Hello everyone! I hope you've had a great month! Thanks to those of you who were able to attend the Mosaic session at CiM or who talked to me about projects during the conference. It seems chapters have a lot of exciting ideas in the works for 2017! As always, please do be in touch if there is anything I can do to support you.
There are a number of new people on the distribution list for this newsletter, so I'm recycling the post from May with a Mosaic FAQ. I hope this is helpful to those of you who are planning projects or who want a better idea about what Mosaic entails.
Mosaic FAQ
What makes a project a Mosaic?
This blurb from the Mosaic Programme Guide sums it up pretty nicely: Local communities are reflections of the wider world. Mosaic offers our Chapters a model for community-based peace education. Each project responds to local needs and interests in meaningful ways. Most of the projects are planned and delivered in cooperation with partner organizations and come in many shapes and sizes. Mosaic projects create an authentic learning experience for local participants of all ages and deliver a benefit to the wider community.
What's the benefit of making a project a Mosaic instead of just a chapter activity?
The biggest benefit of making a project an official Mosaic is you get the support of CISV USA and International in planning and executing it. This means you will get some external thought partners who will help you to make sure your project is as successful as possible and has a great impact. Support is tailored to what your chapter needs, such talking through the planning process, extra hands on the ground during the event itself, or providing training for your planners/volunteers.
There are other benefits to doing local work (ideally in Mosaic form) such as building chapter awareness, recruiting new families, and building partnerships with other like-minded organizations, aside from just having a great impact in your local community.
How small can a Mosaic be? How large?
There is no floor or ceiling! I suppose the minimum would be 2 people :)
Is there a required theme?
There is not a required theme, but you will likely find more resources aligned to the education content area of the year. For example, this year the education content area is Sustainable Development, so lots of chapters worldwide are hosting Mosaics related to this theme. However, the Americas also organized a regional Mosaic for International Women's Day in March and created resources for that. The key is finding an issue or a project the people in your chapter are really excited about! If you have excitement, the rest is easy!
Do we have to work with a partner organization?
In short, no. For example, the Mosaic project for International Women's Day was screening a documentary. For chapters that implemented this project, some invited in community members or organizations, and some showed the video to their chapter members. Both options are valid! You should decide whether/how to involve community organizations depending on what kind of project/issue your chapter members are interested in and how feasible it would be to partner with another organization.
There are also variations in community involvement. For example, your chapter could collect items to donate to an organization to benefit a cause (this would entail minimal involvement with the partner organization), or you could plan an event in conjunction with an organization and invite other community members. Or anything in between.
Can I host a Mosaic as part of another programme my chapter is hosting?
Yes! This would be a great way for a chapter not too familiar with Mosaic to get their feet wet. If you're hosting a program that includes an impact or local work day, why not make it an official Mosaic and enlist the help of others in the chapter or at the national level to help you plan it?
What are the steps for getting my project approved?
The planning and approval process is very simple. Since CISV USA has the ability to approve our own projects, all you need to do is email the worksheet to me when it's complete (or at any stage of the planning process if you'd like support), and I will either give feedback or approve it outright. The point of this process is to ensure our projects are as successful and impactful as possible.
What do I need to submit and by when?
Planning worksheet- you should submit this as soon as it's complete! Up to 4 weeks before you plan to implement your project is just fine
Evaluation- this should be submitted within a few weeks of the project's completion. It must be submitted by the end of the calendar year in which you host the project in order for it to be considered an official Mosaic by CISV International
(don't worry- I'll send you reminders and help you out along the way!)
Where can I find the planning worksheet?
The worksheet and some other resources are available here.
How are Mosaics evaluated? Is there a separate PDPEF?
There is no PDPEF for Mosaic, but there are evaluation questions included in Sections 2 and 4 of the planning worksheet. Essentially, you fill out part of the worksheet before the project and the rest of it after the project is complete. This also makes future planning easier, as you'll have both your intentions and your results in the same place!
Is there Mosaic training?
Each chapter should have a Mosaic Chair and training is available at RTFs each year. Additionally, I am able to provide virtual (and maybe even in-person) training to planning teams/chairs as needed.
Where can I find project ideas?
There are a bunch of projects linked on CISV's site. A number of chapters around the world have Mosaic pages on Facebook where they share projects and updates. (Here are a few examples: Argentina Perth Brasil Sweden Colombia Indonesia ) I'll also be including a project spotlight each month.
What if I have more questions?
Email me! rachelkuck@gmail.com :)
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