2018 MOTION 5:
Field representation in the international fora
MOTION
The OCB Gathering calls on the OCB board to ensure that people from the field are represented in a way or another in the various associative and executive OCB bodies.
Similarly it is requested to bring a similar motion at the IGA level for the field representation in the international fora.
HoM week
BACKGROUND AND EXPLANATION
MSF social mission is its “raison d’être”. That’s why, while growing, MSF has regularly adapted its structure in order to make sure the best support possible was provided to the Operational Projects (missions) and to those who run them.
While promoting the development of internal experts, MSF has also always recognized the importance of the knowledge of those MSFers who are in daily contact with the patients. That’s the reason why the various MSF entities, including OCB have continuously explored new ways to ensure that “field people” could influence the decisions MSF makes as a movement.
Nevertheless, as acknowledged by the International Board in their Call for Change, we feel that when it comes to having this voice heard at the highest levels of our organization, more can be done. In particular, the possibility given to the members of the various platforms to invite non-decisional people could have been more often used to include “field people”.
In conclusion, we are convinced that close interaction between those MSFers who are close to our patients and those who have a more global vision should be at the core of MSF.
FEEDBACK (final draft)
Implementation at the associative level:
As part of the motion implementation the OCB board decided to co-opt a field representative as a non-voting OCB board member for an initial period of 1 year.
In the same way as research ethics committees include a mix of experts and lay members (including patient representatives highly aware of the subject and that can raise different opinions and contribute to the brainstorming as well as protect public and patient interests), the OCB board wants to have some field representatives sitting in the OCB board, as non-voting members, to ensure fresh, creative, objective and independent perspectives are voiced. As a non-voting member of the OCB board, the impact of the Field-rep is restricted to a power of influence.
A special Field-Rep committee (composed of Jean-Paul Jemmy, Tommaso Fabbri, Sohur Mire, Stéphane Goriely and Göran Svedin) was appointed by the OCB Board
- to draft the ToR of the Field-rep and to finalize the candidacy criteria
- to open widely one Field-rep position beginning of May for one month.
- to start the selection process (short-listing, interviews, …) after the OCB GAthering
- to finalize the selection by mail with the entire OCB board end of July 2019
- to ensure the induction of the selected Field-rep during July and August
- to ensure the first participation of the Field-rep at the September OCB board
The call for candidates, was launched 3 May 2019 together with the ToR and the deadline for applications is set for 3 June.
Obviously, board members have field concerns, but the field reality may often be different than the one perceived by members who are hardly in direct contact with field staff. This issue applies not only to associative platforms, but also to PS or HQ executive staff who are more and more distant from the field and do not have the opportunity to spend time in projects.
The expected added values of the inclusion of a Field-rep in the OCB board are:
- increase of the operational connectedness
- increase OCB board field participation and inclusion
- triggers transversal associative communication among the various projects
- increase communication between OCB board and the field
- feedback to the field from the Field-rep on the various issues raised at board level
Implementation at the executive level:
On-going initiatives: Since the beginning of the process of constructing the new strategic orientations the field has been represented. Indeed, on average, per discussion paper; 0,5 Associative members, 20 Field, 4 Partner Section and 18 Operational Center staff (total 45) contributed as part of the core writing team, through consultation by interview, survey or helping to review. Extrapolating this for 31 papers, we can assume that approximately 16 Associative members, 742 Field, 145 Partner Section and 608 Operational Center staff (total 1494) contributed to the process, though of course many Operational Center staff contributed to more than one discussion paper. It can safely be said that over 1000 OCB staff members have directly contributed to the process so far. In terms of next steps, a select few decision papers will be further debated during the Coordo week. Those that will not be discussed during the Coordo week will be discussed during webinars ensuring that the field is able to discuss all of the topics.
Planned initiatives: Input will be requested from the field on topics that field believes needs to be put on the CoDir agenda. This message will be passed to the HoMs/MedCos during the Coordo week this year. Depending on the input we receive there will likely need to be some process of arbitration decided by the DG. Once the agenda has been decided, and field topic decided, this will be shared with the field and reasoning behind why the topic was selected. We would also request the field to possibly participate or present the subject depending on the topic proposed.
The outcomes of the CoDir and other international meetings when relevant to the field will be communicated by the CoDir on an ad hoc basis by doing a webinar. This webinar could include the outcomes from the Codir meetings, OCB group meetings and international meetings such as the core ExCom, RIOD,… In line with the better sharing of information, the DG has just reviewed the old ‘dir-briefing’ email which has been replaced with the ‘What’s up dir’. The aim for this newsletter is to improve the communication from the executive, it is sent to the HoMs. Discussions are ongoing to see if this newsletter can also be shared wider at the field level but there are some technological constraints. We are looking into the creating of mailing lists for the PMR and FieldCo so they can receive more information coming from the HQ such as the ‘What’s Up Dir’.
The ToR of the Asso-Exec platform will be reviewed and participation from the field is being discussed.
With the IT department we will look into streaming more of the events taking place at the HQ such as B&O of the departments, the lunch and learn, and possibly some department meetings if relevant.
The 360 degree evaluations for certain HQ staff will be introduced, therefore giving the field the opportunity to provide their feedback to HQ colleagues.
Implementation at international level:
The motion was proposed to the the IGA Motion Committee 2018, but they estimated that it was not a motion and it was never presented to the IGA.
More on the association? https://www.insideocb.com/