BIS #1563 TRAINING PROGRAMME AT VIRAR

Dona Prabhune
VIRAR, SEPTEMBER 22, 2009
: Resurrection Parish, Virar conducted its fourth Training Programme for SCC Community Leaders and Animators at its first Steering Committee Meeting on September 20, 2009, from 9.15am to 11am in the Parish Hall. The Theme of the programme was “Leadership”

Fr. Blany Pinto, in his introduction – appreciated, complimented and congratulated the Community Coordinators and Animators for contributing their time and energy. Participation has increased a great deal and as of today all the communities are very vibrant. Fr. Blany also recommended that each cluster leader (Animator) keeps a note book which is like a census of his/her own cluster that has a record of the break-up figures like – number of kids, teenagers, youth, adults, senior citizens.

Dona Prabhune spoke on Leadership Skills. She explained the expectations and responsibilities of “Leadership”. She explained how a Leader has to be good-natured, polite, approachable, courteous, respectful and confident. It is necessary to be assertive without being aggressive. A leader has to have a keen eye to identify talent and encourage participation so the process goes on and the next generation gets ready for leadership because we can’t go on forever… we have to hand over. The essence of leadership is “A good leader… knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.”

Rev. Fr. Edwin asked the Community Coordinators to sit with their respective Cluster Leaders (Animators). He asked them to write one weakness, strength, and one solution to any problem the community may be facing. Then there was a brief buzzing after which some Animators of each community was asked to come and speak on what was discussed. After this the community leaders also had to sum up the performance and share the feedback with all other communities so everyone knows what is happening at the Parish level in every community. This was very uplifting. This was a subtle way of breaking people’s nervousness, making people face a small crowd and talk, providing opportunity to enhance personal leadership skills. The quarterly reports were collected and the meeting ended with a game by Fr. Edwin.