Roots of Renewal: Sustainable Agriculture and Community Development in Morelos, Mexico
This project, a partnership between VIDEA and the Centro de Encuentros y Diálogos (CED), contributed to sustainable development in three rural communities:Tlaltizapan, Zacatepec, and Temixco in the state of Morelos, in central Mexico. The project integrated environmental conservation with social and economic objectives, and focused on providing training and support for indigenous women in the small-scale production of organic produce.
Beyond the benefits to CED, VIDEA and the community participants, this project helped support the emerging organic farming movement in Mexico. The project improved the level of healthy nutrition for women, children and families in the project communities and it provided opportunities for rural women to organize, contribute to family income and play an important role in their community.
This project provided an important link between the emerging Mexican organic farming movement and the already well established organic farming network on southern Vancouver Island. The project has the potential to become a model for small-scale community economic development initiatives, integrating social, economic and environmental concerns.
CIDA Youth Internship Project-1998-2000
This project built on the second year of an international development and education program based in Canada and Mexico - empowered by a partnership developed with the Centro de Encuentros y Diálogos (CED) in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
The objective was to provide two Canadian interns with hands-on community economic development experience in both a northern and southern context. The interns developed skills in language, global and popular education, facilitation and participatory planning, as well as in project management. In 1999, VIDEA's interns worked to develop a micro-credit program that provided small loans and support to small-scale businesses. They also researched the marketing of organic produce grown by a network of small-scale organic producers.
In 2000, VIDEA's interns contributed to the development of small backyard organic community gardens. They worked directly with approximately twenty women in Temimilcingo, near Cuernavaca, Mexico. In doing so, they assisted local women and indigenous people to develop their own economic voice in the marketplace, and developed an economic model for other communities.
Community Currencies-1998-2000
Parallel Currency Systems and Community Development in Mexico & Argentina
Community currencies allow people to purchase and sell goods and services independently of the national currency. Such currencies are generally seen as providing alternative employment strategies and "community mutual aid" amongst marginalized and unemployed individuals and households-and a new strategy for integrating the local economy. Perhaps the best known community currency is the Local Exchange Trading System (LETS), which was initiated in Canada in 1983. There are now over 2000 such systems operating in 15 countries, most of them in industrially developed economies.
A growing interest in community currencies in the southern half of the hemisphere led VIDEA, with a grant from the International Development Research Council (IDRC), to support a research project on the use of community currencies in the developing world. This research focused on the Tianguis Tlaloc, a community currency system in central Mexico, run by the Promocion del Desarrollo Popular AC. The Tianguis Tlaloc is a currency valued in units of time, with a corresponding Mexican Peso and US Dollar value. Goods and services can be traded through the network, with the primary focus on knowledge exchange and basic needs. The Tianguis Tlaloc circulates on a pilot project basis in several southern Mexican States, including Michoacan, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosi and Tlaxcala. Variants of the system can be found in Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina.
The research examines the degree of participation in the Tlaloc system by individuals within the community, and identifies social and technological barriers. The report, published in 1999, is available at:
For more information about the use of parallel currencies in community development in Mexico and Argentina, and in other countries, including Thailand, Japan, Senegal and Honduras, visit:
The Essential Guide to Global Citizenship introduces the concept and responsibility of global citizenship, institutions of global cooperation and governance, international trade institutions, and people's organizations. It can be accessed at www.videa.ca/global .
In this site, you'll find what you need to start becoming a global citizen. There's information about how the world works, and you'll also meet Global Heroes - people who are improving the quality of life on this planet. You'll be presented with many perspectives, but it's up to you to draw your own conclusions. After all, critical thinking is an essential skill for any global citizen. Background information, case studies, action ideas, and resources are provided for dealing with coffee markets, International Monetary Fund loans, AIDS TB & Malaria, global poverty, agricultural subsidies, global warming, consumerism, the World Trade Organization, Talisman Energy and the Sudan, and religious violence in India.
Global Citizens Project
Everything we buy has a story behind it, and that story is too often associated with economic exploitation and environmental and social destruction.
The Global Citizens project is focused on educating Canadians about issues related to the globalization of production, trade and consumption.
The emphasis is on the exploration of various related themes, including global economics and trade, international cooperation, civil society and democratic development, human rights, environment and sustainability, food security, and gender.
The project motivates people to move along the continuum from awareness to education, analysis, empowerment, and informed action on global issues. The objective is to offer available and concrete choices that empower individuals to make a difference in their everyday lives.
As part of this project, VIDEA published a series of booklets and a Teacher/Facilitator Guide, aimed at secondary school students and the general public. They are designed to provide basic information in order to assist consumers in making ethical choices about what they purchase. The booklets are based on travelling through the mall, with a focus on clothing, shoes and toys, as part of our Sweatshop series.
Global Youth is about global citizenship, youth empowerment, and sustainable societies. The project provides pre-employment training and career counselling to a team of youth participants between the ages of 18 and 30, focusing on work experience and the design and delivery of educational programs.
Participants are linked with selected Victoria community organizations and schools. Project participants develop practical skills in community organizing, group facilitation, project management, entrepreneurship, leadership, and communications technology.
VIDEA's Global Youth project combines interactive learning, innovative methodologies, and practical work experience with the opportunity for youth participants to apply their skills and knowledge in a mentorship relation with peers and educators. In engaging their peers as facilitators, Global Youth provides students and teachers with opportunities to integrate issues of global sustainability, food security, community economic development, consumerism, fair trade, and local action into the classroom.
This project develops important links between experience, learning, action and employment. The project was previously called YouthSpeaks, and typically the program runs for 6 months of the year. For more information please contact the coordinator and participants at globalyouth@videa.ca or Lynn Thornton at info@videa.ca .
Teacher Resource Package, Workshops & Support
Teacher Resource Package - this comprehensive package aims to support teachers from first introduction of global issues into the classroom through to in depth analysis of issues. Included in the package are:
Teaching Global Issues - this loose leaf hand out style resource acts as a starting place for your class. Through a series of analysis, key concepts and activities you are guided through lessons on; media literacy, peace and conflict, consumerism and trade, human rights and sustainable development. A great resource to get you started!
Global Learner Series - for those who wish to dig deeper into global issues, this package includes two resources from the VIDEA Global Learner Series.
Sweatshop Series - included in the package is one copy from the VIDEA Sweatshop Series and the accompanying Facilitators' Guide. These allow for detailed analysis of sweatshop issues and complete the programme of learning from introduction to global issues, through to thorough analysis.
Copies of the Teacher Resource Package are available from j.kopp@videa.ca .
Curriculum Database - source other materials you need through the VIDEA curriculum database. Go on-line to access information on over 70 current global issues learning resources each one linked individually to BC learning outcomes. Access the database at www.videa.ca/curric .
Teacher workshops - In support of this project VIDEA offers to Vancouver Island Schools options for teacher support and engagement. Through traditional style professional development workshops, staff room consultations, or one on one support, VIDEA seeks to enable teachers to effectively integrate global issues into their classroom. To discuss the opportunities available to you contact Jamie at (250) 385-2333 or j.kopp@videa.ca .
On-line or phone support - for those geographically remote, or having trouble connecting with global education centres, VIDEA offers on-line (j.kopp@videa.ca ) or phone (250-385-2333) support to supplement your Teacher Resource Package - get connected!
Global Education Guide for Pre-Service Teachers
Global Education Guide for Pre-Service Teachers - coming soon. The Educating for Global Perspectives across the BC K-12 Curriculum project involves the development of an interactive online learning resource for pre-service teachers on how to integrate global education into all subject areas and grade levels.
The guide will compile and share what BC teachers are already doing to educate for global perspectives. It will include an introductory section with an overview and rationale for education for global perspectives. The main section will have a separate area for each subject taught in BC with case studies written by more than 30 BC teachers on how they integrate local and global issues into their teaching. There will be example activities and resources, and where to go for more information.
The online global education guide will be available from VIDEA’s homepage beginning in fall 2005. It is being developed in partnership with UVic’s Faculty of Education and Curriculum Laboratory, and is being funded by the BC Teachers’ Federation International Solidarity Fund and the University of Victoria. To learn more about this project please contact Joanne at jcuffe@videa.ca
Global Elders
Seniors have lived through major global changes and developed a wisdom that youth and communities can learn from to impact community and global issues today. Global Elders brings seniors together as a group with an identity to explore these experiences, to learn from each other, to develop peer and community connections and further develop knowledge. Through this understanding they facilitated workshops and other school/community intergenerational learning opportunities, helping youth to shape our future, and to be agents of social/community change together by learning from our past. Global Elders has empowered and marginalised seniors on a steering committee that helped build outreach, leadership and coordination skills.
The objectives of the project were to catalyse and support a programme of Aboriginal, non-Aboriginal and immigrant seniors--a group run by seniors for seniors--that harnassed their lived experience, leadership capacity and wisdom around global and community issues. A programme of international learning and strategy development through workshop delivery to school-age children, youth and community members developed, and became strengthened by weekly group gatherings that encouraged skill sharing, community connections and a fostering of peer support.
Global Elders has:
Created a close, supportive, connected and empowered group of seniors, reducing their isolation through peer support and community connections, empowering them by sharing skills, developing their leadership over the programme, and creating youth and community forums that has imparted their wisdom and lived experiences.
Created intergenerational and multi-cultural learning opportunities for students and community members, increasing their ability to seek answers to, and take action on, community, global and multi-cultural challenges by learning from past events.
Entailed a special focus on Aboriginal Elders, who shared and developed concepts on issues fundamental to Aboriginal peoples in our community and overseas in their lifetimes; such as land claims and fisheries.
Raised the profile of seniors in the community leading to a heightened respect for seniors.
Funded by the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, Youth Voices in Development is a project complementary to VIDEA's Community Action for Africa Internship Program, designed to harness interns' key learnings. During their 6 month placements with VIDEA partner organizations in Zambia and South Africa from September 2007 to March 2008, interns monitored, analyzed and recorded their own learning and perspectives on development through monthly written posts. An intern-led policy analysis session at the conclusion of the internship encouraged critcal thinking about Canadian Foreign Aid policy based on their experiences.
VIDEA's internship program is part of the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) funded as part of the Youth Employment Strategy (YES) of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
