members are involved in the sharing of responsibilities.

2. Briefly repeat the agreements made and establish, if necessary, the date, time, place and advance agenda of the next meeting.

3. Finish the meeting on time. The agreed meeting place should not be located where there are a lot of people in order to ensure peace and quiet for work and concentration. It is recommended that the space is proportional to the number of people, neither too large nor too small. The arrangement of the team members should either be in a circular or oval layout. 5.2. The use of time (the tasks) Planning is necessary and useful. Make a diary of activities for every day of the week, this will allow you to plan and to distribute the work, in this way you can take the necessary measures to use your time productively and know how you have used it. Some of the steps to make a diary or agenda are as follows: 1. Make use of new pages each day.

Make a list of the activities that you 2. will develop, following an order. 3. Be realistic. Be conscious of time limitations. Do not programme more things than

you can really do. You will feel much better when finishing ten subjects, if the ten subjects were those that you had programmed, than if you finish only ten of twenty that you had on the list. What is meant to stimulate you can tire you instead. Leave a time margin. Do not occupy every minute with a lot of activities. Ant4. the unexpected (people can arrive late for an appointment, projects can consume more time than expected, etc.). Review the list daily before begi

icipate

nning work. Have it visible. Consult it periodically to

6. e day that was not in the list, add it to the list. have

8. on the list, ask yourself, why me? It is

5. keep your objectives in mind. If something appears during th

7. When finishing the day, glance at the list and you will realize that youachieved more than you initially thought. Before doing each of the things includedadvisable to consider the possibility of delegating it.


9. Group the activities that are related to each other. For example, if you must make one telephone call, make all the others. Mark those urgent activities or unexpected events that you must do immediately.

10. Group together those urgent activities. Every day do something that brings you closer to your goals.

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11. Try to keep the agenda or diary updated. If you have the chance to decide how you might divide your time, it is preferable to plan. This can be done daily, weekly or monthly. 5.3. Training of the team When a certain number of people meet and common goals are assigned to be reached, it could be thought that group constitutes a working party. Nothing could be further from the truth. The people in the group can accept or reject the objectives, disagree to a larger or lesser extent on the ways of achieving the targets, maintain distant or hostile postures among themselves, make individual postures prevail or, finally, show tendencies towards dissolution of the group. So that the group can consider all the effects as a group or working party, it is essential that certain criteria are met. These criteria may arise spontaneously from the group, but often it is the same people who, as a consequence of the initiative of the leader, will take responsibility for the actions of the group. Without this initiative, most probably inertia tends to make the tensions and differences more and more visible between the components of the group. Daily problems turn into conflicts and, as a consequence, the breakdown of coexistence, and indifference, prevent noticeable objectives being reached. Among the initiatives that a leader should undertake to constitute a working party, the following should be mentioned: 1. Give the group an identity. 2. Create a team tradition. 3. Encourage transcendental motivation as a unifying factor of the team. 4. Emphasise teamwork.

Establish clear and reas5. onable objectives. 6. Reward the team jointly. 7. Carry out suitable delegation of functions.

.

eel free to act in an equivalent way to the

12. rocal improvement between the components of the

8. Promote the pride of belonging to the team9. A sufficiently strong common interest 10. An excellent degree of communication.11. A climate that allows each member to f

rest of the members, knowing that the solidarity of each is necessary so that the team exists and stays united. A process of training or recipgroup.


The goals must be feasible to reach and be sufficiently explicit. An important

order to create cohesion in a working party, the leader must think of the group as a

he identity and unity of the team can be reinforced creating its own tradition, a

.4. The resolution of problems

he democratic working group has to be capable of overcoming selfishness – power

he process of problem solving within a group is a rational way to work, valid for both

TAGES IN THE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

etermination of the problem

percentage of the possibility of being successful will depend on the degree of acceptance of the objectives on the part of the group, this implies a certain degree of participation in the organization phase of the work. Inteam, giving them an appropriate identity and using terms like “us”, “our team”, etc. On the contrary, the use of individual terms (my team, you, I), will give the impression of little importance granted to the team by the leader. Tquestion that also corresponds to the leader reinforcing all those experiences, anecdotes, etc., that may form part of the traditions of the team. 5

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Tinterests, personal likes, friendships, sympathies and antipathies – and to solve the problems, tensions and conflicts which arise, because otherwise it would jeopardise the work. Tthe individual and the group. The order of the stages of the following proposed process sets out what must be understood as flexible and adaptable to the real needs of the groups. S DThe procedure allows the group to define and determine the problem and to clearly

he group must investigate the facts and the origins of the problem (they must

rom the analysis of the facts it is possible to arrive at a common approach to the

understand its consequences. It seems clear that when a group analyses its problem and looks for solution to it, even though they do not manage to totally resolve it, this process of clarification causes an emotional unloading, it reduces the feelings of anxiety and hostility and gets the group to dedicate itself to improve its tasks. Tdistinguish between facts and hypothesis). The group should focus its attention on the analysis of the reality from which it must start its actions. For this it should respond to the following questions: What…? Who…? Where…? When…? How…? Fsubject, in its focus and definition. What exactly is the problem? What is central to the problem, where are the difficulties, what is at stake?


In order to define the problem correctly, it is useful to clearly analyse the causes of the problem. Why is the situation as it is? What factors or causes influenced the situation? Raising the problem in a general or abstract way, or believing that it is clear to all beforehand should be avoided at all times. Do all the members of the group have the same information about the problem? At this stage, it is a matter of putting together all the information, the exploration of the implications and of the objectives, the discovery of the boundaries that will have to be considered in the search for solutions, and the causes and consequences of such boundaries. Providing solutionsThe group looks for solutions. This is a creative, non-critical stage. Allow intuition to be used, also imagination and fantasy in the search for novelty. Look for the greatest possible number of alternatives. The quality can be evaluated at a later stage. Many of the techniques set out can be used in the process. We should not be surprised at this stage of the production by the emergence of unconventional points of view and solution options. We must avoid limiting it to only two proposals, such as thesis and antithesis, like two opposing sides. Move towards the gelling of the first proposals for a solution to facilitate later analysis. Examination of the criteriaThe group considers what criteria are going to be used to evaluate the contributed solutions. The evaluation criteria try to focus on the solution to the problem under the principle of reality. These must be clearly defined and adopted by the members of the group. What criteria should be considered when evaluating the solutions? What conditions must be met for the alternatives to be selected? What are the limits that can be imposed and what do we want to impose on the solutions to be accepted? These can be questions that are formulated by the group. We should not forget that the selection that the group makes will depend on the capacity of the criteria to resolve:

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• The problem • The possible consequences • The specific implications • The demands and limitations of time, resources and people.

Analysis and selection of alternativesThe critical analysis of the pros and cons for the proposed alternatives is up to the group:


What consequences does the proposed alternative have for the group and its members? What measures are necessary and which are possible to carry out? As far as possible, those that fit the previously established criteria are selected. The opinion of each member of the group is taken, in favour or against, of each of the alternative solutions. When analysing the different options of the group, particularly when forming an opinion on which is the best from among those selected, we should not precipitate the final process until all the proposed alternatives have been analysed. We have to consider, therefore, that the proposals do not have to be totally incompatible with each other. Some proposals, or part of them, can complement another or others, thereby improving the quality of the solutions and the decision making process. DecisionsThe group decides on the solutions to adopt. This decision process should try to procure the involvement and collaboration of all the group members in the decision process and the chosen solution. Pay attention to: What alternative solutions are there? Is it clear to everybody what the consequences of the different alternatives are? What is a more suitable option? Preparation for actionThe group returns to the analysis of the consequences and actions of the different alternatives, those that correspond to the decision taken. Is the decision clear to everyone? Are all the members of the team ready to make the decision? Prepare for the execution of tasks and their monitoring. What plan is suitable for the action–execution? Will the objectives of the action and its course, time and pace, continue to be necessary, and who will coordinate the action? The possible division of work and the distribution of tasks. The action plan can establish different possibilities. It will be necessary to know how it is going to develop, hence the monitoring and evaluation of the action. UNCONSCIOUS RESOLUTION OF PROBLEMS This method is based on the unconscious mind continuously processing various inputs of sensory information stored in the short and long term memory. Use of the unconscious to solve problems is a process of listening and preparing to register ideas, which infiltrate the conscious mind. Some of the greatest thinkers were continuously relaxed. Einstein was a day dreamer and used much of his time in relaxation while he sailed on the lake.

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Working on a problem when under the pressure of a deadline is good, but the opposite condition of relaxation and not working on a problem has a lot of value. A practical application of this technique is to immerse oneself in the problem and then take a rest. Write down the problem in a notebook and leave it beside the bed. The following morning, take the notebook and begin to write your ideas down. Try to write three complete pages of anything that comes into your mind. Explore your dreams. We all dream, and do it much more than we think. When you go to bed, say to yourself: “Tonight I am going to dream.” (Include a brief description of the problem). When you awake, stay in bed and think about the problem. The important thing is not to try too hard. It will flow. THE PROBLEM TREE This method is useful for analysing and classifying problems. In the course of a “problem tree” meeting, you can arrive at a consensus on the central problem that will be located at the base of the trunk. Soon, the participants determine the main effects and the main consequences of this problem can be written in the branches of the tree. Save these modifications for the secondary effects (the consequences of the consequences). The causes and origins of the central problem are written along the roots together with the main and secondary causes. Thus the interested group makes, in the first place, a hierarchy of the causes and consequences of the problem posed. The next stage consists of producing a similar tree in which each “problem” box is replaced by a "things to do" box. The group will move from having a negative vision of the problems it faces, to a positive vision of the objectives that it must attain, allowing them to reflect on the higher priority actions to undertake, with knowledge of the cause and a realistic approach. H

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6. An example of annual planning of Associative Life. An example of a planning model.

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CALENDAR

Name of the activity

Completion Date

Area organizer Budget

Systems and means to

inform volunteers

Predicted number of

participants

Collective Role Play 17 April XX

Local Red Cross Assembly in XXX

400 EUR

Production of pamphlet photocopies distributed at the project meetings.

15

Collaborative Dinner Red Cross Day

08 May XX Local Red Cross Assembly in XXX

400 EUR

SMS, email and bulletin board.

50

Summer Solstice Celebration 23 June XX


400 EUR


40

Participation in the Fiaccolata (torchlight parade of the Italian Red Cross)

22 to 27 June XX


500 EUR


10

Volunteer meeting at the Local Assembly

25 and 26 September XX


2,000 EUR


50

Celebration of International Volunteer Day

5 December XX


400 EUR

Production of pamphlet photocopies distributed at the project meetings.

70

TOTAL BUDGET 4,100 EUR This simplified model can be a final version or be made much more complicated. Nevertheless this is the minimum information that an associative life annual planning should include. This model is in addition to that sent to the Local Committee for approval.


It is important that the plan is seen by the Local Committee as an opportunity, and not as a difficulty or a formality. The fact that the Local Committee approves it will ensure that the funds are allocated to that plan. Complementary to the model shown, a project card for each initiative can be produced where the following information is recorded:

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1. Name of activity, dates of activity and place undertaken. 2. Targets of the activity. 3. Objectives of the activity: It is advisable that the objectives are quantifiable in

number and time. For example, at least 40 volunteers from the Local Assembly will have registered, and 35 will have participated in the Volunteers Meeting at the Local Assembly. Another example, 60% of the participants at the meeting value it as satisfactory or very satisfactory.

4. Planning the tasks: detail of each one of the tasks that have to be made to execute the associative life activity. It is important that those tasks are timed, that is to say, their start and end must be specified. The planning of the tasks must take into account the means of communication that will be used to inform the volunteers of the Assembly of the information on the associative life activity.

5. Detail of the budgetary items for the activity: If the complete budget of the volunteers meeting, for example, is 2,000 EUR, provide an itemized breakdown of the costs (for example 1,500 EUR for food and accommodation, 300 EUR for materials and 200 EUR for travel).

In order for the Provincial or Regional Committee to assume a supporting and assisting role in the sphere of Associative Life, it is important that the people responsible for planning the Associative Life send them the plan. In this way the Provincial or Regional Committee will be able to produce a catalogue of associative life activities that can later be distributed among the Local Assemblies within its field of authority. 7. An example of an evaluation of Associative Life activities As indicated previously, evaluation is an important element for the development of any activity. Evaluation has three notable aspects: 1. Firstly, it provides information to other strata of the Local Assembly so they have a

clear idea of how the activity has been developed. One of those strata must be the Local Committee.

2. Secondly, it is useful to know any possible actions of improvement, or elements that should be corrected so that, on future occasions, the activity is developed in a more suitable way. Finally, a reco3. rd could be useful for people who join the associative life working party. With this information, if they do not know who is directly responsible, it can give a clearer idea of the course of the activities for the specified year.


An example of a model evaluation form:

CALENDAR EVALUATION Nº of

participants Name of the activity Activity made YES/NO

M F T Cost of activity

Collective role play Yes 24 26 50 325.25 EURCollaborative Dinner Red Cross Day Yes 20 30 50 440.00 EUR

Summer Solstice Celebration Yes 20 25 45 390.15 EURParticipation in the Fiaccolata (parade of torches of the Italian Red Cross). Yes 3 1 4 550.00 EUR

Volunteer Meeting at the Local Assembly Yes 26 28 54 1,950. 60 EUR

Celebration of International Volunteer Day Yes 40 37 77 400.00 EUR

TOTAL 133 147 280 4,056. 00 EUR

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An example of the evaluation form for each of the executed Associative Life activities follows: EVALUATION Activity Enter the name of the proposed activity

General valuation of the activity: Here an overall evaluation of the activity made. Impressions of the

volunteers participating, conclusions of the evaluations that have

been completed by the participants, etc.

Proposals for improvement: Based on the opinions of the participants and some aspects of

improvement that have been detected, the improvement proposals

facing future events of this activity to be outlined here. This model is very simple to complete, and provides a clear image of the development of the activities executed. Regarding the evaluation of each of the Associative Life activities, according to the case and type of activity, questionnaires can be passed to the participants for evaluation with the purpose of obtaining a clear vision of the degree of fulfilment of the objectives that were established for that activity. For example, it would be a good idea to use a questionnaire for a volunteer meeting, but perhaps it would not be as effective completing it at a dinner. Following is a very simple type of evaluation questionnaire that asks for the opinions of the participants regarding the contents and methodology used, and tries to obtain relevant information on the positive and negative aspects.


Simplicity in this case tends to facilitate the later tabulation of the questionnaire. The more complicated the questionnaire, the more difficult it will be to produce the corresponding report tabulation.

Evaluation Questionnaire Activity XXX

Place of event – dates of event 1. Score, 0-10, what did you think of the subjects dealt with in activity XXX: 2. Score, 0-10, what did you think of the methodology used in activity XXX: 3. What contents or spaces would you propose that we develop at the next activity XXX?

4. Please indicate up to 3 positive aspects of the activity: - - - 5. Please indicate up to 3 aspects you think would make improvements at the next activity: - - -

Thanks for your co-operation

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8. Good practices in Associative Life: actions aimed at promoting

participation in the Associative Life of the volunteers in the Red Cross

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ity Now we come to some initiatives directed towards promoting Associative Life within

local areas. The actions suggested are not in the line of describing possible alternative Associative Life activities at a Local Assembly, an encounter group or a tai-chi workshop, but of direct action to promote the designing and planning of these types of initiatives. However, some of the proposed actions suggest a list of these types of initiatives that can be of interest for the participation of groups. The proposed actions are divided into the following categories: Category A: Managed actions for planning associative life activities. Action 1A: Working sessions with volunteers from the Local Assembly to generate proposals for Associative Life activities. Action 2A: Prizes for the best Associative Life plan from a Local Assembly. Action 3A: Associative Life activities with other Local Assemblies. Action 4A: Associative Life activities with the territorial network of other National Societies. Category B: Actions to present the Associative Life activities. Action 1B: Information bulletins of Associative Life activities. Category C: Spaces for Associative Life. Action 1C: Preparation of a volunteers' room. Action 2C: Panel of photos of the volunteers of the Local Assembly. Category D: Good practises of Associative Life activities for obtaining a catalogue of Associative Life activities. Action 1D: Catalogue of Associative Life activities of the Provincial or Regional Committee. Action 2D: Proposals for Associative Life activities.


CATEGORY A: Managed actions for planning associative life activities. Action 1A: Working sessions with volunteers from the Local Assembly to generate proposals for Associative Life activities As previously stated in this Guide, it is advisable that the annual planning of Associative Life in a Local Assembly begins with the needs, expectations and proposals of its volunteers. Therefore, it is strongly advised that the Associative Life contact or Associative Life Group establishes at least one annual meeting with the volunteers with the purpose of successfully obtaining their opinions and proposals on the Associative Life activities that can be developed. Those working meetings should follow the following guidelines:

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• So that participation in the sessions is satisfactory for all those taking part, it has been agreed that the groups of people do not exceed 15. Equally, groups should not be of less than 5 people. It is important that, prior to each meeting taking place, the minimum number of participants is confirmed. In the case that a minimum is not reached, the meeting should be cancelled.

• Ensure that the participants for the working sessions come from more than one area or plan of activity.

• It is advisable that that there are a minimum of two areas or working plans presented.

• Heterogeneity with respect to the ages and sex. • Although it is not strictly essential that the volunt eers who participate have already

joined the activity, it is recommended. The sessions must take place on a • day of the week which allows the greatest

ext we provide a possible distribution of times for a working session with volunteers

number of people to attend.

Nwhich sets out to extract information and proposals on Associative Life activities.


CONTENT COMMENTS ESTIMATED

TIME

Presentation of objectives of the working sessions

Establish the reason for the working session. Introduce the people who are in the Associative Life Working Group and to relate the results expected for the working session.

10 minutes

Presentation dynamics Use only in the case where volunteers who participate in the meeting do not know each other. 20 minutes

Presentation about what the Red Cross understands by Associative Life

Shower ideas on the group so they understand Associative Life. The motivator will need to get a clear idea of what the group considers Associative Life to be, with the purpose of knowing at which point to begin.

10 minutes

Group work. First part

Introduce the following slogan: “With your help we want to get a series of proposals for Associative Life activities for next year. There is no limit to imagination. Tell us what leisure activities, free time and knowledge of other volunteers you would like to develop within the Local Assembly.” This is distributed to the participants at the meeting in sub-groups (of 5 people for example), and then give them 30 minutes to produce a number of associative life activities.

30 minutes

Presentation of group work

A spokesperson from each sub-group will relate the conclusions that they have reached during the group work to the other members of the working group. The person who runs the meeting will make a list of the proposed activities, excluding those that are repeated. This will be the time for asking questions to clarify some of the activities which require more information or data.

20 minutes exhibition

Group work. Second part

This part of the group work is aimed at evaluating the ideas arising from the first part of the group work. New sub-groups will be made to evaluate the different proposals that have arisen. For this the following parameters will be used: • Potential: measuring the extent to which the idea is

new or even revolutionary, or if it will be well accepted by the other volunteers.

• Applicability: to what extent can the idea be put into practice and become a reality with limited resources.

With those parameters in mind, each group brings together the different activities listed into one of the following four groups: 1. Great potential and applicability. These are the

ideas considered to be most brilliant or interesting. 2. Great potential but low applicability. Initiatives

difficult to carry out in practice but they are original or interesting.

30 minutes

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3. Low potential but high applicability. Although they are not new, they usually come from related ideas that could to be considered in groups 1 or 2.

4. Low potential and low applicability. It is agreed that these ideas are rejected.

In this way the final result will be a list of the activities grouped together according to their potential and applicability that will be of great value for planning the of Associative Life activities of the Local Assembly.

Closing of the session A vote of thanks for the participation of all the volunteers in the working session, and inform them of the next steps that will occur with the proposals raised.

10 minutes

Total time 130 minutes

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Action 2A: Prizes for the best Associative Life plan from a Local Assembly A way of encouraging Local Assemblies to make their annual plan for Associative Life, and promote a certain level of competition among them, could be for the Provincial Committee to design a prize for the best Associative Life plan among the Local Assemblies of its area of authority. The criteria established to decide which plan takes the prize must be the most objective possible. Some criteria that could be established are the following:

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1. The planning should contain at least one activity of recognition of the voluntary activity.

2. It must have previously considered the proposals and interests of a representative group of volunteers from the Local Assembly.

3. It must be previously approved by the Local Committee of the Local Assembly. 4. In addition, the planning must be developed by volunteers. 5. The planned activities should incorporate some system of evaluation so that the

volunteers who participate in them can evaluate them and make improvements to the proposals.

6. The foreseen number of participants per activity is more than 20 volunteers. 7. Incorporate in the planning, effective communication systems to transfer the

information to the volunteers from the Local Assembly. The prize may consist of financing a certain percentage of the expenses derived from the execution of that plan (for example, say 50% or up to a certain amount). In addition, it could be decided that 2 or 3 prizes are awarded, based on the interests of the Provincial Committee and the budget available.


Action 3A: Associative Life activities with other Local Assemblies Participation in Associative Life offers many possibilities. It is limited only by the imagination and the resources available. Although more and more Inter-Assembly Associative Life activities are developed, it is an area barely exploited and very enriching, as it makes it possible to get to know different types of organization in other Local Assemblies. There are many options for participation with other Local Assemblies. Some alternatives appear below:

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1. Activities planned and developed jointly by two or more Local Assemblies. This example is centred around activities that are designed and led collaboratively between several Local Assemblies.

2. Places in Associative Life activities designed by a Local Assembly, so that the Assembly offers a certain number of places to participate in the initiatives of neighbouring Local Assemblies.

3. Activities directed to the Local Assemblies of certain provincial or regional areas, where planning and design are the responsibility of the Provincial or Regional Committee.

In cases 1 and 2 above, it is advisable that the Provincial or Regional Committee receives information on the Inter-Assembly initiatives developed. Some recommendations for the planning and development of alternative No 1: • A small working party can be formed for the planning, organization and development

of the activity. • It is advisable that the responsibilities are made very clear to the personnel assigned

to the planning of the activity that each Local Assembly assumes. • In the same way, the level and the way how each Assembly contributes the

necessary resources for the execution of the joint activity should be made very clear.


Action 4A: Associative Life activities with the territorial network of other National Societies Variations of these types of activities are those that can be developed between Local Assemblies of different National Societies. This type of action between neighbouring National Societies of the Red Cross is more and more frequent and, in addition, they have a great attraction for the volunteers of the Local Assembly. Visits to get to know a city, the facilities of the Red Cross in another National Society, exchange of information on the activities that are developed, meals between volunteers of both National Societies, and organization of joint leisure activities are only a few examples of initiatives between Assemblies of different National Societies. It is important to know that a specific protocol exists for this type of activity that has to be considered:

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1. The responsibility to formalize this type of activity lies with the President of the Spanish Red Cross, who conditions the manner of making the contacts.

2. The first informal contact can be developed by the Local Assembly with the branch of the National Society with which it is trying to develop the initiative. If, after the first contact, it is discerned that there are clear options to develop it, the President of the Local Assembly will communicate with the Provincial or Regional President within his territorial area, so that he is contacted, as well as the President of the Spanish Red Cross raising the possibility of developing bilateral action.

3. The branch of the National Society counterpart will have to do the same, according to the communication systems that have been established between different territorial levels.

4. The President of the Red Cross will make contact with their equivalent counterpart at the National Society to raise the joint initiative with them.

5. With contact between Presidents of the National Societies having been made, both parties having approved, it will be possible to begin to make formal contact between the Assemblies of both National Societies.

Although this procedure can appear slow at first, it is much more rapid and fast than one thinks and, in addition, its purpose is to coordinate relationships between National Societies. It could be that, without knowing it, the Local Assembly of the Spanish Red Cross which has an interest in undertaking a bilateral Associative Life activity, and other Spanish Local Assemblies are planning similar activities with that same National Society. This is the reason that coordination on a national level is so important.


CATEGORY B: Actions to present the Associative Life activities. Action 1B: Information bulletins of Associative Life activities A key aspect of Associative Life is how the information is transferred about the different events or activities that are organized from the Local Assembly. Some elements to consider, as far as communications are concerned, are the following:

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1. The new technologies are the tools that make communication with volunteers at the Local Assembly easy. They have, in addition, the advantage that using them to communicate and to inform involves less time. Electronic bulletins, informative emails, SMS texts, are systems used intensively every day. Do you remember when bulletins were photocopied, they were put into envelopes, labels were attached and then you had to send them to all the Assembly volunteers? In fact, in some Local Assemblies this system continues.

2. However, not all volunteers have to be familiar with new technologies. In fact, less than 40% of the volunteers have electronic mail in the human resources data base. For that reason it is recommended to combine different means of communication to ensure that the information reaches the maximum possible number of people.

3. It is recommended that the same Local Assembly does not produce bulletins for different subjects or plans (for example, a bulletin for the volunteers in the first aid plan, another for home tele-assistance, another to inform exclusively on participation). The ideal would be that there is only one bulletin for the Local Assembly, and that periodically information on specific subjects of special interest (for example a meeting of volunteers of the Local Assembly) is included.

Along this theme, there follows an example of an electronic bulletin in which information is given about a Meeting of volunteers of a Local Assembly.


News bulletin of the Local

Assembly of the Red Cross in XXX

September/XX

Meeting of Volunteers of the Local Assembly.

Agenda.

How to join?

Who can participate?

We need You! Forward this bulletin.

Meeting of Volunteers of the Local Assembly

On x and x xx the Local Assembly will hold a meeting of volunteers of the Local Assembly. It is anticipated that more than 40 volunteers of the Assembly will participate. We want volunteers of all the projects to present.

Agenda

Some of the agenda items will be as follows: • A course of Basic Institutional Training for the new Local Assembly volunteers. • Workshops on creativity, relaxation, social skills, etc. • A competition on First Aid techniques. • A themed event. V isit the Local Assembly blog and consult the complete programme.

+ info: Local Assembly blog www.xxx.xx

How to join?

If you want to participate in the meeting send an email, indicating your first name, last names, NIF and a mobile telephone number to the following address: [email protected] Participation in the meeting is free of charge. You will immediately receive an emailed confirmation.

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Who can participate?

Any Local Assembly volunteer can participate in the meeting. It will be a unique experience to g et to know other Assembly volunteers' projects. Come and join us!

We need you: forward this bulletin.

We want to reach 40 people to participate in the meeting. So we need your help. Forward this bulletin or the information on the meeting to your friends and associates.


CATEGORY C: Spaces for Associative Life. Action 1C: Preparation of a volunteers' room

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It is advisable that the volunteers of the Local Assembly have at least one space of relaxation and work where they can meet, be with other volunteers, play, consult their electronic mail, etc. Some elements that this room could incorporate are as follows: • A computer with connection to the Internet and printer. • A television with DVD. • A meeting table. • Chairs to adapt the volunteers space to a classroom. • A bookcase with key Red Cross documents (Statutes, General Organic Rules, Code

of Conduct, etc.), games, books etc. • A telephone. • Flip charts. Another aspect to consider is that these spaces need some rules that are agreed by the people who are going them to use. It is a matter of making a space of reference and encounter where volunteers can meet as they like, develop their related voluntary tasks with evaluation and planning, and where certain associative life activities can be developed.


Action 2C: Panel of photos of the volunteers of the Local Assembly A decorative element that can promote knowledge between volunteers of the Local Assembly, as well as of the voluntary activity that it undertakes, would be to place a panel with the photos of all the volunteers of the Local Assembly. The panel can be placed in the volunteers' room of the Local Assembly, or in some visible place at the entrance to the facilities of the Assembly.

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The photos can be obtained by sending an informative communication to all the volunteers of the Assembly, so that they send the images by electronic mail, or provide them directly. The photographs can be close-ups of the volunteers, or images of the volunteers going about their voluntary activity.


Category D: Good practice in Associative Life activities for obtaining a catalogue of Associative Life activities. Action 1D:

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Catalogue of Associative Life activities of the Provincial or Regional Committee This action is a variation (non-exclusive) of Action 2. It is simply a matter of the Provincial and/or Regional Committee compiling the Associative Life activities planned and undertaken by the Local Assemblies within their sphere of authority. This compilation would be added in a catalogue of associative life activities that could later be sent to the Local Assemblies. This action does not require too many resources, apart from time, to produce the catalogue. Once the experiences are received by the Provincial or Regional Committee, it would be recommendable that the activities of the catalogue were categorized. Some examples of categories of Associative Life activities follow: 1. Meetings. 2. Sports activities. 3. Outings and excursions. 4. Celebrations. 5. Meals / dinners. 6. Workshops. The added value of this initiative is that of providing ideas of experiences of interest to the Local Assemblies, so that these have a base prior to the annual planning of their Associative Life. This system can be replicated, in a simplified form, in some Local Assemblies, where the weight of some projects entails associative life activities being developed within the scope of those projects. A model file is presented next to obtain information from the Local Assemblies on the associative life activities that they develop.


FILE OF EXPERIENCES

of Associative Life1/2

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THE LAST DAY FOR THE RECEPTION OF THIS FILE OF EXPERIENCES WILL BE NEXT XX JULY XXXX

This file has the objective of collecting key information on the experiences that the different Local Assemblies have developed or intend to develop in the sphere of Associative Life. A catalogue of Associative Life activities will be produced from the information received that will be sent to the Local Assemblies of the regional / provincial committee. If you have more than one experience to send to us, use one file per initiative. Data of the person completing the file: Full name

Contact Telephone E-mail

Function or responsibility in the Red Cross

Local Assembly of origin

Regional / Provincial Committee of origin

DETAILS OF THE ASSOCIATIVE LIFE INITIATIVE Name of the initiative / project

1 Objectives of the initiative

2

Territorial sphere in which it has been developed 3

4 Has material been produced or published to develop this initiative? YES NO If YES, indicate the materials that have been published or produced: (Informative material, bulletins, blogs, mails, etc.)

4A


FILE OF EXPERIENCES

of Associative Life2/2

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Brief and concise statement of the initiative:

5

Resources and means used for the development of the initiative 6

Expected results of the implantation of this initiative

7

Obtained results of the implantation of this initiative

8

9 Please attach any documentation considered necessary to complement the provided information. Send to: XXX


Action 2D: Proposals for Associative Life activities A list Associative Life activities follows that could be useful for the Participation Group responsible for the annual planning.

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1. Distribution of the cultural agenda of the Town Hall among the volunteers of the

Local Assembly. 2. Open-door days in the Local Assembly. 3. Volunteers meeting in a Local Assembly. 4. Volunteers' dinner. 5. Volunteers' party. 6. Local / provincial / regional first-aid events. 7. Musical and theatre performances by the volunteers. 8. Trekking. 9. Parties without alcohol. 10. Talks on health and the prevention of violent behaviour. 11. Video - forum. 12. Associative Life Magazine. 13. Cinema - Jazz on the beach. 14. Theatre performances. 15. Coexistence days. 16. Gymkhanas. 17. Torch-lit solidarity marches (route on foot, each volunteer carrying a torch; when

ending the anticipated route, a manifesto of adhesion to the Institution and its philosophy is read).

18. Handicraft workshops (kites, costume jewellery, bookmarks, henna tattoos, etc.). 19. Educational workshops on values (communication on equality, relationships and

sexuality, first aid in the home, reading, social and communication abilities, etc.). 20. Theatre workshops, music-therapy, sporting activities, juggling, self-care,

relaxation, cooking, etc. 21. Ability workshops (social abilities, communications abilities, stress confrontation). 22. Terror night. 23. Cinema. night 24. Day of physical activity (sports championships, hiking, etc.). 25. Visits to museums.


9. Some ideas to promote creativity: creativity techniques On some occasions the promotion of creativity can be the first step to reaching greater quotas of innovation in the planning of Associative Life. The use of simple creativity techniques can promote the garnering of a new perspective of problems or challenges for us to consider, or to give original approaches to Associative Life activities. It is for that reason that some techniques for the promotion of creativity are considered next. These techniques can be especially useful for the Associative Life Working Group.

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RANDOM-WORD Random-word is a widely used method of lateral thinking. It is one of the simpler creativity techniques and is normally used by people who need to generate new ideas or new products. This method is based on the association of a word applied to a new situation, out of context, with new connections being generated in our mind, and a eureka effect taking place. Random-word is a technique in which associations of ideas are made that relate to a problem to be solved, by means of the use of words or images. Some systems for obtaining random words are as follows: • A bag with hundreds of words written on pieces of paper. • Open a dictionary (or a newspaper) at random and choose a word. • Make a list of 60 words. Watch the clock, and take note of the seconds. Use this

number to choose the word. It is important to use the first word chosen. It is recommendable to work with substantives or verbs. Once the word is chosen, you make a list of its associations or attributions. Later apply each one of the items of the list, and observe how they relate to the problem. The brain is a system of self-organization, and constantly makes connections. Almost all the words stimulate ideas. It is recommendable to use the associations of the stimulus word as metaphors. A good system to write the associations is to develop a mental map of the “stimulus” word. Currently there are a large number of free programs to generate mental maps using the computer. Using any search engine, and applying search terms such as “mental map” or “mind-mapping”, will produce several applications of that type.


REVERSE BRAINSTORMING The world is full of contrasts and differences and no idea means anything without its opposite.

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The method: 1. Creates your problem the other way around. It changes a positive declaration into a

negative. 2. Tries to define what something is not. 3. Imagines what the others do not. 4. Uses the question “What would happen if…?” 5. Changes the direction or the position of your perspective. 6. Looks for contrary results. 7. Turns defeat into victory or victory into defeat. 1. Changes the declaration into a negative.For example, if you are trying to improve a voluntary action, enumerate all the criteria necessary to make the state of that action worse. Possibly you will be surprised at the ideas that will arise. 2. Doing what the others do notFor example, Apple did what IBM did not, Japan has made small cars of moderate fuel consumption. 3. The question “What would happen if…?”Question would happen if, using pairs of opposite actions. What would happen if the number of volunteers increased/decreased? What would happen if the quality of training improved/got worse? 4. Changing the direction or the position of your perspectiveTest the physical change of the perspective, or to do something different. 5. Contrary results.If you want to increase the number of volunteers, think about what you would have to do to decrease their number. What you would have to do? 6. Turn defeat into victory or victory into defeatIf something goes bad, think about the positive aspects of the situation. If you lost all the files in your computer, what positive aspects would that have? Perhaps you would spend more time with your family. Who knows!


ASK “WHY?” FIVE TIMES Ask “why?” of a problem that has been raised. Later ask “why?” four times more. For example:

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1. Why do many of the volunteers not have information about the activities made in the Local Assembly? Because they do not go to the Local Assembly to inquire first hand.

2. Why do they not go to the Local Assembly? Because it does not interest them. They only undertake their activity and they go home.

3. Why do they only undertake their activity? Because they do not know the different modes of participation that RC offers them.

4. Why do they not know the different modes of participation? Because they do not have information on the subject. Because in the basic training, although this information is given, greater effort needs to be made.

5. Why do they not have information on the subject? Because we did not pay sufficient attention to the transfer of information, and must look for innovating and attractive systems to transmit that information.

In this case, one of the solutions would be to implement systems of transferring information to volunteers. These systems must be innovating and attractive. THE SIX UNIVERSAL QUESTIONS Generators of ideas must know a simple universal truth. There are only six questions that a human being can ask another: I have six honest assistants who taught me everything I know. Their names are: what, why, when, how, where and who Rudyard Kipling What? Where? When? How? Why? Who?


Mind-maps can be drawn up, with these six words, like nodes of a map.

What

Problem When

Why Who

How

Where

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APPLY THE IMAGINATION Produce an ideas poster, copy this table and place it in a visible space. Assigns other applications

What would be other ways to use it? What other applications would we have if we modified it?

Adapt What does it look like? What other idea does it suggest to you? What could be copied? Who could emulate it?

Modify Change the meaning, colour, movement, sound, scent, shape, dimension of a variable

Magnify What could be added? What would happen if it was done in more time? What would happen if it was done most frequently? What would happen if it were stronger or more powerful? What would happen if it was higher? What would happen if it were longer or more extensive? And if it were more dense? And if it had an additional value? And if it had some component more? What would happen if it were multiplied? And if it were exaggerated?

Reduce What would happen if we reduced it? And if it were smaller? And if it were more condensed? And if it were in miniature? And if it were lower? Shorter? Lighter? What would happen if we divided it? And if we minimized it?

Substitute Who could we locate instead of another? What we could locate instead of the other? What would happen if we used another ingredient? What would happen if we used another material? What would happen if we used another process? What would happen if we changed the place?

Change Exchange the components Use another model Use another layout Use another sequence Exchange the cause for the effect Change the step Change the schedule

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Invert Exchange the positive for the negative or vice versa

How would it be if it were the other way round? Invert the process Change roles Change the processes

Combine How would a mixture, an alloy, an assortment, a set be? What are the units of the combination? What are the intentions? What are the proposals?

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It can be useful to visualize this table when we have to contribute new ideas, or when we have to identify solutions for a certain problem. SIX THINKING HATS In the 80’s de Bono invented the six thinking hats method. The method is a framework for thinking and incorporates lateral thinking. Critical thought is used in the technique but it is not allowed to be the dominant thinking, as happens in the normal thinking. The six hats represent six ways of thinking and are directions in which to use the analysis. The hats are used proactively instead of reactively. This method promotes an entry of more complete information to more people. Each person can contribute to the exploration, as the six hats system promotes the operation instead of the defence of the ego. The people can contribute under any hat although initially they use the opposed vision. Each hat is a direction in which to think, and not a thought label. The dominant theoretical reasons to use the six thinking hats are: • Animation of parallel thinking • Cover the spectrum of thought • Separate the ego from the operation The operation of this technique is discussed ahead: We have six metaphorical hats and the thinkers can put on or take off one of those hats, to indicate the type of thinking used. It is essential to wear the hat or to take it off. The hats must never be used to categorize individuals, although the form in which they are used can invite that. When the group is constituted, all must wear the same hat at the same time. White hat thinking (informative thinking) This hat covers facts, data, information. It is neutral, it does not interpret nor does it give opinions. If the fact is not sufficiently resisted, it clarifies the source and the probability.


Red hat thinking (intuitive thinking)This covers intuition, sensations and emotions. The red hat allows the thinker to express an intuition with no need to argue it. “Wearing my red hat, I think that this is a terrible offer”. Sensations and intuition can only be introduced in a discussion if they subordinate to the logic. It completely allows the thinker to propose their sensations at that moment on the subject in hand.

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Black hat thinking (critical thinking)This is the hat of judgement and precaution. It is one of the most valuable hats. It is not in any sense an inferior or negative hat. The black hat must be used to determine why one suggestion does not adapt to the experience available, system in use, or policy to follow. It indicates what is bad, the incorrect, the erroneous, which does not adapt to the experience. The black hat must always be logical. Yellow hat thinking (positive thinking)This is the logical positive, in which the reasons are given why some idea could work, and why it offers advantages. It can be used in considering the future results of some proposed action, but it can also be used to find some value in something that is going to happen. Green hat thinking (creative thinking) This is the hat of creativity, alternatives, offers and provoking thinking. It does not value. It speculates, it goes beyond the well-known and it operates with the logic of creativity. Blue hat thinking (descriptive thinking) This is the hat of description or control of processes. It does not focus on the subject itself, but on the “thinking” about the subject. Director of thinking (without hat) Organizes the thinking. It defines the subjects, proposes the type of thinking to use at every moment, makes the synthesis and the conclusions. It assures respect for the rules. It moderates and directs the shape and content of the discussion.


THE DISCONTINUITY PRINCIPLE (CREATIVE OPERATIONS) The more we use something (a process, the same system of work), the less stimulated it is for our thinking.

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When thinking models are interrupted, the ideas that arise create stimuli which force us to make new connections to understand the situation. It attempts to programme interruptions throughout the day. Modifying working hours, working in a different way, listening to radio stations different from the habitual, reading some articles or books that you would not normally read, eating something that you do not usually eat, watching some TV programme or film that you would not normally watch. The provoking ideas are often the stepping stones that get us thinking about other ideas. CHECKLISTS It is a set of questions that stimulate the formation of ideas.

• Why it is necessary? • Where should it be done? • When should it be done? • Who should do it? • What should be done? • How should it be done? • Who uses it?

These are good questions to add applications or processes to mechanisms with which we usually work. Applying alternatives to other alternatives can produce a better use of those elements with which we work. Other questions are:

• Can it be adapted? • Can it be modified? • Can it be substituted? • Can it be magnified / maximized? • Can be minimized / eliminated? • Can it be changed? • Can it be reversed? • Can it be combined?


BRAINSTORMING Brainstorming is a word commonly used as a generic term for creative thinking. The basis of the brainstorming session is the ideas that it generates, in a working group situation by means of the principle of suspending judgement. The ideas generation phase is separate from the judgement phase of thinking.

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Brainstorming is a process which works best by using the following rules: • The created problem must be well defined and clearly indicated. • Someone in the group must be assigned to write down all the ideas that arise. • The group must have the right number of people. • Someone in the group must have the following functions:

Not allow judgement of the ideas of the others. Each idea must be accepted and recorded. Encourage members of the group to build on the ideas of others. Encourage the formation of strange ideas or outside the box thinking.

The idea of this technique is that the observations of the members of the group will stimulate the generation of other ideas like a chain reaction. FORCED ANALOGY Forced analogy is a very useful method of generating ideas. The technique consists of comparing the problem with another element with which it has little or nothing in common, and generates new perspective of the problem. Relationships can be forced between almost any thing, and new insights obtained: associations and whales, management systems and telephone networks, or your function in the association and a pencil. Forcing relationships is one of the ways to develop new insights or solutions. It is a useful mechanism for developing relationships. In order to optimize the operation of this technique it is advisable to have a selection of objects or cards to help generate ideas. In this case, an object or card is chosen at random to help establish relationships with the problem or question. It uses mind-mapping or a matrix to record the relationships / attributes and then explores aspects of the current problem.


THE ASSOCIATION AS A MATCHBOX Sometimes it is very useful to examine a structure, comparing it with objects or things. There follows an example where an association is compared with a box of matches.

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Matchbox Attributes Association

Striking surface on two sides The protection an organization needs against threats from the outside

Six sides Six divisions / departments of the association

Sliding inner section The heart of the organization must be flexible and removable

Made of cardboard Structure with limited resources ATTRIBUTE LISTING Attribute Listing is a good technique for examining all the possible aspects of a problem. Attribute listing is based on breaking-down the problem into smaller and smaller pieces of information. For example, we imagine that we are in the business of making torches. We are under pressure from the competition and need to improve the quality of the product. By breaking the torch down into its component parts - casing, switch, battery, bulb and the weight - the attributes of each one can be listed and ideas developed to improve each one. Attribute Listing - to improve a torch

Characteristic Attribute Ideas Cover Plastic Metal Switch On/Off Low battery indicator Battery Power Rechargeable Bulb Glass Plastic Weight Heavy Light Attribute Listing is a very useful technique for the improvement of the quality of complicated products, procedures, actions or projects. It is a good technique to use jointly with other creative thinking techniques, such as brainstorming. It can focus on a specific aspect of a product, process, action or project, prior to the generation of a lot of ideas by other techniques.


MORPHOLOGICAL FORCED CONNECTIONS This technique is a variant of attribute listing. It works in the following way: 1. List the attributes of the situation. 2. Under each attribute, record as many alternatives as possible.

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3. Once finalized, makes connections at random using the alternatives, choosing one from each column and assembling the combinations in new forms of the original subject.

After all, new ideas are often new ways to combine old ideas. Example: Improve a ball-point pen Cylindrical Material Cap Ink Source Faceted Metal With cap No Cartridge Square Glass Without cap Permanent Beaded Moulded Retracts Paper Cartridge Sculpted Paper Cleaning cap Cartridge made of ink Invention: A cube pen. One of the corners writes, leaving the six sides for calendars, photos, etc. Another use of attribute listing is called morphological analysis and is an automatic method of combining parameters into new combinations for later review to resolve problems. A selection of parameters or attributes is chosen and the combinations are explored. The combinations often promote ideas and are like steps to finding other solutions. It is advisable to have a collection of attribute lists to use in the morphological analysis. For example:

Human Ages Baby, pre-school, child, adolescent, youth, adult, pensioner, old-age

Time Units Milliseconds, seconds, minutes, hours, morning / afternoon / night, days, weeks, fortnight, month, quarters, years, decades, century

Colours Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, black, white, brown, pink, crimson

Meals Breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner Six Questions Who, what, when, where, how, why


For example, think about books of the type ‘A day in the life of Spain’ or ‘A day in the life of Cyberspace’. A day could be replaced by the list of the time units, life could be replaced by birth / death / growth and the word life could be replaced by a list of your fields of interest (the association, the volunteers, etc.)

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Evaluating the connections, combinations will be found such as: “A year in the death of the association” which could urge examination of the real state of the association in which you work, and if it is passing through a complicated stage, go on to establish the corresponding correction mechanisms. IMITATION How many ideas are really original? It is absolutely valid to imitate other ideas before progression to original thought. Try what all the “great” creators have done: imitate. After having imitated sufficiently, the dimension of the imitated thing will vary according to our preferences and ways of working. Originality is a natural result of the sincere creative pursuit. Ideas are constantly in movement. If you really understand an idea, it’s yours. MIND-MAPS The human brain is very different from a computer. Whereas a computer uses a linear progression, the brain works both associatively and linearly, comparing, integrating and synthesizing. Association plays a dominant role in almost every mental function, and words are not an exception. Each word and idea have numerous connections that are associated with other ideas and concepts. Mind-maps are an effective method of note-taking and useful for the generation of ideas by associations. In order to make a mind-map, start in the centre of a sheet of paper with the main idea, and work outwards in all directions, producing a growing and organized structure integrated by the key words and images. The basic characteristics are:

• Organization • Key words • Association • Clustering • Visual memory – write the key words, uses colours, symbols, icons, 3D-

effects, arrows etc. • Each mind-map requires a unique centre • Conscious involvement


The mind-maps begin to adopt the same structure as memory itself. Mind-maps organize the information clearly. Due to the large amount of associations and connections that can be made, they can be very creative, tending to generate new ideas and associations that had not been thought of before.

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The creative potential of a mind-map can be useful in brainstorming sessions, of ideas. It is only necessary to begin in the centre with the basic problem, and generate associations and ideas from it, in order to arrive at a large number of possible different approaches. By presenting thoughts and opinions in a spatial manner and using colours and pictures, a better overview is obtained and the new connections can be made visible. Mind-maps are a system of representing associated thoughts with symbols (rather than with strange words). The mind forms associations almost instantaneously and mind-maps allow ideas to be written more quickly than expressing them by using words or phrases. STORY-BOARDING Story-boarding goes back to the beginnings of cinema. In the world of animation, Walt Disney and his personnel developed the system in 1928. Disney tried to achieve full animation and to obtain this he needed to produce an enormous number of drawings. The handling of the thousands of drawings and to progress a project was almost impossible, so Disney maintained contact with the artists, hanging the drawings on the walls of the studio. In this way progress could be controlled, and scenes could be easily added or rejected. Story-boarding is a system of coordination aimed at facilitating the process of creative thinking and can be used to compare one’s own or other people's ideas or reasoning. Place the reasoned ideas on a surface while working on a project or the solving of a problem. When ideas are located in sequences, the interconnections can be seen, how an idea is related to another one and how all the pieces are interconnected. Once the ideas begin to flow, those working with the sequence of images will become immersed in the problem. To implement a story-board, it is necessary to place the ideas on cards and these on cork or similar surfaces. It starts with a topic card on which the subject is written and, under the topic card, pin up header cards containing general points, categories, considerations, etc. that arise. Under the header cards, pin sub-heading cards that contain the ideas related to the cards above and which have been generated in the creative thinking sessions. Story-boarding works well in group meetings.


Four variations exist according to the use that occurs to this technique: • Planning boards. • Ideas boards. • Communication boards. • Organization boards.

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During the sessions in which this technique is used, all the ideas have to be considered, it doesn’t matter how impossible they may seem. Think positively, do not criticize until later, and piggy-back on other’s ideas. The creative thinking sessions are carried out independently to the critical thinking sessions. METAPHORICAL THINKING People tend to think of the mind as analogous to current technology. Over the last few centuries, the mind has been compared to a steam engine, telephone network, and recently, to a computer. The brain is much more that a computer. A metaphor is a soft thinking technique that connects two different concepts of meaning. Examples: Food chain, flow of time etc. The key to metaphorical thinking is similarity. The human mind tends to look for similarities. Excessive logical thinking can stifle the creative process. Make and look for metaphors in your thinking, and be aware of the metaphors that you use. Projecting our imagination in another sensory or conceptual framework can be useful. For example, the visual images of spring inspired Vivaldi to compose “Spring” in the Four Seasons. ANIMATED IDEAS Normally we think in different ways, and two complementary ways of thinking are visual thinking and verbal thinking. This technique liberates thinking from the world of words, using the power of symbols and drawings. The language of symbols is a method of visual thinking, and its visual and flexible nature is useful for the creative generation of ideas, when different connections take place between the attributes of the problem or approach. This language consists of visual graphical symbols that can be created to replace words. It isn’t necessary to have special drawing abilities, the only important thing is what the symbol that you have drawn represents for you.


This technique works as follows: 1. Divide your challenge into attributes or portions. 2. Describe each attribute or portion, drawing an abstract graphical symbol. Each

drawing must represent a specific attribute and must be on a separated index card (piece of paper, post-it, etc.). Draw what you feel. Allows the image of the attribute to emerge in its own way and draw what you want to capture. Write the attribute on the reverse of the card.

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3. Place all the cards on a surface, with the graphical symbols visible. Randomly group and regroup the symbols in several connections. Try not to place the cards consciously, as if they were telling you where they want to be. Mix and relate the symbols to provoke ideas.

4. Look for the ideas and thoughts that have connection with the initial approach or challenge. Try to force connections. Try free association, and record the ideas that seem most provoking or useful.

5. When you are stuck, you can add more animated ideas or start a new set. By changing the position of the cards, you will obtain new connections and relationships, which will provoke new ideas. Try to inverting the symbols, changing their position to generate new models. Test the limits of your imagination. Animated ideas is a technique that allows you to express, see and think about themes related to working in associations (or any other subject), in a different and unique way, by means of the symbols or drawings. The linguistic model increases the capacity to divide a whole into its integral parts, and it is useful to regroup the parts in a variety of new models. Symbols also help to develop a greater insight to any situation. Symbols or drawings stimulate the imagination and make a pleasant change after being flooded by words. Exercises 1. A delegation of Martians lands in your city centre. They do not understand any

terrestrial language, only graphic symbols. Prepare a short speech composed of graphic symbols to communicate welcome and to inform them of what type of place you live in.

2. Draw animated ideas for each one of the attributes of your professional situation. Devise some drawings for the people who you deal with, products, things, tools and the concepts associated with your work.

3. Invents a card game using the animated ideas. They can be useful to make Christmas / New Year cards, etc.


ASSUMPTION SMASHING A useful technique to generate ideas is to list the assumptions of the problem, to later explore what happens while you use each one of the assumptions individually or in combination.

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For example, somebody worked in the Customer Service division of a software company. When the clients bought software, they were encouraged to purchase telephone support for a cost of 15% of the value of the software. That money was used to finance the cost of the telephone support personnel. The assumptions of this situation are:

• Customers purchase maintenance agreements. • Customers pay 15% of the software’s value for telephone support. • Telephone support is a product and should, therefore, be sold. • The software vendor provides useful and timely support.

Next think about the different situations that can be produced, varying the assumptions. What happens if the support is free? - the price of the software should increase and support is included, creating the impression that the telephone support is free. Don’t support the product - telephone support is not offered. The vendor does not have to provide it, and therefore they do not have to contract support personnel. This situation could lead customers to form their own support groups, or to use other systems such as Bulletin Boards, Internet, postbags, independent support specialists etc. DO IT The name is based on the following abbreviation:

• Define • Open • Identify • Transform

The pattern of the DO IT process accentuates the need to Define problems, Open yourself to many possible solutions, Identify the best solution and then Transform it into effective action.


DO IT catalysts, designed to help Define, Open, Identify and Transform, are: 1. Define 2. Focus 3. Grip 4. Stretch

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5. Open 6. Prompt 7. Surprise 8. Free 9. Synthesize 10. Identify 11. Integrate

he DO IT process and catalysts:

12. Strengthen13. Synergize 14. Transform TThe DO IT catalysts can be used effectively separately for quick problem solving, or

rite down the problem:

jointly as one process when important or difficult problems must be solved. They have been designed to accelerate and to strengthen the creative problem solving capacity and to stimulate the generation of a large amount of good ideas for the solution to problems. WDefine the problem carefully to ensure you are looking for solutions to the real problem

Focus

and to help engage your conscious and unconscious minds with the problem.

Ask why the problem exists. This may lead to a broader statement of the

divide the problem into smaller problems. This may lead to a narroweproblem. Try to sub r restatement of the problem.

Grip o-word statements of the problem objective. Select Write down at least three tw

the combination of words which best represents the precise problem you want to solve. Use this to write a new, more optimal and effective restatement of the problem.

Stretch oals, objectives and/or criteria which the solution of the problem is to List the g

satisfy. (Think of the obstacles which must be overcome.) Then stretch each goal, objective or criterion and write down any ideas which are stimulated.

rite down the most optimal declaration of the problem:W

Open yourself to consider many diverse solution ideas. Delay judgment on ideas generated until the Identify step. First, list any ideas which are on your mind. Then....


Prompt Ask other people with diverse backgrounds, knowledge and intelligence for solutions to your problem. Use their solutions as prompters for your own ideas.

Surprise List ridiculous, laughable ideas. Use them to trigger more reasonable, possible usable solutions to your problem.

Free

Stimulate fresh ideas by forcing similarities between your problem and things which aren't logically related to your problem. Write down the name of a physical object, picture, plant or animal. List its characteristics in detail. Use the listed characteristics to stimulate insights into, and ideas for, the solution to your problem.

Synthesize Circle the best of ideas generated so far during the Define and Open steps

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Identify the best solution to your problem and modify it until you are ready to transform your idea into action.

Integrate Review your goals, objectives and/or criteria then trust your own gut-level feeling to select the best idea from the already circled ideas.

Strengthen List the negative aspects of your idea. Be vicious! Try to positive the negatives. Then modify the solution to reduce the negative aspects.

Energize

Exaggerate the worst and best potential consequence which might result from the implementation of your solution. Modify your solution to minimize bad consequences and maximize good consequences. Proceed to the transformation step if you are sufficiently energized.

Carefully write down a statement of your final solution idea. Transform your solution idea into action. Use the DO IT process and catalysts again to help creatively solve the problem which you now have of 'How to transform your solution idea into action.' Most of our everyday personal and professional problems are solved in a few minutes or instantly. Therefore you will probably find it advantageous to use only one or a few of the catalysts at a time.


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