ISLE : INFORMAL SUSTAINABILITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

 

WHERE DO WE LEARN POSITIVE CHANGE-MAKING?

There is a variety of aspects nurturing the spirit, competence and community needed for positive change-making: examples of people and projects, philosophies, data on the status quo, visions for better future scenarios, strategies, skills, tools. These make part of the world of changemakers. And these are what PNYV! aims to make better accessible.

A typical space for such encounters are really good seminars, congresses, summits and youth jams with excellent content, dialogue, networking, fun and future action. As there are limitations to have these everywhere for everyone - we have to re-create them.

In order to make these accessible locally AND to create a space for dialogue, interaction, planning and concrete steps, the ISLE concept has been developed, along with tools helping any person to easily create such an environment. It can be done in any public space, where people come by it, can sit together, share and discuss positive action.

However, the young generation is a major player in positive change. And as they are bound to spend most of their day in school, that is where an ISLE is well placed! - and where it may also gradually introduce new learning dimensions needed for citizens of the 21st century.

An ISLE is a space that can be used for a variety of activities, of course. Just for anything about learning about the status quo of the planet, our societies, our lives, hearts and dreams and about ways of walking forward for making things better in a wise way, balancing Basic Needs, Ecology, Social and Economic factors.

 

 

LEARNING FOR POSITIVE CHANGE : AN EVOLUTIONARY ENVIRONMENT in your school - set up in 15 minutes

"No changemaker has learned their skills in a closed classroom setting. But in a long-term interdisciplinary process, learning from many other people's experiences and examples." En de Raedder

We are in the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014 >, and it is almost sure that your school has not achieved to significantly include this and implement the new learning dimensions advocated in UNESCO's (rather dry and theoretic) 113page ESD-Toolkit >. 

It has now been understood that people learn best in a self-organised manner, with digital access to resources, experts and communities worldwide and project-oriented with relevant interaction with the real world.

Even if your school has started, there is amazing space and need for more!

No more time and financial resources for schools? OK - an ISLE takes a few dollars of printing ink and one person's 15 minutes every two weeks. This is nothing. As educators are incapable of teaching appropriately about sustainabile development, or POSITIVE CHANGE-MAKING, an ISLE in school is basically a must. It easily empowers students to access and interact with outstanding leaders and resources in sustainable development. So, it is a logical step to start with! It is ok if it is used only by some students. After all, our society has experts for everything, doesn't it? And you can be sure:as a good ISLE evolves, the majority of people will be connected to it passively or actively.

 

 

CREATING AN ISLE

This space is not just any or empty space. Give it the right vibes!

 

Pay attention to the right set-up, atmosphere, decoration - just like in all the other vibrant 'thematic' places that are part of your life: cafés, clubs, music, art and party venues.

In order to create such a space, we strongly suggest that you make it a space vibrating with information, knowledge and tools breathing the spirit of positive engagement, change and transformation - with a global & local note! Include global inspiration to make your hearts, minds, spirits and hands tick! Years of experience have shown that positive examples, tools, art and creativity have an inspiring effect. Include fun items, too. Things that are out-of-the-box and making you wonder and think, that tickle creativity. Music is great, but not blaring all the time - the stars, thats You and your life's purpose!

Beauty and clarity is a key. No somber place, no rotten couches, bring in colour, light, plants. Please leave out your pop star posters and all that jazz. Besides a few good dreams, all that is distraction, consumption and illusion. The center of attention have to be you, right there on the spot, concrete. You are not to be a watching audience, you have to be the creators, movers and people to remember! Impact your generation and change the future!

 

The image above shows some items that contribute to this action-wisdom oriented meeting-space and learning environment:

- PNYV! PRINT EDITION >>>

- POSTERS >>>

- POSITIVE NEWS BOARD - global and local >>>

- XTRA STUFF - theme kits, theme calendars, guides, tools >>>

- INTERNET COMPUTER - online content, communities, events >>>

-> TREASURE MAP >>>

-> LOCAL PNYV! EDITION >>>

-> LOCAL PNYV! RADIO & TELEVISION PROGRAM >>>