World ORT Departments

29.03.12

For your information, we have listed the different departments that work within the Administrative Headquarters based in London. Education and Technology Department The Education and Technology Department directs and monitors ORT activities in the Former Soviet Union and monitors educational programmes in other countries. The Department oversees ORT schools in Russia and Eastern Europe and supports Jewish schools in the UK. Jewish education programmes are supported at all ORT centres and taught alongside the regular curriculum. All centres are connected to ORTnet to provide access to ORT’s own Jewish education resources as well as other Jewish resources on the Internet. Information Technology (IT) plays a key role in support of ORT programmes. The Department is responsible for a number of projects bringing Internet and multimedia resources both to ORT and to others throughout the world. The most widely known being Navigating the Bible II. It also has an IT support role at the WO Administrative offices and runs ORTnet. International Cooperation Department Through its varied programmes of skills training and self-help projects, ORT provides assistance in economic development for some of the most impoverished and disadvantaged communities in the world, bringing them hope, dignity and an enhanced quality of life. IC consists of three regional offices in Geneva, London & Washington which have implemented more than 300 technical assistance projects in 84 countries over the past 40 years. Over the years, IC developed its training and technical assistance capabilities in response to the constantly changing donor environment and sector priorities, and developed projects which include a local capacity building component in order to ensure sustainability. ORT currently receives support from the following major donors: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Swiss Department of Cooperation for Development & Aid (DDC), the European Commission, the World Bank and the African Development Bank, as well as corporations and foundations. All of the projects managed by the Washington office have been competitively won, whereas Genevas portfolio consists of a mixture of competitively won and sole sourced. Details of ICD projects International Liaison Department World ORTs International Liaison Department facilitates channels of communication between World ORTs London office and its National Directors, lay leaders and professionals around the world. As such the International Liaison Department sees itself as consultant to its national organizations and responsible for providing every possible means of backup whether it by way of advice, informative materials or publications. The International Liaison Department provides an exchange of information on new programmes and budgetary concerns and provides a comprehensive and updated picture of all developments, activities and events around the ORT globe. The department is made up of a number of desks: CIS and Baltic States, Missions and Seminars, North America, New York Representative Office, Public Relations and World ORT Archive. The International Liaison Department is also responsible for organizing missions to countries with ORT activities as an act of solidarity and to give ORT members and supporters a first hand look at what is being achieved thanks to their support. Details of International Liaison activities can be found under ‘WO Resources’ and ‘Projects – Missions’.