In our recent Lactation Matters post, we shared with you the new ILCA Strategic Map that will guide the future of ILCA. Now, we want to reach out to you as an ILCA member and breastfeeding supporter to ask for your assistance in making these strategic goals and objectives a reality.
The New ILCA Strategic Map
The ILCA Strategic Map is the result of a careful process, beginning with the launch of the new vision in 2014. Together, the ILCA Board of Directors and Staff identified core values–knowledge, diversity, and equity–and areas of impact–our members, the IBCLC profession, and the world.
From this work, ILCA’s new goals became clear:
- Provide innovative education and networking.
- Provide access to and interpretation of lactation research.
- Build capacity of future leaders.
- Champion the IBCLC as the premiere lactation credential.
- Advance breastfeeding on the global agenda.
To achieve these goals, highly specific objectives were identified to transform global health through breastfeeding and skilled lactation care while advancing the IBCLC:
- Create a global platform for networking and communication.
- Create culturally appropriate, diversified educational delivery channels.
- Increase access to evidence-based documents that build knowledge and support the IBCLC.
- Implement development process that spans the knowledge of global awareness, organizational excellence, and effective human influence behaviors.
- Develop a marketing plan that encompasses a diversified audience.
- Support IBCLC organizations globally.
- Engage in partnerships with global health leaders and relevant organizations.
- Provide access to expert guidance on breastfeeding as it relates to diverse areas of global concern.
Maximizing Your Impact with ILCA
The ILCA Board of Directors and Staff cannot achieve these objectives without the talents, time, and energy of ILCA members who volunteer their time as committee members. ILCA also recognizes that these critical resources–member efforts–are not unlimited. To make the most of what ILCA volunteers can offer, we are restructuring the committees to ensure they align with our new strategic map and maximize the impact of each volunteer’s contribution.
Task Forces
We recognize that not all efforts to achieve our goals and objectives are the same. Some projects are short term, time specific, and goal-oriented. Now, all short term projects with a beginning and an end–like conference planning and committee nominations–will be supported by task forces instead of committees. The task forces will be populated by members willing to commit time and energy for the time it takes to achieve its objectives. The task force will be disbanded once the goals are achieved. Sample ILCA Task Forces include: Annual Conference Program, Board Member Nomination, and Logo Development.
ILCA Advisory Committees
In other areas, ILCA is forming advisory committees to support an ongoing need that is not time-bound. These will be filled by members willing and able to commit for a specified period of time (a 3-year term). These committees include:
Advocacy Committee – Promote the value of ILCA and the IBCLC in advocating for breastfeeding and skilled lactation care at the international, national, regional, and local levels.
Diversity Committee – Ensure that every aspect of ILCA is culturally inclusive and welcoming to all members.
International Code Committee – Expand the awareness, understanding and application of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and relevant subsequent WHA resolutions.
Professional Development Committee – Assist in guiding the professional development of ILCA members and the greater lactation community.
Resource Development Committee – Grow and diversify ILCA’s financial resources to support organizational goals and objectives.
ILCA Regional Committees
ILCA is also launching six regional committees, modeled on the World Health Organization committee structure. These volunteers will be charged with focusing on their region and ensuring that the needs of that region has a voice in our organization. ILCA will work closely with the new regional committees to together discover regional goals and objectives that best represent the needs of each area. These committees include: Africa Region, Americas Region, Eastern Mediterranean Region, European Region, South-East Asia Region, and Western Pacific Region.
Your talents and skills are needed!
ILCA is currently seeking volunteers to join the advisory committees. This core group of individuals will assist ILCA in clarifying and pursuing the long-term strategic objectives of the advisory committees. We will be recruiting for our task forces and regional committees soon.
Our volunteers will be contributing at a critical time when we are seeking to refine and define ILCA’s goals and objectives. While some of the committees have a name similar to our previous structure, every group will have a new scope of work and new profiles, in line with our new strategic map. By taking this fresh look at every committee, task force, and position, we will ensure we are all pulling in the same direction and maximizing the individual effort of each volunteer.
We will be looking to your unique perspectives to ensure the strategic map remains a living document that is aligned with the vision of the organization and effectively considers global, national, regional and local factors impacting ILCA strategic goals.
Consider applying now!
It is the efforts of individuals like you that will make our goals and objectives a reality. Please consider applying for a advisory committee position today. To apply, visit HERE to complete an online application.
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