Report on the Global Issues-Taking Action Sessions
La Leche League 18th
International Conference
Strength through Diversity - Creating One Breastfeeding World
San Francisco, California, USA
July 3-6, 2003
Report on the Global Issues-Taking Action Sessions
Taking
Action...
Approximately one hundred
(100) conference participants attended and contributed their skills,
experience and knowledge to the eight (8) Global Sessions (Global Issues
- Taking Action), that were spread out over the length of the conference,
with various participants attending more than one of the Global Sessions.
The presence of these "repeaters" was very beneficial to the
success of the Global Sessions. After the first session, they were
able to orient others attending for the first time to the unique session
format which contributed to the improved effectiveness of this format
in each additional session.
Each session
began with one or two people experienced in the session topic presenting
a general overview and relevant information pertaining to the topic.
Following this, the participants were instructed to review a list
of possible actions on flip chart paper that had been placed for all
to see, as well as in handout form for each table. Guided by a facilitator,
the participants at each table discussed among themselves which action
they wanted to pursue. In some cases, a table decided on a different
action or combination of actions not on the original list. Once the actions
were chosen, the next 40-50 minutes was spent with participants at
each table developing the action(s) they had selected. Fifteen minutes
before the end of the session, each table came forward and presented
the action(s) to everyone, either using Power Point or on a transparency.
The actions
were both incredible and interesting and the enthusiasm and excitement
of the participants as they worked on their table actions was gratifying.
The development of this session format was based on global sessions
at previous conferences, but went one step further to make these sessions
even more targeted to participation and the utilization of the skills,
experience and knowledge brought to the conference by each and every
attendee. One participant commented that she would like to try this
type of session format at an Area Conference, and a participant from
a private voluntary organization said she would be putting this into
practice immediately in her work. The format encouraged networking
and collaboration, not only at the actual session, but extending past
the end of the conference, as a few tables/groups continued to work
on the finalization of their action.
Significantly
contributing to the success of these sessions were the thirty-six
(36) presenters and facilitators from 15 different countries (USA,
Philippines, Guatemala, Peru, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, India, Great
Britain, South Africa, Australia, Paraguay, France, Norway and Switzerland),
some of whom presented or facilitated and then returned just to participate.
Our wish is
that you will enjoy the session reports and will implement
one or more of these actions in your own work in breastfeeding promotion
and support. We intend to update the report with information on actions
that are accomplished, so we ask you to please keep us informed as
you work on finalizing any of these actions by writing to Rmagalhaes at llli.org. Please
access the Advocacy Page on the LLLI
website for these updates.
Rebecca Magalhaes and Natalia Smith
External Relations and Advocacy
La Leche League International
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:33:57 UTC 2007.
