The Kumul Scholars International Convention 2006 will be held in Brisbane from the 01st to the 02nd of July. Attendance and participation via video-conferencing will be made available to inter-state attendees who are unable to attend in Brisbane.
The theme of this year's convention is "Customary Land Tenure - A Help or Hinderance to PNG Economic Development."
Please refer to our website: www.kumulscholars.org for further information.

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I visited the KSI website and all I can say is that it really appalling. I heard that a lot of money was put into the development of this website and it almost took a whole year to construct by the current KSI executives and I was expecting something of a much higher quality than this. The website is just a one page website with very little information and no external links or no linkages such as a forum area where KSI members around Australia can be networked and communicate well with one another.
Come on guys how you can call yourselves PNG¡¯s elite when even a primary school student can create a better website than this in one day!

Anon, appalling is a rather strong word don't you think?
A little more information however would certainly be a plus!

Dear Anonymous,

KSI and its executive welcome constructive critisicm and we thank you for visiting our website.
Let me then, on behalf of the exec, address a few of your "concerns".

KSI is a non-profit organisation and therefore we are completely dependent on corporate sponsorship. The exec therefore are fully aware of their obligation to account for all monies recieved. Unless you are privy to information that we are not in regards to the allocation of funds, your allegations are nothing but unsubstantiated hearsay.

The website is the way it presently is because it is a temporary site. It has been set up at this time to provide information for the upcoming convention and content is being added to it on a daily basis. Our main concern at present is the content on the website and the dissemination of convention information.

Please note also that all members of the exec of KSI are presently 3rd and 4th year uni students who juggle uni, work, and other extra-curricular committments along with their work with KSI and this particular time of the academic calender is particularly demanding.

Finally, as I said, the exec welcome constructive critism so please contact any one of them as their contact details are readily available.

Cheers,
Elvina.

I don't know anything about this organisation, but if it is like all the other service organisations made up of middle class type PNGeans, it is content with promoting "do gooding". We already have plenty of "do gooders" in PNG society, and just like the article below would predict, all the "do gooding" in PNG has hardly made a dent in the very serious and growing problems of:

(1) HIV-AIDS
(2) The Asian takeover of PNG and PNG's resources
(3) Corruption spreading throughout society.


I pray that this organisation of yours tries for something more than "do gooders" - to promote and find the "change agents" that will finally take the lead in creating a movement that addresses the above problems.

If the organisation KSI goes beyond "do gooder" promotion, how does it promote "change agent" development?

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CITIZEN PROFILES IN SOCIETY:
THEIR ROLES IN CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE ON A LARGE SCALE

Other ways of breaking societies into categories and subcategories are possible, but this is the most generalized breakdown which is still valid in illustrating how societies are made up, and how the major groupings have historically contributed to effecting positive change on a large scale.



“SHEEP” PROFILE

“Sheep” people make up the majority of people in any country. Those who fit the sheep profile are followers above all else and tend to be highly pragmatic. Because they go with the flow, sheep people do okay in democracies or dictatorships. They may complain quietly about authority and leadership but will never challenge it. For that reason, they are no threat to the status quo nor the people in power. In the end they will do what they’re told. If threatened mildly, they will tone down any opposing views. Highly educated people are as capable of being sheep as are those who never went to school. Sheep people are preferred for government positions, even positions of mid-level leadership because they are least likely to challenge and can be trusted to follow existing policies and rules.


“DO GOODER” PROFILE

“Do gooders” make up the second largest group in society, but are nevertheless a minority group. They lie between sheep” and “change agents” (next profile) in their outlook. Do gooders tend to mix pragmatism with idealism. Their greater idealism and sense of what is right and just, motivates them to operate somewhat more independently than sheep people. A do gooder could be described as a sheep with conscience. The greater tendency of do gooders to take independent action can often be traced to having been informed on a particular social issue. As they become knowledgeable about a problem in society, they take personal offence at situations that do not fit their framework of what is right or just. They react by performing good deeds in an attempt to rectify the problem.

Do gooders show less pronounced leadership qualities compared to the next profile (change agents). Their actions are more typically a response to the wrongs they see rather than a strategic attempt to change whatever operational structure is encouraging more selfish or destructive actions. Do gooders are rarely effective at bringing about the level of institutional change that can address society’s most intractable ills. The effects of their actions tend to be short-lived.

The most effective role of do gooders in bringing about large scale society changes lies in establishing a middle ground between the change agents (next profile) and the sheep. Essentially, they are motivated by the leadership of the change agents and their inspirational role modeling then plays a positive role in causing the sheep to change course and go new directions. Once sheep change course, they tend to remain on the new path.

Do gooders can be found nearly anywhere. They are the dominant profile in church institutions as well as larger or more established NGOs especially service groups.

Do gooder actions are role models for society. Do gooders can play a valuable role in carrying out the education that spreads information to members of the other profiles, as well as to other do gooders.



“CHANGE AGENT” PROFILE

“Change agents” make up the smallest fraction of society. Numerically, they are miniscule. Yet their potential positive impact is huge when they can implement the right strategies.

Change agents are least likely to be followers but can be idealistic to the point of being unrealistic. They are more likely to be risk takers. Nearly all history’s most effective change agents fit this profile.

The change agent profile may be short-lived within an individual. The traits tend to appear in exceptional young people of certain personalities after they have freed themselves from the tightest parental ties, while reaching a threshold in reasoning skills that naturally encourages them to take on a leadership role. They move out of this profile as they age and become constrained and compromised by societal pressures. Such people may move into a do gooder profile where they remain the rest of their lives. Very rare exceptions like Mahatma Ghandi avoided this natural transition by establishing personal spiritual barriers and carefully controlling relationships with others in order to minimize those encumbrances.

Change agents are leaders but not in the sense of one who demands sheep to follow. Like do gooders, change agents lead by strong example, thus attracting followers, but differ from do gooders in their higher vision for change. A common mistake is to assume that vocal, charismatic people are automatically change agents. It is true that charismatic people have the skills to get sheep people to shift course. However, their motives could easily be to use this power to maintain the status quo rather than alter it. This is opposite to what change agents seek.

Change agents frequently work outside the system, unencumbered by existing tradition, peer pressure, rules, laws. This is why their potential for larger scale change exceeds what a do gooder could accomplish in addressing societies ills. Yet, because change agents can be idealistic to the extreme and are rarely effective at moving the world to meet their point of satisfaction, this aura of inflexible dissatisfaction which is the source of their everlasting motivation becomes a focus for criticism by their detractors.

Change agents sometimes project an angry demeanor and use abrasive dissent techniques. However, the most advanced, effective change agents radiate peace, spirituality, and charisma. Perhaps this very rare kind of "pleasant change agent" represents a fourth profile so small that it has rarely appeared through history, but whose members are characterized by an exceptional high level of intellect in which the source of motivation is almost exclusively spiritual rather than originating in anger or vindictiveness. Certainly, change agents are thinkers. This trait explains their tendency to challenge the status quo. The most effective change agents went through educational experiences that highly developed these reasoning skills. The majority of society does not have access to such exceptional training thus it is not surprising that many effective change agents through history have come from a wealthy elite who could afford the training.

Ironically, while do gooders and sheep find some tactics of change agents repulsive, those tactics tend to be the most successful at achieving the racial, nonviolent upheaval of the status quo required to rout the most intractable ills in society.

The prevailing powers of society treat change agents differently from do gooders. Because do gooders rarely present any threat to the prevailing power structure they are often praised or supported in an attempt to show the sheep that the problem is under control. Change agents, in contrast, are invariably perceived as a threat because they challenge the status quo and have the highest potential to get the sheep in society to change direction..

Prevailing powers commonly respond with negative labels to describe change agents: troublemakers, muckrakers, **** stirrers, radicals, revolutionaries. Do gooders and sheep will join in the chorus if they fear that change will cause loss in their security.

The prevailing powers will dismiss or ignore change agents so long as they are considered ineffective. The moment change agents seem to be attracting support, the prevailing powers will respond, the intensity of the respond dependent on the level of perceived threat to the status quo: investigation, harrassment, punishment or exile, even murder. If the change agent survives these responses and continues to gather support, a sudden, dramatic shift in power can occur, away from the prevailing holders of the status quo, and onto the shoulders of the challengers. That swing effectively dismantles the status quo, resulting in sometimes radical change.

Politicians do not fit the change agent profile for many reasons. Politicians tend to be more motivated by the prospects of accumulating power and maintaining the status quo rather than being obsessed with correcting society's ills, through radical change if necessary. As prevailing power holders, politicians are more likely to be enemies of change agents. Politicians, at best, achieve only do gooder status, acting as educators and compromisers.

Change agents have limited institutions in which they can successfully operate. In pastoral positions, spiritual training can nurture a sensitivity to injustice and other societal problems. Education institutions can offer a free thinking environment that allows challengers of the status quo to receive nominal institutional support. NGOs might be considered the best institution in which change agents can operate but actually change agents are far less loved than someone fitting the do gooder profile in larger, older or more structured NGOs. Some change agents establish small NGOs of their own. A few are able to successfully operate within the media.



CATEGORIZATIONS & ROLES

People fitting any of the 3 profiles all play roles, different ones, in effecting the kind of large scale change that can effectively address major societal ills. More space in this discussion was spent describing the role of change agents because they are the least understood, the smallest in number, yet the only type of person with the potential to cast the spark that lights a bonfire of change. In the often paralyzing complacency that characterizes democracies, it is especially important that do gooders appreciate and support the role of change agents even if they dislike their tactics. Do gooders can play an effective role nurturing the development of change agents through education, and in response to the inspirational leadership of active change agents, do gooders can similarly provide education and role model for the sheep below them.

Society’s sheep, despite their numerical superiority, never block change, no matter how they might feel about it. Ironically, they often become the prime beneficiaries of the change yet contribute little or nothing to the process apart from their role as the silent majority whose continued passivity is enough to allow an active minority to bring forth the desired change in society.

A person can easily be miscategorised in this profiling. For example, when sheep people take to the streets in protest, that does not mean they are fitting into a new profile. They are still being sheep. The only difference is that now they respond to a change agent’s call instead of continuing to follow a protector of the status quo.

Similarly, just because a do gooder actively works against graft within government does not mean they have become a change agent. Their good deeds were probably stimulated by the call of a change agent to begin with and they will continue to occupy middle ground, setting an example for the sheep below them that contrasts with the status quo, rather than doing what is necessary to actually change the status quo.
Political affinities along the leftist-rightest scale also will not predict what profile a person fits into. A progressive thinker could easily be progressive only to the point that they are open-minded to new ideas. In every other respect, they could be a do gooder or even a sheep, passively following the status quo challengers rather than being a challenger themselves.

The profile a person best fits into is more accurately determined by their level of motivation to speak up against and actively resist a society’s prevailing situation, as opposed to accepting it. Whether or not they actually succeed in bringing change depends upon many other factors, many not within their control.


SUMMARY

Large-scale institutional change throughout history has been sparked by individuals who are numerically miniscule in society. These change agents function as initial catalyzers, taking the lead role in challenging, attacking, and eventually destroying conventional wisdoms, articulating issues in a way that mobilizes others, and organizing mass movements.
Do gooders may initially resist these change agents, but if the change agents prove effective, the do gooders ultimately fall in line, playing a support role. That combination of change agent and do gooder is often enough to attract the passive sheep majority to change course.

What road the sheep ultimately take is invariably defined by do gooders who play the role of negotiator and compromiser. In the end, the change agents will be happy that change occurred but dissatisfied at where it stopped. The majority sheep, in turn, will happily move down the new road into new pastures and continue grazing, heads down as always.



handout
“Bringing real change in society” workshop
Bonn Germany1999

Mate,

Lets get real. Your talk like some drifter. Any effort is worth a try and we should give every support to the KSI executives in what they are doing to form some kind of forum for intellectuals to discuss issues. You sound too up yourself and sophisticated. Come down to earth and be yourself whether you live in Germany or wherever.

Be constructive, not naive cheap self promo in the guise of argument.

Muntikanegamb

How do drifters talk and why do they talk that way?

And your name is? If you are the intellectual that your words seem to project then a name would be nice.

Why can't a message stand by itself, without any need for knowing a messenger? The poster is not the same as the writer of that article if you'll take a look at where it came from (at the bottom of the article).

Fantastic read. Makes one wonder what category they fit in and then ask themselves whether they are happy falling into such a category. It does resonate with a fair degree of truth.

Despite the defensive comments, I can't see where in the article that it is a putdown to be in any of the categories, each plays their role. But "do gooders" need to realise their limitations and their dependency on the "change agents" and vice-versa. What we badly need in PNG are "change agents". Some of us might have attempted that when we were not saddled with family responsibilities but darned if that article doesn't explain that whole aspect of things.

It almost seems that the best place to find and nurture change agents are at the PNG based colleges and universities, rather than the overseas ones but unfortunately this article doesn't go much into where to find change agents!!!!

An important take home lesson I got out of the article was that it is not organisations that we should rely on to make the most important, deepest changes for the better in society but rather, certain individuals. Organisations may help mold individuals, but in the end, it is the individuals that make the organisations. The only kind of organisations I would put faith in to be part of a change agent process would probably be those that were founded by and always revolve around a change agent. Those organisations would be like a support device for the change agent but ultimately short lived and outdone its usefulness when the change agent passes on. Labour movements have had such small and agile organisations to spearhead specific struggles I seem to recall and they faded away when the job was done and the change agent moved on.

Honest to God, I have never in my life experienced an organisation like this where there is such complete silence from officers and members alike when people are asking for information about it. Is this organisation KSI functional or what's going on with it that it is appearing to be more like an illusion than anything real??????????!!!!!!!!!!!

Archives from my files. This might put some light to some of you that are questioning KSI org. Anthony Smare was the founder and babied this organization in it's teething days. If there was such files if they were kept on this board, it would have served some light on KSI. When KSI had their own website from memory this board changed its name haven't checked it out yet. If you go back to the year mentioned on this thread you will find this copy below. Check on Melbourne Board too there was a lot of dicussion on KSI in the year mentioned and following years till KSI had their web site.

7mile

KSI Purposes and Objectives
No score for this post October 4 2002, 4:47 PM

Wantok,

KSI's purposes and objectives as adopted at the KSI Formalisation Meeting in December 1999.

" Purpose

The purpose of KSI is to provide and facilitate a forum for interaction of Papua New Guinean scholars to collectively contribute towards the development of PNG.

Statement of Purpose

The KSI is a non-political association of Papua New Guinean scholars with the broad purpose of contributing towards the enhancement of a national consciousness by empowering Papua New Guinean citizens, aimed at maturing Papua New Guinea’s development process.

Objectives of KSI

1. Encouraging the academic and cultural development of members.

2. Enhancing the professional development and career prospects of members.

3. Encouraging and promoting activities that contribute towards the general welfare and sustainability of the KSI.

4. Assisting in the establishment of KSI affiliate organisations.

5. Networking to encourage and maintain interaction between members and other interested parties.

6. Facilitating forums for discourse and issues of national and developments of significance.

7. Identifying and implementing means of contributing to government and corporate bodies.

8. Fostering a positive Papua New Guinean image abroad.

9. Identifying, developing and implementing activities that are consistent with the objects and purposes of the KSI.

*Motion to accept KSI purposes and objectives moved by Misty Baloiloi (PNG Vic Student Association).
*Motion seconded by Miok Komolong (UQPNGSA).

Closed by Anthony Smare at 5.10pm on 18 December 1999."

Thanks for this, 7milebeach, this is much appreciated. It doesn't look like an activist organisation and now I see why there have been comments that it's mostly an organisation where people go looking for employment.

That being the case, are there any other organisations of overseas PNG students that are actually activist and dedicated to addressing PNG's most pressing problems such as corruption, etc?

who is the major sponsor of KSI-2006 Brisbane Convention???????????

KSI Executives can you tell us.............

I sense nothing but a lingering & deafening silence to your question. Maybe you should ask it again, maybe they just don't notice postings on the board formerly called the KSI board??????

Kumul Scholars International would like to welcome all students and interested members of the public to the Opening Event for the KSI Convention 2006 to be held at the Hundred Acre Bar, St Lucia Golf Links at 6.00pm Friday, 30th June. Cost of attendance is $5 which will cover the opening event, convention attendance for Saturday and Sunday and all meals during the convention. Numbers are limited so please rsvp before 12 midday Friday via email or by calling 0421928205.

Selected papers from the 2006 Convention can be found here until they are put up on the KSI website:

http://clubs.anu.edu.au/clubs/PNG_Canberra_Students_Association/

what about the AGM minutes for the KSI Annual meeting that was held. Will you also have that on the site as well.

Copy and paste from http://www.gdln.org

GDLN Story of the Week: Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: But real-time knowledge sharing really reconnects expatriate Papua New Guineans to their homeland


When the annual Kumul Scholars International (KSI) Convention rolled around again this year,its organizers had decided to do something a little bit different this time. Using GDLN to link three sites in Port Moresby, Brisbane and Canberra via videoconference made sense given that the KSI's mission is to empower Papua New Guinean academics studying in Australia to stay in touch with, and make a real contribution to their homeland. Indeed, even though their fondness for home may increase while living abroad, keeping themselves informed about key issues of national interest and development in PNG isn't always easy. For KSI, having a motto like "get an education to help our nation" translates to building paths for knowledge sharing and awareness raising across their diaspora, and into their adopted communities as well. Going one step further, they are taking this knowledge back into PNG communities by creating DVDs and CDs of Convention proceedings, which will be used in awareness raising campaigns on PNG radio and television.

Given that 97% of all land in PNG is customarily owned, the topic for this year's Convention, "Customary Land Tenure: A Help or A Hindrance to PNG's Economic Development?", was well chosen. "Land goes to the heart of all Papua New Guineans: it is integral to Melanesian culture," said KSI's outgoing President Margaret Brownjohn. During the two day Convention from July 1-2, 2006, politicians, academics, and representatives from industry, non-governmental organizations, the public sector and international organizations debated land management challenges in PNG. Students wondered how their country can best achieve sustainable development without compromising the rights of customary land-owners and future generations. Dame Meg Taylor, who lead group discussions with students in Brisbane, emphasized the real need for "genuine, participatory dialogue with customary landowners". Other speakers addressed participants on issues including overcoming resource shortages within PNG's Department of Lands, the opportunity costs of land use, urban development perspectives on land tenure and generating pro-active homegrown solutions.

Through a series of formal and informal group and plenary discussions, videoconference presentations and lively social events, participants were encouraged to engage with one another. By randomly assigning students to groups with local facilitators who had been coached beforehand to lead challenging discussions, organizers generated a positive environment for learning and knowledge sharing. The event was sponsored by the PNG Sustainable Development Program, with additional support from Oil Search, Santos and Tropic Print. It was organized by KSI, together with the GDLN Centers in Canberra and Port Moresby.

I do have some feedback on the convention, and I will email it when I finish writing a report on it. At the moment still working on a story for Ralph Hamilton.

I should be able to get this to you next week.

7mile

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