CPGC Blog

What role can civil society actors play in climate adaptation?

Countries and communities around the world need to prepare for the impacts of climate change. Government action is central to climate adaptation, but achieving a goal of this magnitude requires the involvement of diverse actors. In particular, international, national, and local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), as well as communities and community-based groups, have the potential to advance adaptation. These actors can engage in a diverse range of activities from education and advocacy work, to directly leading the planning and implementation of concrete projects and programs. This contest seeks proposals that elaborate the ways in which civil society actors can either support the actions of government or take independent action to achieve climate adaptation.

Submissions

All proposals should be submitted here: climatecolab.org/web/guest/plans/-/plans/contestId/19

Deadline

May 31, 2013, at 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time

Rules

All entrants must agree to the 2012-13 contest rules.

Prizes

$10,000 grand prize at Sept 2013 conference

Winners of the current round of Climate CoLab contests will be invited to present their proposals at a conference at MIT September 17-18, 2013.

One winning proposal, from among all 2012-13 entries, will be awarded a grand prize of $10,000.

All winners will receive advice from policymakers, executives, and other potential implementers on how to move their ideas forward.

Guidelines from the Contest Advisor & Team

Successful proposals should be innovative, creative, and clearly address the contest’s core question. They may also incorporate one or more of the key issues outlined below. Proposals should provide specific details about project design, partners, relevant local context, potential timelines, and the processes that are being proposed to enable successful design and implementation.

Framing the Question: Advancing NGO and Community Engagement in Climate Adaptation

Adapting to climate change will be a monumental undertaking in countries and communities around the world. Governments are central actors in promoting adaptation. Often overlooked or silent on this issue, NGOs and community groups have the potential to be directly involved in both advocating for and designing and implementing adaptation initiatives.

Recognizing and expanding the role of NGOs and community groups in the adaptation process represents a crucial opportunity to improve the overall success of responses to climate change. This contest capitalizes on that opportunity by providing a shared space for the development of strategies that increase the potential for NGOs and community groups to contribute to or lead adaptation efforts.

Key Issues

• Building on Expertise: Many countries and communities have experience responding to climate variability and natural hazards, such as flooding, drought, and heat waves. What existing NGO and community-based response strategies can be applied to climate adaptation? What is the potential for scaling-up these strategies or transporting them across borders?

• Collaboration: Bringing together multiple groups to work on climate adaptation has the potential to combine diverse skills and resources and maximize the impact of adaptive strategies. What creative collaborations could NGOs and community groups spearhead to address vulnerabilities and promote adaptation? How can collaborations be designed and managed to be most effective and to draw on the strengths of diverse governmental and non-governmental stakeholders? What are the distinct advantages of NGOs and community groups when it comes to bridging geographies, scales, interests, and capacity for action?

• Synergies: Adaptive responses to climate change will be carried out in a context of competing priorities and constrained resources. What synergies exist between specific adaptation initiatives and other developmental goals in areas like health, economic development, housing, and increased access to basic services? How can NGOs and community groups contribute to goal achievement in these and other areas?

• Financing: Many adaption measures require significant financial resources. What new financing measures could NGOs and community groups design and implement to promote, support, and sustain adaptation?

• Jurisdiction: Political boundaries are rarely aligned with the ecological scale of climate change impacts. NGOs often have the potential to bridge boundaries and represent a collective interest in large-scale solutions. However, they do not climatecolab.org/web/guest/resources/-/wiki/Main/2013+conferencee governmental authority and must work within complex jurisdictions. How can NGOs be most effective within this framework?

**This post was written by Maha Hilal, published on the The Peace and Development Collaborative Network website on April 27, 2013. See the original post here. Follow Maha’s blog for more great advice about the social justice field!**

The World We Want Foundation promotes and supports Young Global Citizens making positive social change in their communities and around the world.

We believe that Young Global Citizens have the passion, talent, determination, and power to create positive social change when given the resources to help them address societal and environmental challenges they select.

To support these young agents of change, we

• Work with and through Partner Organizations and Mentors they provide
• Help young people design and conduct meaningful Social Action Projects
• Help them acquire substantive knowledge and 21st-century skills while creating social value
• Provide micro-grants to support their Projects
• Provide an online funding platform to encourage and allow others to help fund their Projects
• Provide an online Showcase to share their Stories of Social Impact with the world and inspire other young people to believe they can make a difference

How We Do It

The World We Want Foundation partners with nonprofit educational, charitable, community or faith-based organizations, including public and private schools, youth organizations and clubs, civil society organizations, and other foundations who are devoted to youth leadership and empowerment.

Teams of Young Global Citizens generate and conduct Social Action Projects and are guided by Mentors affiliated with the Partner Organizations.  This is the community on the ground working with the Teams to help them conduct and implement their Social Action Projects.  Many are teachers or counselors, service learning coordinators, program directors, and more.

We provide a project-based active learning format and a framework for young people to gain substantive knowledge from addressing a social problem they choose and, more importantly, to acquire 21st-century skills required to become effective leaders and engaged citizens, including active learning, leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, civic engagement, and digital media communication.

We provide a simple way for others to support these Teams of young people on our funding platform, where anyone can donate any amount to any Social Action Project to help achieve the funding needs of the Project.  We also co-fund as a Foundation, so the Foundation and the public support the Projects together, and foster community building as well as social value creation by the Teams.

The Social Action Project

A Social Action Project is an organized, comprehensive, step-by-step strategy for addressing a social problem or challenge and creating positive social change in a community.  The World We Want Foundation provides a simple framework:

Step 1: Open a User Account

Open a User Account by providing a User ID and a password, so that you will be able to view, fill in, save, edit, and submit your Project Application online.  If you would like to see, print, or save a blank application before you start, click here.

Step 2: Read the Application Guidelines

Please read our short Application Guidelines.  They describe our three basic requirements and explain some helpful preparations.

Step 3: Start or Continue Your Application

Fill in, save, edit, and submit your Project Application online.

Resources for Your Social Action Project

Creating and conducting a Social Action Project requires some thought and some work.  You’ll be planning, implementing, reflecting, celebrating, and sharing.  The materials available below tell you how to plan a Project, how to conduct each part of it, what you might need, what to expect, and where to find all kinds of help.  You’ll find instructions, descriptions, examples, helpful videos, and more.  Look them over before you start your Project and as you conduct it.

Create the World You Want – A Social Action Project Guide

This is a description of how to go about designing and conducting a Social Action Project from start to finish.  How to choose and research a problem in your community, determine a good solution, and design an action plan with clear goals. How to allocate resources, measure the impact, and document progress and results. How to tell your Story of Social Impact.

Some Criteria for Your Social Action Project

Here are some criteria that we use for evaluating and selecting Social Action Projects for support and for posting and publicizing on our website.  You will find a few requirements and some useful recommendations.  The information here should help you design and conduct a more meaningful and successful Social Action Project.

Two Examples of Social Action Projects

Here are descriptions of two Social Action Projects using our Problem, Solution, Impact, Story model.  The first Project is a straightforward one that shows the basic steps of the model.  The second Project is a hypothetical one that illustrates virtually all of the major aspects that might occur in any actual Project.  You can watch the videos from each Project here.

Creating a Budget

If your Social Action Project needs funding, creating a simple financial budget is a valuable planning tool.  This short piece shows you how to list the funds you have and the funds you need, and balance those with the costs and expenses you expect, such as materials or equipment. You will also see an example work schedule for budgeting time and labor.

Creating Your Story of Social Impact

This guide contains helpful information about creating the final part of your Social Action Project – your Story of Social Impact.  It focuses on good storytelling, and on visual and video storytelling in particular.  Whether it’s a series of drawings, or still photographs shot with a simple cell phone, or a skillfully edited video, this guide will help you make a compelling story of your Project’s results, outcomes, and impact.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The place to find answers to questions of all kinds.

(Maha Hilal, April 27, 2013)

For the past 30 years, millions of people around the world have observed the International Day of Peace on September 21st . Observances large and small celebrate and build momentum for continued commitments to peace and nonviolence. This year’s Peace Day theme is “Education for Peace.”

On behalf of the United Nations International Day of Peace NGO Subcommittees, and Peace Day Philly we invite you and your institution to join the world community in observing the International Day of Peace. Peace Day Philly is a volunteer initiative that promotes local participation in the United Nations International Day of Peace, a global day of ceasefire and non‐violence observed annually on Sept. 21st . Last year, Peace Day was observed in over 150 countries by more than 200 million people worldwide. Peace Day Philly 2012 involved activities by over 60 diverse organizations across the Philadelphia region including the Mayor’s office, police districts, the Free Library and numerous colleges and universities. We hope that you will take part in the International Day of Peace and look forward to hearing about your activities for Sept. 21st and throughout the year. We are confident that through your efforts we will build a culture of peace through education!

WHAT CAN YOU DO ON YOUR CAMPUS?

 Learn more about the International Day of Peace! Go to www.peacedayphilly.org, www.internationaldayofpeace.org, and www.peaceoneday.org.

 Stay connected by LIKING the Peace Day Philly Community Facebook Page and following us on Twitter: @peacedayphilly. Use your Facebook and Twitter to share with others what is happening on Peace Day both locally and globally!

 Commit an hour or two on Sept. 21 to a peace related activity that’s meaningful to you.

 Observe a minute of silence at noon (this is a global observance in all timezones).

 Organize a peace related activity with your student organization or group. Peace Day is a huge day for humanitarian aid worldwide—consider organizing a service project!

 Sponsor a film screening related to peace. For some ideas you can go to: www.peacedayphilly.org/what-can-you-do/art/

 Tell someone else about Peace Day and encourage them to learn about/observe the day!  Organize a student event that brings together students from different clubs/different cultural backgrounds.

 Organize a “Play for Peace” soccer game sometime the week of Sept. 16th. There are thousands of soccer games played in over 180 countries every year on Peace Day! For photos from Peace One Day’s “One Day One Goal” global effort, watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOObnfim7aI

 Tell your professors about Peace Day,BEFORE THE START OF THE SEMESTER IF POSSIBLE, and ask them to devote part or all of a class the week of 9/16 to discussion of the course topic as it relates to peace.

 Screen a film, or create and display peace pinwheels (www.pinwheelsforpeace.com) or Peace Flags (thepeaceflagproject.org/?page_id=633) For more information and other creative ideas, go to: www.peacedayphilly.org/what-can-you-do/art/

 Organize an interfaith or ecumenical service or vigil.

 Bring a Peace Pole or Peace Garden to your campus. For more info about peace poles: www.worldpeace.org/activities_peacepoleproject.html

 Request peace & non-violence music from radio stations the week of Sept. 16, and ask them to mention Peace Day Philly/the International Day of Peace on air.

 Ask your student center to stream www.peaceday.tv instead of CNN or sports on September 20th and September 21. Check out some of the archived interviews and content there as well.

 Organize a fundraiser for a peace related cause, local or international.

 Consider joining Rotaract, the Rotary group for young adults ages 18-29. Learn more at: www.rotaractphilly.org

 Get a few musicians together and do a “Playing for Change” music gathering or peace party! For more about Playing for Change, go to: playingforchangeday.org

 Contact your school newspaper and communications officers to ask for more coverage of Peace Day Philly programs and the International Day of Peace, as well as people and organizations in our region working everyday to build peace in positive ways.

 Push for a Peace and Justice/Peace Education/Conflict Resolution class/minor on your campus.

 Check out the peace building training available through Seeds of Peace USA and the National Peace Academy.

 Ask university administration to recognize & observe Peace Day in their offices, publications etc.

 If you happen to be abroad on September 21st, learn about Peace Day in the city you will be in. If there isn’t a celebration there, create your own!

USAS National Organizer: United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) is currently hiring one full-time National Organizer to be based out of Washington, DC. The position requires a two-year commitment and a willingness to work flexible hours including nights and weekends. The position offers a competitive non-profit salary, a comprehensive health benefits package, and a union contract including flexible vacation time and a cost of living adjustment. Applications are due April 26, 2013. Please see attached document for application instructions. The position will start July 1, 2013 with limited flexibility. The incoming organizer will be trained by the three current national organizers. USAS National Organizers are overseen by a National Coordinating Committee of student organizers. Click here for more information.

Job Description:

Formed in 1997, USAS is a grassroots membership organization run entirely by youth and students. USAS uses the strategic leverage of students to support the formation and continued strength of unions in the U.S. and around the world, particularly unions representing campus workers and garment workers who manufacture collegiate licensed apparel.

National staff work closely with students to support ongoing campus organizing; coordinate the activities of local organizations into international actions and campaigns; put together meetings, trainings, and conferences; maintain communication and coordination with domestic and international allies; and facilitate the infrastructure development of a dynamic movement.

Responsibilities of National Organizers will include:

1. Coordinating and supporting national campaigns, including:

• campaign support and guidance
• materials development
• maintaining and developing relationships with ally organizations
• development and guidance of nationally-coordinated campaigns
• development of policy related to national campaigns

2. Leadership development, including:

• travel and campus visits
• outreach to new schools
• training and supporting students and youth
• supervision of student regional organizers
• facilitating spaces in which student leaders are able to take on increased responsibilities for national campaign coordination and organizing work
• leadership development of students from marginalized communities and identities

3. Organizational development, including:

• communications and media work (including traditional press and new media/social networking platforms)
• grassroots fundraising, including online strategies
• maintaining relationships with national funders (foundations, international unions, etc.), including providing written proposals and reports
• arranging logistics for national and regional conferences and gatherings

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Organizing experience as or with students, workers, and/or community members
• Ability to work independently and in groups
• Ability to manage and direct one’s own work
• Willingness to work nontraditional hours, including nights and weekends
• Experience and/or willingness to work in a non-hierarchical staff team
• Strong commitment to developing leadership of people from marginalized communities and identities (working class, people of color, women, mixed-race, trans/genderqueer, queer, differently-abled people, etc.)

Strongly Preferred Qualifications and Experience:

• Experience as a member of USAS
• Strategic campaigning skills
• Corporate research skills
• Knowledge of/experience with the labor movement/global justice movement
• Knowledge of/experience with liberation movements (black liberation, queer, etc)
• Bookkeeping and database general skills
• Financial management skills and fundraising experience
• Experience and skills with new media and web design
• Experience with group facilitation and public speaking
• Experience training direct action philosophy and tactics
• Spanish and other foreign language skills

USAS is an affirmative action/ equal opportunity employer. Students who identify as working class, people of color, mixed-race, women, genderqueer, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and differentlyabled are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please see the job posting for more information and application instructions. Applications due Friday, April 26.

When: June 16 – 24, 2013

Where: Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA, and United Nations, NY

Who: The Design Science Lab is where solutions to global and local problems are developed— by you.

What: Students and young professionals from around the world* are coming to the 2013 Lab. They will be briefed by UN experts (from the UN Development Program, UN Environmental Program, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO and other UN agencies),** develop comprehensive strategies for solving some of the world’s most critical problems, and then present their work at the UN. They will learn a powerful strategic design and planning methodology that will be of use for the rest of their life, as well learn about leadership, problem solving and the design revolution. They will learn about global problems, options, technology, culture, resources and what they can do to make a difference. They will meet others with similar passions about the state of the world— and what we can do to make things better.

• You will learn a problem solving and planning methodology, developed by Buckminster Fuller and other scientists and designers, that will be of use to you the rest of your life
• You will learn about critical global problems that impact the lives of everyone in the world, as well as the opportunities associated with these problems, and what we can do to change the current situation
• You will work collaboratively with other participants from around the world on designing real world solutions to a critical real world problem
• You will be briefed by United Nations staff and other experts on global problems and opportunities
• You will present you work to a team of UN and other experts
• Your work will be published as a book
• You will receive a comprehensive digital collection of the latest reports from the UN and research organizations around the world on the state of the planet (over $1,000 worth of reports and studies on energy, climate change, the global economy, food, and many other topics).
• You will work very hard and have fun doing it.

Skills Covered:

• Problem Solving
• Design Science and Strategic Planning
• Collaborative Research
• Information Visualization
• Project Management
• Research
• Public Speaking
• Team Building
• Leadership
• Taking initiatives
• Critical Path Scheduling
• Fun under stress

Register now for the 2013 Lab!

This post was written by Craig Zelizer, published on the The Peace and Development Collaborative Network website on April 25, 2013. See the original post here. Follow Craig’s blog for more great advice about the social justice field!

When: Friday and Saturday, April 19 & 20, 2013

Where:  1216 Arch St., 4th Floor

Who: Second Annual Conference of the Nationalities Service Center

What: Advocacy and the Immigrant Community

The Conference schedule is as follows:

Friday, April 19, 2013:  6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

•    Wine and Cheese Networking Session
•    Plenary Speaker:  Dr. Eric Edi, AFRICOM-Philly

Saturday, April 20, 2013:  8:00 am to 4:00 pm

8:00- 9:00   Registration, Coffee and Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:30    Defining Cultural Awareness and Advocacy:  Joanna Labov and Ellen Polsky
9:30-11:00   Refugee and Asylee Experiences and Cultures:  Juliane Ramic, Director of Social Services, Nationalities Service Center
11:00-11:30 Panel Presentation on Immigrant Success Stories
11:30-12:00 Post Panel Discussion
12:00-1:00 LUNCH
1:00-2:00   Panel Presentation on Ethics and Culture:  Reporting and Providing Support
2:00-2:15    Post Panel Discussion
2:15-3:00    Immigrants’ Reactions to the U.S. Healthcare Experience
3:00-3:45   Cultural Conflicts Between Recently Arrived Immigrants and Established Ethnic   Communities
3:45-4:00   Where Do We Go From Here?

COST:
• Registration is $15 on Friday and $20 on Saturday.
• Student rate is $10 on Friday and $15 on Saturday, or both days for $20.Act 48 credit is available for public school teachers and CEU credits are available for social workers.

If you have any questions, contact:  Ellen Polsky epolsky@nscphila.org or Joanna Labov  jolabov@gmail.com

When: Thursday, March 7, 8:30 AM

Where: St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia PA

Who: Organized by SJU and Lower Merion Conservancy

What: Join us for an in-depth discussion on stormwater management and historic preservation incentives. Geared towards the practitioner, but useful to the interested homeowner-this workshop will include concurrent as well as joint sessions. Stormwater management sessions will focus on local and regional problems and their solutions. Historic Preservation sessions will focus on developing incentives for historic preservation. Joint sessions will cover areas where the two issues intersect such as land management in cemeteries or stream-side historic properties. This event is FREE, and breakfast and lunch are included. Click here for more information and to register!

When: Thursday, February 28,  7:45 p.m.

Where: Waverly Heights, 1400 Waverly Road, Gladwyne

Who: Presented by the Lower Merion Conservancy, featuring author and Schuylkill Watershed Specialist for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Chari Towne.

What: In a short time, the Schuylkill River went from being considered waters of “uncommon purity” to being the country’s dirtiest river. That distinction resulted in the Schuylkill becoming the focus of a precedent-setting river cleanup effort from 1947 to 1951. Still, the river has a bad reputation today, but the complete story about the health of the river and what it means to the communities through which it flows is more complicated. Join author Chari Towne, for a look back on how the Schuylkill River acquired its reputation and the project that began its restoration. Towne’s new book, A River Again, the Story of the Schuylkill River Project, provides an in-depth look at the Schuylkill River Desilting Project which removed coal silt from the River.  A limited number of books will be available for $21.95.  Register here!

When: March 13-15

Where: University of Pennsylvania Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6306

Who: Penn’s Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR), in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania Schools of Arts & Sciences, Design, Education, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Social Policy, Veterinary Medicine and Wharton.

What: An international conference examining the critical relationship between urbanization and food security throughout the world.