A PUBLICATION OF THE ALBERTA COUNCIL FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION
V O L U M E
WINTER 2015
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Educator Profile: Kim Jacklin Kim Jacklin teaches Social Studies and Cosmetology at Parkland Composite High School (PCHS) in Edson, Alberta. She is actively involved with ACGC, and she serves as the department head for Career and Technology Studies at her school. She works closely with PCHS’s Environmental Politics and Ethics course, as a social studies advisor. In addition, she serves as the PCHS’s Health and Wellness representative and works on health education policy and action for her school and her school division. Kim has always had a passion for social studies. She takes particular interest in the relationship between various historical narratives and students’ empathy regarding historical and current events. In her mind, students’ participation in global citizenship is a forum to help
build empathy for people on both a local and a global level. Empathy is an important aspect of understanding social issues, as it helps people understand the behavior of others. Kim uses storytelling and narrative to help students understand the perspectives of others. Documentaries, interviews, photo essays and literature are infused within her social studies classes to develop multiple perspectives on difficult social issues. Kim challenges her students to consider the ‘ripple effect’ that one’s actions may have on others. She encourages students to think critically about the deliberate and inadvertent consequences of consumerism, environmentalism, foreign relations and humanitarianism. Last July, Kim had the opportunity to participate in ACGC’s Global Citizenship Summer Institute at the University of Alberta. The institute was an amazing opportunity for her to build relationships with ACGC
and other teachers around the province, as well as deepen her understanding of what global citizenship is and how it can be used to build awareness, to promote inquiry and to problem-solve in a social studies context. As an educator in rural Alberta, it was interesting to see that some of the concerns surrounding student engagement and activism in her community are also issues that other teachers encounter in more urban centres. In her quest to build student empathy as an approach to global citizenship, Kim hopes to continue to offer multiple perspectives on social issues that will affect students on both the local and global level. In collaboration with the Environmental Education teachers, she hopes to bring awareness to the societal implications of climate change on a local and global level. She is excited to learn more about global citizenship and to weave it within her teaching practice.
Change Your World Tour 2015: South Africa! Do you know an outstanding and engaged youth in grades 9-12, involved in social justice and interested in international development? Nominate them to participate in the Change Your World: Alberta Youth Leadership Tour to South Africa this July! The Change Y our W orld Tour is an opportunity for five Alberta youth to learn about health and community development in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where Keiskamma Canada Foundation and their
partner, Keiskamma Trust, operate. Through this experience, youth will learn more about the work being done and how they can continue to be involved in international development, locally and globally. To top it off, the tour is completely free for participants! Nominations are open from 17 February—1 April. Learn about Keiskamma on page 3 of this newsletter, or visit www.acgc.ca!
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Parkland Composite High students learn about global disparity
In November, Parkland Composite High School students in Social Studies 10 engaged in the interactive activity titled W orld of 100 as a part of their Flex Project day. Flex Project days emphasize hands-on experiential learning for students, while meeting curricular outcomes in their core and CTS subject areas. The W orld of 100 activity demonstrates the impact of global disparity by comparing countries around the world according to criteria such as income, food availability, clean water access, mortality, and military weapons. Students were very surprised at how unequal the world’s resources are distributed globally, and were shocked at how much more economic and resource wealth a country like Canada has as opposed to a country such as Burma. The activity inspired students to ask questions like, “How do we solve this problem?” and, “Why is the world so unequal?” The students were motivated to learn more about social equity and justice issues that are the root causes of global disparity. Teachers Nicole Berube and Kim Jacklin of PCHS are currently working with ACGC to develop follow-up activities, which will provide students the opportunity to explore these questions further. The goal is to have students examine some of the causes of social inequity on both the local and global levels. The W orld of 100 was created by the Global, Environment, and Outdoor Education Council and is available on their website: www.geoec.org/
2015 International Development Week Inspire your students during International Development Week, 1-7 February, with stories from ACGC’s 4th Annual Top 30 Under 30 Magazine! This year’s magazine features extraordinary young people from South Africa to Bragg Creek, from Peru to Fort McMurray, who are engaging themselves and others in the fight for a more just and sustainable future for everyone. The magazine is viewable online on ACGC’s website. Limited printed copies are available by making a request to communications@acgc.ca.
More Opportunities! Teachers’ Conventions: ACGC will have a booth at the Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention on 27-28 of February, and at the Calgary City Teachers’ Convention on the 12-13th of February. Come by and gather resources from ACGC staff! Global, Environmental & Outdoor Education Council of A.T.A. Conference May 1-3, 2015, at the Palisades Stewardship Educational Centre in Jasper National Park. For more information contact conference@geoec.org or visit www.geoec.org. Diversity, Equity and Human Rights DEHR Conference: March 13-14, 2015 at Barnett House, Edmonton. Conference with keynote speaker, Darren Lund, discussing the importance of promoting equity and the acceptance of differences within schools and communities. Please contact your local ATA president for registration information
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Alberta Youth to Visit South Africa’s Eastern Cape Nestled along the rural, wind-swept coast of South Africa’s district, initially working to provide much-needed ARVs to Eastern Cape, a vibrant community organization, the people infected with the virus. Today, the health initiative Keiskamma Trust, is enriching and encouraging healthy has expanded into a comprehensive community health families, individuals, and entire program active in 47 villages and in villages. The Keiskamma Trust has partnership with government clinics, worked in the Peddie South District of focusing on primary health and the Eastern Cape, South Africa, for reducing the burden of preventable over ten years, providing innovative disease. Money provided by the and multi-faceted community Canadian government has further development projects that together helped in the employment of village provide holistic support and health workers to increase the intervention for the region’s mainly diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS Xhosa population. The Trust is and TB. supported in Alberta by ACGC’s member organization, the Keiskamma On top of this, the Trust also offers Above: Community Garden in Hamburg Canada Foundation, who have been educational opportunities for over 700 Below: Tapestry made as part of the given the opportunity to host the children and youth in the region Trust’s Art Project Change Your World: Alberta Youth through the creation of four centers. Leadership Tour to this region this Programs range from pre-school early July. childhood development and afterschool care for younger children, all In 2000, the Trust’s founder, Dr Carol the way to ICT training, life-skills Hofmeyr began to work in the village workshops and career guidance for of Hamburg, at the mouth of the youth in their late-teens and early 20s. Keiskamma River. Her combined A music academy has also grown to skills as a medical doctor, creative fine include over 100 students between -artist, as well as her passion for human ages 8 - 17, who have the opportunity rights, transformed the lives of the to learn multiple instruments and people she worked with and taught. perform concerts locally and Those qualities still inform and nationally. Such opportunities underlie everything that the Trust provide the youth with a wider endeavours to do today. worldview, extending the students beyond the confines of their poor rural Dr. Hofmeyr’s first act was to start a fabric art project to setting, and giving them confidence and belief in their own provide the community with work and income generation power and ability. for approximately 150 women and men. The awardwinning textile works, ceramics, bead and wire-works The Change Your World: Alberta Youth Leadership Tour created by the villagers showcase the region’s culture, is a wonderful opportunity for five selected students to environment, heritage and daily experience. This project learn about the Trust’s work, engage with the community’s has enabled families to have a stable income for over ten students and their supporters, and learn how partnership years, in an area where unemployment rates are over 80%. allows everyone to learn and grow. If you know a youth that would benefit from this tour, you can find out more While the art project remains the back-bone of the Trust’s and download a nomination form by visiting www.acgc.ca. work, other programs have sprung up in the region. The Nominations are open from 17 February – 1 April. trust spearheaded the fight against HIV/AIDS in their
The Keiskamma Canada Foundation: www.keiskammacanada.com The Keiskamma Trust: www.keiskamma.org/
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Featured Resource: Water for Life: Water Kit Teachers working to educate students on water issues may be interested in obtaining a copy of Mission of Mercy Canada’s Water for Life Water Kit. Created by Edmonton Public School Board teacher Jessica Carr, the kit connects the Alberta curricular focus of global awareness and citizenship, with the BioSand Filter project implemented by Mission of Mercy Canada. Mrs. Carr incorporated this curriculum into her Grade 3 classroom at Ormbsy Elementary School in September. These students, along with Grade 10 students at Lillian Osborne High School, then completed a 5 km walkathon to raise support for Mission of Mercy Canada’s BioSand Filter Project. While the kit can be adapted to all grade levels, it is particularly pertinent to Grade 3 in order to supplement their studies about India. Contact info@missionofmercy.ca to obtain a copy.
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ACGC CURRENT MEMBERSHIP February 2015 Action International Ministries ˑ Ainembabazi Children’s Project ˑ Alberta Teachers’ Association ˑ Altamas for Peace and Development Association ˑ Bridges of Hope International Network of Development Agencies ˑ Calgary Board of Education Global Learning Program ˑ Canada World Youth ˑ Canadian Association for Participatory Development ˑ Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace ˑ Canadian Department of Peace Initiative ˑ Canadian Humanitarian Organization for international Reliefˑ Canadian Moravian Mission Society ˑ Canadian Peacemakers International ˑ Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistanˑ Caro-Canadians Reaching Out to the World's Children Foundation ˑ CAUSE Canada ˑ CEIBA Association ˑ Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology ˑ Centre for Global Citizenship Education and Research ˑ Change for Children Association ˑ Crossroads Christian Communicatioins Inc ˑ Cuso International ˑ Energy4Everyone Foundation ˑ Engineers Without BordersCanada ˑ Ghost River Rediscovery ˑ Global Education Program, University of Alberta International ˑ Human Development Foundation ˑ International Centre for Development Learning ˑ John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights ˑ Keiskamma Canada Foundation ˑ Light Up the World ˑ Maharashtra Seva Samiti Organization ˑ Mahatma Gandhi Canadian Foundation for World Peace ˑ Marda Loop Justice Film Festival ˑ Mennonite Central Committee Alberta ˑ Micah Centre— King University College ˑ Minkha Knitters Cooperative ˑ Mission of Mercy ˑ One Child's Village ˑ One! International Poverty Relief ˑ Operation Eyesight Canada ˑ Optometry Giving Sight ˑ Oxfam Canada ˑ Rainbow for the Future ˑ Rainbow of Hope for Children ˑ ReadAfrica ˑ Rotary Club of Edmonton ˑ Sahakarini Inter-World Education & Development Association ˑ Samaritan's Purse Canada ˑ Sinkunia Community Development Organization ˑ Somali-Canadian Education & Rural Development Organization ˑ Sombrilla International Development Society ˑ STOP TB Canada ˑ Sustainable East African Education & Development Society of Alberta ˑ True Vision Ghana ˑ United Nations Association in Canada ˑ Women's Empowerment International Foundation ˑ