Becoming the Change We Want to See
*Title taken from Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quote, “We must become the change we want to see.”

Conference Date: June 1 and 2, 2006
Location: Barnett House, 11010 142 Street NW, Edmonton Alberta, T5N 2R1

Becoming the Change We Want to See Conference, June 1, 2006.

More than 150 youth leaders, police officers, government officials, social workers, community service representatives and First Nations representatives met on June 1 and 2 at Barnett House in Edmonton for a two-day conference called Becoming the Change We Want to See. This conference explored how Canadians can take action to make their schools, communities and the global community better places for everyone.

Uniting community stakeholders, the conference highlighted current research, resources and programs about bullying and violence prevention, diversity, equity and human rights, global education and international development, conflict resolution and restorative justice, Safe and Caring Schools and Communities (SACSC) and the role of non-governmental organizations in education.

“The goal of this conference is to bring together stakeholders from all sectors to share information, strategies and successes in education,” said SACSC President Dick Baker. “Increasing our awareness of and responsibility toward international development issues will help us become the change we want to see in the future.”

Honourable Doug Roche, OC, former MP and Senator

Featured speakers included the Honourable Ken Kowalski, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, the Honourable Doug Roche, OC, former MP and Senator, Edmonton Police Chief Michael Boyd and Dr Debra Pepler, York University Psychology Professor. Dr Pepler is a world-renown, expert bullying researcher who is leading the Canadian Initiative for the Prevention of Bullying.

Honourable Doug Roche, OC, former MP and Senator

Conference chair and coordinator Tracy Lyons noted that global education is a necessary tool for preparing Canadian youth to address international issues. “They begin to consider themselves part of our complex and interdependent network of world nations,” she said. “The development of school-based global education resources and activities exposes young people to research, dialogue, process and action and provides them with opportunities to become responsible global citizens.”

The following presentation resources are available to download:

Keynote Session: Scaffolding and Social Architecture: Tools for Becoming Part of the Change Dr Debra Pepler (PowerPoint Presentation)

Bullying and Violence Prevention, Character Education and Building Respect for Diversity ; SACSC Dr Vicki Mather (PowerPont Presentation)

Research to Policy to Practice and Back Again
Andrea Spevak

Choosing to Become the Change: Research Exploring Student Action to Stop Bullying Shelagh Dunn (Overheads)

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