Public Engagement at CESO

The Volunteer Author
CESO Volunteer Adviser Janet Farrell
July 7, 2006

Janet Farrell enjoyed a successful, 30-years’-plus career in the health care industry in Canada and overseas. From Vice President, Patient Care at Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, a 400-bed community hospital; Vice President Patient Care in a 300-bed continuing care hospital, to the role of Surveyor for the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation, participating in the Association's international program, Janet had effectively hit the pinnacle of her profession. But despite her successful career, by the mid-90s, Janet felt like something was missing. As she puts it, "Yes, it was challenging, yes, it was interesting, and I think I was contributing, but it wasn't much fun anymore."

A chance encounter in the early 1970s while traveling in the Philippines with her husband Al (who is also a CESO volunteer adviser) had armed Janet with some knowledge of the options she could pursue. In the Philippines, she and Al met CESO volunteers on assignment. Of that encounter, she says, "What a wonderful life for retired people, we thought, for executives who have enjoyed long and successful careers, and who feel that they would like to share their knowledge and expertise with the developing world. We decided then and there that 'when we grew up,' that's what we wanted to be!"

So, despite her career achievement, Janet resigned from her position with St. Peter's Hospital, and joined CESO in 1995. Over a decade, Janet has done CESO assignments in Costa Rica, Armenia, Thailand, Estonia and seven separate assignments in Ukraine. Her work in Ukraine is the subject of her 1999, self-published book UKRAINE! What on Earth Am I Doing Here? In 157 pages, Janet describes experiences both unique and universal as she supports a children's rehabilitation centre staff's efforts to improve the centre's services.

One year after a 2004 assignment to Thailand to provide hospital accreditation consulting support, Janet wrote another book, titled A Winding Road to Quality in the Misty Province, relating her experiences in the Mae Hong Son Province in Northern Thailand.

That 88-page book was published by the assignment coordinators, The Institute of Hospital Quality Improvement & Accreditation. In the book's introduction, Dr. Anuwat Supachutikul, the Institute's CEO, writes that A Winding Road is, "an important documentary history between the people of Thailand and Canada in relation to health service since 1995."

A management consultant specializing in hospital administration, Janet currently lives with her husband in Burlington, Ontario. Author of 4 books (two on her volunteer experiences, and two on program management), Janet is a member of the College of Nurses of Ontario, a Fellow of the Canadian College of Health Services Executives and sits as a member of the Fellow’s Council. In recognition of her international volunteer work, Janet is a recipient of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the II’s Golden Jubilee Medal. In her many years of health-care related work, Janet has achieved international recognition for delivering consulting services to a diverse group of clients in Canada, the United States, the Far East, and in Europe, Janet is known for her strengths in governance, strategic planning, quality management, accreditation and continuous quality improvement.

I was bowled over when I found out – only weeks after I started in my role as Public Engagement Officer at CESO in August 2005 – that a CESO volunteer adviser had written a book about her experiences abroad. Talk about Public Engagement! In her book UKRAINE!, Janet covers the bases from first to last, and describes in captivating style the impact individual Canadians (correction, individual human beings) can have in helping to make the world a better place for others. I was curious about Janet. Who is she? What motivated her to write two books about her volunteer experiences? Continue reading for more on her experiences abroad and what motivated her to set pen to paper to write about volunteering overseas.

Patrick Lohier
Public Engagement Officer

Interview with Janet Farrell

PL: Janet – I know that many of the answers to the questions below are in your book UKRAINE! Regardless, many of our readers will not have read the book (hopefully, this profile may lead many of them to read it) and so there may be some redundancy and for that I apologize.

At the start of UKRAINE! you describe what motivated you to leave a very high-profile job in hospital administration. Would you share that with our readers?

JF: Vice President Patient Services is a demanding and high-level job. As such my working hours began early in the morning and frequently went on into the evening. In the mid 1990’s my husband accepted a very early retirement. We found that there was a great imbalance in our lives as he now had free time, which he could control. At this time I was too young to consider early retirement myself and after a year of indecision, decided to resign my position and “hang out my shingle” as a consultant, then I too, could have some control of my work activities and hopefully be involved in volunteer work.

PL: You lived and worked in Hong Kong for the Red Cross in the late 1960s and you also traveled extensively with your husband. How did living and working abroad affect your world view?

JF: Our early experience at living and traveling abroad has certainly changed us both. We became far more interested in the ‘greater world” outside of North America and I learned that when traveling as a tourist, one does not get to truly understand the country you are visiting. Whereas, by living in a foreign country one begins to learn and understand the culture and the people. It certainly taught me to be a more tolerant person and I don’t get excited about the little things that are not so important anymore. Especially from my experience in Ukraine, that taught me how fortunate I am to be born in this country and in times of peace and times of plenty.

PL: You write, in the opening pages of UKRAINE!, that your philosophy is that life "is pretty darn short". How does that philosophy inform your day-to-day life both in Canada and when you are overseas?

JF: I do believe that life is pretty darn short and to coin another phrase, “We pass this way but once.” What a shame to be here and not make the most of it. I hear people complaining about their situation in life, but they do not seem to realize that they are the only ones that can do something about it. Making the most of life to me means that life should be fulfilling and meaningful, interesting and fun, and I should be able to make some kind of contribution to others.

This philosophy first led me to resign my full time occupation as Vice President in a local hospital. As a consultant I knew that I could have more control over my life and what I wanted to do. At that time, I had no idea that accepting assignments from CESO would have such a positive impact on my life.

This philosophy also affects my response to opportunities that present themselves wherever I am. If I am asked if I want to do something that I have not done before, I will probably respond positively because I may never have another opportunity in my life time.

PL: UKRAINE! is about your work in support of the Dzherelo Children's Rehabilitation Centre in Lviv, Ukraine. Would you tell our readers a little bit about the Centre? What do they do there?

JF: In Ukraine, I worked with a school/rehabilitation centre, for children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders. This was shortly after Ukraine had obtained independence. While under the Soviet System, children with disabilities were not allowed to go to school as other children do. The parents did not believe this to be correct. They felt that their children should have the opportunity to go to school, to learn and grow. When the country obtained independence, the parents decided to establish a school, including a physical rehabilitation program. One of the parents was appointed as director. The problem was that they did not know how to establish this centre or make it move forward to achieve the goals they had in mind. They applied to CESO for a volunteer to help them.

PL: What were you assigned to do when you first went to the Dzherelo Children's Rehabilitation Centre?

JF: On the first visit, the application described that the client wanted assistance with "organization development." I was not sure what they meant by that, but in the end, I led them through a strategic planning process and through seven subsequent visits spread over the next five-years, assisted them in carrying out the strategies. My husband also became involved in this project as he had the skills to make adjustments to the children’s wheelchairs so that they could sit more comfortably and be more independent. After much teaching, coaching, mentoring (always through an interpreter) and just plain hard work, the Centre developed a mission and vision statements, by-laws, a formal board and management structure, new and innovative programs for the children. The centre is now attracting national and international acclaim. It has become a model for other communities in Ukraine and has been visited by the Ambassadors there from both Canada and England, the First Lady of Ukraine and the children of this centre actually sang in a local church for Hilary Clinton when she visited in 1997.

PL: Ukraine was a part of the former Soviet Union. Throughout UKRAINE! you do a wonderful job of illustrating how the spectre of the Soviet Union still affects people's way of thinking in Ukraine today. For example you describe your Ukrainian colleague Mykola's reaction when you ask for input to the strategic plan you put together. He says, "This is very difficult for us because we are used to being told what to do and not to question direction." Later you describe one bureaucrat you encounter as "a typical Soviet authoritarian." How do you think your work in Ukraine may have had an impact on that mindset?

JF: I think that it takes a long time to change mindset, however, here is one example of a change in mind set brought about by this program: There is one chapter in my book entitled” The Lady.” This chapter describes encounters with the bureaucracy and their resistance to change. The woman who controlled the admission of students to the school system in Lviv posed a real road block to the success of the school and the lives of the disabled children. Over the course of several years, this same woman has now become a staunch supporter of the program. I believe that the credit for this should go to Myroslav, who is the Director of the Dzherelo Children’s Rehabilitation centre. In his quiet and determined way, and his commitment to the disabled children, he has the ability to win people over and influence their thinking.

PL: One particular aspect of UKRAINE! that I found fascinating are the close ties and team that you formed with some of your colleagues there. You called yourselves the "Group of Four". Are you still on contact with Myroslav, Zenia, Oksana and Mykola? What are they doing now?

JF: Yes, I certainly do remain in contact with the "Group of Four." Today, these four people continue to function as the Board for the Children’s Centre. In their own persistent and idealistic ways, they continue to influence the future of this new and independent country – Ukraine.

The Dzherelo Children’s Rehabilitation Centre is a model that is influencing the government in policy development relating to the education and rehabilitation of children with disabilities in Ukraine. Perhaps not to the degree that is required, but it is at least change in the right direction.

Regarding each of this group, Myroslav, continues as Director of the Centre. In his quiet, patient and politically astute manner he has the skills to articulate the compassion and belief that he feels for the children. This is complimented by a personality that inspires confidence, loyalty and action and he is often able to influence others in order to remove some barriers that are experienced. He has now graduated from the Master’s program that he was attending in Kyiv. Through it, he has gained knowledge that is directly transferable to his leadership position at Dzherelo.

Oksana and Zenia, together with Mykola continue their diligent work in support of Dzherelo.

Oksana, being a Canadian born physiotherapist, continues to provide expert consultation to the Ukrainian educated therapists, as well as advice and council to the programming of the Centre.

Mykola, who has always been a bit of an activist continues to support Dzherelo and continues his efforts to sensitize Ukraine to the needs of disabled persons.

Colourful and flamboyant Zenia, has been successful in attracting substantial international donations for the Centre. In addition to her commitment to Dzherelo, she has been a driving force in establishing “Faith and Light” communities in Western Ukraine.

PL: Altogether, you've written four books: one on your experiences in Ukraine, one on your experiences in Thailand, and two "professional" books on management. How did you get the writing bug?

JF: I am not sure where my writing bug came from. In all four of these books, I seemed to feel compelled to share my experience with others.

PL: What is your writing process like?

JF: When I began the experience that each of these books relates, I had no idea at the time that I would later write a book. After successfully decentralizing my hospital department and enjoying the benefits that were the outcome, I knew that my colleagues in other hospitals could benefit if I shared my experience with them. Hence, my first book. In my second book, I was able to document the experience relating to the move to a program management structure. To develop the content I conducted literature searches and combined this with my personal experience.

With my last two books, “Ukraine” What on Earth am I doing Here?” and “A Winding Road to Quality in the Misty Province,” I also did not have a book in mind when I started these projects. In Ukraine, I was astounded by some of the things that I was learning about the experiences of the Ukrainian people while under the Soviet system. I was especially interested in how it changed the people and their way of thinking. Each time I learned something new, I would make a notation for myself. I called this “lessons learned.” It was from these notations and my experiences that the book developed.

For both of the last two books, I think that the most difficult aspect of writing was how to structure the book. How to present the story in a way that would be entertaining to my readers? For each of these, I probably thought about the structural aspects for several months before I finally decided how I would approach them.

PL: How have people responded to your books on volunteering?

JF: The first book on volunteering brought an overwhelming response from the Canadian/Ukrainian community. I was invited to be guest speaker at many events and signed books for those who wished to make a purchase. I had inserted my name, address, phone and e-mail addresses in that book and I am pleased that I did, because many people called me to ask more questions or to share an experience that they had had.

My second book on volunteering, “A Winding Road to Quality in the Misty Province,” has just been printed. This was actually done in Thailand in March 2006. While I was in Thailand, there was a large National Conference related to the work that I do there. It was attended by more than 5000 delegates, and hosted members from hospitals that I visit in Thailand. The gift for each of the guest speakers was a copy of this book. The book will also be distributed to the hospitals that I have visited in Thailand.

PL: You also write at the start of UKRAINE! that you hope the book will give readers courage to open the door to a new chapter of their lives. In your case, the door was the door to the world of volunteer service. How would you characterize that particular door -- volunteerism -- to someone who hasn't experience it and who hasn't read your book?

JF: I think that the door that I opened and stepped through was like a leap of faith. I knew that stopping full time employment was a risk because there was always the possibility that I might not be successful as a consultant. Also, I knew that the projects that I would face would be challenging, but I really did not know what to expect.

You ask how I would characterize the door of volunteerism. For me, this door provided entrance to excitement and adventure. It gave me the opportunity to stretch and test my consulting skills as they have never been stretched or tested before. Applying consulting skill in a language other than English and in another cultural setting is a different challenge entirely.

It has also given me the opportunity to develop close friendships with people whose lives have been so different from ours and to admire their commitment to what they believe. I also have the satisfaction of knowing that I have provided education and information that will remain of value to them for years to come.

PL: At the beginning of Part 2 of UKRAINE!, you note that CESO was supportive of your repeat assignment when you went back to Ukraine. Ultimately, you were able to do seven assignments in support of the Dzherelo Children's Rehabilitation Centre. What are the advantages of repeat assignments?

JF: I think that an important point to realize is that the volunteer is also on a learning curve. How could I help them unless I understood what their goals were for their organization? I also needed to understand about the barriers that they were experiencing in trying to achieve these goals. Therefore, especially in the initial one-month assignment I was learning a great deal.

In this particular project, CESO was most supportive of it being a repeat assignment. CESO had apparently experienced that the initial visit alone is not always sufficient to bring about the required and sustainable results. Returning to Ukraine six months later on my second assignment, I reviewed with them the progress made on the actions that we had identified to be accomplished in the strategic plan. To my dismay, not much had been done. Then through further discussions, I learned that there were many things that they did not understand. They were lacking the knowledge and skills and did not know how to bring about the necessary changes. Then I knew that I must embark on a major educational endeavor if the strategic plan would be successfully implemented.

PL: You've now been working in the volunteer sector for over a decade. How effective do you think volunteer organizations are at contributing to international development? What are the advantages and disadvantages of sending a volunteer abroad as compared to sending paid consultants or development professionals abroad?

JF: I believe that volunteers have the opportunity to be more effective than paid consultants. For example, due to the way volunteers live in the various countries, we live closer to the people of that country. We usually must shop at the markets to buy and prepare our own meals and we are often invited to participate in family type activities with the family of the client. Therefore, we develop a better understanding of the culture and the people and have an opportunity to develop closer relationships. Also, in my experience particularly in the former Soviet Union, developing trust is not always easy and I believe a volunteer has a better chance at doing that than a paid consultant.

To obtain a copy of UKRAINE! What On Earth Am I Doing Here? contact Janet Farrell at jmfarrell@cogeco.ca. Copies are $15.00 each and proceeds go to the Dzherelo Children’s Rehabilitation Centre in Ukraine.