OBBA UK: AWARDS FOR ALL SPONSORED PROJECT REPORT
OLD BO BOYS ASSOCIATION
UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND
Theme:
‘Addressing issues facing post conflict Sierra Leone Immigrants in the UK
The project is seeking to encourage Sierra Leone organizations here in the
UK to critically reflect on their individual and collective responsibilities
and involvement in actions aimed at addressing issues facing post conflict
Sierra Leone immigrants residing here in the UK’.
Conference Date: 2nd June 2012
1.1. Background &Original Implementation Plan:
In 2010 OBBA UK & Ireland applied for lottery sponsorship to support a
project aimed “at bringing Sierra Leonean organisations in the UK to critically
reflect on their individual responsibilities and cooperate in actions aimed at
addressing issues facing post conflict Sierra Leone immigrants residing in the
UK”.
The conference was to have been held over two days from 7th and 8th May
2011 at Bankside Community Space, Great Guildford Street, Bankside SE1
0SY with approximately 50 -60 delegates, drawn from Southwark, Lambeth and
Lewisham local authorities, various local community organizations, local
churches, the police and representatives from Sierra Leonean organizations in
London, to attend.
1.2. Conference Objectives
The conference to be held was aimed at:
 Highlighting and discussing issues facing post conflict immigrants from
Sierra Leone residing in the UK;
 Create a common understanding of the issues facing post conflict
immigrants in the UK;
 Analyse and agree actions and recommendations for implementation;
 Develop and agree an action plan;
 Establish a representative working group with responsibilities for
implementing the action plan.
1.3. Initial Challenges and issues
OBBA UK elected a new executive team on Sunday 22nd April 2012. The
principal implementer of the Conference, the Secretary, Joe Kamanda died
suddenly in November 2011, whilst on holiday in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The
death of the organisation’s Secretary General had profound consequences on the
implementation plan. OBBA informed Awards for All about the state of events.
The new executive, faced with a plethora of challenges, decided to make the
successful hosting of the Conference its main priority, so as not to affect the
credibility of OBBA UK as a trustworthy and dependable organisation in the
UK.
After a period of impasse the organisation was able to secure materials relating
to the conference plan from the estate of the late Secretary General. We also
received input from some members of the previous executive as they had more
knowledge of the current state of preparations. However, because of the change
in the initial date scheduled for the conference, most of the originally selected
speakers and facilitators were no longer available. Additionally, another setback
encountered was that the previously booked hall management informed us that
the hall was no longer available due to jubilee weekend activities.
1.4. Actual Implementation Plan:
The conference was held on Saturday 02 June 2012 at the Walworth Methodist
Church Hall, 54 Camberwell road, London, SE5 0EN. Forty-nine delegates,
drawn from Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham local Authorities, various local
community organizations, local churches and representatives from Sierra
Leonean organizations in London attended the conference.
1.5. Conference planning and implementation:
With the relative short time available to the new executive committee a decision
was made was to use ICT and the Internet as our main communication channels
between planning committee members, and contacting and inviting
delegates/organisations. The heartbeat of the conference organisation was to be
our website: www.obba.org.uk. So we decided to have it revamped and updated.
It was our main medium of advertising the conference, and registering of
delegates via an online form. The web link was then disseminated through email
and social media Facebook. In the end around 80% of delegates and
organisations registered via the website shown below:
Fig1.1
Fig 1.2 Capture of Delegates registration
Regular weekly meetings using the working template document below outlined
the organisational scope and details of the conference:
o
o
Task
comments
Achieved (tick)
1
Decide upon a date
for the conference.
This should be done
during discussions
with senior
management, to
ensure they can all
attend. Also decide
upon start and end
times for the
conference.
Date- sat 02/06/12 at
√
2
Choose a location for
the conference. You
Tabernacle street.
√
Church Hall
Later changed to Walworth
Time- 9.00-5.30pm
o
o
will need to choose
somewhere that is
capable of holding
the number of
attendees you expect
to attend, as well as
being easily
accessible from
major roads to avoid
attendees getting
lost.
Holds at least 100
candidates
3
Decide upon a
budget for the
planning and
organization of the
conference,
otherwise a lot of
money could be
spent on an event
that lasts only a few
hours.
£9950.00
√
Awards for all grant
OBBA UK’s contribution£8050.00 mainly through staffing
and volunteering costs
4
Draw up a list of
potential presenters,
if you are planning
on having more than
one speaker. Contact
them or their agents
to ascertain whether
they are available.
1 Guest speaker
Decided on the following due to
expertise and experience in
relevant conference theme areas
Central London location
–easy commute with
buses, tube etc
1 Keynote speaker
3 Facilitators
Methodist Church hall. Due to
hall management requisitioning
hall for jubilee weekend activities
Dr Joseph D Mondeh
Cecilia Taylor Kamara
Dr Columba Blango
Elizabeth Atere Roberts OBE
Dr Sorious Samura
o
o
o
5
Book any audiovisual equipment
that you may need to
hire for the day, as
well as any exhibition
stands, theme
decorations or
specialized personnel
such as technicians.
Laptop
Projector
PA System – Theophilus
Williams
Projector Screen
PA system
Video Man
CD/DVD
recordings/editing of
events
Mo entertainments,
will provide following:
-Whole Day Video recording
with filming cameras
-Edit footage
- Produce 100 DVDs
- Provide Laptop, DVD, slides,
film, and projector and screen as
specified for the event.
o
o
6
Create a marketing
campaign to attract
people to your
conference, if the
public is invited. If
the event is for
employees only, send
invitations around
via email to
save costs.
 Need invitation
card and
attendance list
 Face book
campaign
 Obba website
modification/upda
ting
 Email
attendees/delegate
s
-Website need to be redesign and
updated for online application by
Monday-14/05 but proceeded by
Facebook and email
advert/contact.
7
Create an itinerary
 Draft itinerary
prepared
√Draft prepared 03/05 -subject to
-To start compiling list of
delegates- 60-80 in number
for the day, so each
speaker knows when
he will be presenting.
Remember to
designate some time
for food and
refreshments.
o
amendments
 Contact potential
speakers as agreed
 Food refreshment
time set.
8
Book the caterer, if
In negotiation with
you require one.
caterers
Obtain references
before you commit to Options being considered
an order, otherwise
you may be
disappointed.
o
Drinks-Social Secretary
to arrange.
o
9
Create name tags
and/or welcome
packs if you wish, to
help people
communicate with
one another and give
in progress, to be confirmed by
14/05/12
Breakfast, lunch and evening
meals times factored in plan
above
-In progress to be confirmed by
21/05 mon
Feedback from some caterers
indicating £1000 for breakfast,
lunch and post conference
snack/meal for hundred people
may be a bit meagre
Finally settled with Gabiddon
Catering Enterprises at £11.50 per
head for 100 guests. Executive
agreed to cater for 100 guests in
case some people attended
without registering.
 Buy conference
pack
-eBay conference pack ID
card/lanyard, notebook, pen,
laptop bag
 Posters
 Exhibition
Ex exhibition posters/banners
them an idea of what
they might gain from
the conference.
displays
Hall Decoration
o
o
10
Will do on 26/05/12
Confirm all bookings
a week before the
conference, to ensure
they are all
committed.
Yezhidu designs to design hall
according to conference theme.
√
o
2.0. Speakers and Facilitators
The most pressing need we had was selecting appropriately qualified and
experienced speakers and facilitators. After research and serious discussions we
settled on the following based on their specialist areas relating to conference
objectives:
Keynote Speaker: Dr JD Mondeh
Dr Joseph Mondeh is a competent, responsible, pragmatic and personable
doctor. He has led multidisciplinary teams in various countries in the field of
medicine and social structures. Presently working as a substantive Consultant
Psychiatrist in a Community Mental Health Team, as well as being responsible
for the Rehabilitation and Recovery Services in the North Essex Partnership
NHS Foundation Trust. His responsibilities also include acute in-patient care, as
well as carrying out teaching and educational supervision of trainee doctors.
Guest speaker: Cecilia Taylor-Kamara
Cecilia Taylor-Camara has worked in a number of international organisations
and missions abroad including the British High Commission, The United
Nations, ACTIONAID, Action in International Medicine and Concern
Universal (Sierra Leone). She has lived and travelled in Africa, Europe and the
United States fulfilling varied assignments. Cecilia was one of the contributors
to the debate on Role of Diaspora organisations in the United Kingdom in
examining ‘How to make migration work for poverty reduction’ to the House of
Commons International Development Committee, and also presented a paper on
‘Migration and Mission’ at British and Irish Association for Mission Studies
annual conference at Cambridge University.
Facilitator: Dr Columba Blango
Columba is an athlete, teacher and a politician. He is a Liberal Democrat
Councillor for Rotherhithe Ward in the London Borough of Southwark, First
elected in 2002; he became the first elected African Mayor of Southwark in
2003. As Mayor, he established official twining/partnership between Southwark
Council and Koidu New Sembehun Town Council in Sierra Leone. He served
as cabinet member with portfolio responsibility for Equalities, Citizenship,
Communities, Tourism, Museums, Voluntary Sector and International
Development from 2006 to 2010. He was Liberal Democrat Parliamentary
Candidate at the 2005 and 2010 Parliamentary Elections for Deptford and
Camberwell and Peckham Constituencies respectively.
Facilitator: Elizabeth Atere-Roberts OBE
Elizabeth is a Registered Nurse. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Gerontological
Nursing, a Masters degree in Education and is a Fellow of the British Institute
for Learning and Development.
She has had a wide and varied experience in Healthcare and has recently retired
from the NHS after40 years. She is currently a freelance Trainer / Consultant.
Elizabeth has published several articles and is co-author of ‘Calculations for
Nursing and Healthcare’ published by Palgrave Macmillan.
During her career, Elizabeth received several awards including a Help the Aged
Leadership award, a life time achievement award from Southwark PCT and an
OBE in January 2010 for Services to Nursing and Healthcare in London.
Facilitator: Dr Sorious Samura
Sierra Leonean Sorious Samura is a filmmaker of international renown whose
documentaries have been recognised worldwide, both for the courage of their
photographic journalism and the impact of their message. Having made
documentaries and programmes for various media outlets, he now resides in the
UK and is a board member of Insight News Television. In 2003 Samura
received an honorary doctorate from the University of East Anglia, England.
Samura's debut documentary "Cry Freetown" was first broadcast in January
2000. It is a brutal and gripping portrayal of atrocities committed during Sierra
Leone's civil war. Risking his life to film the systematic murder of his fellow
countrymen, Samura describes what he calls "a nation that was being murdered,
a country that was dying, that was being left to die by the western world, by the
so called developed world."
Full profiles for all speakers and facilitators are available on www.obba.org.uk
3.1 After Further deliberations, meeting and discussions amongst members and
with input from the facilitators and speakers, we devised the final conference
programme below:
Programme
9.00 -10.00 Arrival of Delegates, Registration & Breakfast
10.00 -10.05 Introduction of Chairman – Theo Williams
10.05 – 10.15 Chairman’s Welcome Address –Tamba Lamina
10.15 – 10.20 Introduction of Guest Speaker- Mohamed Feika
10.20 – 10.40 Guest Speaker- Cecelia Taylor-Camara
10.40 – 10.45 Introduction of Keynote Speaker – Dick Tucker
10.45 – 11.15 Keynote Speaker – Dr J.D Mondeh
Three Seminar Groups to explore post Sierra Leone conflict issues with various
facilitators. Each seminar group will have opportunity of discussing each topic
for 30 minutes with allocated facilitator. Facilitators will rotate into groups to
discuss allocated seminar topic as stated below:
(a) Alarming social dislocation within the community – Dr Columba Blango
(b) Disintegration of extended family networks: impact on young people
from post conflict Sierra Leone immigrant community – Sorious Samura
(c) Ageing effect- Elizabeth Atere-Roberts
11.15 – 11.50 Seminar Session 1
11.50 – 12.20 Seminar Session 2
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch Time
13.30 – 14.00 Seminar Session 3
14.00 – 14.30 Documentary Film
14.30 – 15.15 Facilitator’s Report (15 minutes feedback from each facilitator)
15.15 – 15.45 Tea Break
15.45 -16.30 Plenary Session- Bringing it all together (Developing an action
plan) –Elizabeth Atere-Roberts
16.30- 16.40 Closing remark –Joko McFoy
16.40-17.00 –Networking
3.2 Conference Day
Note: Full conference highlights can be viewed on enclosed DVD. A
shortened version will be uploaded on ‘You tube’ and our website
www.obba.org.uk
8.00 am-9.00am
The conference hall opened at 8.00am for installing audio-visual equipment
including projectors for slideshows and video, catering setup, final layout
adjustments and setup of registration table with all conference gift packs. The
camera man, who was tasked with recording the whole event, also set up his
equipments and linked it with PA Systems. All minor hitches were ironed out
and testing proved successful.
9.00am-10am
The coordinator for the event Mr Alieu Corneh then summoned guests to start
registration and pick up their delegates pack of ID card and lanyard, notebook,
pen and laptop bags. Breakfast was delayed as catering staff was still setting up
and waiting for food warmers and dinks to reach optimum required
temperatures. Breakfast was served at 9.45am. Meanwhile Conference themed
slides were shown in the background while more guests were arriving,
registering and collecting delegate packs.
1030pm-10.45pm
The conference commenced in the order provided in the agenda. The
Chairman’s welcome speech set the scene for the conference and outlined the
objectives.
10.45- 11.15
Introduction of guest speaker Cecilia Taylor Kamara and speech
11-15- 12.30
Introduction of keynote Speaker- Dr JD Mondeh and speech
Due to delays in the sequence we decided that time could be saved by letting
facilators address the whole audience in turn, instead of simultaneously address
each of 3 groups, and rotating. The open plan hall layout also necessitated a
review of our initial plan. It was considered appropriate for seminars to be
conducted with all delegates participating instead of facilitators rotating to small
groups of delegates.
12.30- 1.00pm
Faciltatitor Session1- Elizabeth Atere-Roberts- Ageing effects on immigrants
1.00pm – 2.00pm Lunch Served
2.00pm- 2.25pm
Facilitator Session 2 – Columba Blango - Alarming social dislocation within the
community
2.30pm – 3.00pm
Facilitator Session 3 - Sorious Samura - Disintegration of extended family
networks: impact on young people from post conflict Sierra Leone immigrant
community
All 3 sessions included interesting, passionate and vivid contributions from
audience members which was recorded on white board papers by the facilitators
3.00 – 3.30pm Tea Break
3.30-4.30pm
We also decided to merge the facilitator findings and summarising various
themes that emanated from the conference discussions report with putting
everything together- the way forward as a single plenary session led by the Mrs
Elizabeth Atere-Roberts. Her session included discussing the issues raised by
the other 2 facilitators, from which future objectives and action plan was
decided upon.
4.30-4.40pm
Closing remarks
4.40-5.00pm
Networking session
Various delegates and organisations then hung around, discussing and
exchanging contact information. Feedback forms were provided for completion.
Full analysis of the feedback form can be viewed in the appendix.
4.1 Key themes that emanated from conference discussions:






Unique migrant situation
Mentoring of immigrants
Voluntary Work
Something needs to happen
Critical reflection on the issues. Stop the talking
Time & health are 2 precious assets
Older Immigrants
 Have distinct needs
 Key contributors to society
 Engage in decision making process
Social Dislocation
 Mindset and expectation of people
 Generation gap
 Disparity by friends and culture
 Right start by right people
Family Breakdown
 Impact of break down on immigrant families
 Structural factors i.e. attitudes, culture, beliefs: mentoring systems
 Youth Empowerment
 Struggle to find equilibrium
4.2 Summary of Conference findings:
Future Objectives:
 The need for Networking Sierra Leone Organisations to raise awareness
of the voluntary sector and community support systems
 Develop a database that could the skills of Sierra Leoneans in the UK
 Write to all Sierra Leonean Organisations informing them of the
conference outcomes and seeking to engage participants with the aim of
engaging younger and older people who are affected.
 Establish a Sierra Leone Cultural centre in the London with activities like
teaching language skills and Cultural awareness to new Immigrants
 Involve more women in these processes
 Put mechanism in place for follow-up action, with the following
volunteering to be members of a post conference follow-up action
committee:
1. Dr Mondeh
2. Mrs Mondeh
3. Dr Blango
4. Dr Koker
5. Mrs Sia Nyandemoh
6. Mr.Komba Tondoneh
7. Dr Sorious Samura
8. Mr Charles Wilson
9. Miss Juliette lamina
10.Miss Selina Scott
11.Mr Richard Freeman
12.Miss Nasai forna
13.Mrs William
14.Mohamed Koroma
 Contact school Alumni Associations and engage them in developing
database and outcomes of events
 Research team of young Sierra Leoneans to explore the issueslong/medium term
 Work on the concept of a community centre for Sierra Leoneans in the
London/UK
5.0 Financial Statement
BIG Lottery Fund- £9995.00 total spent 8879.41
Item
Actual spend
Venue and equipment hire Hall- £500.00
Previous Hall hire- £234.00
Hall decoration- £342.00
Video- £1000.00
PA System-£750.00
3x Flip Charts -£202.41
Hall Ushers -£200.00
Publicity and marketing
Website -£999.00
Conference
100 laptop bags
materials/pack
400 pens
100 note books
100 ID cards holder
100 lanyards
2 x Exhibition Posters
Facilitator /Speakers fees Cecilia Taylor
Kamara(Conference Guest
Speaker) 300.00
Dr J.D Mondeh(Conference
Keynote Speaker) 500.00
Dr Columba Blango(Conference
Facilitator) 500,00
Elizabeth Atere-Robert
(Conference facilitator) 500.00
Dr Sorious Samura(Conference
Facilitator) 500.00
Refreshment
£1170.000
Breakfast, lunch & tea
Water-32
Staff Overtime-£20.00
Total
allocated
£2794.41
£999.00
£1150.00
£2300.00
£1222.00
8879.41
Table 1.0
Please note any unspent fund will be utilised to devise a way forward to actualise the action
plan based on conference themes. The first of such meetings will take place on the 15th of
July.
OBBA Contribution £8050.00
Item
actual spend
Staffing
OBBA STAFFING EXPENDITURE
allocated
£6400.00
17/12/2011 4HRS@£15.00 x 10people = 600
14/01/2012 4HRS@£15.00 x 10people = 600
18/02/2012 4HRS@£15.00 x 10people = 600
21/04/2012 4HRS@£15.00 x 10people = 600
02/06/2012 8HRS@£15.00 X 10people = 1200
15/06/2012 4HRS@£15.00 x 10people = 600
30/06/2012 6HRS@£15.00 X 10people = 900
Hall hire for meetings
26Hrs@£50.00
TOTAL
Management cost
Volunteer fees
= 1300
=£6,400.00
60hrs @ 30.00/hr- £1800.00
8 Volunteers on conference Day
@£40.oo each -£320.00
£1800.00
£320.00
Total
£7520.00
Table 1.1
6.0 CONCLUSION
The conference successfully addressed the outcomes it was set to achieve and
OBBA is proud to have staged the first of its kind in the Sierra Leonean
community. The manner in which the conference was conducted has received
several positive appraisals. OBBA hopes to continue the success through the
committee that was set up during the conference to accelerate the achievement
of short-term objectives like developing a data base of Sierra Leoneans with the
appropriate skills to advice new immigrants; working towards enabling young
and older Sierra Leoneans meeting initially at least once every month to discuss
issues and challenges faced by the community; and developing a mentorship
programme for young Sierra Leoneans that would make a positive impact on
career choices and development thereby avoiding the social ills or involving in
gangs that put at them at potential risk of harm.
OBBA is committed to the following in the short and long term in an effort to
ensure continuity of the project agenda:
1. Encouraging individuals/families/organizations from the Sierra Leone
Community to be involved in activities and processes relating to post conflict
Immigrants.
2. Enabling participants to network and identify opportunities for partnership
work
3. Inspiring and encouraging the development of work that will enable post
conflict immigrants to become more involved in their community.
4. Identifying and prioritizing core issues and areas of focus on which joint
actions can be planned and implemented.
5. Establishing a follow up mechanism to monitor the implementation of
Conference results.
6. Developing a framework and mechanism for cooperation and coordination
that would enable organizations to effectively contribute to the implementation
of the action plan.
OBBA is indeed grateful to Awards for All for partly funding this project and
will continue to liaise with this body in the future with regards future
achievements.
7.0 The future
Significantly, the committee set up at the conference will meet on the 15th July
2012 to map out a way forward. OBBA will continue to provide leadership in
ensuring that the future of this project provides an indelible impact on the Sierra
Leonean immigrant community.
Appendix
1.1 Results of the Evaluation of the Big Lottery funded conference organised by OBBA UK
Date: Saturday 2nd June 2012
Relevance of conference to needs of participant as an immigrant
Highly relevant
Mostly of relevance
Little of relevance
41/49(83.7%)
6/49(12.2%)
2/49(4.1%)
Ratings of speakers
Keynote speaker
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
38/49 (77.6%)
10/49 (20.4%)
1/49 (2.0%)
Guest Speaker
Excellent
Good
46/49 (93.9%)
3/49 (6.1%)
Facilitators
Mrs Atera-Roberts
Excellent
Good
40/49 (81.6%)
9/49 (18.4%)
Mr Columba Blango
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
30/49 (61.2%)
14/49 (28.6%)
5/49 (10.2%)
Dr Sorious Samura
Excellent
Good
37/49 (75.5%)
12/49 (24.5%)
Plenary Session
Excellent
Good
35/49 (71.4%)
14/49 (28.6%)
Most relevant session
All
Facilitators
Guest Speaker
Mrs Atera-Roberts
Dr Samura
32/49 (65.3%)
4/49 (8.2%)
5/49 (10.1%)
4/49 (8.2%)
4/49 (8.2%)
Least relevant session
Only 1 mention of Mr Blango
Other aspects of the conference
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
38/49 (77.6%)
6/49 (12.2%)
5/49 (10.2%)
What to consider for another possible future similar conference
Better time management
Invite children as participants
Invite more delegates and from other organisations
Intensify publicity
Invite participants from Sierra Leone
Hire a larger venue
7/49 (14.3%)
6/49 (12.2%)
17/49 (34.8%)
8/49 (16.3%)
6/49 (12.2%)
5/49 (10.2%)
General Comments
A very good conference
Ensure the issues raised are implemented
Involve other Sierra Leone organisations
35/49 (71.4%)
10/49 (20.4%)
4/49 (8.2%)
1.2. A 30 minute and a 4 hour conference DVDs have been provided as evidence. 100 copies of DVD will be sold
at reasonable price to raise funds for future continuity programmes.
1.3. Conference brochure
Signed:
…………………………………………………………………
Temba John Silvanus Lamina
Chairman
…………………………………………………………………
Mohamed Seiwo-Feika
Secretary General