Disaster Recovery & New Opportunity for Change: Engaging Youth in Planning for a Sustainable Future

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The Centre for Human Relations and Community Studies is proud to offer this unique opportunity to spend a Saturday afternoon with Chris Henderson from Christchurch, New Zealand, Lead Facilitator at UNESCO Forum: Looking Beyond Disaster. 

Disaster can be as instant and unpredictable as an earthquake. It can also be deceptively gradual, like a health epidemic relating to global climate change. Sometimes "urban" disasters - like a school shooting or extreme poverty - can actually be seen as the culmination of a series of problematic structures that seemed like day-to-day living at the time, but were actually disasters unfolding in slow motion.

Either way, when disaster strikes a community, the context provides the unique opportunity to re-evaluate their natural and cultural environments and lifestyles. Such events, in many respects, present that rare chance to ‘start again’. However, the need for immediate recovery and economic rehabilitation often outweighs the wisdom of long term planning for inclusive and sustainable solutions. The pressure is on for quick fixes - and the voice of youth in this process, with so much potential to see and value the sustainable option - is often not heard.

About this Workshop: 

This workshop explores the idea of disaster as an event, natural or cultural, causing a degree of impact or devastation whereby communities are forced to redevelop their social and physical environments. This workshop will be of major benefit to people working in community contexts vulnerable to natural or cultural disaster and in need of an effective, inclusive approach for enhancing youth engagement in the redevelopment process.

 This Workshops Includes:

• First hand narratives and case studies from New Zealand's experience in 2011's devastating series of earthquakes
• Collaborative activities on the social, cultural and environmental impacts of disaster
• An exploration of the idea of "Change Beyond the Obvious"
• Strategies for effective planning and organisation of youth engagement in the disaster recovery process, including the role of social media
• The development of youth led action plans

Learning Outcomes:

• See how youth engaged in fostering sustainability in urban contexts can draw on models developed for disaster recovery
• Be better equipped to articulate the need for long-term sustainability thinking despite urgent needs for short-term fixes
• Be aware of strategies for effective planning and organisation of youth engagement in disaster recovery processes
• Know more about developing youth-led action plans for sustainable disaster recovery and future resilience

Who should attend:

• Those who work in youth serving organizations
• Those involved in youth leadership and engagement activities
• Individuals who are interested in working with youth on community and
• economic development
• Individuals who may wish to work on international development projects
  

How much does this workshop cost?

• Standard rate: $35 CDN
  

• Community rate: $25 CDN
  

• Student rate (with ID): $20 CDN
  

• Group rate (3 or more): $15 CDN per person

*Please call in with your credit card info, drop by the office or make cheque payable to Concordia University, CHRCS

Who is facilitating this workshop?

   

Chris Henderson lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, and has been amazed by the process of working with local youth in trying to sustainably rebuild the city following its devastation. He is Education Officer for Social Innovation, an organisation which offers creative and collaborative youth focused solutions to social and environmental challenges. Chris has a background in education and community development, and has recently co-facilitated workshops for UNEP, UNESCO, UNICEF and 350.org, New Zealand. He is currently lead facilitator for the international UNESCO Youth Forum "Looking Beyond Disaster".

  This event is co-sponsored by Spark: vibrant organizations     

We look forward to connecting with you!  Thank you!

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