ACM Report for 2022-2023
Webmaster
1. You are the best and recommended as ASD; how do you work with AP for a better achievement of ASP Area targets?
I like to believe that I may not be the best since there are always better experts than me.! Also, most web platforms differ from each other and success in one system does not guarantee susccess in another.! Therefore my priority is to learn the working of the AP Area website platform first and understand the handling of its back-end, before I come out with any assurances. Still it is nice to receive compliments and being honoured!
As AP leads the Area's Y'sdom, I wish to understand AP's plan for the Y's year ahead well and Area's own activities.
18 countries coming together into one web portal is a huge challenge for an ASD and therefore I may require an in-depth understanding of the back-end.
This together with plans by other ASDs can assist me to position the contents better in the website's front end.
2. Your Goals and Targets in the first and second half semesters separately
1st Semester
1. Study and understand the layout and placement of elements in the front end first.
2. Find if any improvements are required , list them and effect them step by step.
3. Find if any elements are outdated, list them and update them step by step.
4. Conduct a web-survey in regions of their feel and satisfaction of the Area web
2nd Semester
1. Based on 1st semester actions, decide on way forward for 2nd semester work.
2. Maintain best practices in the publication of content in the web.
2. Continue updates of news and other material sent to web from the Regions.
3. Assist users with better utilisation of the web.
4. Share info with other websites of the Area and Regions.
3. The constructively helpful activities/projects for AREA to consider?
- Create awareness of projects that are ongoing /conducted well to publish them, support publicity of such projects and activities that Area President and ASDs prioritise by informing the webmaster.
- As socio-economic crisis engulfs Area Regions and countries in it, support in food security, children's and preganant mothers' safety, health and wellbeing of hospitalised populations and wellbeing of vulnerable populations such as various Christian populations, elderly etc, in these countries.
- Other than for officials of the Y'smen movement, for most members in general, Y'smen Area and YMI are a somewhat distant mechanisms. There should be a project in which the focus of it should be to bring Y'sdom and Area closer to the Ysmen's lives in the region. The success of such a project shall greatly depend on the buy-in and genuine acceptance of higher officials to the ideals and practices of Y'sdom.
4. Challenges and Topics for next 100 years YMI
- Membership preservation and growth: YMI can support by activating special funds such as Membership Growth Funds to increase membership in AP Area. However existing membership should not be taxed for this. The Regions should be redistributed such funds (if the Regions cannot raise them by their own) by raising funds (by YMI ) on its own.
- New members should not be merely 'collected' for the sake of increasing membership. It is important that new members should be free of previous criminal records, have demonstrated good conduct and of good behaviour generally, match the profile of Y'smen, not bankrupt, have respect and focus on Christian principles, be tolerant of people of other races, creeds, religions and color and be pleasant to have fellowship with. They are free to use their own language but when functioning in Y'sdom, should prioritise English. Sometimes, even though some members are Christians, their conduct and interactions are degrading to other Ysmen, and such individuals should be asked to leave even if it damages membership strength since demoralising effects of their conduct are much more dangerous. The behaviour not need only be in the way talk and associate with but evedn in terms of how they adhere to fellowship norms as well as functional and constitutional obligations.
- Even if members are enthusiastic, if they are taxed once they join the Y'sdom (by other commitments including financially ) they are likely have only a short stay in Y'sdom. Therefore Y'sdom should provide them facilities and resources to function in and expand the Y'sdom once they join, but not to tax them beyond semester fee.
- In any dispute, fellowship should operate and resolve them. If members are seen increasingly referring to guidelines and constitutions to resolve them, it shows that a fundamental unwritten tenet of Ysdom - trust based on fellowship - is no more.
- It is suggested to write down unwritten norms and traditions and even other functional aspects within Y'sdom as much as possible to gain a clear understanding of them and not to have doubts or have different intepretations by leaving them to exist only in the minds of members. They should be written down clearly as far as possible so that ambiguity is minimised.
- Waive semester fees for poorer countries or greatly reduce them. For several countries in Asia Pac, current semester fees have become a burden due to high Swiss Frank rates.
5. Additional Comments, if any
None