VIVA NETWORK
Be A HERO partners with Viva Network by raising funds for some of their projects.
Viva Network is a global movement of Christians with 81 network initiatives in 48 countries, helping 1.2 million children.
Viva Network is organizations, church bodies and individuals committed to every child having the opportunity to become all that God intends. This Viva Network movement is supported by an International Centre (Oxford, UK) and four Regional Centres. They create networks among Christians caring for children, because collaboration brings greater effectiveness. Their work provides vulnerable children with more services of better quality, plus a bigger voice speaking up for their interests.
The nerve centre of Viva Network is VivaNet, a global, massive database. Dealing with thousands of childcare projects working with hundreds of thousands of children, each project unique in its approach and needs makes good information management essential. With security and protection built into the system, this collection of accurate information provides statistics, training opportunities, staff recruitment skills matching, and sharing of resources regionally possible. VivaMap makes it possible to get information on a geographical area at the click of a mouse – the kinds of problems, the local services available, and links to other groups in the area.
Regional networks means that information can be shared, resources can be shared, workers feel less isolated, economies of scale can be enjoyed, cross-training can be employed, and influence can be exercised.
The increasing consequences of children’s unmet needs including homelessness, exploitation, and abandonment means that we must work in unity to muster all the forces at our disposal. Viva Network is working to mobilize the forces!
FOUNDER VIVA NETWORK – PATRICK MCDONALD
The seeds for this vast network were sown when Patrick McDonald, aged 17, went to Santa Cruz to work with street children. As the very committed group struggled to help the children in a meaningful way, they began to realize that compassion wasn’t enough. Even though their leader had two degrees, one in sociology, one in psychology, had ten years’ experience as a policeman in London, and had overseas funding, they could not find the answers to very basic questions: how to start an effective organization, how to resource it, and how to work with very difficult children. The desperate straits of the children, abandoned to live on the streets, exacerbated Patrick’s frustration. If only they knew someone else who was doing this, someone who could tell them where to find resources, how to get training and staff…. Patrick subsequently spent about four years looking for a network, writing over 1000 letters, and finally drawing the conclusion that one did not exist. Embarking on a journey to learn what he could, Patrick traveled to eight countries and 17 cities, visiting about 75 different childcare projects. Over the course of time, as it became apparent that he would need to initiate a network, he traveled to London to meet with key people in World Vision, the Salvation Army, Youth with a Mission and Tear Fund. They all agreed that a network was key. In 1994 Patrick started the monumental task of facilitating what has now become Viva Network. Patrick, his wife Emily, and their children live in London, England.
To learn more of Viva’s work worldwide, visit their website at www.viva.org
