Saturday, July 6, 2013

Day 8: onwards around Japan

We can now announce that the special guest at the Gala Dinner on Thursday night was Her Imperial Highness The Princess Akishino (Princess Kiko), who is the wife of the second son of the Emperor of Japan.  Each of the young delegates had the great privilege of meeting and speaking with Her Imperial Highness prior to the dinner to report on the outcomes of the conference.

Friday was a day of farewells.   We went on a half day excursion to the Tokyo Water museum, which had some fascinating interactive displays and shows.  


In the afternoon it was time for Jane, Joan and Robinette to head off with their host families for their homestays, and Helen and Miranda to their respective hotels to meet up with friends.

The Australian delegation wishes to thank the Girl Scouts of Japan for hosting such a wonderful conference, and particularly to all the 'worker bee' volunteers who made it such a wonderful experience for us all.

Matane!

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Day 7: the grand finale

Today was the final full day of the Asia Pacific Regional Conference.  First up was a panel session to discuss any questions which had arisen during the conference which had not been addressed during previous sessions.  We discussed the importance of Guiding as a girl only space. Some member organisations are having difficulties justifying the continuation of Guiding only for girls where there is Scouting which offers membership to both girls and boys.  


Robinette gave a presentation about an event to be held in Melbourne in 2014 which is for Leaders of Girls from around the AP Region.  There was a great deal of interest in the event and we promised member organisations that we would teach the leaders to speak 'Australian'.

(the Australian delegates, plus the WAGGGS Aussies Jen and Ching)

The formal voting session was next.  Three motions were passed by the conference participants. The first related to the new Nominations Committee created by the World Board.  The second was that the 2016 AP Regional Conference be held in Nepal, and the third was the election of the new members of the AP Regional Committee.


Jeng and Melanie will each be serving a second three-year term on the committee. Pinky from Taiwan, Lucy from Thailand, Minori from Japan, Marybelle from the Philippines are the new members.


After lunch it was time for the closing ceremony.  We viewed a video presentation of the highlights from the conference, bade farewell to the outgoing AP Regional Committee members, presented Girl Scouts of Japan with a gift to thank them for hosting the conference and officially handed the World Flag to Nepal ahead of 2016.


We then commenced getting ready for the Gala Dinner in beautiful costumes.  We enjoyed a fashion parade with the youth delegates showing off their national costumes, as well as a lovely Japanese buffet dinner.  



We had a special guest that evening, but we are not yet allowed to tell you who it was!  Stay tuned for tomorrow's post :)
 

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Day 6: flexibility, funding and a forum

The reflection this morning was provided by the wonderful Mongolian delegation, who shared stories of the growth of Girl Guiding in Mongolia and how girls and young women are taking action to Be More.



The first session was about Program, and was presented by GSUSA.  Yvette explained the development and structure of the GSUSA program and shared a number of inspiring stories regarding the achievements of girls within this program.  One interesting aspect of her presentation was about GSUSA's flexible program opportunities, which are outlined in the photo below:



After morning tea we divided into focus groups to discuss the topics of Adult Training, Volunteer Management, Succession Planning and Office Management.  We learned about the ways that other member organisations work, the opportunities they have and the challenges they face.

The afternoon was spent discussing fund development, and the Asia Pacific Regional Membership Development Strategy (APRMDS, as it will no doubt become well-known) which will guide the work of the Region and member organisations from 2015 to 2017.  

After dinner some participants enjoyed shopping excursions to Shinjuku and Harajuku, and the young delegates participated in a forum with young Girl Scout leaders from across Japan.  We discussed issues affecting girls and young women around the world, and the stories which some of the delegates told were very eye-opening.  It is one thing to learn that many girls in a certain country marry young, but it is hard to truly understand this until you hear an individual tell her own story and explain the effect it has had on her life.   This is the value of international Guiding.



Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Day 5: out and about

 

Today began with a reflection by Cambodia on the topic of Belong.  They taught us about the way geese behave in flight to help each other to fly more efficiently and encourage those who are in need of help.

 

Our first session was a presentation by Barbara Hill of Girl Scouts of the USA on the subject of marketing.  GSUSA have been undergoing a transformation over the previous 10 years in terms of their program, their volunteer structure, their council structure and their image.  They have developed a strong focus - to “build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.





Barbara spoke about how GSUSA has raised public awareness of Girl Scouting through the promotion of the ToGetHerThere project which aims to provide opportunities for all girls in the USA, and shared some examples of the marketing strategies used to attract widespread media attention.

 

The rest of the day was spent participating in Learning Excursions.  Four different organisations – two companies, a government office and school – were selected because the strategies they use to strengthen their brand name can provide Girl Guides and Girl Scouts with ideas to strength our brand.

 

Helen and Miranda visited Kokuyo, which is a well-known Japanese company producing and selling stationary and office supplies and office furnitureKokuyo is held in high regard for its policy of only making products that is environment friendly. The company has introduced "Eco Live Office" offices with a reduced burden on the environment, enhanced the motivation of its employees and strengthened its brand name. We can draw inspiration from Kokuyo’s emphasis on individuals, humanity and flexibility to improve our member organisations.

 



Jane visited Shinagawa High School for Girls, which has a project called the “28 Project”.  It aims to educate girls in a way that the girls will become active and contributing members of society by age 28.  The participants got to interact with the Principal of the school who was enthusiastically explained the school’s aims.  They also learned how the positive attitude of this organisation has made it a successful example of ‘rebranding’.

 

Shiseido, one of the Japan’s leading cosmetics manufacturers, was the destination for Robinette. Shiseido places emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility and devotes a lot of effort to recycling its cosmetics packaging and various other environmental conversation activities.  The participants learned about having a key message for your brand and promoting it through various means.

 

Joan went to the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which established the Cool Japan Office to formulate and promote policies to promote the overseas advancement of Japanese cultural and creative industries.  It was an example of the public and private sectors working together.  The Cool Japan Office taught us about the importance of research and making your branding and marketing applicable to your target audience.

 

After the excursion, each group discussed and shared their ideas to strengthen the Girl Guide and Girl Scout brand and inspire motivation in members.



 

The day concluded with a “Be Bee” party, organised by the “Worker Bees” who are the amazing group of volunteers from Girl Scouts of Japan assisting with all aspects of the conference.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Day 4: WAGGGS workshops and a world bazaar

The morning starts with a reflection presented by the Maldives on the topic of 'Believe', as an aspect of the conference's theme: Believe, Belong, Be More.

Mary McPhail delivered a presentation about the strategic direction of WAGGGS leading up to the year 2020, which sparked some vigorous discussions.



The conference participants then divided into various focus groups to provide input into the WAGGGS membership development strategy, WAGGGS governance issues and an evaluation of WAGGGS's work.  This feedback is being sought at each of the five Regional Cnfefence and will be fed back to the World Board ahead of the World Conference to be held in Hong Kong next year.

The fourth Tasmanian present at the conference, Jen Barron, gave an entertaining explanation of the work of, and opportunities available at, the five World Centres.  We enjoyed a game of Celebrity Heads with a World Centre focus.


In the evening an International Bazaar was held at which each country had a stall to sell various souvenirs to raise money for the AP region. Australia raised $229 selling badges, Tim Tams, magnets, cards and Furry Friends.

Jane and Joan each received their Friends of Asia Pacific WAGGGS membership pins from Dr Juseon Buyn, founder of FAPW.


  Everyone was in magnificent national dress and the night ended with music and dancing.