Building Resilience in the Profession: A focus on Young
People and Women - African Task Force Meeting 2011
1 - 2 December 2011, Cape Town, South Africa
|
The participants at the African Task Force, December 2012 |
The FIG Africa Task Force (ATF) is an initiative aimed at supporting FIG
African Member Associations and Academic members over the period 2010-14.
The key purpose of the task force is to enable the surveying profession in
Sub Saharan Africa to deal with social responsibility in terms of
contributing to achieving the MDGs. In this regard, the role of the
surveyors as change agents engaging with the politicians and civic society
is important. Each year the Task Force invites an African member association
to co-host the workshop event. It is with great pleasure that the FIG Africa
Task Force (ATF) welcomed the University of Cape Town, Geomatics Dept
(UCT) who organised the logistical arrangements in Cape Town, and South African Council for Professional and Technical Surveyors (PLATO).
In addition this years focus also compliments the current efforts underway
through FIG Young Surveyors Network (YSN) accordingly they
contributed significantly to the deliberations.
The two day Workshop considered and devised new and creative tools to
revitalise and strengthen FIG Members within Sub Saharan Africa and will
present its findings at FIG Working Week in Rome 6- 10 May 2012.
This workshop was targeted at senior and middle level land professionals
in the private and public sector and educational and land professional
institutes. It brought together decision makers and practitioners from
several African nations (Botswana, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria,
Tanzania, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda) with expertise across
the range of land professional disciplines within the FIG membership.
Over a two day workshop the Task Force objectives were to:
- Understand what the barriers of entry to the profession are
especially relating to women and young people
- Add value for participants through a learning experience to enable
them to act as agents of change
- Outline and develop a range of tools that are capable of being used
by member associations that will make a difference in their recruiting
strategies
These objectives were achieved and a suite of tools were agreed to be
worked upon with a final document expected to be uploaded on the web site
soon.
Thepresentations were led by Joycelyn Makena (Kenya),
Eugene
Etuonovbe (Nigeria) and Ugwulebo Benedicta Amarach ( Nigeria)
each sharing their personal professional experiences enabling delegates to
concentrate on their own ‘discover’ aspects of adaptive inquiry. Next moving
to the member organisation level, delegates heard from Peter Marsh,
President SAGI and Winston Ayeni Chief Registrar of SERCO, who
presented their respective associations recruiting activities.
Sincere thanks to Trimble (Global & South Africa offices) who
steered the afternoon activity that concentrated on performance and
technology. Keith Hofgartner (Director Global projects) presented
Trimble and their role in Africa, next with the help of the local Trimble/
Optron team equipment was supplied and they ran a full afternoon with
participants fully engaged in interactive land survey.
The second day continued with different ways of thinking, concentrating
upon partners and perceptions drawing from the adaptive enquiry structure of
discover, design and delivery. First, discovering partnerships with an
excellent presentation of the pragmatic and effective work Shack Dwellers
International is doing in informal settlements in Cape Town. Aditya
Kumar (SDI) & Vuyani Myango (Grassroots leader), discussed and
talked about participation and communication, truly empowering and reminding
delegates of the benefit of professionals working with Grassroots. Yvonne
Sowah (Past President GhIS) talked about perceptions and leaderships and
women in surveying, next Kate Fairlie (Chair YSN) enthused the
audience with perceptions and communication from a young professional’s
viewpoint. Finally, Diane Dumashie overviewed what it means to lead
and communicate change, linking back to the reminder of the days task to
develop do-able tools.
Outcome of the Workshop
The consensus reached at the end of the workshop discussion is that in
the first quarter of 2012 action by:
- End February- Individual groups to consider and prepare and refine
their ideas for tool structure and return the final draft to ATF
secretariat
- March- final edit, formatting and print production, and as
appropriate publications by FIG Head office
- May- (FIG Working week, Rome), the draft tools will be brought to
the Roundtable for final discussion followed by seeking agreement to
circulate to Member Associations
A short workshop publication based on the detailed deliberations has been
prepared and will be available as a briefing document for the roundtable in
2012.
Diane Dumashie
Chair - African Task Force
January 2012
20 January 2012
|
