principles and objectives

Principles

We hold the following to be important. We strive to express them through the processes, events and places we develop and facilitate:

  • Integrity: modelling the principles we espouse
  • Openness: treating people and ideas with respect, actively listening to and encouraging the expression of diverse voices
  • Inclusion: encouraging active participation from those not typically involved
  • Involvement: being engaged with local communities; enabling participation of diverse people in the choice and development of topics, principles and processes
  • Comprehensiveness: considering issues and impacts that provide a context for the immediate focus, such as the environment, society, and other cultures
  • Pluralist and non-partisan: developing involvement and connections across a wide range of people, interests and knowledges
  • Continuous process: treating these processes and outcomes as steps within an ongoing process of transformation and learning

Our objectives

In making contribution toward our broad vision, we pursue the following objectives:

  • to facilitate constructive and tangible change within the urban KW region through greater awareness of mutual influences
  • to develop, organize and facilitate opportunities that bring people with diverse backgrounds and interests together through:
    • civic dialogues - informal conversations around topics of interest chosen by participants
    • workshops - panel presentations, open discussion and small working sessions directed toward particular issues or concerns
    • networks - self-sustaining relationships and connections
  • to focus, in particular, upon understanding and resolving issues of inclusion, exclusion, and quality of life without forgetting environmental sustainability by:
    • identifying and bringing together those who have influence over and those who are influenced by policy and action
    • building connections among individuals, communities and institutions to increase awareness and empower the disadvantaged
    • affecting policy and facilitating constructive individual action
  • to facilitate the efforts of individuals and groups who want to improve circumstances in their own communities and collaborate with others, in particular, by:
    • developing community capability and individual skill, in critical inquiry and reflexive practice
    • holding workshops on creativity and team-work
    • watching for and responding to new issues, concerns, opportunities and connections that emerge within and among local communities
  • to arrive at greater understanding among people of:
    • diversities in experience, capacity and connection, within and among communities and institutions
    • our mutual impacts upon each other and the environment
    • ways and means for learning about and practicing ethically and ecologically sustainable living
  • to demonstrate our principles
  • to build our capacity and skill to meet our objectives