Annual Partner Meetings

Throughout the year, COTA offers opportunities for our partner organisations to come together and share their knowledge, ideas and experiences with each other. Once a year our Field Officers host an Annual Partner Meeting in Cali and Bogota for our partners in their respective cities, where participants explore an issue of particular relevance to their work.

30 November 2011, Cali

Recognising and welcoming diversity - with a special emphasis on the inclusion of children and young people with disabilities.

COTA's Partner HRBC, who are experienced in supporting children with disabilities and their families in some of the poorest parts of Cali are leading this year's workshop, and will be focussing on:

• Enabling each organisation to share their experiences of and concerns about the inclusion of children with disabilities in their work.
• Looking at how each organisation can include children with disabilities in their programmes, when they have not traditionally had access to them.

COTA believes that every child has the right to a happy childhood, a safe place to live and an education. Through partnership, we believe that we can all be more effective in supporting vulnerable children and upholding these rights.

7 December 2010, Bogota and Cali

Fundraising - what works and how can we as organisations become better at it?

Fundraising is a common concern amongst our many co-workers in Colombia. Our partners came together to discuss what did and didn't work from their fundraising experience, and how they could better plan their fundraising strategies in the years to come. Four of our Partners gave presentations, and each organisation outlined simple steps they aim to take as part of a fundraising plan.

One Participant said:

"The meeting was full of practical ideas and suggestions for how to develop fundraising ideas, and there was a good atmosphere. It was great to be working with staff from other COTA partner organisations - we have met a few times now through COTA-led workshops/meetings and each time the sense of solidarity grows"

Read Stories from the Field to find out more about the 2010 Annual Partner Meeting.