I have started a new Facebook Photos page which documents my week in PHOTOGRAPHS - thanks to the wonderful camera so many of you CHAFF participants gave me for my 65th birthday. Take a look the page at it when you have time, and do add me as a friend in Facebook.
It was quite disturbing to read this email from Ildikó:
Hello again everybody,
I´m a bit disappointed since only two people answered my question about the party. I´m wondering whether it´s worthwhile organizing anything like that if there´s so little interest. Could you please give your opinion about this? Once more, I am asking if we should organize the new CHAFF kickoff party sometime in May or early July, I´d be willing to engage myself in organizing it and we can also invite other people, who are not on the list yet to try and widen our circle.
About the homepage I haven´t had any answers either, could Artem or Osku please let me know what´s going on or what is planned. I know that everybody is busy, it´s just that if we want to keep CHAFF alive in any way we must at least communicate via email now.
About the kid´s group. From Anu Holappa I heard there are many mothers with kids interested in an international group, and she has their contact info. I think that if we seriously consider to start something like this up, there should be first steps to contact these people. That way we can get a pool of interested persons and ask around for the best time to start the group. I believe now before summer it´s not the best time for this, but Jen and Burcu, you could start contacting these people via email and then if you want we could sit down and talk together about how we´d like to inform other people as well. We could make some flyers, posters etc. But I don´t think it´s enough to go through the CHAFF mailing list since there are not enough people with kids. Please let me know what you think. I also went to the International Women´s Club´s one meeting for moms and kids last week and we should certainly also involve them, Renata, the coordinator has already been asking me what will happen with our planned group.
Have a good weekend! Best regards
Ildikó
Why did Ildikó get only two replies?
To me the answer is that some of the real motivating factors behind the OLD CHAFF, the regular meetings which helped people know one another, understand issues in a direct manner, get direct answers about difficult problems from people with experience, and many other issues which were handled during the early years of CHAFF has evaporated in the NEW CHAFF. Instead of embracing the other spin-offs from CHAFF as the Oulu Thai Association or the O-India Group, slowly the distancing from each group is hardening.
In addition, when one receives an email, the SUBJECT LINE is most critical. It must drive the person to read what is written, not just glance through it. It must be all three factors that I describe below - that is why advertisement copy-writers are paid millions, so that they can get a reader interested to read past that bold headline, but first they must identify with that HEADLINE!
In any project there are three issues - Innovation, Motivation and Communication. The present CHAFF is loosing in all three areas. People associated me with CHAFF as I used all three methods continuously. It was never about ME, but using these powerful pillars to ensure that people felt directly embraced and they felt that they were one with a powerful group.
We lost a golden opportunity at the "Market of Possibilities Event" that took place yesterday. If we do not reach the newcomers to Oulu who, and when they, are searching for us, then how are we going to spread the powerful message of CHAFF.
Let us rethink CHAFF, not as a social club, but as a result oriented group going out there to look at issues and help people in their difficulties. If funding for this is necessary, there are really good experts who can help CHAFF get that funding.
With a great summer ahead, let us revitalise CHAFF wit or own "Market of Possibilities".
And Ildikó, if the CHAFF relaunch get-together is when Annikki's mother is in care, we will be there. BUT let us make it an all-embracing event WITH A PURPOSE so that CHAFF and its principles are shown to be alive!
1 comment:
Jacob,
the spin offs are spin offs because there were specific interests to be served by spinning off. In other words, associates of such as Thai Association or O-India group may not have much or any interest in Chaff any longer. Have you thought of that possibility? After all, I, as a chaff member have not tried to make a connection with o-indians just the same way as we have not had any communication from over there.
The hardening distance is probably due to the lack of common interest.
Another thing, There is an increasing number of foreigners here, I for instance know of three active social networks Hungarian are involved with in the Oulu region and I expect this is not all. But as little as 5 years ago there has probably been 10 times less Hungarians. Same applies to other cultural groups probably. And always the similar, the familiar gravitates first. Isnt Thai Association and O-India are perfect examples of that? Just an example and some note. Although I am not engaged in researching this too much.
My opinion that Chaff has lost long time ago not now on the 3 fronts. I don't know for sure as I haven't been here for long time but I suspect that you have associated yourself with chaff too much. First time I saw the blog, last summer, it has clearly been nothing more than your personal blog. And whatever I found out about chaff it has been trough you only, and hasn't made much if any sense at all to me.
The first chaff lunch I have ever been to... I was the only one attending even you weren't present. I waited for a couple of hours then left. In the light of my experience a year ago, chaff seems to be becoming very active and gaining grounds on the three issues: Innovation, Motivation, Communication.
Of course it may take time to jump start, create an interest based social network, an informal organisation. It is getting there.
Gabor
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