Service Civil International | News Archive | Goodbye from outgoing International Coordinator

After volunteering at the end of the 1980s and most of the 1990s, I have now been the International Coordinator of SCI for about 4 years. Last weeks I have been passing over the work to Margherita Serafini. While writing this there are still some days left before I will finally close the door of this office behind me as an employee, to be entering through it again as a guest in future…

Four years in comparison to the 90 years of SCI’s existence is not so much, but still something in the sequence of international coordinators that SCI has known so far. These four years covered the biggest part of the previous SCI Strategic Plan period and included some very interesting Summer Universities. During this period there have been Long Term Volunteers in the IS from

Bulgaria

Romania

Australia

Finland

Malaysia

Austria

Slovenia

Germany

Brazil

and

Nigeria

. And during the same period we even obtained vibrant groups in

Brazil

and

Nigeria

. Exchanges, trainings, seminars and meetings took place like always in SCI’s history. Many international working groups had their ups and downs, and some were going on steadily.

Some of the major topics on the list are this year’s SCI 90 years’ anniversary with activities as described on the website. They will be followed up with other activities on volunteering and peace in the 2011 International year of volunteering. Next years, SCI will also have its new SCI strategic plan which is being drafted at the moment. Like in the previous plan, it will be important to address clearly how we want to stimulate volunteering and how we want to work on peace topics. Also, in what way the plan is related to the SCI International level and till what extent to the SCI branch level.

Due to our efforts to get bigger operating grants, the staffing of the office has recently returned to the level of 2004: with 3 permanent staff persons and 2 to 3 Long Term Volunteers. When I started in 2006, there was only 1 ½ staff person and 3 LTVs, with a lot of project and grant work to deal with besides all the other topics in the movement. With the present staffing it will be a bit easier - however still a huge challenge! - to transform the International Secretariat into a full fledged knowledge, resource and communication centre that is easy to use for branches and activists. Of course with the final goal of serving our project partners in the work camps and increasing mutual understanding and cooperation in this world. Together with all the other goals we are working in SCI. That is precisely what makes the unique blend of this movement.

Thanking all SCI activists, branches and others for their cooperation in the last years,