The Caritas India Annual Staff Training (AST) has always been an important annual event providing an opportunity for mulling over issues collectively with the ultimate aim of effectively using the insights into building a better performing organization and the collective learning experience into a more unified organization and entity.

Following a gap of 2 years on account of the covid situation, the CI AST 2022 was held on 16^th – 18^th March 2022 at Don Bosco Institute, Guwahati with the participation of 106 eager members of the Caritas India fraternity. Caritas India of today, as described in the opening address by Fr (Dr) Paul Moonjely, Executive Director, represents a mix of the old and new offering an opportune moment to fit in the pieces together and build a larger entity. Alluding to the theme of this year’s AST, “Managing Change – Redefining Strategies and Accountabilities,” Fr Paul spoke at length about the context and objective of the meeting designed to understand the shifts in the program and finance management post the FCRA amendment on CI programs. He also brought out the need for the organization to charter itself an accountability framework with improved channels of communication and decision making at all levels.

In keeping with the theme, the AST had input sessions delivered by in-house expertise and leadership presenting the nuances of the changing scenario. The in-depth session on Managing Change – Program Perspective by Ms Babita, Chief Program Lead was an evaluation of the 60 glorious years of Caritas India’s programs and its evolution from a modest charity-based model to a much more complex and impactful way of designing and delivering programs which are a combination of direct implementation or in tandem with long associated partners demanding new skills in equally demanding working scenarios. While citing the successes and highlights in the journey traversed so far, the interaction also attempted to bring an understanding of what has been Caritas India’s USP (networking and delivering at macro and meso levels and conducting research and impact studies) with the need to preserve and build on it. The session also discussed growing concerns and possibilities of CI programs’ transition towards a PMU (Program Management Unit) based structured and operating model.

An important segment of this session brought forth some suggestions of the group on future CI programs and future aspirations for the organization. Building innovative programs which focus on carbon emission and carbon offsetting, on the resilient-centric farm and off-farm livelihood programs and building producer institutions, programs influencing policy to increase convergence with CSR opportunities, adopting working models that are tech-driven, digitization of data and generating visibility and branding on media to name a few.

To wrap up the session, Fr Paul highlighted four key parameters that enables strategic critical thinking i.e. performance, sustainability, resilience and convergence which can immensely help in adding value and uniqueness to our programs and partnerships.

Taking forward the discussions in the same vein, the Finance Leads refreshed the main amendments of the FCRA and its intricacies while dealing with financial aspects in Program Management for better operation, accuracy, and timeliness in line with all regulatory compliances.

Providing base to the group-based task on developing the envisaged accountability framework, Fr (Dr) Jolly, AED shared a critical analysis of program management within CI, its aspects of planning, implementation and reporting both highlighting the gaps and offering solutions for improvement in program quality, internal checks for controlled processes and systems. He also elaborated on actions for translating into enhanced partnership management and partner capacities and dwelt on critical points of incorporating innovation into CI programs and undertaking appropriate course corrections to keep it relevant and contextualised in terms of its delivery and impact. Also emphasised was the need to focus on building and maintaining cloud-based repositories of knowledge for enabling a learning organization.

The group task, as led by Mr Ghanshyam, Head of Programs on accountability framework brought an understanding on multiple facets of accountability, its convergence with our stakeholders, fixing accountability and embedding accountability processes in program management right from the pre-implementation stage to the closure of the program. There were several presentations from the groups formed reflecting these learnings.

In addition to the above intensive sessions, the participants were also taken through brief input sessions on Procurement and HR led by Fr Sushil, Administrator with the concerted effort of strengthening our process in these areas as well. The concluding day had a fruitful open session on organizational matters which saw healthy active participation between the Management and staff.

An important feature of this year’s training was an important session on Safeguarding by Mr Kushal Neogy, CRS. The interactive session used a combination of basic real-life scenarios, cases, and examples to convey this important concept of safeguarding. It is rightly a buzzword in development organizations globally and a shared obligation to ensure that our personnel and programs respect and preserve the rights and dignity of all people, particularly children and vulnerable people, to live in a safe and secure environment. This session also comes in the wake of the recently launched new joint initiative entitled, SAFE (SAfety For Everyone) by CRS and Caritas India on the Safeguarding Policy Program.

The AST had another unique and a first with the Chairman of Caritas India, His Grace Archbishop, Sebastian Kallupura addressing the gathering online. His Grace expressed his appreciation for the commendable work carried out by Caritas India in response to the covid pandemic; he encouraged the team members to think and reflect on developing the organization into a better performing organization and concluded by wishing that the AST proved to be a platform of critical thinking, interaction and constructive means of sharing perspective on the future role and pathway towards working for the development of marginalised communities in the covid crisis and beyond.

To sum up the AST in its entirety, Fr Paul reflected on the forward-looking vision of the organization based on the home-grown ABCD Model and the three Cs of Management (Communication+ Coordination + Cooperation) exhorting all members of Caritas India to take head-on individual responsibility of creating our organization into a more visible one rooted in character amidst the ever-challenging and complex ecosystem.

A word of appreciation to the great hospitality accorded by the Director, Rev Fr. (Dr) John Parankimalil, the management team and all the students of Don Bosco Institute, Guwahati during the entire stay and course of the CI AST 2022.