Dearly loved Facilitators around the world, The Virtues Project
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February 2022 Issue 04
Dearly loved Facilitators around the world,
The month of February around most of the world is a celebration
of love and friendship called Valentine’s Day. It is also a time in
other parts of the world for celebrating the lunar New Year: this
year being the Year of the Water Tiger. How appropriate then is
it for this month’s virtue to be Friendliness! What a wonderful
opportunity to express our gratitude to all of the friends in our
lives. A little bit of kindness can go a long way.
We wish you the warmest moments of friendship, good health
and a year filled with love and prosperity.
Enjoy this month’s Bulletin!
The Facilitator Bulletin Team
"Wishing to be friends is
quick work, but friendship is
a slow ripening fruit."
ARISTOTLE
February 2022 Issue 04 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Welcome 2 Table of Contents 3 Virtue Pick 5 MF Introduction 6 TVP Around the World 8 Global Mentorship 11 Volunteer Openings 12 FAQs : GlobalGiving
February 2022 Issue 04 Friendliness Resources Contributor: Andrea Stanberg These links and resources might be helpful for your workshops, personal reflections or sharing of the virtue of FRIENDLINESS: SONGS: 1. ‘You’re My Best Friend’ by Queen It’s hard to think of a better match than Freddie Mercury soaring voice and Brian May's searing lead guitar, both of which are in fine form on this timeless ode to friendship. It’s a classic track for all the good times you have experienced with your best friend. 2. ‘Lean on Me’ by Bill Withers The reciprocal nature of friendship is at the heart of Withers’ heart-string-tugging tune. It’s about friendship and beyond, an ode to working together to get each other through even the toughest of times. Let your friends know you'll be there to help them carry on. 3. ‘You Got a Friend In Me’ by Randy Newman This raspy-voiced gem from the Toy Story soundtrack plays as a reminder of the variety of friends we may have. It is a perfect song to sing about your best friend and all the times shared. 4. ‘With a Little Help From My Friends’ by The Beatles This song perfectly captures the ins and outs of going through life with your friends. 5. ‘That’s What Friends Are For‘ by Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder This star-studded collaboration was recorded to raise money for AIDS research. That's what friends are for, right? Helping out. 6. ‘Thank You for Being a Friend’ by Andrew Gold Even though it serves superbly as the Golden Girls theme song, Gold’s tune stands alone as a timeless tribute to friendship and gratitude. 7. ‘Count on Me’ by Bruno Mars This simple, happy song gets straight to the point. Mars lets us know that being a friend is not just about the good times, but being there for someone when they need it most.
February 2022 Issue 04 Friendliness Resources Continued Contributor: Andrea Stanberg QUOTES "Friends are the family you choose." Jess C. Scott "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." Martin Luther King, Jr. "Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together." Woodrow Wilson "A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow." Shakespeare "Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." Albert Camus "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust "Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity." Khalil Gibran "An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind." Buddha TED TALK Frientimacy: the three requirements for healthy friendships Shasta Nelson (TEDx La Sierra University)
February 2022 Issue 04 Introducing Master Facilitator: Leone Cottam-Williams Kaya! A very warm hello from Noongar Boodjar, Perth, Western Australia! It is very exciting to be reconnecting with the wider Virtues Community all around the world. My journey with The Virtues ProjectTM started just before the turn of the century (which makes me sound very old!!). I heard some fellow students talking about this ‘Virtues Project’ while we were studying teaching, and I was intrigued. I took the conversation into my heart and also with me to the Central Desert of Australia, to my first teaching position in an Aboriginal Community in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. It was difficult to learn more about TVP with the slow internet connection speed at that time in such a remote area of Australia. A couple of years later, I moved to teach at a school in The Wheatbelt region of Western Australia and also was fortunate to connect with a Virtues Project facilitator. I managed to convince the principal at my new school to bring this facilitator to the school for a professional learning workshop. I have continued to use The Virtues ProjectTM ever since! In 2002, I was so lucky to undertake the Facilitator training with Linda and Dan in Perth, and to connect with Jill Kennedy and Deena Aashoorian, who had brought them out to run the workshops. I had seen how The Virtues ProjectTM and the strategies could impact on everyday life, not just the classroom, so when Linda and Dan returned to Perth a couple of years later, my husband also did the training. In this current Covid time, where travel is difficult and gatherings are often cancelled, it makes me even more grateful that Linda and Dan came to Perth on so many occasions and that my husband and I could attend the Pace of Grace, Soulful Life and other virtues workshops together. After years of running virtues workshops for teachers and for parents and meeting every month with the Virtues Connections group hosted by Jill Kennedy, I was so grateful in 2009 that the Virtues Mentorship was going to be held in Perth! Being asked to present at the 2009 Mentorship Conference and to share the 90 Day Diary I had created was an honour. It was at this mentorship that Linda announced that I was a Master Facilitator! This was a highlight and an overwhelming honour. Continuing to share The Virtues ProjectTMis a joy. My family still each has a set of cards and we continue to share Virtues Reflection time. Recently, I was invited to join the Virtues Project International Advisory Committee (IAC) as a representative for Oceania. It has been a privilege to meet people across the globe who share a passion for the project. 10pm meetings remind me that I am on only one tiny patch of a globe rich in many cultures and languages and the virtues are a thread that links us all together. I look forward to being of service to The Virtues ProjectTM and to meeting more of the global Virtues Community. Boordawan Leone Cottam-Williams virtues.project.lcw@gmail.com
February 2022 Issue 04 Focus on The Virtues Project™ Around the World: The Middle East Contributor: Fatima Al Masri My name is Fatima Al Masri and I live in Jordan in the Middle East. I am an Engineer, an activist in the field of community development, a writer, and a journalist. My Core virtues are service, purposefulness, mercy, and compassion. As a parent, I believe that the character of our children will be determined only by how we raise them! Parenting experience reveals that it is not only a mom, dad or a caregiver who ‘parents’ a child; the broader community of family, school, peers, and their families and the environment has an influence too. It was the realisation of the need for a whole community program to work on morals in connection with parents, that motivated my purpose of designing a curriculum that highlights the morals and values that had been extracted from all of the world religions. I founded the not-for-profit academy “Arabiva” with the vision of becoming a “forum of literature created in the field of morals” in the Arab world. As they say, what goes around comes around. Word of mouth directed me to The Virtues Project™ and by researching the website and with the enthusiasm and helpfulness of Master Facilitator Barbara Meckenzie, who with her perseverance took the lead in introducing me to TVP, in 2019, I became a Facilitator. Everything happens for a reason and my sense of awe grew as I discovered The Five Strategies as powerful tools used to grow the gift of character. This transformation for the better, I discerned, was what I was looking for: a spiritual program that resonated with the ideals of my curriculum, using the core values of all cultures and supported with practical steps to empower humans to live within their best. I was inspired by Linda Kavelin Popov’s Idealism, and her generosity to make a difference in the world. I took the decision to serve my community and spread The Five Strategies. With the support and encouragement of the IAC’s Shawn, Kathleen, and Donna I became a member of the IAC of TVP as a Middle East region representative. I participated in more workshops with Master Facilitator Betsy & Pete Lydle Smith. I sought to integrate myself deeper within the community of The Virtues Project™. What I found was a family of brothers and sisters who shared the nature of humanity by its purist means, all united for one purpose; to live and influence others to live authentic, purposeful lives.
February 2022 Issue 04
Focus on The Virtues Project™
Around the World: The Middle East
Contributor: Fatima
I formed a Middle East Virtues Connection and enjoyed virtues picks with friends and
family. Using The Strategies in my family life, helped us through many hard times. After one
session with my family, they told me “this was truly different than any workshop we
attended as none others had connected us to our inner selves like this had!”
Soon I formed Kaynounati™, a part of the academy of Arabiva and with the nobility of
service of our colleagues at TVP Board, and with the mentorship of the Chairperson Valerie
Hess, Kaynounati™became a partner of the VPIA. Now VPIA and Kaynounati™ at Arabiva
are partners to support each other in their noble service to humanity.
In her service, Fatima has translated and modified materials of TVPIA to the acceptance of
the Arab World and culture. The reflection and educator’s cards were redesigned and new
cards for nursery classes were created, supported with a CD of songs for each virtue. A
website is to be activated in March, and other materials are in production.
The journey is everlasting, our hopes are high, and our dreams are big. Our goal is to make
Jordan the entrance of the Virtues Project into all the geographical areas of the Arab world.
Our faith is very strong, that with all our optimism, enthusiasm, perseverance, diligence,
support and encouragement of our brothers and sisters united family of humanity in TVP,
and on top of all; the blessings and grace that God will grant us, our goal is to be attained
and our dreams will come true to serve humanity with our hands together. “Allah, please
grant me a righteous deed that will be accepted.”
“And say to all people; Act as you will, for God will surely see your actions, and so will His Messenger and
the believers, and you will be returned, through resurrection, to the Knower of the unseen and the
visible, that is, to God, and He will tell you what you used to do, and so requite you for it.” (9:105)
Al Taubah, The Holy Qur’an.February 2022 Issue 04
2022 - 01 Virtual Global Mentorship
Internet Survey Results
Thank you to all who submitted a response to the survey. Your input is helpful and
appreciated as the organizing committee makes decisions on when and how to
proceed.
As of February 2, 2022:
1. Total number of responses: 62
2. Month preference: 23 - September; 23 - October; 15 - November
3. Length of conference: 31 - one day; 30 - two days
4. Intent to register: 47 - yes; 2 - no; 13 - undecided
Comments Summary - thoughts that will influence the decision to register
(number of times mentioned in brackets)
Preference between physical mentorship (5) vs. virtual mentorship (11)
Agenda - educative, opportunities to practice and learn new skills, opportunities
to interact with others (7)
Reasonable registration fee (8)
Keynote speakers Linda and Dan and others (1)
Accommodation of world-wide time zones (4)
Conversion to US currency is an additional cost (1)
New Facilitator Manual Coming Soon!
Update from committee:
Master Facilitators - if you are doing trainings, please reach out to us if you need
manuals (iac@virtuesproject.com). If you purchased the old manuals and have sent us
the new facilitator information, we will happily send them the new manual as soon as
it is finished.
Have feedback/questions?
Contact us at IAC@virtuesproject.comFebruary 2022 Issue 04 Volunteer Position Openings for Facilitators Kindly email iac@virtuesproject.com if you are interested in any of these positions. Mentoring Chair The purpose of the VPIA mentoring program committee is to provide support, encouragement and opportunities for deepening and connection within The Virtues ProjectTM global community of facilitators and master facilitators. The Mentoring Chair should: Be a registered Virtues Project Master Facilitator Establish a Mentoring Committee Become a member of the Facilitator Bulletin Committee Support Facilitators who wish to become Master Facilitators Organize information when Facilitators are nominated to become Master Facilitators Schedule and attend a meeting between the IAC Master Facilitator Committee and the nominee IAC Representatives for North America The IAC (International Advisory Council) is recruiting Facilitators and Master Facilitators from North America who are interested in representing their region. The Representative needs to: Attend a one-hour monthly IAC meeting via Zoom on the last Thursday of the month Share ideas with other regions and expand the VPIA network world-wide Act as a liaison to connect Facilitators within their geographical region Promote The Virtues Project™ to organizations and individuals within the region. Coordinator for Multilingual Virtues Lists (needed for 8-10 weeks) The IAC is developing a Virtues Project School Designation. Multiple languages are spoken within the same school and we would like to offer lists of the virtues as a resource to schools. The Coordinator would need to: Create a table of virtues lists by language for each of the family, educator and reflections cards Connect with Facilitators who speak languages other than English to edit existing translated lists or translate from other languages Please contact kathleen.woodward@virtuesproject.com for more information Developer for Online Programming Purpose: to assist in the development of TVP online programs with VPIA Expertise in website and online course development If interested, please contact chairperson@virtuesproject.com for more information VPIA Board of Directors openings The Board of Directors is looking for Facilitators who are interested in serving on the VPIA Board. The new term begins on 1st April, 2022. If interested or know someone who would be interested, please contact chairperson@virtuesproject.com.
February 2022 Issue 04
FAQs
GlobalGiving
Submitted by Marilyn Thompson,
Finance, Aud Risk Management (FARM) Chair for VPIA
How can I donate to VPIA?
a. Search for “virtues” on https://www.globalgiving.org/ The project titled
Igniting Virtues Globally is the master project that was created to support VPIA
initiatives.
b. For donations to VPIA, click on https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/the-
virtues-project/
c. For donations to our partner projects in Fiji, Kenya and Tanzania, click on
https://www.globalgiving.org/donate/32828/virtues-project-international-
association/
Why should I donate through GlobalGiving?
It is VPIA’s fundraising vehicle and the most efficient way to get your donation to VPIA
or our partner projects. There are tax benefits for US and UK donors because
GlobalGiving is incorporated in both countries.
If I donate through GlobalGiving, what percentage of my donation goes to VPIA?
See https://www.globalgiving.org/aboutus/fee/ for the fee structure. In VPIA’s
experience, GlobalGiving provides matching funds that more than offsets the fees and
VPIA has received substantial grants and administrative cost savings on top of that.
Is GlobalGiving an American company?
See https://www.globalgiving.org/ to learn all about GlobalGiving.
GlobalGiving is a global crowdfunding community that is incorporated in the US
(similar to Virtues Project International Association which is a global community that
is incorporated in Canada.) Since 2002, GlobalGiving has helped nonprofit
organizations raise more than $635 million to support 31,483 projects in more than
175 countries.
What is #GivingTuesday?
See https://www.givingtuesday.org/ to learn about #GivingTuesday. It claims to be
“a movement that unleashes the power of radical generosity around the world”. It is
not GlobalGiving, although GlobalGiving joins the #GivingTuesday movement with a
promotion every year.
Have FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)?
Contact us at IAC@virtuesproject.comYou can also read
