1. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFORMATION SESSION MONTH DAY, YEAR
[ Throughout the notes section of this presentation is additional information pertaining to each slide. Each slide will only have brief bullet points (to prevent the viewer from being distracted by long paragraphs; the presenter should supplement each bullet point with the additional information provided here ]

2. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION - ABOUT GLOBAL BRIGADES
GLOBAL BRIGADES MISSION
To empower volunteers to facilitate sustainable solutions in under resourced communities
GLOBAL BRIGADES VISION
To improve equality of life, by igniting the largest student-led social responsibility movement on the planet.

3. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION - PROGRAMS
Global Brigades offers 8 programs, some in more countries than others.
To empower volunteers, Global Brigades offers
8 skill-based programs

4. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHERE WE WORK
Programs are offered in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana
COUNTRIES SELECTED BASED ON:
Large need in rural areas
Strong community partnerships
Logistically feasible
Safe for volunteers
NEEDS THAT GLOBAL BRIGADES ADDRESSES:
Basic services
Healthcare
Economic
Global Brigades focuses on countries where family members survive on less than $2 per day and where medical and economic needs are severely neglected and resources for basic services are low (most health issues are related to lack of basic services – clean water and public health infrastructure).
Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana were selected based on their high need for services in their rural areas, strong on-the ground partnerships for sustainability, accessibility to logistical needs (for transporting groups, providing lodging and food), and safety.
Through on-the ground full-time staff in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana, Global Brigades is able to work with communities to ensure sustainable work and perpetuate on-going services in-between brigades.
Medical Brigades has developed relationships with 80 community partners. For every medical brigade club that is established one more community is able to receive care. Medical Brigades clubs systematically traveled to Central America so that each community receives a clinic every 3 to 4 months. This method has been very successful in improving a consistent health care access to communities for a healthier population. For example, in 2005 in any given community partner, an average brigade consisted of more than 800 patients. In 2009, in that same community, a brigade only needed to treat about The decrease in number not only shows the improved overall community health, but also allows us to provide more thorough and comprehensive care.
[ Additional Information: communities GB works in are systematically ranked by baseline household surveys administered by the Research and Evaluation Team. This allows GB to focus on specific communities with the greatest need. ]

5. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROGRAMS AND COUNTRIES
Programs offered in each country
Nicaragua
Ghana
Honduras
Business
Dental
Engineering
Medical
Microfinance
Public Health
Water
Panama
Global Brigades holistic model of develop incorporates the following programs in Honduras.
[ Global Brigades provides programs in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana however the Public Brigades program is currently only offered in Honduras and Nicaragua.]
Dental
Medical
Microfinance
Water
Business
Dental
Environmental
Human Rights
Medical
Microfinance
Medical
Dental
Public Health
Water

6. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROGRAMS AND COUNTRIES
Programs offered in each country
Nicaragua
Ghana
Honduras
Business
Dental
Engineering
Medical
Microfinance
Public Health
Water
Panama
Global Brigades holistic model of develop incorporates the following programs in Honduras.
[ Global Brigades provides programs in Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, and Ghana however the Public Brigades program is currently only offered in Honduras and Nicaragua.]
Dental
Medical
Microfinance
Water
Business
Dental
Environmental
Human Rights
Medical
Microfinance
Medical
Dental
Public Health
Water

7. WHY PANAMA?

8. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – RURAL PANAMA STATISTICS
BELIZE
As the second poorest country in the western hemisphere, Honduras’ people have very limited access to healthcare and basic resources. Many health issues are related to clean water access and public health infrastructure. Families also have limited
access to any type of small loans.
[ These statistics reflect the average community that Global Brigades serves in Honduras.]
Typical family lives on about $10 a day
Average level of education is approximately 6th grade
Community members are often excluded from access to financial institutions due to costs, distance, requirements, and discrimination. As a result, it is nearly impossible for individuals to create savings accounts or request loans.
Community members are unable to tap into financial markets
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
EL SALVADOR
NICARAGUA
PANAMA
COSTA RICA

9. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – RURAL PANAMA STATISTICS
15 in 20 people in the province of Darien, Panama do not have access to credit and savings opportunities

10. WITHOUT ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND EDUCATION, 85% of INDIGENOUS WOMEN IN DARIEN, PANAMA WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE LESS THAN $1 PER DAY

11. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – BRIGADE IMPACT
FOR EVERY
BUSINESS/ MICROFINANCE
VOLUNTEER
$100 HELPS SUPPORT A COMMUNITY BANK
USED FOR:
Bank Capitalization
Loans and Loan Screening
Infrastructure Development
Organizational and Administrative Support =

12. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – FINANCIAL CHALLENGES
ACCESS TO CAPITAL & CONSULTING
Increases financial literacy to strategic business development
Encourages family financial planning
Decreases risk of loan sharks
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?
Business: With low levels of financial education, entrepreneurs sometimes lack basic accounting and business management skills (No book-keeping, inventory management, marketing strategies, etc.)
Microfinance: No access to financial institutions, savings accounts and loans in rural communities
Business Brigades volunteers empower rural communities in Panama, without access to financial services and business guidance, by providing micro-enterprise consulting, financial planning assistance and strategic investment. We advance this goal by utilizing university students and young professional volunteers to identify, improve, and expand micro-enterprises while working through community owned and operated credit and savings cooperatives in local communities.

13. HOW DO BUSINESS BRIGADES HELP?
[ Throughout the notes section of this presentation is additional information pertaining to each slide. Each slide will only have brief bullet points (to prevent the viewer from being distracted by long paragraphs; the presenter should supplement each bullet point with the additional information provided here ]

14. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHAT IS A BUSINESS BRIGADE
BUSINESS/ MICROFINANCE BRIGADES
Volunteers break up into small groups to meet with business owners , farmers, and family members to provide micro-enterprise counseling and training. Techniques such as SWOT Analyses will be utilized.
Volunteers will participate in home visits to promote participation in the community bank (caja rural), which in turn supports many aspects of economic development within the community.
Volunteers will be trained by Global Brigades staff to complete Loan Capacity Payment Forms for community members seeking loans from the community bank.
Deliverables for both individual businesses and the community bank will be completed and submitted to Global Brigades.

15. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY
COMMUNITY SELECTION
Based on:
- Need
- Access to loans and banks
- Community commitment
SUSTAINABILITY ASPECTS
Community banks:
- Community led
- Self-perpetuating and autonomous
- Provide continuing loans and savings acounts
In-country staff:
- Train community banks
- Work with community banks to hold financial literacy workshops between brigades
Beginning in January 2011, GB’s Community Research and Evaluation team conducted an extensive operation to identify a new region to work in. After months of R&E, the team indentified the region of Torti in the eastern part of the Panama Province to be the area of focus. The Business Brigades Program lead then identified a single smaller community to begin work in: the community of Torti Abajo. Torti Abajo and all future communities are selected using a thorough diagnostic and analysis stage. Communities are selected based on their need for support, willingness and desire to work with Global Brigades, level of economic diversity, and existence of community cohesiveness and leadership. All Global Brigades programs in Panama work in this eastern region of Panama now. Business Brigades efforts are now focused on developing long-term relationships with the community members to foster sustainable economic development that improves the economic situation for the entire community.

16. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – BUSINESS/MICROFINANCE TEAM
BUSINESS/ MICROFINANCE BRIGADES TEAM
Coordinator: Leads your brigade
Program Lead and Technicians:
- Build relationship with community
- Train community leaders
- Work with community in preparation for brigade arrival
- Work with community post-brigade to do follow-up work
Program Associate:
- Updates the website and sends out newsletters to past and future volunteers
- Works with in-country staff and Chapter Advisor to arrange brigade logistics
- Hosts webinars, visits brigade in Panama, and more!
Global Brigades supports a full-time staff in Panama to prepare for and coordinate Brigades and to conduct follow-up and measure community impact. Each Brigade will have coordinator and interpreters throughout their time in Panama to ensure project success and to coordinate logistics.

17. HOW CAN YOU
HELP?

18. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – WHY WE WANT YOU
YOUR IMPACT
Contribute to sustainable change
- Provide a community access to capital, savings, and economic potential
Education application
- Consulting & business application
- Spanish language immersion
- Deeper understanding of Community Banks and the process of calculating loan capacity payments
- International development experience
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Students empower community members
Students provide access to loans, savings accounts and other services otherwise unavailable, promoting economic development
Students contribute to the education of community members

19. WHAT DOES A BRIGADE LOOK LIKE?
[ Throughout the notes section of this presentation is additional information pertaining to each slide. Each slide will only have brief bullet points (to prevent the viewer from being distracted by long paragraphs; the presenter should supplement each bullet point with the additional information provided here ]

20. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – SAMPLE ITINERARY

21. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – SAMPLE ITINERARY
DAY 1: ARRIVAL & BUSINESS/ MICROFINANCE INTRODUCTION
Transportation to compound
- Electricity, showers, and bathrooms
- Beds, bed linens, and pillows
- Limited internet
Introduction to Panama and the Business/Microfinance Programs
- The Holistic Model
- Microfinance and economic development
- Community banks, Community Development Fund, and cooperative development
- Cultural Sensitivity
The first day is spent traveling to Panama and out to the project site. Brigaders receive information about the GB, policies, community and micro-credit. Time is spent covering family profiles for the visits of the week.

22. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – SAMPLE ITINERARY
DAY 2: CLIENT AND COMMUNITY INTRODUCTION
Volunteers will divide into small groups to begin work with their clients for the brigade
Spend time getting to know the community and clients to build trust
Initiate Business Profile Analysis

23. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – SAMPLE ITINERARY
DAY 3, 4, & 5: BUSINESS TRAINING AND CONSULTATION
BUSINESS TRAINING
Develop and present educational workshops on various topics, including inventory management, marketing, pricing, accounting, etc.
BUSINESS CONSULTING
Business profile analysis
Assess small business utilizing SWOT Analysis and Prioritization
Present final recommendations to small business owners
Complete and submit deliverables for Global Brigades to utilize for continued monitoring and support

24. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – SAMPLE ITINERARY
DAY 3, 4, & 5: LOAN CAPACITY PAYMENT CALCULATIONS
Volunteers will work alongside Board Members of a Community bank to complete Loan Capacity Payment Forms with individual community members
Three meetings will be held to review their business and family spending
Form will be used to determine how much a person can take out a loan for and is used in the place of a credit score

25. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – SAMPLE ITINERARY
DAY 6: ACTIVITIES WITH COMMUNITY BANK AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE
COMMUNITY BANK MEETINGS
Volunteers conduct home visits to promote participation in the Community Bank
Presentation of Loan Capacity Payment Forms to Board Members of the Caja Rural
CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Volunteers meet with community members to thank them for their participation
Volunteers have the opportunity to experience the local culture with shows of:
- Traditional song and dance
- Artisan hand-made crafts
- Educational exchange

26. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – SAMPLE ITINERARY
DURING THE WEEK: CAPITAL INVESTMENT
$100 of each Program Contribution is utilized as an investment for our communities
This investment goes to the Business Program, where the donation can be dispersed as:
- Seed capital
- Match savings accounts
- Business investment
- Loans, which are paid back to community banks for future loan disbursement through our Microfinance Program
Throughout the week, volunteers have the opportunity to meet with several families and business and think critically about how they would like to invest their $100 capital investment. After analysis, the volunteers identify how to allocate a “capital investment” to the community bank. Students can decide to provide seed capital, match savings accounts, or designate funds to go towards a business he/she met with during the week in the form of a loan by the bank.

27. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – SAMPLE ITINERARY
DAY 7: DEPARTURE
Start planning for next brigade
- Set goals
- Leadership positions
Share experiences with donors, friends, & family
Get connected through Global Brigades’ networks
- Updates on your community and projects

28. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – PRE-DEPARTURE PREPARATION
PRE-BRIGADE CURRICULUM
6 pre-Brigade lesson plans
Includes program- and country-specific education resources and group discussions to fully prepare for your Brigade
To preview lessons, go to the Volunteer Resources Site (VRS)
volunteer-tools-home
Ask the Chapter Education Chair or Chapter President for the lesson plan schedule!

29. HOW DO I SIGN
UP?

30. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – TOTAL CONTRIBUTION
HOW IS YOUR BUSINESS BRIGADE FUNDED?
Volunteers’ Program Contribution:
- $890 (Panama)
- Brigade expenses
- Program sustainability
- Project Fund
- Airfare: Varies
PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION DETAILS
Accommodations & meals (dietary restrictions should be communicated to the Chapter Advisor)
Clean drinking water
Airport pick-up and drop-off
In-country transportation
Spanish translators, coordinators, and security
Program sustainability and follow-up between brigades
Project Fund: $100
Volunteers will be lodged in a group compound. All accommodations are clean and safe. There is electricity, bathrooms and clean drinking water on site. Meals are prepared on site using clean water and food specifically for the brigade. A GB staff member will be with the volunteers at all times and available for 24 hour assistance.

31. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – RESOURCES FOR YOU
FUNDRAISING PLATFORM
Send links of brigade project information to donors
Create personalized profile to share with your donors
Track donation progress on individual and group level
VOLUNTEER RESOURCE SITE (VRS)
Brigade planning materials
Testimonials and deliverables from past brigades
Community and compound profiles
Frequently asked questions
CHAPTER ADVISORS
Based at the International Office in Esteli, Nicaragua
Coordinate brigade planning and preparation with the Program Associates in Panama
Assist volunteers with fundraising, flight booking and more

32. Don’t know who your Advisor is? Email:
BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – CONTACT INFORMATION
Contact your Chapter Advisor for information about Business Brigades in Panama
Don’t know who your Advisor is?

33. BUSINESS BRIGADES INFO SESSION – JOIN THE NEXT BRIGADE
[ Consider adding more information to this slide, such as due dates for the brigade application, deposit due dates, next meeting date/time/location. ]
NAME LAST NAME
President
Phone Number

34. QUESTIONS?
QUESTIONS?
Don’t Hesitate to Ask!