Educo Update June 8th, 2010 all links in blue
1. Educo is on Facebook and Twitter!: to visit us click here to go to our Facebook page and click here to go to our Twitter page. 2. Meet the new Educo Board! On May 9th, 2010, at the Educo Annual General Meeting, we elected our new Board of Directors for the 2010-2011 year. Click here to meet the Board! 3. Read our 2010 Annual Report, as presented at the 2010 AGM. Illustrated by the Educo Community! 2010 Educo Canada Annual Report 4. Announcing Educo University: Educo has partnered with Thompson Rivers University to offer a 3-credit course on Experiential Youth Leadership this summer, from June 28 - July 11, 2010. Click here for more info: Educo-TRU CYCA 250 Experiential Youth Leadership. **Educo needs help in spreading the word about this unprecedented opportunity, so please help is spread the word! 5. Home Community Work - Educo in the South Cariboo Community •
Educo Community Open House happened on May 30th, 2010, and joined forces with the South Cariboo Community Cafe which Educo has been supporting. Check out the advertisement for the event and the photos: Click here to SEE THE PHOTOS AND STORIES of this amazing event
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Turn Masculinity Inside Out, a community-sponsored one-day gathering for all grade 7 boys in the South Cariboo, happened on June 3rd and 4th. Stu Clark helped put it together and brought up David Hatfield to help lead it (www.davidhatfield.ca). With support from School District No. 27, Educo and David Hatfield looking into developing a sustainable Men's mentoring program for the South Cariboo.
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The South Cariboo Community Planning Council continues to have Educo support. Sabrina French attends the monthly planning meetings to share updates with other organizations and hear about local initiatives and planning. Dave MacLeod often supports Educo at the monthly meetings as well. Stu Clark is the Vice-Chair of the Board and is currently leading a Board Development and Strategic Planning initiative.
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Mentorship Development Days continue in the community, bringing adults and youth together for a day of fun activities and meaningful interactions. The purpose of
the day is to nurture friendship between adults and youth in the South Cariboo. This is sponsored by the Government of BC. •
Canim Lake Youth Leadership programs will run again this August, with a onenight trip to Educo site for all ages in mid-august, and a two-night mountain trip for older youth and elders in late August. As part of this project, Educo and Canim Lake Band staff attending each other's training session to continue to build relationships between Educo and the Canim Lake community.
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The South Cariboo Community Cafe series continues, sponsored by the CaribooChilcotin Beetle Action Coalition, organized by the the Cariboo Cafe Committee, and facilitated by Educo via Dave MacLeod and Stu Clark. These community conversations bring community members from around the South Cariboo to discuss issues important to the community. The deisgn of the conversation process uses principles of World Cafe, Open Space and Educo facilitation.
6. The Emerging Leadership Project is a partnership between Educo Canada and the BC Healthy Living Alliance (www.bchealthyliving.ca) to host gatherings and conversations on how to best support emerging leaders in your community. Dave MacLeod, Educo's Advancement Coordinator, is also a Community Capacity Leader for the BC Healthy Living Alliance, and has been instrumental in the creation of this partnership. The project involves the following two events: •
Dave MacLeod and Stu Clark will be heading to Vernon, Quesnel and Prince George in June 2010 to host Emerging Leadership Cafes, which are community conversations about supporting emerging leadership in your community. Click on the link to find out more: Emerging Leadership Cafe
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The Emerging Leader Gathering will take place at Educo Adventure School on Aug 21-23rd 2010, and will bring together outdoor educators, community developers and change agents from around the province. Planning is now underway. Kris Archie, a long-time Educo friend, has been hired to coordinate the event and a provincial-wide steering committee is currently being formed. More information to come soon.
7. A New Website is being launched in time for the summer, built by our friends at Exit 170 (www.exit170.com). Stay tuned for Educo's new look coming very soon! 8. Educo Adventure School is into to its 41st season!
Some thoughts shared from teachers and parents who went home from Educo's School Program in May 2010:
From a parent: "I recently had the challenge (and pleasure!) of spending two half-days (31 May, 1 June) with the Lower Nicola Indian Band School at your camp. We arrived knowing absolutely nothing about what to expect. We left 24 hours later with a lot of self-knowledge about strengths, fears and perseverance. It was an awesome lesson, and my ten-year-old daughter...thought it was just the greatest experience. When we were on the lake, her first time paddling a canoe, she announced, "I was born for this."...." From a Teacher: "Our experience this year was outstanding and the staff went out of their way to make it a rewarding. [Our friend] who sponsored the majority of our trip was extremely impressed. Both [our sponsor] and I agreed that the top honors has to go to Lise who was extremely patient and provided valuable knowledge and feedback to the students in her group in the form of debriefing meeting after each event. Students will be able to use those experiences at Educo to deal with the many other challenges they will face in the future." •
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Site Development update: ◦
Educo is building a newer and bigger greenhouse, a project led by Adam Sanders and Rebecca Tottenham. Adam and Rebecca have also recently been busy constructing a new and spacious dog pen four our four-legged friends!
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Dean Oshanek has helped replace Student Cabin doors and floors, completed our composting toilet, and is going to be refurbishing all outhouses and building us a brand new equipment and tool storage building.
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New heavy-duty vehicle trailers were built by our friend at Garry's Repair over the winter
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The high ropes zip-line has complete its final phase of engineering and is back in operation! Thanks to Don Munsell for his almost two years of support and tireless work on this project
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The second side of the climbing wall is nearing completion and is scheduled to open in July. Led by Don, countless hours of work has gone into this project - thanks to all who participated!
Summer Program Enrolment Update: Educo is experiencing very low enrolment patterns this year for our summer program. Please help spread the word about Educo so we can have a healthy season and have as many youth as possible experience what Educo has to offer! Posters, a DVD, and other promotional material is available to anyone who knows of where they can help spread the word of Educo.
9. Roles for 2010: Here is a list of current roles within the Educo Community: •
Program Director, Educo Adventure School: Overall leadership and administrative support for Educo Adventure School: Brodie Drake
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Site Coordinator, Educo Adventure School: Leader of all maintenance and development for the Educo Site: Adam Sanders (with support from his family, Rebecca Tottenham and baby Farrah)
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Food Coordinator, Educo Adventure School: Leader of all things food: menu design, meal prep, inventory and ordering: Fiona Wilcock
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Staff Coordinator/Team Leader: Communication hub and staff support person for Educo Adventure School instructor team: Tristan Read
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The Instructor Team, Educo Adventure School: Our precious front-liners, making the magic happen! Course planning, student care, program logistics, leading programs!: Lise Levesque, Patrick Anderson, Gracey Syme, Gillian Kehler, Dani Meade (coming this summer). Guest Stars this spring: Paul Kehler, Steph Blue, Ben Walker, Steve Evans, Stef Block, Mike Conway, Jesse Sullivan, Erica Dolsen
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Executive Director, Educo Canada: Leadership for the organization: overall administrative support and finance management for Educo Canada Non-profit Society/ Charity: Stu Clark
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Advancement Coordinator, Educo Canada: Leadership for advancing Educo: supporting Educo in building capacity in fundraising, marketing and partnership building: Dave MacLeod
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Office Manager, Educo Canada: Running Educo's office: registration and booking support for teachers and parents, bookkeeping and payroll, phone calls and faxes, reporting and filing, and a million little things!: Sabrina French
We'd love to hear from you! info@educo.ca 250-395-3388