Tara’s Vision [from TI News February 2003]

A strategic planning meeting was held at Tara Institute on Saturday 22 February.

About 45 people attended the meeting, the following (in no particular order) were discussed and broad action plans arrived at:

• Properly supporting Members.
• Physical expansion of the Centre, e.g. building a bigger gompa.
• Organising and looking after volunteers.
• Finding a country retreat centre.
• Encouraging inclusion at TI.
• On site management.
• Encouraging generosity.
• Organising Tara Institute according to Feng Shui principles.
• Looking after Sangha appropriately.
• Looking after Geshela’s needs.
• Identifying market needs, target audience and marketing.
• To make Buddhism more actively engaged in social issues.
• The need for improved communication and training.
• The need for clearer introduction to Buddhist practices and foundations of Buddhism.
• Providing services for adolescents, children and parents.

The following steps have already been taken:

• A section of the notice board located outside the diner will be dedicated to ongoing action arising trom this meeting. Members of the TI community will be informed of developments and be invited to work in areas that interest them.
• All the notes and discussions from the meeting will be photocopied and available in Landcox Hall - please take the time to read them and contact Merilyn in the office if you would like to become involved.
• A commitment has been made to start looking for a country retreat centre.
• A committee has been formed to look at the needs of adolescents in the community.
• A committee has been formed to look at the needs of Sangha.