The Nova Terra Light-Community develops training for improving practices in organizing, collaborating in, and putting together projects.

The Nova Terra Light-Community, affiliated with the Fraternity – International Humanitarian Federation (FIHF), for the last year has been doing a training workshop on the development of structured proposals, inner organization, and the strengthening of communal activities. The initiative uses the German methodology ZOPP (Zielorientierte Projektplanung, which is Project Planning guided by Objectives), a tool which helps in setting goals, analysing problems and developing projects based on clear and viable strategies.

The group participates in regular meetings that combine learning theory, practical exercises, and times of collaboration. Residents, representatives of Monasteries and members of the coordination take part in the training, the objective of which is to improve skills in planning and expanding the capability of the Community for transforming internal needs into concrete actions.

According to Mother María Cafarnaúm, a member of the coordination team of the Light-Community, the workshop came into being after the visit of Izabel Sousa to the Light-Community. “We began that projects workshop after Izabel came to the Community and saw the need for us to develop some projects we were in need of. She is the professional who has taught us to develop the projects through the ZOOP methodology.

Izabel Sousa, the facilitator, is a psychologist and teacher with more than 20 years of experience in socioenvironmental project and program management, and is looking to strengthen the internal organization of the Light-Community. “The main objective of this workshop, when designed for the Nova Terra Light-Community, is to help it become better organized in perceiving demands in the form of timely actions, projects and programs, letting the vision be expanded, perceiving that the planning helps a great deal in avoiding the waste of resources: time, people, materials. Another objective is to also practice spiritual values, improving communication, collaboration and community life.”

She also highlights the potential identified in the participants. “To see the results of the planning, and the organization in daily life is a way of fostering adherence and involvement. I perceived that the knowledge about a “more organized doing” can be strengthened by the Light-Community, because some members showed ability and interest which, properly followed and guided, can wake up their potential for going beyond planning and transform dreams into actions, step by step, with focus, clarity and collaboration.”

The workshop has been carried out in a continuous fashion throughout the year, respecting the group routine and ensuring the participation of different members. Mother María Cafarnaúm has observed that engagement was consolidated through the advancement of the activities: “I perceived receptivity and optimism in most, even though it was a challenge for some and there were some difficulties in adjusting schedules for participating; but after the first results, I already perceived that the interest and engagement increased a great deal.”

The expectations for the future are that the formative process should evolve for the creation of a small projects office within the Light-Community. “The proposal is to be able to have a projects office within the Light-Community, where two or three people are able to dedicate themselves to developing projects that benefit the Community and its surroundings, without ever forgetting neighbours and families in vulnerable situations. The proposal is that in the near future we will be able to have a projects bank and that we will be able to give that to possible donors”, affirms the Mother.

The groups are concluding the drafting of the first projects, which will be evaluated by the coordination before continuing with the stage of acquiring resources. According to Izabel, that phase points to an important advance. “I believe that the implementation of the first project will be a great motivator for a culture of planning and organization, triggering a more structured focus of doing in the Light-Community.”

Besides the technical aspect, the workshop is strengthening group work and collective building. For Mother María Cafarnaúm, the structure provided by the methodology supports greater clarity in the definition of actions. “The workshop was very well developed, because Izabel gradually proposed, subject by subject, a project structure that was like a spinal column, joining all the vertebra – from the beginning till the end of the project.”

She also highlights the impact in the daily life of the participants: “Everybody who participated up until now had the opportunity, through the workshop, of being able to carry out a way of thinking that would cause activities, projects – even the daily ones, to be able to have a beginning, a middle and an end.”

Mother María Cafarnaúm reinforces that the learning acquired is also reflected at a personal level. “Each consciousness manages to project and plan before arriving at the action they want to carry out, taking into consideration many aspects, such as the main objective, specific objectives, a definition of the situation, the problem and how it can be resolved. It is something that can serve in our daily life, not necessarily for developing a project.”

The resident, Maryan, also values the collective building encouraged by the training. “To learn in group is always very good, because we are human, we have different opinions and need to respect the opinion of others. Each person offers their love, their individual contribution, and everybody is united under the same objective: the development, whatever it may be.”

She summarizes the impact of the workshop: “I learned that to think in a democratic way and to plan with purpose are essential. With the beginning, the middle and the end properly defined, the group moves in a united way toward a common objective – like a true Light-Community.”

With the focus on a continuous training and on a perfecting of internal practices, the workshop is consolidating itself as a structuring initiative for the Nova Terra Light-Community, strengthening processes, improving collective functions, and contributing toward a more aware, collaborative planning in alignment with the real needs of the Community and its surroundings.