Karuna Trust seeks Programmes Manager

Karuna would like to recruit a Programmes Manager.

The role involves the development and management of Karuna's work in India. This involves overseeing and developing a programme of work that will empower the dalit community in India. This will involve individual and social transformation.

The candidate will need to be able to work effectively with the movement in India and with other partner organisations. The ideal candidate would be a mitra or order member with an international development qualification and experience of international development.  However if the candidate has transferable skills and the willingness to obtain a professional qualification Karuna would fund appropriate training.

The role will involve -

1. Reading and responding to written project funding applications
2. Participating in implementing Project Based Funding for the movement projects
3. Managing relationships with partners. The partners are often Indian order members from the Dalit community
4. Understanding and providing appropriate feedback on finance and monitoring reports
5. Capacity building of the movement trusts and other organisations and individuals so that they can run effective social work projects
6. Developing proposals that will secure institutional funding
7. Liaison with donors
8. Managing change

The successful applicant will have -

1. International development qualification or a willingness and ability to obtain a qualification
2. Experience of international development or a related field
3. Commitment to FWBO
4. Benefit from and contribute to TBRL.
5. Experience of developing and managing budgets
6. Good interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate across cultures
7. Good Team worker
8. Ability to understand and critically assess written funding proposals
9. Experience and understanding of Monitoring and evaluation
10. Experience and understanding of Capacity building
11. A commitment to Diversity and to addressing discrimination

Closing date 1st December. Interviews early December.

For an informal discussion please contact John Griffin or on 0207 700 3434.
For an application form, person spec and job description contact Dh Chandrasuryapradipa

English teachers sought for India, immediate start

TBMSG's Nagpur College needs English teachers for bright students aged18-25 yrs.  Pune needs women to teach women.  If poss teachers shd be qualified, and have experience of teaching English to Foreigners.  

Teachers are welcome for as little as 2 months, but preferably 3-4, starting November 2009. 

No pay, but room & food are provided, & delightful students, between 12-20 in a class.  Classes are mornings only.

Apply to shakyajata@googlemail.com as soon as possible.    

THANX     Aryamati

Fundraiser sought for India Dhamma work

Fundraiser sought
for India Dhamma work

The India Dhamma Trust is a brand-new FWBO charity that's being established specifically to support TBMSG’s Dhamma work in India by raising money from the world-wide FWBO.

Phase 1 of the project, which is ambitious but achievable, is to raise up to £75,000/year, if possible in the next 18 months; this will be used to support those working for the men's and women's Ordination Processes, Public preceptors, Mitra Convenors, and Order Office: around 20 of the core Dhamma workers in India plus their associated expenses.

The need for the Trust has arisen because the Karuna Trust have decided that they cannot continue to use funds raised from the general public to fund Dhamma work that exclusively benefits TBMSG (Karuna will be using these funds to support other Dhamma work). The Trust is also needed to provide concentrated attention on the spread of the Dhamma in India.

Having successfully raised £14,000 in pledges over the Order Conventions towards the costs of the Appeal, the India Dhamma Trust is now seeking to employ a Fundraiser to develop and implement a fundraising strategy in conjunction with the Trustees.

What we're looking for
We’re looking for an experienced and enthusiastic fundraiser who’s aspiring to make a real contribution to the Order; both in India through the ‘Dhamma Revolution’ there and by inspiring the wider Movement..

The position requires drive and enthusiasm, as well as an ability to be self-motivated and work across a number of different projects at once and, to a large extent, individually. It requires someone who able to produce accurate and creative written work, as well speaking to audiences in a way that inspires and motivates them to contribute.

It is also important to be well-informed about the movement in the West, and passionate about the Dhamma and its significance as a socially transformative force within India and beyond.

It is envisaged that the job will be 3 days per week, for an initial duration of 2 years (with a 6-month review). Support levels will be negotiated. Training in fundraising methodologies can be arranged, if required. It is not necessary to be an Order Member.

Since the Trust is new and the candidate will largely be developing the workload from scratch there is scope for the number of days per week to expand beyond the 3 days per week envisaged, depending of course on income brought in.

The Fundraiser will be supported by the India Dhamma Trust Trustees, plus others who have offered support of various kinds.

How to apply
For a full job description and an application form, please contact Ananta (ananta@karuna.org) or Lokabandhu (lokabandhu@fwbo.org)

If you'd like to speak about it with someone, please call either Ananta on 0207 7003434; or Priyananda on 01223 570306; or Lokabandhu on 01458 835057.

Deadline
The deadline for applications is 6th November 2009. Please send them to Ananta. Interviews will take place in mid to late November in London or Cambridge. The Interview Panel will consist of Ananta, Padmadaka, and Priyananda, plus others to be confirmed.

It is hoped the Fundraiser will start work as soon as possible thereafter.

English language teachers needed for FWBO/TBMSG projects in India and Hungary

Two of the most exciting projects at present in the FWBO/TBMSG are the Dhammakranti outreach project in India and our new contacts with the Gypsy community in Hungary.

In both cases we are making links with new and relatively deprived communities who have become interested in Buddhism, in both cases we want to respond both by offering Dharma teaching and helping them move forwards socially and economically. And so, in both cases we are launching English-language teaching projects. We are therefore seeking English teachers for both – please see below for further details.

Mitraloka School of Languages – Nagpur, India
Teachers of English are needed in the newish, small language college at Nagpur. Teachers for ‘conversation classes’ is wanted for 2-3 hours a day. Classes will be of approx 25 adults, aged 16-60. The students already read and write English, but need more confidence when speaking.

Mitraloka also offers Japanese classes, and hopes to offer Spanish, French, and Chinese – Nagpur is rapidly modernising and there is great demand for tuition in all languages.

See the Mitraloka School of Languages website for some more information.
The tutor would be provided with room and food, but would need to fund their own travel and pocket money.

Jai Bhim community – Hungary
In Hungary the newly converted gypsies need an English teacher for their school, in the north-east of the country near Tomor. The students are aged 14 upwards. Readers of FWBO News will know that this community of gipsies, through their strong feelings for Dr. Ambedkar, have converted to Buddhism, and are making stronger and stronger links with the FWBO and TBMSG - hosting visitors from the UK and India, and by themselves visiting both the UK and India.

They are now eager to improve their English, in order to learn more about the Dharma, and – very importantly - improve their chances in the job market. Like their Dhamma brothers and sisters in India, they hope to leave centuries of alienation behind and have access to a more spiritual path.

The teacher would be provided with a flat. They would need to fund their own travel and pocket money. It is hoped teachers would stay for four or five months at a time.

See the Jaibhim Community website for some more information.

Besides visiting teachers, other ways to respond are being explored, such as on-line tuition via ‘Skype’ or Podcasting. If anyone is interested in these please contact us. TEFL and teaching experience are desirable but not essential in both cases - plus of course a love of the Dharma.

In all cases, to apply or to discuss possibilities, please contact Aryamati or telephone her on (0161) 833 1984. Please note that she is on retreat from 26 Oct to 20 Nov.