Gwangju International Center: Defining and Assessing a Korean NGO’s Mission

1. Gwangju International Center: Defining and Assessing a Korean NGO’s Mission Maria Lisak, Kunsan National University (Visiting Professor) Gwangju International Center (Board Member) Asia Association for Global Studies (AAGS) "Asia in Global Perspective“Kwansei Gakuin University Nishinomiya, Japan Saturday, June 24, 2006

2. Defining & Assessing GIC’s Mission • Defining Mission • Creating Value • Assessing Performance • Define • Translate Analysis into Action

3. GIC Background • Established by Gwangju (Kwangju) City Government and Gwangju Citizens Solidarity in 1999 • Moved from governmental to NGO collaboration • Gwangju City provides some financial assistance (initially 75%, now 25%) • Created initially to help the international community of Gwangju and Jeollanamdo

4. GIC Clients • Initial target client • International community of Gwangju and Jeollanamdo • Expanded target client • Korean youth • Current target clients: • Local Korean community • International community of Jeollanamdo • local Korean youth (university students) • International collaborators (Human Rights organizations in different countries)

5. Mission Statement Development • Meet Dr Gyonggu Shin • Angel and Advocate • Supports, Encourages, Sustains GIC • through his energy, enthusiasm & network • His brain is the GIC Institutional Knowledge bank. • Requests from Maria Lisak 2003 to have more info online for Gwangju News Magazine • Requests from Ana Wilson, GN Editor (Apr - Sept2005) • For website, brochure & GN promotional materials

6. GIC Mission Statement • Provide visitors & international residents with information and services • Promote international exchange in the fields of culture and economy • Foster international awareness

7. Emerging Missions • Mission expanded to included Human Rights work • Authentic language exchange • Why expand mission? • Emerged through network of donators & supportors of GIC (Human Rights) • Natural by-product of program development & success

8. GIC Programs • Monthly Gwangju News Magazine • Korean language courses for foreigners • English Library for foreigners • Counseling service for foreigners • Gwangju International Community Day • Monthly GIC Culture Tours • A weekly Talk to promote intercultural understanding • concert to fundraise money to help third world countries: • International youth exchange program for students; internships • Financial assistance to third world countries and migrant workers • Collaboration with Asian Human Right Commission • Translation service

9. Strategic Service Vision:The Value Equation Value -for clients -staff -volunteers -donors Results + Process Quality = Cost + Ease of Access

10. GIC Mission Value • Clients • programs • Staff • Experience • Access to International Community, travel opportunities • Skill use • Volunteers • Experience • Network • Donors • Promote ideals • Exposure to International Community

11. How does GIC create value? • Results • Program stability • More people receive service • More diversity of community served • Process Quality (next slide) • Cost • No assessment done • Annually in the red • Ease of Access • Hard to find office • Outdated website • Bulletin board active • Friendly staff available in house, by phone, SMS, email

12. Strategic Service Vision:Process Quality • Dependability – yes & no • Timeliness – yes & no • Authority – yes & no • Empathy - yes • Tangible Evidence – yes Cultural variables & Learning Curve

13. Assessing Performance • Define • Develop & Implement • Translate into Action

14. Why collect performance info? • Inform practice • Demonstrate accountability • Improve planning • Better manage programs & services • Improve social impact of program & services • Meet funding requirements • Inform the field • Demonstrate cost effectiveness of services • Raise public awareness of the issues addressed • Demonstrate “social return on investment”

15. What is GIC’s social impact? • Measurable social impact • Collect performance info for • Internal audience • Staff – offer in-house training for volunteers • Board – how are their funds being used • Clients – offering something special to visitors • External audience • Investors - forms • Policymakers - none • Media – created a GN Advertising Brochure, contacts with KBS • Competitors – Tourist Board, gathering places of ex-pats, schools/companies employing large numbers of ex-pats • Organization information needs as the first priority

16. Prioritizing Performance Information • Prioritizing Info recognizes the value of it • To inform practice –don’t have to recreate the wheel • Planning – implementing new programs/expanding programs/stabilizing programs/eliminating programs • Quality of services to consumers – relationship, environment, service & product • This helps to explain to external audiences • How info can be presented – solicit more donations • Why it’s important – how GIC promotes intercultural learning & exchange • Eliminate duplicated demand of info by outsiders

17. Measuring Performance • Clearly articulate what the organization is trying to do • What specific contribution • Community building • Lifelong learning • Friendship & intercultural relationships • Identity confidence • How the world is different – smaller, more intimate • Because of programs and services – eases culture shock, opens minds to new horizons • Measures should reflect strategies • Easy to measure – number of volunteers, members • Look good – number of people served, personal narratives of life change • Easy to understand – why should local Koreans help internationals in the area? Why should ex-pats come to GIC? How can they help give back what they are taking away? • Family of measures for GIC are currently quantitative. Qualitative comes from informal, word of mouth network.

18. GIC’s Next Step:Articulate Contribution • What is GIC’s unique contribution • Mission – why the org exists • Review Mission Statement • Goals – driving force of mission • Most programs have goals, but not all of them • Objectives – measurable milestones of progress to achieve goals • A few people doing the work • Staff/volunteer given full autonomy • Lose this knowledge if lose the volunteer • No articulated objectives for programs

19. GIC GIC Mission Statement Gwangju News Goal Culture Tour Goal Korean Language Program Goal GIC Talk Goal Objective

20. Types of Objectives • Process objectives: specific activities, by whom, and when. • What services did we provide to how many people over what period of time? • Outcome objectives: what is anticipated to change as a result of these activities • What impact did we have on reducing social problems in our society?

21. GIC’s challenges • First to develop and articulate goals in each area and explain how those goals will contribute to the mission • Next, after goals are established, develop process and outcome objectives

22. Assess current practices • GIC’s Action Plan for Fall • What info has already been collected • Talk to staff – what has worked & not worked in the past • Document institutional knowledge

23. Feedback & Community Challenges • Squeaky wheel syndrome • Expansions & contractions • Annual ex-pat teacher contract

24. Sustainability • After goal & objective setting, GIC needs to: • Method to collect data • Analyze the data • Reflect & Correct based on data analysis

25. Methods • Quantitative • Qualitative • How to ask questions • What specifically needs to be known? • Who to ask? • What do you need to know? • How much flexibility do you have? • About whom or what do you need info? • When do you need the info? • What skills do you have in-house to collect info? • How much do you have in the way of staff time and financial resources to invest in the process?

26. Analysis • How often to analyze? • Some continuously • Others semiannually or annually (usually mission related) • Info used should be • Timely • Dynamic • Reach target audience to ensure credibility & cooperation

27. Reflection & Correction • Expect that an org is open to learning about the ways its programs are effective as well as opportunities for improvement • Special time for staff and board to review and reflect on perform info • Have process inform decision making and practice • “What does the info tell you about your program?” • “How do you intend to apply this info to improve services?”

28. Assessing GIC’s Strengths and Weaknesses • Governance • Flat, so quick to react • inconsistent follow up due to executives “real jobs.” • Management & Organization • Lack of NGO experience • Executive & staff not trained in management & administration • Culture • Openness • “Third Space” - a place between cultures • Strategic Thinking/Planning • Usually tactical plans are made • Not fully actuated, No time for strategic planning & follow up • Resource Development • Intuitive corrections made by executive & staff help protect & build resources • Financial Management & Reporting • Some for city, board, and members • Marketing & Promotion • Some for GN & GIC Day • Human Resources Management • Intuitive corrections made by executive & staff help protect & build resources • Hard to keep volunteers due to churn of international members & university students • Hard to staff, but once committed they are strongly attached to organization • Physical Plant & Equipment • Provided by city or special donations

29. Service Delivery Assessment • Effectiveness • Increasing number of members served • No formal tracking of return members • Cost • Running in the Red • Personnel • Paid staff – low turn over • Long term volunteers – low turn over • Internships – new idea, learning experience for GIC • Korean volunteers – high churn • International volunteers – high churn • Convenience • Downtown location • Online presence • Quality • Improving through program stability and consistency

30. Visioning • Embrace change • Process of continuous learning • “affordable” is a state of mind

31. Thank You! Strategic Tools for Social Entrepreneurs Dees, Emerson, & Economy Wiley Publisher ISBN:0-471-15068-1 www.gwangjuic.ac.kr www.koreamaria.com