All over Turkey, non-profit organizations work vigorously to meet the needs of individuals and communities in a diverse set of areas. Organizations are promoting human rights, improving access to education and healthcare, addressing environmental damage, promoting gender and ethnic equality, fostering economic and social development… The list goes on. Good intentions are always admirable, but the endurance and effectiveness of an organization depends on successful management.
Managing the day-to-day activities of an organization and implementing projects are complex and challenging. Successful management is crucial to sustaining an organization and implementing projects effectively and efficiently.
HasNa invited eleven passionate leaders for the Program Management Training 2010 held in Washington, D.C. between April 2nd and 24th. During the two-week program the participants developed their skills in strategic planning, collaborative communication, leadership, and conflict resolution. Program Management Training stresses the importance of managing day-to-day activities—recruiting volunteers, hiring employees, fundraising, running payroll, recordkeeping—as well as long-term strategic management to remain effective and flexible in an ever-changing environment.
During the program participants visited a number of non-profits in the D.C. metro area to learn best practices in running successful organizations, including the Latin American Youth Center, D.C. Central Kitchen, and N Street Village. In addition, they spent two days with Edna Povich from the Center for Dispute Settlement, learning about the differences between collaboration and competition and taking part in realistic simulation scenarios to develop their collaboration skills. Participants also spent a day at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to learn more about the day-to-day responsibilities of management.
Participants were continually encouraged to think about how they could apply the tools and knowledge they acquired to their current and future work. During the last day of the program, participants presented program action plans that they will implement in Turkey. Topics ranged from organic beekeeping techniques to helping farmers diversify their income to establishing a women’s development center. The presentations reflected not only participants’ passion and commitment to their work but also the valuable skills they developed over the course of the training.
The program participants overwhelmingly expressed how beneficial the Program Management Training was for their skill development. They also expressed that the training had made an immediate impact on how they view their leadership roles in their respective organizations. HasNa’s Program Management Training is unique and challenging, collaborative and inspiring. The participants continuing work will be a testament to the effectiveness and endurance of HasNa’s Program Management Training.
by Ryan Olivett
