Meeting of the Programme Commission (PCOM) – November the 16th

Much work has been done this year to clarify and formalize the PCOM protocols. Secretariat, members and projects mentors’ roles were clearly stated. Application forms, evaluation forms and so on were updated or developed. Models for contracts with the projects managers were established. The new Pcom workspace, on the new ICA website, will help to go on with this renewing of how PCOM works.

The report on 2009-2010 projects is really good. 34 projects were submitted in the first 2009 call and 17 on the second one, and very few weren’t selected for funding or endorsement. However, the selection criteria by PCOM aren’t always fully understood; the submissions and projects management have levels of formalization very different, as can be relationships between mentor and project team.
Project managers need help on these various aspects.
It’s also necessary to bridge geographical gaps as there are no, or not enough, projects from some places as North America or Eastern Europe.
A focus will be made upon the necessity to establish partnerships between the projects and ICA members.
The different funding possibilities within ICA aren’t sufficiently known and used: apart from PCOM, a project can be supported by a section or a branch, or by the FIDA, that’s going to be reactivated.

The PCOM action can be further developed with a new fruitful approach, along with the projects approach, that enables to support members, branches and sections initiative and creativity. Consistent programs could be developed by PCOM itself to ensure sustainability and to deepen the results and products of successful projects. It’s necessary to see if this new approach is possible, as for the projects management and their funding, in which branches and sections should be involved, as well as specific sponsors who could be interested in consistent actions in a clear framework. Four ideas will be further developed for the next PCOM meeting, in which the launch of these programs will be decided or cancelled, after the presentation of developed programs facing the issues of agenda, management, participation, etc.:

• Young professionals
• Emergency management
• Good governance
• Train the trainers