An overview of country level Engineers Without Borders

1. An overview of country level Engineers Without Borders Summary of various EWB organizations around the world. Prepared by EWB Canada for discussion at our National Conference in January 2010

2. EWB UKOverview Top five donors (2009): Anglo American UK Government Department for International Development The Royal Academy of Engineering Barclays Capital The Happold Trust

3. EWB UKIssue / Approach What is the main issue you are working to resolve (max 50 words)? The relief of poverty by removing barriers to development. We are creating a new generation of engineers who understand and can respond to the global issues that we are facing. What is your main approach in working through this issue (max 200 words)? We work closely with other development organisations, engineering firms, universities and experienced professionals. We work in a very practical way – the UK is somewhat over-run with large and small international development orgnisations, experts and campaigns asking people to learn more, do more and give more. So we offer people (particularly young engineers) a way to actually do something. For example, our placements programme is essentially a work experience scheme where young engineers can to share specific engineering skills requested by our partners. Our training programme offers weekend courses where people can learn about and build, say, solar cookers, rope & washer pumps or GIS maps of slums. Our bursaries programme gives small grants to fund member’s own projects following peer review (giving other members the chance to learn about donorship). We offer formal and informal education opportunities through our education, outreach and research programmes – the latter of which finds researchers to work on problems identified by partners. So we help our members to learn about development and engineering’s role in it. They then often go on to work for Oxfam, WaterAid, Save the Children, the UN or engineering and consultancy firms involved in major aid and infrastructure projects. As the development sector has professionalised, we are a unique organisation that provides young professionals who have the right understanding and skills to create positive, long-term change.

4. EWB USAGeneral overview Top five donors (2009): ASCE BOEING Google CDM CH2MHILL

5. EWB USAIssue / Approach What is the main issue you are working to resolve (max 50 words)? We are working to eliminate the disconnect between the education of engineers versus the practice of engineering. This disconnect is producing engineers who are not trained in real world skills nor understand that the project is about more than just an implementation. What is your main approach in working through this issue (max 200 words)? Using cross-organizational working groups and forums, we are discussing this issue within the student, professional, and academic groups and it has resulted in many different efforts. These include increased professional mentorship requirements for student projects, a Faculty Leadership Committee to provide additional resources for faculty advisors, an eLearning training forum, and will continue on within discussions this year.

6. EWB CanadaGeneral overview Top five donors (2009): Aeroplan (€50k) Canadian Energy Pipeline Assoc (€ 40k) CIDA (€80) Wardrop / Tetratech (50k) Young Fund (€40k) *Domestic leaders volunteer more than 10 / week

7. EWB CanadaIssue / Approach What is the main issue you are working to resolve (max 50 words)? The overarching problem EWB Canada is trying to solve is the ineffectiveness of the development sector to improved livelihoods of those living in extreme poverty. This is essentially the second tragedy articulated in William Easterly’s White Man’s Burden. • What is your main approach in working through this issue (max 200 words)? • EWB Canada’s approach is to improve design and implement of development programs. Bettering design is done by a connecting between development project designers and the field realities. Specifically connecting NGOs and government to communities. As such EWB Canada places staff in communities for long terms (from 4-40 months) to under stand field realities. Our people are partnered with local organizations to improve the capacity of those organizations. As a result of this work EWB Canada staff gain insights on what is and isn’t working at the implementation level and bring this information to decision makers at the donor and project design levels. EWB Canada believes that bright, passionate and well trained staff working at the local level can improve the implementation of development programs and simultaneously gain insight into lessons for better design of these programs. • The second side of the issue is that western societies and governments are not creating the conditions for success in the economically poor parts of the world. EWB Canada believes that a caring, connected and knowledgeable west population will take actions in their own lives that contribute to positive development outcomes. As such EWB Canada tries to create a sense of global connection.

8. EWB AustraliaIssue / Approach Top five donors (2009): BHP Billiton ARUP Sinclair Knight Menz Worley Parsons John Holkind

9. EWB AustraliaIssue / Approach What is the main issue you are working to resolve (max 50 words)? • What is your main approach in working through this issue (max 200 words)?