RCE Saskatchewan Youth Committee

Youth are viewed as being at a very specific stage when people have to negotiate a complex relationship between personal and socio-economic changes to overcome the 'transition' from dependence to independence, take effective control of their lives and assume social commitments.  Education plays a vital role in helping our youth through this important milestone in their lives, yet the relevance and quality in the educational systems lags behind in today's world and remains insufficiently linked to sustainable development issues.  For example, at a time where our future depends on the expansion of the green economy, fewer and fewer young people are pursuing careers associated with sustainable development.  Therefore, to build a responsible society, education must stay relevant to the changing world; it must be accompanied by early participation in formal, non-formal and informal education and specific labour markets.

The RCE Saskatchewan Youth Committee is committed for the advancement of sustainable development within the province.  The Committee's vision is to create programmes and projects that have local, national, and international significance concentrated on an overarching theme of innovation in three main categories: education, research, and youth public policy.

Education for Sustainable Development encompasses complex amalgamation of issues relevant to the environment, society and the economy.  The goal is to create a better understanding of how our present production and consumption patterns impact the planet's natural resources and natural equilibria.  It also implies the ability and capacity of different peoples around the world and future generations to meet their needs.

Research addresses the need for systematic approaches for emerging technologies and industries.  Research and innovation plays the greatest role for sustainability in creating economic innovation which can revitalize national economies and their private sector.

Youth oriented policies and strategies are often poorly developed or non-existent.  Consequently, there is a need to share knowledge and expertise in this public policy field and to produce tools to assist all orders of government in addressing youth issues systematically.  Empowering youth in decision-making processes will not only benefit their socio-economic environment but also their own capacity and personal development. 

The goal of the Committee is to help develop tomorrow's leaders working for a sustainable world.  Additionally, the Committee is focused on contributing to Saskatchewan's economic growth and its innovative technological capacity, which will be shared with Least Developed Countries and Small Developing Island States.  The Committee will further help Canada fulfill its commitments for the Millennium Development Goals, the advancement of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014, and the programmes and priorities of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

 

                       

 

                                 

 

 


 

Recent blog posts

Education for Sustainable Development Recognition Program: Nominations Now Open

 

Do you know of a project that deserves recognition for building capacity in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)? Are you leading or participating in such a project? The Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development Saskatchewan (RCE Saskatchewan) Recognition Program provides recognition to innovative projects, research, and other activities promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the prairie region. Nominations are now open for submission for the fourth annual ESD Recognition Event. RCE Saskatchewan invites nominations to be submitted by May 1, 2012. The event will be tentatively held on June 7, 2012 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Project leaders will receive a certificate of recognition, promotion of their project at the event and on the RCE Saskatchewan website, and an opportunity to network with other project recognition recipients and RCE Saskatchewan members. Media will also be alerted to the event.

Some important areas of sustainable development include:

 1.  Building sustainable communities

 2.  Climate change

 3.  Farming and local food production

 4.  Health and healthy lifestyles

 5.  Reconnecting to natural prairie ecosystems

 6.  Sustainable infrastructure including water and energy

 7.  Bridging and sustaining cultures

Nominations may be submitted by the individual or organization, or by someone else, who believe(s) the project is worthy of recognition. "Education for sustainable development aims at promoting reflection and discernment in our region that helps us identify and pursue paths to sustainability. Such paths lead to ongoing improvements in quality of life while sustaining healthy ecosystems. They promote active environmental stewardship, social justice, and intergenerational equity" (RCE Saskatchewan website). Projects should address education for sustainable development, including the three pillars of environmental stewardship, social justice, and economic development such that the project strengthens one or more pillars while not damaging any of the other pillars.

 Projects must:

-    Build capacity for ESD in Saskatchewan;

-    Educate others (either formally, informally, or non-formally) about the importance of becoming more sustainable;

-    Take place, at least in part, in Saskatchewan;

-    Have achieved significant milestones at the time of application;

-   Not have been recognized at prior RCE Recognition Events or, if previously recognized, have had further innovations and significant accomplishments since the earlier recognition event.

You are also welcome to submit photos along with your application. 

The nomination form can be found at the RCE Saskatchewan website: http://www.saskrce.ca under the 'Events' heading. More details about the event can be found there, including a list of recipients from last year.

Please pass this information on to others who might know of projects to be nominated.

Yours in healthy living,

 

Adrienne Billings

RCE Saskatchewan Event Coordinator

Ph:    (306) 535-1588

Email:    bourquea@uregina.ca

 

Education for Sustainability Newsletter Jan 2012 (vol 3, no. 1) Now Available

Education for Sustainable Development Newsletter

Education for Sustainable Development NewsletterVolume 3, Number 1, January 2012

 

Inside this issue...

·       Innovative Curriculum: Grade 12 Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability

·       Greening the Technical Vocational Initiative in Manitoba

·       Education for Sustainable Development: Parkland Elementary School Garden Project

·       GREEN High Schools Program Introduces Students to Careers in the Environment

·       Professional Development Day on Sustainable Happiness

·       Using the Earth Charter to Develop a Teaching for Sustainability Course at the University of Winnipeg

·       UNESCO Identifies Brock Corydon School for its "Good Practice" in ESD and Culture

·       Manitoba Takes Top Honours at the 2011 Canon Envirothon

·       Woodlands Students Reduce Lunch Waste

·       Professional Learning and Conferences

·       Online Resources

·       Digital We, It Starts with Me!

·       Funding

"Straw Light Clay Building Workshop", Craik, July 6-8, 2012

Please see the attached PDF below on this exciting, participatory workshop being held in Craik examining straw light clay building contruction.--Roger