International Course in Marist Management

The Econome General’s department and the Secretariat of Mission, with the support of the liaison General Councilors for America, organised from 17 March to 26 April 2013 a course for Marist Directors and Leaders at provincial level. It was a pilot initiative aimed, this first time, at the  Spanish- and Portuguese- speaking Provinces of America. 17 persons took part, coming from the different Provinces of Latin America, the District of Amazonia and the Province  of « Ibérica ». They were for the most part Marist Brothers, but there were also three laity – 2 men and a woman.

The course responded to the appeal of several Provinces asking that a programme of formation be organised at the Institute or Regional level for current provincial leaders or for future leaders for the animation of the mission and administration in the Province or District. This is owing to the greater  complexity of the management and animation of the Marist works today.

For the development of the course, partnership was sought with the « Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná » (PUCPR), in Curitiba, Brasil, which enjoys great prestige at national and international levels in the domain of the formation of leaders and administrators in every sort of organisation. The PUCRS also provided an «extension course » certificate for all participants.

For this Advancement Course for Marist Directors and  Leaders a specific programme was conceived for the Marist Institute including Marist courses of theory, practice and knowledge of good practices, management and leadership of other similar organisations. It was organized in four modules : Marist Institutional Identity and Mission ; Strategic Governance and Management ; Organisational Development, and Intervention.

The course also promoted the exchange of good practices among the Provinces taking part in the training, and familiarity with the workings of the administration in certain domains of the Province of « Brasil Centro-Sul ». At the week-end, the participants had the opportunity to come to know and exchange experiences with the Province of « Rio Grande do Sul », in Porto Alegre.

This intensive course was held on the Campus of  PUCPR, in Curitiba. The Province of « Brasil Centro-Sul » (PMBCS) placed at its disposal the Centre Mariste Marcellin Champagnat (CMMC), close to the university campus, where the participants were accomodated. A provisional community was  formed with the participants, animated by Br Pedro João Wolter. The Province’s support was   fundamental for board and lodging and all the logistical aspects of the meeting.

At the end of the course, the participants, in accord with the Province and the District, presented a project on the way of implementing the course’s proposal at the local level.

The evaluation of this first course experiment was extremely positive and it has opened up  prospects for similar courses in the future.