Dialogue: 2009 Series and Quarterly Review (2008-2009)

The South African National NGO Coalition (SANGOCO) Western Cape invites CSOs to its Dialogue: 2009 Series and its Quarterly Review (2008-2009) on 16 April 2009 in Cape Town.

‘We dialogue before a horizon of complexities that permits the stories that convince us to take place.

It is the conditions of that dialogue, the maintenance of that complexity, that we have custody for. We are responsible for them, there is no one else to guard them’- Chambers 1990

South African NGO Coalition - Western Cape

Invitation to Dialogue: 2009 Series

SANGOCO Quarterly Review (2008 – 2009)

Venue: Jubilee Centre, 21 Nelson Road, Observatory, Cape Town

Date: 16 April 2009

”We make the path by walking it…”

The South African National NGO Coalition (SANGOCO) Western Cape series of dialogues and debates, a forum to enable civil society actors to critically engage with the challenges, prospects and opportunities facing them.  A space to meet, dialogue, learn and develop ‘good’ practice together and reinforce the vision of a coherent, cohesive, united, vibrant civil society to combat poverty and inequality.

Invitation to Dialogue:

Step 2: Building Leadership and Governance…
9h00-13h00

During the 2008 dialogue series it was strongly felt by CSOs that only if we can build on our strengths and confront our own challenges will we be able to address issues related to poverty and inequality.

SANGOCO Western Cape invites you to participate in a follow-up dialogue to enable us as a sector to take the next step, expand our views and incorporate the challenges, prospects and opportunities faced by Civil Society Organisations in the ‘messy business’ of everyday practice and:

• Ask the hard questions
• Examine the inherent tensions and relations between ourselves and others
• Acknowledge the mistakes we make - yet have the courage to revisit and take a few steps back; and
• Critically engage with the opportunities and challenges in building a vibrant united coherent, cohesive civil society

Out of this we may be able to come up with vital alternatives to start to confront the multi-dimensional challenges facing us. We would like to encourage you to join us as your involvement in this important initiative is a prerequisite for its success.

Step 3: Revisiting our own Leadership and Governance Processes …
2pm – 4.30pm

• Where has our journey brought us to? Revisiting our 2008 Resolutions 
• What steps have we taken to breathe life into our 2008 Resolutions?
• What are the next steps on our journey during 2009

The Learning Goals:

• Revisit the messages, tone, shape of and the process for ensuring that we face the challenges as a united civil society sector.
• Strengthen the sense of a united civil society by making SANGOCO a place for strong, ethical leadership and governance.
• Rebuild a platform for civil society engagement.
• Enable joint, collaborative engagement with the challenges we face within our democracy.
• Continue building a culture that values and builds sustainable programmatic partnerships which lead to greater societal improvement and benefits - particularly for the most marginalised in our communities.

Some Key Questions:
How do we:

• Consolidate the gains made over the last 14 years, build, deepen and extend partnerships within and across sectors?
• Reflect and talk respectfully in a deep way about what is happening within our sector and our organisations?
• Develop measurable learning goals that are adequately time framed over the short, medium and long term which are linked to social needs and good governance and leadership?
• What are the next steps?
• What are our expectations of SANGOCO?

Approach and Process to the Dialogue:

This dialogue seeks to start to engage with some of the fundamental challenges facing CSOs in terms of leadership and governance within the sector.  Beyond the questions and challenges reflected in this invitation, the content of the gathering will be provided by participants.

For this reason, the dialogue is itself a process in which all participants are fully engaged and can share and appreciate others’ experiences.

From there we will focus on the key questions raised and by the end of the programme, as a first step, hopefully we would have jointly deepened our understanding of the challenges, prospects and opportunities facing us.

This involves a participatory experience that works with the questions, narratives and the learning of all participants.

A primary emphasis is on working with and reflecting on experience and refining that experience into new learning and new ways of working in the future.

In addition, the approach involves a process of dialogue and peer learning.

Who Should Attend?

1. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) which refers to a wide array of organisations which include (but are not limited to): community groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organisations, faith-based organisations, professional associations, and foundations.
2. The State  - National, Provincial and Local Government
3. The Corporate Social Investment Community
4. International Aid and Donor Community
5. Philanthropic Organisations
6. Education and Research Institutions
7. Others with an interest in building a vibrant civil society and strengthening our democracy

Programme of Activities:

The programme will be shared at the start and adapted as the process emerges. Participants are requested to come ready to share their experiences and to listen to and engage with those of others.

The dialogue report will offer an account which addresses the key questions as well as draw on contributions made and insights emerging out of the dialogue.

Administrative Information:
Registration:
Registration will start at 8.00am until 9am.
The dialogue will start at 9am until 1pm.
The quarterly review will start at 2pm until 4.30pm

RSVPs:
Please ensure that you email/fax your registration form to Tasneem Gamieldien - email: npm@telkomsa.net - Fax: 0880214471217. You will receive a confirmation e-mail when we get your registration form. If you don't receive a confirmation, we have not received it - please send it again!

Parking:
Please ensure you arrive early to access parking inside the Jubilee Centre grounds. 

What are the costs?
SANGOCO has limited funds. Attendance is FREE for SANGOCO x2 representatives per member organisation.  For non-members, attendance is R75 x1 representative which includes lunch, refreshments (such as tea, coffee, juice) and logistical costs.  Subsidies are available on request.
Exhibition space is available on request at a nominal fee.

Further Information:

This is the 2nd Annual SANGOCO Dialogue and Debate series. (Proceedings of the 1st series will be available at the seminar at a cost of R30 per non-member organisations).

For further information, give suggestions, register interest and/or put your name on the mailing list for the dialogue series, please contact us. Proposals to convene and organise a similar series during 2009 can be made to the Secretariat by sending an email to npm@telkomsa.net.

How do I get to the venue?

For your convenience we have attached a map.
Unfortunately no air and ground transport will be provided.  For those living in the city the venue is centrally located and easily accessible by public transport.

How do I pay?

Please make all payments to SANGOCO –Western Cape 
Standard Bank Mowbray
Branch code: 024909 or universal code 051001 - fax/email proof of payment with registration form.
Account Number: 075201089
Type of Account: Market link

For further information please contact Tasneem Gamieldien
Cell: 082 315 9435 – Cell: 082 315 9435 - email: npm@telkomsa.net - Fax:  0880214471217

For more information on SANGOCO, click here.