<div class="page old_photo"> <article> <header style="background-image:url(/uploads/530f694c9b0c1.jpg);"> <div class="box"> <div class="intro"> <h1>Onwards and upwards... in Brussels! (Part 1)</h1> <p class="byline">Norman Leet, Consultant </p> </div> </div> </header> <div class="main"> <div class="container"> <p class="summary">YouthBank International (YBI) holds its second full meeting in December 2013 in Brussels. These are our consultant's introductory thoughts to the meeting. Read Part 2 to get a flavour of the progress made at the seminar. </p> <h2>Who is meeting and why?</h2><p> A temporary structure of volunteers work closely with Vernon Ringland and Fran Barlet (the funded staff leading the enterprise). They have executive and advisory capacities and work towards creating a permanent organisation that will have elected executive and advisory members drawn from the global YBI network.</p><p> The over-arching aim of YBI is to create a globally networked organisation that is sustainable and adds value to all young people who are involved in the YouthBank movement, supporting the workers and organisations who work to deliver the YB experience. Where YBI can offer a service that adds value by drawing together the experiences and learning of all YB’s but does not interfere or get involved in the countries own work, membership or ways of running their YB’s</p><p> Back in January 2013 this group came together for the first time in Berlin to begin the challenge of setting up YBI funded by a combination of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, working through the purpose, vision and strategy for YBI and how to link everything to the Golden Rules (the values that underpin all decisions made). This funding runs to August 2014 with the remit to have produced the organisation that delivers the above.</p><p> Berlin allowed the team to scope the work needed and begin the activity needed to get us to this pivotal point in Brussels when the final decisions and detailed work can be planned that will take the organisation to August and deliver the outcomes required by our funders. It will be through the leadership of Vernon and Fran and from volunteer resource that will get us to these goals.</p><p> So in Brussels the team are now in a position to agree a constitution and registration, critical to the organisations sustainability to allow staff to be employed and bank accounts to open as well as guiding the governance and democracy of the organisation.</p><p> Also Brussels will see a comprehensive funding strategy and the supporting tactics to be employed to begin to win the funding that will support YBI beyond August to ensure the long-term viability of YBI.</p><p> Finally another part of the team will be concluding the processes and supporting materials needed to help countries and organisations join the YBI network, and access all of the value added product and services as well as networking all countries and organisations who have YouthBanks or desire to have.</p><p> The team come together on the Thursday Lunch time ready to attend the launch of GrantCraft’s publication on YB, followed by a hosted light lunch with Streekfonds and King Baudouin Foundation before spending the next 3 days locked away working.</p><p> We should see by Sunday evening all of the planning and work completed and focused team rolling their sleeves up to be ready for whatever the next 8 months bring</p><p> If you have any offers to support any of the above or can offer a skill or funding opportunity please contact us (vringland@communityfoundationni.org)</p> </div> </div> </article> </div><!-- /page-->