austraLasia #2849
EAO Communications Delegates head home happy
MANILA: 30 April 2011 -- A very busy schedule, a sometimes tentative wi-fi connection, and subsequent 'yo-yo-ing' between Manila, Dubai and Trichy to get the South Asia Region comms meeting underway has made it impossible to maintain regularity, but a few hours breather on a warm Trichy afternoon is now making that possible, before the next meeting gets underway.
EAO Delegates, and certainly the Rome-based 'team' went their various ways to return home yesterday evening, 29 April, convinced that they had attended an event that will bring much benefit to the Region, given what each participant has already gained individually. It stood out as one of if not the best such meeting that any participant could remember.
A highlight of the four days together was the study of the renewed SSCS or Salesian Social Communication System, and given that this was the first group to see it and study it, the 'thumbs up' for the solid two year effort, involving broad participation from the entire Salesian world, was a relief, especially to those who had been working at this task over the last two years.
Delegates or their representatives arrived at some concrete deliberations to carry forward the insights and the work achieved over four days in Manila. They saw their very first task as that of reporting back to their 'constituencies' and in particular to Provincials and their Councils, their own Communications Team, and also to the Formation Delegate and his team, since much of the discussion of SSCS seemed to come back to this question one way or another. The SC Delegates resolved to take up an ongoing dialogue with formation both in their own provinces, but also to seek opportunity, if it arises, to do so at the wider regional level.
The Delegates have set up an online group for exchange and to develop ideas. They intend sharing materials on a regular basis.
Note was made of the extensive number of Salesian websites to be found in the Region, and that these are, understandably, in the local language where that is not English. Delegates will encourage webmasters to include just titles in English, in addition to the local language, to enable the possibility of people identifying useful material which they could subsequently ask for for. It was felt that asking for titles would not be too burdensome, and much less so than requiring bilingual pages. It was also noted that given the number of young webmasters likely to be found around the Region, there would be potential there for formation to a Salesian online presence - as one province puts it, learning to be 'interpreters' in the new playgrounds.
The group recognised the work of translators around the EAO Region. Perhaps of all the Salesian Regions, EAO is the most organised in this regard. In addition to indicating to translators their appreciation for their work, it was felt that at some future date it could be beneficial, for them, the region and in fact for the whole Congregation, to bring this group together and discuss a range of issues that are becoming ever more crucial in the Congregation.
The question of communications protocols was taken up, everything from who should communicate with whom about what and how, given the rapid development of media, be they personal, social or by any other description; normal communication and crisis communication. The meeting could not resolve all of this in the limited time available, but it was able to look at example protocols, and feels that with further sharing could, in the short to mid-term, be in a position to assist provinces with ideas and directions. Amongst other things, this discussion was seen as pertinent not only to initial formation but also to ongoing formation.
It goes without saying - but it should be said - that Fr Eli Cruz, Provincial and Fr Noel Osial, the FIN SC Delegate and his extended team, including a youth media team, could not have done more to make this meeting a success. Everyone is so very grateful.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2011 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
EAO Communications Delegates head home happy
MANILA: 30 April 2011 -- A very busy schedule, a sometimes tentative wi-fi connection, and subsequent 'yo-yo-ing' between Manila, Dubai and Trichy to get the South Asia Region comms meeting underway has made it impossible to maintain regularity, but a few hours breather on a warm Trichy afternoon is now making that possible, before the next meeting gets underway.
EAO Delegates, and certainly the Rome-based 'team' went their various ways to return home yesterday evening, 29 April, convinced that they had attended an event that will bring much benefit to the Region, given what each participant has already gained individually. It stood out as one of if not the best such meeting that any participant could remember.
A highlight of the four days together was the study of the renewed SSCS or Salesian Social Communication System, and given that this was the first group to see it and study it, the 'thumbs up' for the solid two year effort, involving broad participation from the entire Salesian world, was a relief, especially to those who had been working at this task over the last two years.
Delegates or their representatives arrived at some concrete deliberations to carry forward the insights and the work achieved over four days in Manila. They saw their very first task as that of reporting back to their 'constituencies' and in particular to Provincials and their Councils, their own Communications Team, and also to the Formation Delegate and his team, since much of the discussion of SSCS seemed to come back to this question one way or another. The SC Delegates resolved to take up an ongoing dialogue with formation both in their own provinces, but also to seek opportunity, if it arises, to do so at the wider regional level.
The Delegates have set up an online group for exchange and to develop ideas. They intend sharing materials on a regular basis.
Note was made of the extensive number of Salesian websites to be found in the Region, and that these are, understandably, in the local language where that is not English. Delegates will encourage webmasters to include just titles in English, in addition to the local language, to enable the possibility of people identifying useful material which they could subsequently ask for for. It was felt that asking for titles would not be too burdensome, and much less so than requiring bilingual pages. It was also noted that given the number of young webmasters likely to be found around the Region, there would be potential there for formation to a Salesian online presence - as one province puts it, learning to be 'interpreters' in the new playgrounds.
The group recognised the work of translators around the EAO Region. Perhaps of all the Salesian Regions, EAO is the most organised in this regard. In addition to indicating to translators their appreciation for their work, it was felt that at some future date it could be beneficial, for them, the region and in fact for the whole Congregation, to bring this group together and discuss a range of issues that are becoming ever more crucial in the Congregation.
The question of communications protocols was taken up, everything from who should communicate with whom about what and how, given the rapid development of media, be they personal, social or by any other description; normal communication and crisis communication. The meeting could not resolve all of this in the limited time available, but it was able to look at example protocols, and feels that with further sharing could, in the short to mid-term, be in a position to assist provinces with ideas and directions. Amongst other things, this discussion was seen as pertinent not only to initial formation but also to ongoing formation.
It goes without saying - but it should be said - that Fr Eli Cruz, Provincial and Fr Noel Osial, the FIN SC Delegate and his extended team, including a youth media team, could not have done more to make this meeting a success. Everyone is so very grateful.
_________________
AustraLasia is an email service for the Salesian Family of Asia Pacific. It also functions as an agency for ANS based in Rome. For queries please contact admin@bosconet.aust.com . RSS feeds - just go to Bosconet, click on austraLasia 2011 in the sidebar. You will see the RSS orange icon in your browser address bar - add it from there. Or be interactive with the EAO blog Cetera Tolle. Avail yourself of the Salesian Digital Library at http://sdl.sdb.org
