A group of seven visitors from Latin America came to Vermont in June with the International Visitor Leadership Program to learn more about NGO Management.
The State Department outlined the following specific objectives for the participants:
Examine innovative management strategies of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profits, public service and advocacy organization in the U.S.;
Explore the diversity of the independent sector in the U.S., and the dynamic relationships among business, government and non-governmental organization;
Review methodologies used by NGOs for strengthening leadership, employing volunteers, fundraising, and furthering missions
The group of seven came from six different countries across Latin America where all are leaders of NGOs: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Mexico. They enjoyed three full days of cultural activities and professional appointments while in Vermont before shipping out for the next leg of their program in Denver.
See pictures from the group's visit:
The group was met at the Burlington Airport by VCWA Program Director, Eli Harrington and VCWA Intern, Tori Carton. After the group's arrival in South Burlington, they settled into Green Mountain Suites, which host most of our international visitors in their comfortable suites. Once settled, they were given a short orientation to the region and copies of their professional itineraries.
The first full day was spent getting to know the Burlington downtown and waterfront. Accompanied by VCWA intern Max Krieg, they visited the Lake Champlain waterfront area and then learned more about the ecology of the lake during their visit to the ECHO Center. Afterwards, they enjoyed strolling through Church Street Marketplace and watched Mexico play against Argentina in a FIFA World Cup game while having lunch at Vermont Pub & Brewery. To end the day the group hopped aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III for a cruise of Lake Champlain.
The delegation began its second day with a trip to Hardwick to learn about how the network of local NGOs and businesses work together to create a local food economy. They had a roundtable discussion at the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE) with Tom Stearns, chairman of the CAE Board, and Elena Gustavson, Director of Education and Community Outreach. Following this discussion the group went to High Mowing Organic Seeds in Wolcott and got a tour of the trial gardens with Tom Stearns, founder and owner. For their third appointment, they met with Meg Gardner and owner Pete Johnson of Pete's Greens to learn about the operations of their local organic farm in Craftsbury. To finish their second day, the delegation went back to the CAE to meet with co-owner of Claire's Restaurant, Michael Bosia. After the meeting they had a fine dinner with Michael and enjoyed tasting the local produce.
On their third and final day, the Latin American delegation started out with a visit to Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) in Burlington and had a great discussion with Owen Milne, Development Director. They made their final professional appointment with Hal Colston, Executive Director of Neighborkeepers in Winooski. They learned about the resources the organization uses to fight poverty "one family at a time." The group also had an excellent discussion with Hal about his previous work in founding the Good News Garage. Finally, the delegation was interviewed at the Center for Media & Democracy (channel 17). VCWA's Eli Harrington conducted two sets of interviews and asked the group to share information about themselves, their experience in the U.S. and what they learned during their stay in Vermont.
Thank you to everyone involved with this program, especially to Bill & Kate Schubart for an amazing dinner at their lovely home in Hinesburg as profiled in Seven Days magazine.
