"A Village to Raise a Child" A new VV group??

by Scott Clark on Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 9:51pm

In 1992, the United Nations adopted the Rio Earth Summit, otherwise known as Agenda 21, within the document there is a directive on signatory governments to create or develop local Agenda 21s that embrace local action plans for achievement of sustainable development within the Agenda 21 framework. This is requesting new structures, practices and styles of governance that involve an inform civic community. This is to promote the "think globally act locally" mantra. This requires an ongoing active learning city and engaged civic community.

Without getting bogged down in definitions, there is a need to work through processes of collective deliberation for issues of mutual learning. if sustainability is the goal then education is the process to attain it. 2004-2014 is the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD). In chapter 36 of Agenda 21, it stipulates 4 actions, 1, improving access to quality education, 2, reorienting existing education to address sustainable development, 3, develop public awareness and understanding of sustainable development and, 4, providing training programs. The UN believes it is important to create Global Learning Space through the United Nations University and this could be used to support Regional Centres of Expertise to promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

There is much debate about the concept ESD, for my purposes it includes both the environment and social issues for justice, these issues are inextricably linked. In order to avoid reductionist analyses, it is important to set the process of ESD with action oriented learning, meaning it involves members from the community who are action oriented, willing to adopt transformative attitudes and social learning. This enables participatory action research to guide place based strategies.

Transformative learning is the highest form as it involves all levels of learning as follows, adaptive learning which leaves the basic values unexamined and unchanged, 2, critically reflective learning, where we examine the values of the first level of learning and 3, the creative deep awareness of alternative world views and ways of doing things. It is believed that transformative learning is the best way of learning in a democratic communities-system of enquiry.

The planning for sustainability requires the inclusion of social, economic and environmental issues to be viewed and worked on collectively if we are to develop a holistic, longterm, place based, problem solving model that is founded on inclusive participatory action oriented research and learning. The methodology will require a shift from the mainstream academic method, to one that embraces critical theory, mutual learning, Indigenous knowledge, communication (two-way) and must be largely done in the community (place based principle). This can encourage citizen participation and education which be required to make long term sustainable development change possible. Hard to reach ethnic communities are more likely to react positively to this type of planning.

Place based is a central premise of Agenda 21. The concept of place based is critical to understand if the goals of participatory action research is desired and long term holistic sustainability. Sense of place, is in regards to the persons place of residence (community), the individual has a place identity, which has social and cultural significance to them, this is often influenced by variables such as group self-concepts and one's self esteem.

Each place, is impacted by place making, which is social processes, which create, reproduce identities of place through the manipulation of activities, feelings, meanings all which combine to the place identity. A sense of place can be either positive or negative and we are likely to behave in a way which is responsible in a place which we valorize. The goal of sustainable development must be one which wants to enhance the development of place attachment. through participatory action research we could collectively build up the social capital of people and communities.

As we are global citizens, living in in a global tide of corporate capitalism, it is important we develop our global sense of self and place and use it to develop counter culture discourses for sustainable development. This global sense of self and place must extend from neighbourhood, urban, regional, national and transnational and be accompanied with a philosophy which values and practices the synergizes social, economic, Indigenous,multi cultural, ecological and spiritual concerns. This place based education or pedagogies of place assist in developing the learners place in the global community.

Schools are are an excellent place to start to bring together stakeholders in partnership because they are the nexus to the broader community. These communities are the most promising for developing sustainability planning, as many environmental and social justice issues are debated within the community. This could reinvigorate a sense of community and involve all community an opportunity to promote constructive, proactive and meaningful input into sustainable development, keeping in mind the global context.

The city level is the next level that has to be considered for it's ecological footprint is notoriously bad as it must transform its ways to become sustainable. The social context within the city is also important as we see homelessness, health issues, inequalities and so forth. Cities that are committed to becoming learning cities and push the environmental and social issues agenda all the while keeping in mind the global context can have profound positive impact on the issues we face. 

The next level, regional is equally important as both social and environmental issues are not bounded by artificial lines drawn on maps. Although the layers of bureaucracy and accountability are much more complexed at this level, this enables different cities to try different approaches to meet the challenges it faces within its boundaries.These strategies all contribute to the development of place based identity and economic and social sustainable development within the context of Agenda 21. in each of these layers, it is possible to build, verticle, horizontal and lateral linkages between the formal and informal educational institutions to develop economic and social cohesion for sustainable development.

In regards to VAN BC here are some of our facebook and video links:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/VAN-BC-Vancouver-Alliance-Network-Com...

W2TV: VAN BC Special #1 (listed as 59:45)
 
Taped February 13, 2011 at the Vancouver Alliance Network Because We Care (VAN BC) event titled Where Change Happens. 
 
Features comments by:
Mike Harcourt - former BC Premier and Vancouver Mayor 
Jean Swanson - Carnegie Community Action Project 
Darcie Bennett - Pivot Legal Society 
Fern Jeffries - Inner City Response Initiative
Roberta Dawn Kennedy - Haida Storyteller
 
Repeat broadcast on Shaw cable 4: 
Friday, March 4  @ 2-3am 
Saturday, March 5 @ 1-2am 
Saturday, March 5 @ 2-3pm

The raw footage of the whole event plus outline:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=8D9717E1113FD510

Openning Prayer" Rose Point, Musqueam Nation

9:00am

VAN BC Welcoming: Scott Clark (MC)

9:15am

Public Education, organizer Noel Herron

1) Jane Bouey, VSB school trustee

2) Noel Herron, former VSB principal

3) Christine Stewart, Van Tech teacher

Moderator: Halesia Luke, member of Save Our Schools (SOS) coalition

9:30 - 10:30

Housing and homelessness, organizer Am Johal

Speakers: 

1) Jean Swanson, Carnegie Community Action Project

2) Rider Cooey, City-Wide Housing Coalition

3) Darcie Bennett, Pivot Legal Society

10:30- 11:30

Child and Family, organizer Grace Tait

Speakers 

1) Fern Jefferies

2) Ernie Crey 

3) Richer Initative: Vivan Nawrocki, NP(F)

11:30- 12:30

Yves Trudel of United way introcudes:

Former Premier Mike Harcourt

Place Based Initiatives/Social, econmic, and ecological sustainability

 12:30- 1:00

Political Panel, organizer Scott Clark

Speakers:

1) City Councilor: David Cadman COPE

2) Provincial: MLA Jenny Kwan

3) Federal: MP Libby Davies 

Moderator: Yves Trudel of the Untied Way

1:00- 2:00

Women's Panel, organizer Karen Gilchrist

Speakers: 

1) Patricia E. Aguilar-Zeleny, Bachelor in Economics, M.A. in Urban Development, Ph.D. in Geography and M.A. Student in Women Studies (project is on lone mothers, transport and urban policy) 

2) Carol Muree Martin Victim service worker DTES 

& Missing women's March Feb 14th memorial march. 

3) Asia Czapska, Justice for Girls  http://www.justiceforgirls.org/justicesystemmonitoring/index.html

2:00- 3:00

Environment Panel, organizer Bill Lightbown

Speakers: 

1) Environment Ben  ben@wildernesscommitteee.org

2) Don Staniford: Salmon are Sacred  http://www.salmonaresacre/      

3) Nakuset Ansaléwit (Nikki Gould): Multimedia Youth Representative

3:00- 4:00

Arts and Culture, organizer Gunargie O'Sulivan 

Speakers: 

1) Jay Peachy: Mental Health Advocate for the Arts  www.jpeachygallery.com

2) Jeska SlaterFriendship Center Event Coordinator, Founder of Young Warriors 

3) Nyla Carpentier: Full Circle performance artist.

4:00- 5:00