Report by IFP alumnus Gao Guangshen
A group of six Chinese IFP Alumni had a dinner with guests from the Ford Foundation in Xi'an on April 3rd, 2010, sharing their experiences of fellowship, re-entry and current work with guests and having an intensive discussion on how to fulfill the Alumni's commitment to promote social justice.
Alumni present included Ms. Chen Xiaoyan ('05); Mr. Fang Ruifeng ('03); Mr. Gao Guangshen ('03); Ms. Ning Huanxia ('01); Mr. Yang Haiyu ('03); and Mr. Zhang Jun ('06).
Zhang Jun introduced a project focused on school violence prevention that was initiated by alumni and supported by the Creative Fund -- a special fund provided by the Ford Foundation Beijing Office to encourage Alumni to practice what they have learned from the IFP fellowship in a collective and innovative way.
Gao Guangshen described the history of the Creative Fund and how Alumni are involved in project design and implementation. Volunteers are teamed up with Alumni based on their needs, and assist with drafting of proposals, making recommendations on project management organization, and participating actively in project implementation.
Dr. He Jin, Senior Program Officer at the Ford Foundation Beijing Office, who has supported the Creative Fund and IFP-related activities in China since 2005, shared his thoughts and vision about the IFP program and IFP Alumni.
During the dinner, several important topics emerged: (1) how to provide continued support to Alumni who have finished their higher education, (2) how to utilize the latest information technology to promote communication and co-operation among Alumni, (3) how to organize thematic gatherings to foster cross-country cooperation, (4) how to share the best of our learning and practices among IFP Alumni in different countries, and (5) how to scale up the Creative Fund to involve more stakeholders in advancing social justice. Guests were impressed by the Alumni's effort to contribute to their own
communities with the learning and capacity they had acquired during their IFP grants.