RC 34 Board Meeting 8-June-2000 Helsinki, Finland
Minutes
Those present: Lynne Chisholm (LAC) President, Ladislav Machacek (LM) Treasurer, Claire Wallace (CW) Secretary, Julia Zubok (JZ) Assistant Vice President for Russian Federation, Siyka Kovatcheva (SK), Britta Jonnsson, Helena Helve (HH) Newsletter Editor, Ola Stafseng (OS) former President, Carmen Leccardi (CL), Gunila Holm (GH) Vice President for North America, Howard Williamson (HW; Committee member) 1. The minutes of the last meeting were accepted 2. There was a report of the informal Board Meeting in Portugal in May 2000. 3. Policy Issues and Activity Plan Events since 1999
a. There was a report about the South African Summer School which was a great success. Participants from RC34 were: LM, LAC, JZ, Songxing Su (Vice President for Asia) and David Everatt (Vice President for Southern Africa). David Everatt had raised the money through the Royal Dutch Embassy and RC 34 members had donated their time and activity to the event. Congratulations to all who took part.
b. Lisbon conference May 2000. Organised by the European Commission about future directions for youth research. Many from RC 34 were present.
c. Helsinki NYRI 2000 conference. There was a large RC 34 presence at this conference organised by Helena Helve and the Nordic Youth Research Network.
Forthcoming events
a. Youth and Peace Conference, Sofia, (23-25 June) SK is organising this together with Peter-Emil Mitev (former President of RC 34). They have found funding from the United Nations. LAC and OS are invited to speak there.
b. ISA Mid-term conference in Montreal (28-30 July) No-one sent contributions to LAC so she will write the paper on behalf of RC 34
c. Second Youth Researchers Seminar, Budapest (September). RC 34 will co-operate with the Council of Europe Youth Directorate in organising this.
d. Jaipur Conference (end of December 2000). This conference was proposed by Profesor Modi with the collaboration of the Research Committees on Childhood and on Leisure. After a long correspondence, RC 34 decided to withdraw from this conference, as did the other two RCs. It had been impossible to reach a satisfactory agreement on budgetary matters.
e. Asian Research Symposium, Macau (1-5 December 2000). This conference will partly organised by Songxing Su, the Vice President for Asia. The conference title “New Technology and Asian Youth in the 21st Century” and will be held entirely in English. RC 34 are invited to send a delegation whose hotel expenses will be met by the Ministry of Education and Youth, but will have to find the money for their own transport. Those interested please contact LAC. (OS, LAC, GH, CW and HW all expressed an interest).
f. High Tatra Conference, Slovakia (26-30 May 2001). Topic of conference: “Citizenship, Employment and Unemployment” LM failed to get a grant from the EC office in Slovakia and other sources also seem unlikely. Therefore aimed to hold the conference without outside sponsorship. Price categories are: 425 DM Standard price and 540 DM luxus price (but this also covers double rooms) per person for the five days. People can also apply as individuals through the PHARE programme. There will be simultaneous translation provided. Key note speeches planned on topics of Youth and civil society, European citizenship. LAC to write a letter to the relevant Slovak Ministry in September for internal sponsorship. At this time it would be a good idea to plan for the Brisbane meeting in summer 2002. (Action: LAC)
g. “Youth, Family and Intergenerational Relations” Milan (September 20-22, 2001). A combined effort from the Vienna Observatory for Family Matters and RC 34. Carmen Leccardi is responsible for organising this. The University will raise some funds as will the municipality and they have appointed a person to raise more funds. There will be 2 plenary sessions and a final roundtable. the Roundtable will focus upon family politics and the quality of life. This conference spans several different but related areas of interest (youth, family and generations) and would also appeal to social workers, European MEPs. etc. Organising committee: Professor Ricerto (?), Sylvia Trnka and CL. OS encouraged them to find a demographer as well. JH and CW to also co-operate with CL to develop the conference. LAC to contact the Research Committee on the family for co-operation. (Action: LAC, CW, JH and CW)
h. Second RC 34 Summer School, Latin America. Carlos Feixa (CF) has good links with Columbia and HW knows Olga Castillo from Columbia. CF will bring together Portugese Youth Ministry and Iberian youth organisations. Perhaps make youth cultures in relation to social problems the central issue. Jose Serrana who gave a paper in Montreal should be contacted. BJ volunteered to be part of the group – she spent 2 years in Columbia. Proposed to approach Rene Bendit for Argentinian connection (who runs summer school in Argentina any way). Jim Cote has a link to Cuba. OS and LAC offered to contact Childwatch International. CF will be the anchor person with committee comprising BJ and HW. CW will approach Rene Bendit to join. (Action: LAC, CW, OS, CF, BS)
i. 3rd Young Youth Researchers Training Seminar, Moscow, (September 2002). JZ reported that two key institutes would be involved: Institute of Youth and the Academy of Sciences.It is hoped that the Council of Europe will sponsor this event. Irina Guidikova (Council of Europe), LKN (Lyudmila Nurse) and JZ would liase and report to the next Board meeting (Action LKN, JZ, IG)
j. World Congress, Brisbane (August 2002). This will be planned at the High Tatra Conference next year.
k. History of RC 34. LKN has proposed a plan of action for this publication. RC 34 are prepared to pay up to 500 EURO for the publication. We could pay a graduate student to do some of the interviewing. The committee resolved that no funding was available to RC34 members as they were expected to donate their time and expertise to the committee activities but that technical assistance could be refunded in modest proportions at local rates of pay. LM to help with this publication. LKN to find a publisher. (Action LKN and LM)
4. Communications and Promotions
a. IBYR. The problems with the server have been solved. The webpage is being up-dated. There may be a Russian language contribution although JZ pointed out that members there could all read English in any case. There should nevertheless be an introduction and welcome in Russian written by LKN. (Action: LKN). There is also an up-coming event : the Russian Sociological Association Conference where there will be a group dealing with youth matters chaired by Vladimir Chuprov (Action JZ to liase) .Carmen Leccardi should write the next “Day in the Life” text (Action CL). It should be the duty of all Board members to regularly report on events in their region. CW has written to all Vice- Presidents encouraging them to distribute IBYR to those not on email. Problems with financing IBYR: The Newsletter grant was only $300 because the Committe had less than 100 members (97 instead of 100). This means that HH has had to pay some of the financing of the site from her own pocket.
b. Membership benefits: Journal subscription. LAC has arranged a discount for the subscription to “Young” for RC 34 members. Details to be distributed to the membership when rates are finalised.
c. RC 34 Brochure. CW handed round example brochure. CW to send this round electronically and to update it a little. (Action CW)
d. Young Youth Researchers Essay Competition. Jürgen Hartmann (JH) reported that he is waiting for the title of the ISA World Congress to be announced before arranging this. (Action JH)
5. Finance and Membership
CW reported that there 1853.79 EURO in the account. Despite having recruited 12 new members in the last year, the official membership list was still only 97: 3 members below the minimum of 100 required to get a higher newsletter grant and maximum space at the Brisbane Congress. Whilst RC 34 on the whole supported the idea of this allocation by numbers, it was very hard on committees which were just on the margins of attaining 100. CW had estimated more than 100 members. CW to check up on people who should be members but do not appear on the ISA lists. OS offered to pay 2 times his $40 to compensate. ISA Central Office in Madrid say that they are sending out letters to ISA members whose membership of RC 34 is expiring, so this should save a lot of time and effort by LAC and CW constantly writing letters.
6. Relations with other groups
a. Strategic Alliance for Southern African Youth (SA Youth Commission, UNESCO + RC34)
b. Council of Europe Youth Directorate. We could ask them to become an institutional member.
c. ESA. LAC has met Jean-Charles Lagrée and agreed a co-operation strategy
d. European Youth Forum: LAC to discuss strengthening links with their General Secretary, Tobias Flessenkemper LM mentioned need for better relations with North America.
7. AOB 8. Date and Location of Next Meeting : Regular “Walddorf Summit” – date to be finalised.