Systemic change workshop

The systemic change workshop was designed to help participants understand the changes needed to make life better for some people in our communities now and also secure a better future for Canadian society.

I present the documents which were scenarios of two circumstances: a family living in a low wage situation and life in a northern community. Discussions followed which helped participants explore issues that were holding people back from participating fully in Canadian life. We then found ways that we as Vincentians could help in promoting healthy change.

The texts in green or blue are a summary of the discussion in the workshop. You can add your own thoughts.

---

Case study Fred Smith

Fred Smith is 45 years old and married to Susan who is 42. They have two children Betsy age 7 and Tyler age 9. They live in a townhouse in Kingston. They pay $1241 per month for a three bedroom townhouse because each of the children needs their own bedroom.

---

Life in a Northern Community

Margaret taught in northern Inuit communities some years ago. Her second school was an Inuit community of 97 inhabitants in Quebec. There were about 55 children in the school and Margaret taught from grade 6 to the end of high school. The curriculum was relatively well constructed in that it included the subjects that prepared the youth for higher education and in that, there were programs that focused on Inuit traditions language and culture.

All programs up to grade two and the cultural studies in all grades were taught by Inuit teachers from the community. Traditional educators had developed written material based on shapes that represented certain sounds rather than the Roman alphabet. From grade three on, English or French speaking teachers, from outside the area taught the other subjects in the curriculum.

The communities in the region, had worked hard to create an education system that prepared the youth for life in the 21st century while teaching them about their culture and heritage. Graduates of the school were eligible to attend CEGEP.

---

Corry Wink, VP Regional Council of Ontario
Chair, Social Justice Committee