4rth of 4rth: Sabakan Inc.: strategies and other strategies

CURRENT STRATEGIES (revisit and discuss this more with organizational goals	PROPOSED ‘NEW’ STRATEGIES THAT NEEDS MORE DISCUSSION
Training 1. community awareness training 2. children advocacy program 3.training on module development For now: 1. integration of our language of the church	Organizing: (it’s the cry of the poor, weak, victims/survivors, how can Sabakan and the parish work together?) -vicarate level; -men advocates against VAW -mainstreaming of VAWC responses (prevention, awareness, shelter, counseling) in current parish programs and plans (where the community leaders are) -men and women to respond to VAWC, as part of the programs and plans of the parish
Legal assistance -networking with women lawyers for pro-bono services -explore more support for men lawyers -staff needs on legal processes e.g. how to prepare documents; relating with lawyers -intensify networking with SALIGAN and Balaod Mindanaw	Networking: -for economic empowerment of women survivors (trainings on services and livelihood; managing small business; and enhance women’s entrepreneurial skills)
Healing -support of parents of CIHP children -creative processes both for women and children -staff healing activity -ongoing supervision -basic/advance counseling skills -how to strengthen creative process -how to continue the healing sessions what to offer at different levels, stages, experiences, or situations -gather more descriptions of the victims as survivor and as an advocate	Healing -offer sessions for children of VAW survivors -family counseling -intensify networking with other organizations working on healing e.g Women’s Crisis Center; House of Comfort (Alma Quinto)
Networking with other agencies in terms of responding the issues of VAW -clarifying roles and functions	Advocacy - research - fact sheets - information materials - involve in high level advocacy (BOT) and clarify Sabakan’s vision, mission and goals

Other imperative strategies and issues:

1. develop support groups and network
1. in the case of CIHP, there is a need to help handle and deal with abused children to understand their varied behaviors
2. there is a need to help inculcate better relationship of family members e.g. parents, to hasten the change of behaviors of abused children and to help children heal their emotional and psychological wounds brought about by domestic violence. This way we need to develop a peaceful relationship of parents at home.

2. a call for Sabakan to take preventive measures in addressing violence against women and children rather than just taking the pro-active but reactive measures in addressing these problems.
3. priest know the problems and needs but they have many concerns and duties. There is a need to organize but we lacked the resources. As pastoral director, we still need to look into priests who aren’t ready to commit and to open its doors to Sabakan’s programs. There is a need to make it a diocesan mandate as part of mainstreaming the advocacies. The bishop has its full authority to encourage priests to advocate against VAW. There is a need to awaken the people on these issues by educating the people because VAW is like a virus that will rapidly spread.

ü FLA: VAWC is a threat to the sacredness of the family.

ü Cathechist: child abuse is a threat to the dignity of children.

ü Meeting of the leaders of ministries to talk about VAWC concerns, to explore how these can be integrated into the program. Example, in the Education Committee of these Ministries, trainings on GST can be introduced.

4. sabakan have increased reportage of VAW issues. If these aren’t reported in the diocese, this doesn’t mean that there is no VAW occurring in these parishes.
5. sabakan has no long term and consistent strategies. We need to develop relationship with FLA, BEC and priests for 2 years as long-term strategies. This will address the problem that there isn’t a strong effort to work closely with religious leaders to establish better relationships through heartfelt dialogues.
6. mainstreaming of Sabakan in the diocese doesn’t mean selling Sabakan to them but its just making them realize that we share the same concern for families, women and children.
7. identification of staff needs for module developments, its focus audience, its content gauged on Christian faith and values e.g. preferential option for the poor, oppressed, marginalized; dignity of women and men; a new heave and a new earth; sacredness of the family; peace and justice.
8. the staff must affirm the results of the trainings conducted (reminder: green card)
9. there is also a need for a spiritual director (like fr. Reynante) for Sabakan staff (or, accompanier for supervision, recollection)

Core messages

• there is a need to address the cries of the victims and survivors
• we are working for the dignity of women and children (voice for the voiceless)
• we are working for the dignity of men
• family is sacred.
• VAWC is a threat to the sacredness of the family, to the dignity of women and children.

POST PLANNING ACTIVITIES

1. The participants have agreed that after this 3-day planning, they need to grasp and understand this plans, recommendations, resolutions and suggestions for a month.
2. Meet on August 27-29 and prepare presentations of highlighted action points
3. Planning session to formulate objectives, indicators, evaluation and monitoring by September 26-28, 2007.
4. prepare proposals for funding partners

Lunch was served around 12:30 p.m.

EVALUATION

They had an evaluation afterwards.

1. Fr. Reynante wishes to define his role in Sabakan and also identify the potential point of connection, action and cooperation as Diocesan Pastoral Administrator.
2. they had a creative evaluation using the tools for reflection and discernment. They appreciated this creative process.
3. They sang “Journey” to end the sessin.
4. tokens were also given to the facilitator documentor.