Contact |
|
| Dr Venkat Pulla | |
| Phone: | 0422 345 982 |
| Email: | dr.venkat.pulla@gmail.com |
The Brisbane Institute for Strengths-based Practice is a not-for profit, voluntary organisation comprised of a wide variety of professional people with many years experience working in varied endeavours and human service organisations. The range of experience to be found within the Institute’s members currently includes social work and community development, academic expertise in the social sciences, accountancy, disability support, graphic art, public sector management, Indigenous cultural education, business analysis and project management. This range of expertise is extended through the various networks of each of the Institute’s members.
The institute was incorporated in Brisbane in 2006. It is an organisation of good will and all members donate their time and skills to the institute and its projects in addition to the paid work in which they are otherwise engaged. The Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice (Inc.) is a partner of the AusAID Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) program, amongst others.
The Brisbane Institute of Strengths based Practice (Inc.) propagates, supports and encourages strengths based human resource development and management consulting, strengths based counselling, group and community training activities and projects in the Asia pacific region and elsewhere, through studies, visits, conferences and workshops and major training events. Its purpose is to promote individual and community development through the practice and promotion of various skills including:
· Asset-based community development
· Appreciative Enquiry
· Strengths-based strategies
· Strengths-focussed therapies
The vision of the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice (Inc) is of a world that moves forward in peaceful collaboration. Its mission is to bring together individuals, communities and organisations from around the world to maximise their potential. Its goals include:
· Creating opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to learn about strengths based practice.
· Creating forums where people can come together to share experiences and stories, network, be inspired, challenged, and supported.
· Providing opportunities for members to contribute to the development of specific communities through strengths based practice.
To achieve these aims, the Institute:
· Holds regular conferences on strengths based practice related issues
· Holds training events on strengths based practice related issues
· Promotes reputable strength based trainings
· Consulting for organisations in areas of Appreciative Enquiry, Human Resource Development, Strategic vision, Quality and motivational Interviewing amongst others
· Provides opportunities for the practice of strength based strategies through relevant programs (e.g. AYAD)
Purpose of the Institute
The Brisbane Institute of Strengths based Practice (Inc.) propagates, supports and encourages strengths based human resource development and management consulting, strengths based counselling, group and community training activities and projects in the Asia pacific region and elsewhere, through studies, visits, conferences and workshops and major training events. Its purpose is to promote individual and community development through the practice and promotion of various skills including:
· Asset-based community development
· Appreciative Enquiry
· Strengths-based strategies
· Strengths-focussed therapies
The vision of the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice (Inc) is of a world that moves forward in peaceful collaboration. Its mission is to bring together individuals, communities and organisations from around the world to maximise their potential. Its goals include:
· Creating opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to learn about strengths based practice.
· Creating forums where people can come together to share experiences and stories, network, be inspired, challenged, and supported.
· Providing opportunities for members to contribute to the development of specific communities through strengths based practice.
To achieve these aims, the Institute:
· Holds regular conferences on strengths based practice related issues
· Holds training events on strengths based practice related issues
· Promotes reputable strength based trainings
· Consulting for organisations in areas of Appreciative Enquiry, Human Resource Development, Strategic vision, Quality and motivational Interviewing amongst others
· Provides opportunities for the practice of strength based strategies through relevant programs (e.g. AYAD)
Types of projects
Projects in which the Institute may choose to become involved include:
Modus Operandi
The various members of the Institute contribute their personal and collective expertise and utilise their extensive professional networks as necessary to carry out particular projects. In addition, the Institute has built collaborative relationships with various international teaching institutes such as the National Institute for Small Industry Extension Training (NISIET), Hyderabad, Department of Social Work, Kadambari Memorial College of Science and Management, Kathmandu, Nepal and the Bala Vikasa Social Service Society, Sri Lanka School of Social Work run under the auspice of National Institute of Social Development, Department of Social Welfare, Government of Sri Lanka and aid agencies and programs, including Oxfam, AUSAID and AYAD (Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development).
Since the resources available to the Institute do not reside with any one individual member of the organisation, projects are undertaken in a collaborative manner with joint ownership and pooling of available resources. Therefore all potential projects are discussed in detail and are endorsed by a sufficient number of suitably qualified Institute members before they may proceed.
Not all members of the Institute will directly engage with all projects; however all projects do have more than one sponsor or supporting partner in most of these countries and members will contribute their various skills as necessary. Projects undertaken by the Institute are regularly discussed and monitored by all members of the Institute throughout the project’s life.
Past Projects of the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice
Since its inception in 2006, the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice (Inc.) has been responsible for a number of innovative, strengths based projects in Australia and around the world. These include conferences, training initiatives and community based projects. As a partner with the Australian Government’s Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) initiative, itself part of the Australia’s international aid program (AusAID), the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice (Inc.) has also sponsored and mentored young Australians to carry out various projects in the Asia-Pacific region. Past projects of the Institute include:
Workshops:
Human values at work workshop August 2006
The workshop addressed questions such as how do you work? How do you view your career and your contribution to the world? Does something require change? Human Values at Work focuses on how you can work in accord with your own spiritual view of life and five Human Values that are found cross-culturally in all spiritual traditions: Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Non-violence. A one day program on Human values at work was delivered in collaboration with University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, by Venkat Pulla, Rita Kugler, CA and Management Consultant) & Dr, Coralie Graham, Lecturer University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba.
Conferences:
The inaugural activity of the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice (Inc.), the Strengths Bases Strategies 2006 conference caught the attention of practitioners, researchers, academics and consumers around the world. Delegates and presenters from developed and developing countries had the opportunity to meet with and learn from significant thinkers and practitioners in HRD, counselling, community engagement, entrepreneur development, disability, mental health and HIV/AIDS. Essentially an Australian-based event, the conference was held in India to facilitate the participation of a large number of local and regional practitioners and academics.
http://www.strengthsbasedpractice.com.au/Inaugural_Conference.htm
· 2008 - Consortium for Social Development Asia Pacific Branch-biannual Conference on Social development and Transition: Paths for Global local Partnerships is pleased to establish ICSD AP Branch Students’ Forum. This International forum was inaugurated by Dr. Venkat Pulla, on 25/11/2008
http://www.iucisd.org, http://www.nepalschoolofsocialwork.org
· 2009 - Coping and Resilience, Dubrovnik-Cavtat, Croatia (in partnership with the SPA - http://www.dpp.hr/eng/onama.php)
The Coping & Resilience International Conference Dubrovnik 2009 (C&R Dubrovnik 2009) brought together practitioners, researchers, community activists and academics working in the trans-disciplinary area of human coping with diverse challenging life circumstances and interested in the capacity of human resilience to most adverse life events. The conference aimed to advance evidence-based practices in resilience promotion and hope building. It examined the interplay of individual, family, community and social responsibility factors in resilience and to provide directions for future practice and research. This Conference received a friendship grant from the Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development.
http://www.strengthsbasedpractice.com.au/dubrovnik_conference_2009.htm
· 2010 – Coping Resilience and Hope Building Brisbane (in supporting partnership with the Griffith University and Queensland Government
The Coping Resilience and Hope Building Asia Pacific Conference Brisbane will bring practitioners, researchers, community activists and academics working in the trans-disciplinary area of human coping with diverse challenging life circumstances and interested in the capacity of human resilience to most adverse life events. The conference aimed to advance evidence-based practices in resilience promotion and hope building. It examined the interplay of individual, family, community and social responsibility factors in resilience and to provide directions for future practice and research.
http://www.strengthsbasedpractice.com.au/dubrovnik_conference_2009
• 2010 (proposed) - Re-Greening Our Lives, Sarawak, Malaysia (in partnership with Multiple partnerships
See discussion following these pages.
Training Initiatives
• 2007 - The Strengths Approach: Principles and Processes)
A two day workshop was held on introduction to strengths based practice with Brisbane Institute’s Consultant Mr Wayne McCashen April 2007 Wayne is author of the books The Strengths Approach: a strengths-based. A friend of the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice (Inc.), Wayne McCashen is author of the books The Strengths Approach: a strengths-based resource for sharing power and creating change and Communities of Hope: a strengths-based resource for building community and co-author of the card-based resource Name the Frame: reminders for building respectful socially just decisions. Presently he is Education and Training Coordinator for Family and Community Services in the Northern Territory, Australia, and was until recently the principal trainer and consultant for St Luke’s Anglicare (Bendigo, Australia) in strengths-based practice to a diverse range of organisations throughout Australia and New Zealand. This was the first in a series of training events to be offered to the Queensland community, by which the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice (Inc.) intends to build on an opportunity to promote strengths based strategies for community and personal development.
• 2007 - Walking Besides –Irene* Strengths Based Strategies for the Individual
Training provided at the request of the Brisbane-based Anam Cara organisation. The aim was to facilitate a strengths-based discussion on an appropriate form of service provision that identified and nurtured the service user’s strengths while identifying and nurturing the strengths of the team who provided her support.
* A pseudo name to hide the real identity of the person
AYAD initiatives
The Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development program (AYAD) places skilled young Australian volunteers, aged 18-30, on short-term assignments of between 3-12 months, in developing countries throughout the Asia Pacific region. The program offers young people a wonderful opportunity to contribute to development while at the same time learning about other cultures. Youth Ambassadors work with Australian organisations and their overseas counterparts in a broad range of areas that include health, environment, rural development, gender, governance, justice, education and infrastructure development. Youth Ambassadors use their skills and expertise to actively contribute to international development. They gain an increased understanding of the development needs of our neighbouring countries and broaden their experience by living and working in a cross-cultural environment. The Brisbane Institute of Strengths based Practice has great pride in being one of the partners of this initiative.
• 2008 - Vietnam, Micro-finance development support
Promotion of a Vietnamese Institute member to the AYAD selection committee as a suitable candidate for the AYAD program in Vietnam. The member spent a year in her native land utilising her banking sector skills to assist a small micro-finance NGO to maintain its existing programs and to expand its operations in outlying areas and in the north of the country.
• 2008 – Sri Lanka School of Social Work , Colombo
Promotion of assistance of teaching and field work supervision at the National Institute of Social Development. Two young Ambassadors were selected for Sri Lanka. Due to continued insurgency the Australian Government made a decision not to send young Australian Ambassadors for that year.
• 2010– Nepal, Kadambari Institute of Science and Management, Kathmandu, Nepal
Promotion of assistance of training and field work supervision at the above Institute has been accepted by the Brisbane Institute of Strengths. Selections of volunteers will be made in January 2010
Community Development Initiatives:
2007-2012 - Sri Lanka School of Social Work development initiative
As part of the Conference two delegates from the School of Social Work of the National Institute of Social Development, Sri Lanka was invited. Professor Ranavera Amaravamsa and Mrs Shamini Attanayaka presented an overview of the training and faculty development needs of the School of Social Work. This meeting was attended by Professor Parasuraman, Director of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Professor Lesley Chenoweth, of Griffith University, Amanda Vos of AASW, heads of the Departments of Indian Schools of social Work such as Professor Uma vennam from Tirupathi Mahila Vidyalayam University, Professor Hazel Lima Director Roshini Nilaya, Mangalore University, Dr Mrs Miriam Samuel Madras Christian College, Professor Janki Andharia, and several other academics. The meeting was convened by Venkat Pulla and a number of immediate action plans to assist the Sri Lanka school of Social Work were drawn up.
2009 - Soul Gypsy initiative
Soul-Gypsy is a multi ethnic group arts promotion of the Brisbane Institute of Strengths Based Practice. Dance for Development is a nurture strategy to advance community preservation of arts and culture. Musicians by nature, not by reason is how Soul Gypsy describes itself. The group is comprised of 10 extraordinarily talented musicians and singers from a range of Balkan and Eastern European states, all of which have a recent history of ethnic and religious tension. These musicians have discovered a common love of Romany Gypsy music and together have created an extraordinary showcase of how people formerly at war may use a common interest and their strengths to forge an exciting collaboration for peace. The project includes plans to encourage younger musicians to participate also in a concerted program for peace promotion.
2010– Nepal, Kadambari Institute of Science and Management, Kathmandu, Nepal
Promotion of assistance of training and field work supervision at the above Institute has been accepted by the Brisbane Institute of Strengths. Selections of volunteers will be made in January 2010
Partnerships
The Brisbane Institute contributes its member’s personal and collective expertise and utilises its combined extensive professional networks as necessary to carry out strengths based projects. In addition, the Institute has already built collaborative relationships with various international teaching institutes. These collaborative relationships have been possible due to either the visits of our Members to these institutes or through previous active partnership. Generally these are through a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
Previous and ongoing partnerships and collaborations include:
• Sanghamitra - India (http://sanghamitra-mdidp.cfsites.org)
• National Institute for Small Industry Extension Training (NISIET)
(http://www.ndparking.com/nisiet.com)
• Bala Vikasa Social Service Society (http://www.balavikasa.org)
• Oxfam Australia (http://www.oxfam.org.au)
• AUSAID and AYAD (Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development)
(http://www.ausaid.gov.au; http://www.ausaid.gov.au/youtham/default.cfm)
• National Institute of Social Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka (http://www.nisd.lk/nisd)
• Centre for Strengths Based Strategies, Michigan, USA (http://www.buildmotivation.com)
• Society for Psychological Assistance, Zagreb, Croatia (http://www.dpp.hr/eng/onama.php)
• The Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development
• The Community Connections, Canberra, http://www.comcons.org.au
• National Institute of Social Development, Department of Social Welfare, Government of Sri Lanka, http://www.nisd.lk/nisd/
• Kadambari School of Science and Management, Kathmandu, Nepal
(http://www.nepalschoolofsocialwork.org)
• Not for Profit Network, Australia , (http://www.nfpn.com.au/)
• Australian Association of Social Workers, (http://www.aasw.asn.au)
• Rural Social Workers Action Group- Victoria, (http://www.aasw.asn.au/)
• Icongo, (http://www.icongo.in/)
• Anamcara, Centacare, Brisbane,
(http://www.centacarebrisbane.net.au/disability/anam_cara.php)
The group is open for everyone to join or participate in.
| Meeting Venue: |
Purpose centred 4- 6 meetings a year in Brisbane The venue is wheelchair accessible. |
| Meeting Times: |
Purpose centred 4- 6 meetings a year in Brisbane rest of the time through sub committees |
| Membership Fees: |
20.00 per membership year. |