COMMITTEES & DEPARTMENTS

Children's Bahá'í Education Service

"Educate the Children" training update

Over the last couple of months the Children's Bahá'í Education Service has been running a series of teacher training days, "Educate the Children", which have proved very popular and the feedback has been extremely positive. It is hoped that the Education Consultants at each Community School will arrange for the full 12-hour course to be run through the schools during the next year.

If you would like details about the course and information on how to arrange for it to run in your region please contact the Children's Bahá'í Education Service secretary.

The committee has been consulting a great deal about the issue of spiritual parenting. We are currently setting up a series of meetings with the regional Bahá'í Councils and Training Institutes on the process of designing and delivering courses and initiatives that will address this need. If you have any suggestions or would like to offer service in this area, we'd love to hear from you.

Visit the CBES stand at National Conference, to find out about our plans and activities. Watch out for details of our workshop. We look forward to seeing you there.

Children's Bahá'í Education Service, contact: Mitali Peckham (Secretary) Tel: 01223 573873  Other committee members - Shiva Shirinzadeh-Finch (Chair), Karen O'Donoghue (Treasurer) Clare Whitehead and Homa Saadat

BASED-UK The Bahá'í Agency for Social and Economic Development

New beginnings in Marlborough

Forty-two delegates from 28 communities around the UK attended the BASED-UK Marlborough Conference on 9th September, held at the comfortable Ivy Hotel in the beautiful setting of Marlborough High Sreet. The high quality service provided gave us all a glimpse of how every-day activity can be made beautiful.

There is now greatly increased interest amongst the British Community in Bahá'í Social and Economic Development ("SED"). This was reflected in consultation held in small lively groups during the morning session in which Sarah and Michael Richards focussed our attention on the richness of SED themes in the Bahá'í writings.

In the afternoon, Bruce Clarke and Fidelma Meehan explored what is meant by "faith in action" by sharing experiences of Swindon Local Spiritual Assembly's Tranquillity Zone and other related activities. These initiatives illustrate the systematic approach to identifying local needs (in this case a way to counteract the materialistic atmosphere of city life), then applying a solution within the capacities and resources available.

Groups were asked to consult on the needs of their own communities and how to start SED projects or become involved in existing non-Bahá'í initiatives. We were warmly encouraged to  make a start with the limited resources within our communities and then build on them. However scarce these resources might be, a spirit of loving sacrifice and burning desire to serve humanity attract heavenly strengths which help us to achieve victories beyond our fondest hopes - today in the UK.

Stéphanie Bouju from Carlisle reports: ". As well as meeting almost exclusively new faces, including new Bahá'ís from Swindon, 'products' of the SED projects, I greatly increased my understanding of social and economic development and the examples of the people in Swindon and other communities helped me to see what is possible in my own community".

Paul Foss from Bristol adds: "I should like to say how very much I found the conference at Marlborough to be both enjoyable and rewarding. For years I have been an ardent supporter of 'intermediate technology' and the sustainable help of third world countries - the Marlborough Conference showed how we as Bahá'ís can be involved".

And Michael Melville from Cheshire: ". I was tremendously impressed by each Bahá'í community's involvement in their local community - each person making their own contribution towards a better way of life - translating the healing message of Bahá'u'lláh into action ."

BASED-UK Secretary - Susie Howard 22 East Saint Helen Street, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 5EB Tel: 01235 550979, Fax: 01235 533278, e-mail:mailto:secretariat@baseduk.org

A Bridge in Time - The Welsh Spring School

Trinity College, Carmarthen, S Wales Friday 13th - Tuesday 17th April 2001 Put these dates in your new diary as soon as you get it! Fully residential, with everything you could wish for - good programme, good speakers, good entertainment ... good grief - can you afford to miss it? Definitely not.

Watch out for details ...

Committee for International Pioneering and Travel Teaching

Head teacher required for Bahá'í Primary School

Location: Malagwane Hill, Mbabane, Swaziland, Southern Africa, Adjacent to the National Bahá'í Centre and the existing Pre-Primary School and newly established High School.

Qualifications: Professionally trained Bahá'í with experience in both Primary School administration and teaching. We seek a candidate to assist in creating a Bahá'í school with an uplifting spiritual atmosphere and character training programme.  As Primary School Principal, (s)he will function as part of an administrative team with the Director of Schools and the pre-school administrator.

Description: The schools are a project of The National Spiritual Assembly of Swaziland.  All three institutions are located at the national centre property in Mbabane, the capital city, surrounded by the beautiful ridges of the high veld.  The Primary School, with grades 1 - 7, has eight teachers.  Construction will commence soon to accommodate an increased number of classes. Current enrolment is approximately 300 students.

Date Required: The new Principal is needed as soon as possible.  The school year begins at the end of January 2001.

Salary and Conditions: Salary will be negotiable according to qualifications and need, in accordance with the Swazi economy. Family accommodation available in town  4 kms away.

Physical Environment: Swaziland is a beautiful, relatively safe country with a moderate climate, (maximum temp 32 Deg C). The school is located in a beautiful mountain valley. Medical and education facilities are among the best in Africa. The telephone system is first class and you can "drink the water". Nearby tourist destinations like game parks, hot springs, hiking and cultural events abound. Swaziland is well connected by road and air to other African cities: Maputo, Durban. Johannesburg, Dar es Salaam and Nairobi.

Please send your CV with a covering letter to - Bahá'í School Board, Dr Stephen Waite, PO Box 1900, Mbabane, Swaziland or e-mail: mailto:aswaite@africaonline.co.szTel: ++268 404 0606 (eves).

Invitation to the Falklands

The Spiritual Assembly of Stanley would like to invite a Bahá'í visitor to the Falklands. They are looking for someone who is a teacher or good communicator in any area of the arts.  The purpose of the visit would be to share skills with the general community of the Falkland Islands through workshops or 'master classes'. Teaching the Bahá'í Faith in the Falklands is done largely by example.

The Spiritual Assembly has ideas for all sorts of specialties from fine art to country and western music, to skills useful to artists (e.g. use of recording or video equipment).  The 'arts' is meant in the broadest sense and might include cookery, drama, speech, dance, a musical instrument, sport or just about anything anybody might want to hold small seminar classes on for both adults and children.

If you think you could help the Falklands please contact - Margo Smallwood, e-mail: mailto:bahai_falklands@horizon.co.fk Please inform the CIPTT of your interest, Barbara Winner mailto:winners@zetnet.co.uk

Fiji welcomes travel teachers and pioneers

Contrary to some reports in the media, Fiji is safe. It is safe for travellers of all races. At this time, the only obvious result of the recent political upheaval is that there is a tremendous increase in receptivity to the teachings of the Faith.

We need self-supporting pioneers to settle in key areas, who can work well with the devoted local believers. We need someone skilled in youth workshops, who can help our struggling youth groups. Long and short-term pioneers who are Hindi-speakers can find a special role in helping teach and consolidate the beautiful Indo-Fijian population.

There is a niche for every ardent lover of Bahá'u'lláh who wishes to come to Fiji. We hope that anyone who has a passing thought of serving here will feel free to write us for more information. The Fiji Island's Pioneer Desk is staffed by - Mrs Shirley Kerr-Matau, e-mail: mailto:Nsafijiskm@suva.is.com.fj