Waves of Change Building People Centred Economies May 22 nd , 2008

1. Community Development Service Learning: Connecting Individual and Community Learning to a Greater Social Movement Waves of Change Building People Centred Economies May 22nd, 2008

2. This workshop will: • Invite you into the dialogue on connecting individual and community learning to social change. • Introduce the Community Development Service Learning Initiative • Share the story of CDSL in one Northern British Columbia community

3. What type of social change are you working towards in your community? • What are your assumptions about how learning contributes to social change?

4. Principles of CED • Grassroots • Community-led (conceived & directed locally) • Holistic approach • Long-term

5. Learning for Social Outcomes What kind of learning fosters citizenship? • Learn about ourselves (passions, skills, assets, etc.) • Learn about each other through relationships • Learn about the systems in the community.

6. The Community Development Service Learning Initiative

7. Learning and CED: • This project builds on existing work happening in CED to: • Engage youth; • Develop leadership and build capacity for youth involvement in CED initiatives ; • Mobilize new knowledge that informs policy & practice; • Build partnerships between practitioners, communities and educational institutions .

8. A national initiative to strengthen service learning opportunities in CED organizations for students, build youth engagement in CED, and facilitate effective experiential learning partnerships between community organizations, educational institutions and youth. What is the CDSL Initiative?

9. “Community Service-Learning (CSL) is an educational approach that integrates service in the community with intentional learning activities. Within effective CSL efforts, members of both educational institutions and community organizations work together toward outcomes that are mutually beneficial” Canadian Association for Community Service Learning Service Learning?

10. Community Development Service Learning? • A form of experiential education • People in their neighbourhood or community decide what the learning outcomes and the service need to be. • The learning involves fostering understanding, knowledge and skills outside of the curricula of formal institutions. • Practitioners consciously create learning opportunities for people to engage with each other to bring about change that enhances local life

11. Example of CDSL in the Upper Skeena 1. ENGAGEMENT: Individuals and groups who are normally disengaged…

12. Example of CDSL in the Upper Skeena 2. APPLY SKILLS: Individuals apply knowledge and skills for collective learning and community action

13. Living & Learning in Community Liaison: connect people, learning & service Human capital:the skills & capacities of each member of society Social capital: collective action to increase community social and economic assets

14. Using learning for transformative change: • Conversation • Informed Action • Reflection

15. Objective #1: Build capacity of CED organizations to benefit from community development service learning & contribute to the development of curriculum and programs in formal/non-formal learning organizations that meet community needs. Objectives of the CDSL Initiative

16. Objective #2: Build opportunities for students to engage in effective community development service learning, and network with youth leadership and the CED movement to contribute to social and economic change in Canada. Objectives of the CDSL Initiative

17. Objective #3: Build opportunities for formal/non-formal learning organizations to partner with CED organizations to expand community development service learning opportunities that contribute to community needs and assets. Objectives of the CDSL Initiative

18. Objective #4: Enhance the effectiveness of community development service learning in building community assets and contributing to youth engagement in CED, inclusive of rural, urban, northern, Aboriginal and disadvantaged communities. Objectives of the CDSL Initiative

19. How does the university contribute to the development of active and engaged citizens? How does the Individual learning that happens in an institution connect back to the learning that will benefit community?

20. Tools and Resources Discussion Paper How-To Guide Critical Reflections Paper Digital Stories Peer Learning with Community Partners to test Tools. Kerri Klein [kklein@alumni.sfu.ca] Anne Docherty [adocherty@upperskeena.ca] http://www.ccednet-rcdec.ca Next steps for CDSL Initiative