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Working Group 2 – Evaluation and Strategy - Report on Survey/Questionnaire

(download document)Link: /projects/transitionci/transicionci-archive-francine201312/WSF-IC-Answers-questionnaires.docx

The working group is the result of discussions at the IC in Tunis beginning of 2013. The original idea came from the Italian delegation and was warmly adopted by the meeting. The design of the questionnaire took quite some time with many and important divergences on its length and accessibility. We finally decided for a short and simple questionnaire, though we fully realize it is far from perfect. However, the many answers (41!) we received do support our approach, and we want to thank all the people who did respond.

Two people responded but did not fill out the questionnaire. One pointed to the enormous power in the hands of those who designed and worked with the questionnaire, another pleading for ‘debureaucratizing’ the IC.

Several people also reacted with the demand to present the questionnaire to non IC members. Each time, we answered that this was certainly possible and invited them to fill out the questionnaire themselves and forward it to other people. Unfortunately, this did not happen.

The answers came from individuals and from organisations. Only one organisation answered several times (though only accounted for as one).

We warmly want to thank Sergio and Pierre for their initial ideas and support. The questionnaire and the answers were designed by Francine, Gina and Giu who take the full responsibility for its success and failures …

IC & WSF Explorations

1. Excel columns A-B-C-D

1a. How many IC meetings have you personally attended?

1b. How many IC meetings has your organisation attended

1c. When was the first meeting attended by your organisation

1d. When was the last meeting attended by your organisation?

Answers on this first question are too uncertain to report on in detail. But it is quite clear that most of the people who answered are oldmembers of the IC and have participated in many meetings and WSF events. A large majority was present in Tunis in 2013. The majority also seems to belong to the active members of the IC.

2. What best would represent according to you the mandate/tasks of the IC? (choose as many as you prefer)

oa. Decide place and date of WSF events Excel column E

A large majority agrees with this suggestion: 35 of the 41 respondents

ob. Practical preparation of WSF events (together with local organizing committee): Excel column F

28 of 41 agree, still a large majority

oc. Political preparation of WSF event (together with local organizing committee) Excel column G

34 of 41 agree

od. (Co-)organizing activities on occasion of WSF events (next to self-organized activities) Excel column H

Only 16 of 41 agree

oe. Discussion of global political situation in order to improve the political relevance of WSF events Excel column I

34 of 41 agree: a large majority, though some members pointed to the need to well organize it, not just giving every one 5 minutes to speak, without any conclusion/synthesis/summary

of. Facilitating connections between activities in social forum events: Excel column J

20 of 41 agree

og. Facilitating relationships between activities in WSF events and those in national or thematic social forum events Excel column K

20 of 41 agree

oh. Facilitating the agglutination/convergence processes in social forum events Excel column L

20/41 agree (it should be noted these 20for questions f, g and h are NOT the same 20)

oj. Developing communication strategies in and about the ICExcel column M

32 of 41 agree

ok. Discussion methodology of WSF process and event(s) Excel column N

31 of 41 agree

ol. Providing resources for WSF events and process: Excel column O

24 of 41 agree

om. Monitoring financial resources for WSF events and processExcel column P

29 of 41 agree

on. Promoting the geographical expansion of WSF process and events Excel column Q

30 of 41 agree

Questions j to n relate to the current commissions of the IC. There seems to be a large majority to preserve the tasks they have been doing, with some reservation for resources.

oOther: Please specify:

Many suggestions were made, asking for better media outreach, for expanding global participation in IC/WSF, for facilitating contacts with other global gatherings and for facilitating the links between global and local events

3. What would you consider to best represent the values, attitudes and behaviours of the IC members? (choose as many as you prefer)

oa. Commitment to the WSF Charter Excel column S

35 of 41 agree wondering why this is not unanimous?

ob. Commitment to the WSF processExcel column T

34 of 41 agree

oc. Financial contribution to the IC process Excel column U

14 of 41 agree

od. Financial contribution to IC meetings Excel column V

10 of 41 agree

A large majority for commitment to the charter and the WSF process, but serious reservations about resources

oOther. Please specify:

Here as well, many suggestions: a demand for a code of ethics, for commitment to non-violence, pointing to the importance of the solidarity fund, to involvement in social change, to more effective commitment, in time and energy and to improve the network + processes; also a demand for a commitment to not collaborate with neoliberal governments or those engaged in military interventions.

4. How could the IC tasks be fulfilled? (choose as many as you prefer)

oa. By nominating members to smaller working groups for work linked to the IC process (former liaisongroup, organizing meetings, making agenda, etc.) Excel column X

21 of 41 agree

ob. By full member participation in IC operation without resorting to a central coordinating group Excel column Y

11 of 41 agree

oc. By setting up at least one working group that reviews the WS process and makes recommendations to the ICExcel column Z

14 of 41 agree

od. By setting up working groups engaging non IC members and aiming at supporting /developing the WSF process Excel column AA

19 of 41 agree

oOther: Please specify

While the idea of some kind of liaison group gets half of the respondents support, there doesnt seem to be a awful lot of trust in separate groups though neither in plenary participation of IC. Should we conclude that ideas about the how of IC working are not very clear (yet)?

Nevertheless, many suggestions were made, most of them pointing to the importance temporary or thematic working groups, a kind of ad hoc solution. Also the importance of a non hierarchical secretariat is pointed out, with accountability. It could also be a coordination team with accountability.

This point will clearly have to be discussed.

5. What are your thoughts about the IC membership?

oIt should remain as it is Excel column AC

5 of 41 agree so no real satisfaction about how it exists

oIt should be expanded further Excel column AD

23 of 41 agree: a small majority

oit should be limited to active membersExcel column AD

16 of 41 agree

oIt should include mechanisms of rotation of its membersexcel column AF

16 of 41 agree

oOther, Please specify

Participation and acti ve membership is more important than the number of members, so several respondents said. There should be rules for membership/participation, possibly even exclusion if there is no participation. Representativity should be looked at and through membership local activities can be strengthened. Apparently the expansion commission already made a proposal in 2005/06. Movements also should be asked to respect gender parity, also in the IC.

6. How could the IC memberships be expanded?

oAccording to the current guidelines Excel column AH

17 of 41 agree

oInclude individuals in their personal capacity Excel column AI

1 of 41 agrees

oInclude organizers of previous WSF events in personal capacity Excel column AJ

8 of 41 agree

oA mix of the aboveExcel column AK

12 of 41 agree

oOther. Please specify

Not one single majority, ideas about this point do not seem to be very clear.

Many suggestions, though: include resource persons on basis of expertise and knowledge, include thematical and regional groups, watch out for representativity, respect the charter of principles, give this job to the secretariat and be very pragmatic, give priority to groups with strong local basis and engaged in struggles. Apparently, the expansion commission made a proposal in 2005/06.

7. How should the IC take its decisions?

oConsensus in all cases Excel column AM

27 of 41 agree

oMajority votes in cases of deadlocks Excel column AN

18 of 41 agree

oOther. Please specify:

Many respondents demand that majority votes only take place if there is unanimity/consensus on the organisation of such a vote.

Since some respondents answered positively on both questions, it might be concluded they accept consensus as normal rule, but can accept votes in exceptional cases.

8. As IC member, which tasks would you preferably commit yourself to?

oa. Work in IC working groups during IC meetings Excel column AP

32 of 41 agree

ob. Work in IC working groups online between meetings Excel column AQ

31 of 41 agree

od. Contribute to general discussions during IC plenary discussions Excel column AR

28 of 41 agree

oOther. Please specify.

The answers to this last question allow to end on a very positive note: a large majority of responding members is ready to commit itself for work in the IC framework! One suggestion: spread info on WSF!

A personal remark from Francine: the questionnaire allows for some conclusions on preferences of IC members, but has no questions and therefore no answers relating to the ‘crisis’ within social movements and the slowing down of WSF dynamism. We all agree Tunis 2013 was a real success, but was it also a success in global terms?

These points will have to be discussed and may be another matter to be taken up by the IC.

Report made by Francine Brussels, 19 November 2013.