FW: Acceptance & Understanding - development of curriculum materials

Wed Feb 11 06:03:32 PST 2009

Harrison, thanks for this, some interesting thoughts, particularly that acceptance and understanding is important when necessary.....we normally approach it as an assumption....will help frame the issues....

____________________________________________________________________________________
My book:  The Things People Say: Political Quotations from the Northern Ireland Peace Process 
To buy it on-line: http://www.trafford.com/07-2815

To order it in a book shop: Give the nice man/woman this ISBN number : 1-4251-6179-0

Info about me: http://trainers.salto-youth.net/FergalBarr/ 

Organisation I work for: www.claudyyouth.com 

Organistion I used to work for: www.offthestreets.org

How I live my life: Humour is the shortest distance between people;Always remember there is someone worse off than you; It's not a matter of if only a matter of when

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:41:34 -0500
From: hhowen at verizon.net
Subject: Re: [OSLIST] FW: Acceptance & Understanding - development of curriculum materials
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU

I think one of the things I have learned is
that so long as acceptance and understanding are treated as “ethical
oughts” they never really happen, or only happen at a very superficial
level. The situation changes radically when acceptance and understanding become
practical necessities. One of the implications of this is that you cannot argue
somebody into believing that acceptance and understanding are useful –
you really have to put people into situations where both  (a/u) are
operative and essential. At this point we move from intellectual abstraction to
existential experience – and it is the latter from which real change and
growth occurs. One might say – Don’t talk about it – Do it! 
But how?

I think every time we open space we are “doing
it.” When people come together in Open Space around a common issue of
deep concern – particularly a complex and conflicted one –
acceptance and understanding are not just nice, ethical things – they are
the only way to go. Resolution simply cannot happen until both (a/u) are
present.  And somehow, when space is opened acceptance and understanding
show up, almost automatically. No need to plead for their arrival, train for
their presence, intellectualize their nature and gifts. How or why all this
takes place, I really don’t know. I guess I could say some words about
the “search for fitness” as an essential component of the self
organizing process – but I am not sure those words would help that much. Much
better to just cut to the chase! Open Space and watch acceptance and
understanding show up. Seems to happen just about every time. Not always, not
everywhere, but often enough to be interesting. I suspect everybody has their
favorite story. Mine comes from that incredible time in Rome with the 50
Palestinians and Israelis. Check out:

http://openspaceworld.com/opening_space_for_peace.htm

Harrison

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive

Potomac,
Maryland   20854

Phone 301-365-2093

Skype hhowen

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com

Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org

Personal website www.ho-image.com 

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-----Original Message-----

From: OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On
Behalf Of fergal barr

Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009
6:05 AM

To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU

Subject: [OSLIST] FW: Acceptance
& Understanding - development of curriculum materials

I'm currently doing a bit of work for the Curriculum Development Unit (in
Northern Ireland) to produce a guidance document on the core principle of
Acceptance and Understanding of Others (which is one of three core principles
of the 'Youth Work: A Model for Effective Practice', which is effectively the
underpinning approach to youth work in NI). 

"The
promotion of acceptance and understanding of others  involves enabling
young people to respect and value themselves and others.  It seeks the
appreciation of the difference between and interdependence of people within
society, one's own youth group, close community and beyond.  It includes
seeing cultural diversity as a positive thing..recognising others as equal,
different yet related to us, is not easy.  It requires an understanding of
the meaning of equity and a commitment through youth work to oppose
sectarianism and any form of discrimination."

The guidance materials will focus on practice with 11-18 year olds but which
will be accessible to part-time staff and volunteers.  Part-time staff and
volunteers make up the majority of youth workers in Northern Ireland. 
Most of them are not professionally qualified, e.g., Degrees, Diplomas, etc
although significant numbers will have basic qualifications in youth
work.  Many of them will have years of experience that is vital and
essential to the delivery of youth work in Northern Ireland.  Most
Part-time workers and volunteers would contribute between 8 and 12 hours per
week and their work would largely be at night and involve face-to-face work
with young people.

As part of this process and in order to produce a document that meets this aim
I'm collating information re 'Acceptance and Understanding of others'. 
This can mean any of the following:

·      
methodologies

·      
models of practice

·      
theories

·      
activities

·      
your own thoughts on the matter

·      
your own case studies 

·      
useful web links 

·      
essential reading

I also want to identify 6 groups that will act as Case Studies-it might be
useful to have an international case study so if you have one then this would
be useful.

The document produced will help inform part-time staff and volunteers as to how
to raise the issue of Acceptance and Understanding in practice with young
people.

The document will address a number of important issues including:

·      
value base underpinning practice

·      
context and rationale for being involved in work
promoting accpetance and understanding of others

·      
the range of issues acceptance and understanding of
others addresses

·      
models of practice

·      
how it can be embedded in practice

·      
practical exercises that can be used

·      
sources of information to support work

If you think you can help in any way please share whatever information you can.

Thanking you in anticipation of your support and co-operation.  I look
forward to hearing from you.

Fergal

____________________________________________________________________________________

My book:  The Things People Say: Political Quotations
from the Northern Ireland Peace Process

To buy it
on-line: http://www.trafford.com/07-2815

To order it in
a book shop: Give the nice man/woman this ISBN
number : 1-4251-6179-0

Info about me:
http://trainers.salto-youth.net/FergalBarr/

Organisation I
work for: www.claudyyouth.com 

Organistion I
used to work for: www.offthestreets.org

How I live my
life: Humour is the shortest distance
between people;Always remember there is someone worse off than you; It's not a
matter of if only a matter of when

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