Seres Center Case for Support

AROUND THE GLOBE THE WORLD’S CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE, NEED NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND SKILLS TO CO-CREATE A

SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

The Seres Center will be an innovative ecosystem where people, ideas and resources come together as equals to empower and create leaders through knowledge exchange, collaboration and co-

creation. They will help build healthy, thriving and resilient communities using practical, affordable and sustainable solutions.

S E R E S C E N T E Rfor Community Empowerment and Leadership

C A S E F O R S U P P O R T

S a n J u a n d e l O p i s p o , G u a t e m a l a • p h : 5 0 2 4 2 6 8 6 4 2 9 • e m a i l : c o r r i n a . g r a c e @ p r o j e c t s e r e s . o r g • w w w. p r o j e c t s e r e s . o r g

Supporting ecological resilience and environmental sustainability

Executive SummaryOur Vision is to inspire and nurture a collaborative movement of empowered leaders who are building healthy, thriving, bio-culturally diverse communities using affordable, sustainable and resilient solutions. Our Mission is to provide a dynamic, sustainable center that facilitates community-building, transformative leadership and inspired action through the exchange of knowledge, experiences, ideas and resources, working together to create a more just and sustainable future.The Need: All around the world we are witnessing increasing planet vulnerability, growing strain on economic, climatic, political and social systems and unprecedented deterioration in air, water and land quality. Given this, there is an urgent need for transformative leadership at all levels that promotes innovative solutions and the rapid adaptation of sustainable livelihoods and practices that strengthen community and promote resilience. This kind of integral teaching and learning is best offered through a center - a place that allows the possible to emerge, inviting innovation and collaboration to promote wide-scale change across communities and cultures. Our Track Record: Since the foundation of SERES in 2009, our approach has been to work directly in partnership with grassroots organizations and local community groups. We facilitate a process that empowers the community to define and develop their own pathways towards a healthy and resilient future. From prototyping low-cost clean tech solutions to providing recreational areas with recycled garbage, we have been a catalyst for innovative, community led and owned sustainable development. Since 2009 we have trained over 350 youth leaders in Guatemala and El Salvador who have led the implementation of more than 38 practical, diverse and creative solutions towards achieving healthy, vibrant communities.Our Shared Dream: Inspired by these experiences and seeing the transformational power of the SERES process to ignite inspired community-led action, we have been compelled to look further ahead for a way to expand and enhance our vision and mission. As a result, our next step is the Seres Center. The Seres Center is being developed through purposeful collaboration. With representatives of Play for Peace, Empowerment Unlimited, Hug it Forward, Miracles in Action and others, including leaders from SERES youth congresses, we are creating an inter-generational, multi-cultural dialogue that is shaping the Center from its inception. Our goal is to have the Seres Center up and running by 2015. Development stages include land acquisition, design development, construction and program implementation for the first year of operation starting January 2013. To achieve this goal our budget target is$885,000USD.


S e r e s! C a s e f o r S u p p o r t

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Table of Contents

About Seres! i

Our Beginnings! i

Current Initiatives! i

The Seres Center! ii

Overview! ii

The Center’s Program! iii

RCP Participants! iv

Seres Center Design! iv

Financial Sustainability! v

Next Steps! vi

How You Can Help! vii



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About SERES

Our Beginnings

SERES was founded in Guatemala by Australian engineer and social entrepreneur Corrina Grace. During an internship in Guatemala in 2007, Corrina witnessed first-hand not only the hardships faced by people living in this bio-culturally rich country, but also the deeper truth about the co-dependance and disempowerment that international foreign aid has created. Disillusioned with the unsustainable nature of the grand majority of charitable projects and aid operations, Corrina decided to move to Guatemala and start a project that would redefine the existing paradigms and put development firmly back into the hands of the people.

Almost 50% of the Guatemalan population is 18 years or under and the public school system does very little in the way of providing education and support to encourage critical thinking, innovation and leadership. If sustainable development is the goal today, it is vital that tomorrow’s leaders have the capacity, education and understanding to face the challenges that lie in front of them. We must work with this generation to foster transformative leadership, encourage collaboration and empower them so that the projects implemented today will be sustained for generations to come.

Current Initiatives

SERES’ principal focus is in environmental leadership and empowerment programs for youth and young adults. Since starting in 2009, we have trained and worked with over 350 youth leaders and change-makers in Guatemala and El Salvador. Many of these leaders have gone on to become actively engaged in implementing sustainable solutions within their communities. They have continued to be involved with SERES, developing their leadership and proving themselves to be inspirational role-models for our ever-growing network of youth leaders. Amongst youth-led projects resulting from SERES programs, there have been more than 22 environmental groups formed and 16 educational projects started in addition to other activities such as recycling campaigns, reforestation, natural medicine/community gardens and a community radio station.

To complement these programs, SERES supports local projects that help to develop sustainable skills and provide an opportunity for learning and demonstration of sustainable living. The majority of these projects have been community-led and run with SERES acting as a catalyst and facilitator to organize, incentivize and inspire the local community to take action. SERES has been involved in the implementation of 8 of these projects that include appropriate technology, sustainable agriculture and ecological building techniques.



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“It was very inspiring...I learned how

to put fear aside and act.”

Participant, Guatemala City

The Seres Center

Overview

The driving vision of the Seres Center is to inspire a collaborative movement of empowered leaders who are building healthy, thriving, bio-culturally diverse communities using affordable, sustainable and resilient solutions. Our programs to date have fostered the emergence of more than 350 passionate, educated and inspired change-makers and leaders who are actively working and collaborating within their communities to co-create a more sustainable future.

To both enhance our current programs and scale-up our leadership training and community empowerment, we are building the Seres Center. The Center will be an innovative ecosystem where people, ideas and resources come together to empower and encourage leadership through knowledge exchange, collaboration and co-creation. For the majority of participants, this will be their first experience in leadership training supported by targeted educational programs within a safe and nurturing environment. The outcomes are people with high levels of personal confidence, inspired to actively work to create change in their communities. Involvement in the Center will also open doors to greater opportunities as participants become part of an ever-growing international network of leaders, receiving external support from other organizations and developing strong friendships and networks.

The experience gained from SERES programs to-date has greatly deepened our understanding of the needs and concerns of both the individual and community. Through ongoing consultation with our youth leaders, local volunteers, facilitator networks and partner organizations the Center will offer:

- leadership and empowerment workshops that encourage self-confidence, ownership and innovation;

- skilled mentors who model transformative leadership;

- a safe, nurturing environment away from distractions that encourages innovation, creativity and collaboration;

- tailored educational programs that unite traditional knowledge systems with new discoveries and provide relevant information about local and regional challenges;

- a gathering place that fosters the development of inter-cultural and inter-generational networks, friendships and partnerships;

- an interactive demonstration space that will showcase sustainable farming techniques incorporating animals and appropriate technologies for different climatic zones.

Unlike traditional colleges or places of learning, the Center will provide hands-on learning through self-discovery, empowerment and story-telling aligned with more traditional teaching techniques used by indigenous cultures. The curriculum will provide practical experiences more than classroom-based learning, thereby helping to overcome things such as illiteracy or language



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differences that traditionally have been barriers to education and empowerment amongst vulnerable communities.

The Center’s Program

The core work of the Seres Center will be the Resilient Communities Program (RCP). The RCP is a combination of SERES leadership and empowerment programs with our sustainable skills projects, which have been tried, tested, developed and refined over the last three and a half years. The RCP is built around the belief that the people best placed to know what a community needs are the people from that community itself, and that given appropriate facilitation and mentoring these people will be empowered to become leaders and change-makers for themselves and their communities.

Under the RCP, participants will engage in a series of innovative workshops, personal development techniques and appreciative inquiry sessions designed to empower and foster leadership. They will also receive education dealing with local and regional issues such as food security challenges, climate change, malnutrition, environmental degradation and family planning. The goal of these sessions is to provide participants with relevant and accurate factual information that will help them make informed and educated decisions in regards to their own personal development and that of their community. Over the course of their involvement with the Center participants will start to tell their own stories, identifying where their communities are vulnerable and building on their experiences and knowledge gained to create their own unique action plan for their community.

Participants will also be exposed to a range of simple, low-cost solutions such as sustainable agriculture (permaculture, aquaponics); agro-forestry; appropriate technology (biodigestors, water filters, bicycle-powered pumps, safe stoves); small-scale renewable energy and clean-technology systems (solar, wind, hydro); natural building techniques (super-adobe, straw-bale, recycled tires, bamboo); rainwater capture and storage; eco-latrines; grey water recycling and black water treatment – all designed to help people live healthy, prosperous lives without having a negative impact on their environment and eco-systems. First-hand, participants will be able to see the application and benefit of these tools, and incorporate them into their action plan to take back to their community.



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The integration of practical experience with personal development in a safe learning environment is key to the Center and the RCP. The outcomes of this program are pro-active, educated leaders and change-makers with a high level of personal confidence who have developed credible, solid action plans for their communities and are actively engaged in co-creating their own sustainable future and that of their community.

RCP Participants

Participation will be open to anyone showing initiative, interest and the capability to become a change-maker or leader within her/his communities. This will include groups such as SERES’ youth leaders network, artisans, women’s groups and subsistence farmers from vulnerable or economically disadvantaged communities, both rural and urban. Other organizations who are interested in participating in this program will also have the opportunity to send candidates. Potential participants will be identified through our network with other organizations, projects and community-based groups.

Participants must be nominated and supported in their application by the local community and/or supporting organization. The participant will be required to enter into an agreement with SERES in exchange for their tuition. This agreement will ensure that the participant has the endorsement and support of community leaders and organizations. This is essential in ensuring the success of the community action plan which is one of SERES key impacts. Developed by the participant at the Center, this action plan outlines a detailed project proposal for creating a thriving, sustainable community that has been designed taking into account the specific needs, desires and dreams of their community.

Seres Center Design

The layout, design and construction of the Seres Center will play a vital role in achieving our vision. In essence, the Seres Center is an innovative social eco-village that will:

-‐ Be built using sustainable resources and renewable technologies in harmony with nature;

-‐ Strive for self-‐suf:iciency for all food and water requirements of staff and students within the Center;

-‐ Use every opportunity for building, technology, farming and community-‐development as a learning and teaching experience;

-‐ Be a classroom in every tree, building and light bulb;

-‐ Encourage innovation and creativity of the community;

-‐ Be a model of resilience and sustainability that can be replicated in any community.

The Seres Center will include:

-‐ Different micro-climatic areas showcasing sustainable agricultural techniques, nutritious and resilient crops and food plants and appropriate technology relevant to each region;



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-‐ An innovation lab that is part of a global invention network providing a space where participants are invited to discover, dream, design and innovate - harnessing local potential and untapped genius to find technological solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues such as clean energy, clean water and green packaging;

-‐ A showcase where existing innovative appropriate technology will be displayed, such as safe cook stoves, water filters, solar energy and solar hot water technology.

-‐ Dormitories and semi-private lodging for up to 100 people including shower and bathroom facilities, a kitchen, community dining area, large salon, and a variety of multi-functional meeting and learning spaces.

This will require a total land space of approximately 17 acres.

Financial Sustainability

In addition to the RCP, the Center’s facilities and facilitators will be used for revenue-generating activities to provide financial sustainability. These additional activities are designed to take advantage of the unique setting, teachings and attributes of the Seres Center by sharing the beauty, knowledge and learning of this special place with a wider audience. At the same time, they will provide a revenue generation stream to support the core objectives of the Center and increase the Center’s network of advocates. These programs will include:

- Professional development courses such as permaculture, appropriate technology and super-adobe construction;

- Event rental for facilitated and un-facilitated events;

- Organizational training and team development for public and private enterprise, not-for profit organizations and government institutions;

- Tailored learning and development packages for interested groups.



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Next StepsPhase 1 – Acquiring Suitable Land: We are actively looking for a suitable site to build the Seres Center. A minimum of 17 acres of land will be required. The land should be located close to the CA-1, the main transport route through Guatemala, at an altitude no more than 2000m to provide optimal growing conditions for key crops. We are currently investigating local partnership opportunities in Guatemala that would provide an in-kind donation for the land.

Phase 2 – Construction: The construction of the Seres Center is anticipated to take 24 months to complete. During Phase 2 the Seres Center will emerge in an exciting, international collaborative effort bringing together students, experts and professionals from around the world to work side-by-side with local youth leaders, trainers and facilitators.

The budget for construction of the Center is $450,000 USD which includes capital and administrative costs for the entire construction phase (2 years).

Phase 3 – Operation: Once operational (expected 2015) the Seres Center is anticipated to receive over 200 participants and more than 1,000 visitors per year. Annual base operating costs for the Center are estimated at $85,000USD. This baseline does not include residential costs for participants or any income received from revenue-generating programs.

Further details of the organizational overview, strategic partnerships, Seres Center resourcing/staffing plans and detailed budgets are available as Appendices on request.



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How You Can HelpWe are currently looking for key donors and partners that would like the opportunity to be a part of this innovative, transformative project. Our goal is to secure the land and 15% of the capital required for construction before launching the capital campaign in June 2013.

Seres is pleased to offer naming opportunities to donors who provide significant gifts to help us reach our total project goal, and we also have a number of different Giving Programs.

For more information please contact:Corrina Grace

Executive Director

Email: [email protected]

Phone (Guatemala): +502 4268 6429

Sherry Miller

President, Asociación SERES

Email: [email protected]

Phone (Guatemala): +502 5316 5330



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mailto:[email protected]




Seres Center Case for Support

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