Cv - Social Cohesion Slideshow

Education for Social Cohesion in Lebanon Towards a Social Cohesive Ecology: Themes from a Participatory Community perspective

Exploring Communicating Contributing Generating Connecting

Theoretical Framework •

•

•

one common core depiction in the extisting literature (e.g., Bruhn, 2009) is the notion of social cohesion as a bond that brings people together. Helly et al. (2003) has argued that this notion implies the promotion of a sense of communality and responsibility of community members towards each other. Inquiry : What role can community-based civic action play towards an effectual social cohesion?

n - applied research Creativity Community •

•

•

•

Learning environment providing space for collective creativity Action-research opening up a world of possibilities for collective action Facilitator connecting and expanding communities, inviting diversity: intergenerational, multi-stakeholder, multi-disciplinary, geographically dispersed Enabler of authentic conversations and creative expressions for a sustainable future

n – initiative & Social Cohesion

n -i n i tia ti ve

Factors o f S oci a l Coh e si o n

T rsu t b u i ld i ng a cti vi ti e s

S ol i d ari ty

G ro u p form ati o n

T ru st

Dia l o gu e

S oci al b el o ng i n g

Com mo n p atte rn s

P arti ci p a ti o n to p u bkl i c a ffa i rs

Deve lo p me nt o f th ei r o wn reg i o ns

Resp on si bi l i ty

Com mu ni ti e s o f l i fe

Lebanon Compass • • • •

• • • • •

Multi-confessional communities Constant political cultural turmoil Inherent social divisions Fragmented societies

Diversity Openness Resilience Talent/Potential Innovation

Communitybased civic action

Public Libraries as Public Spaces ASSABIL’s Experience

Public libraries as public spaces Public libraries as forums of expression and debate Public libraries as cultural mediators Public libraries as meeting spaces for everybody

Public libraries need to reach out to the community

Community Voices Hermil

Beit Meri

Srifa

Circle

Conversations

Dialogue

Open Space

Expressing

Creativity

Producing

Listening

overcoming gender gap

Hermil

Responsibility and Acceptance of others

8-initiatives

Integrated Process whole-system

Beit Meri

Multi-stakeholder

3-initiatives

Inquiry/Expression

Baakline/Barouk

Web of Connections: Community

5-initiatives

Cooperation

Srifa

Intergenerational voices

4-initiatives

Coming Together

Collective

Connection Interaction Cohesion

n-initiatives

Social Cohesion: People’s Thoughts • • • •

• • • • • •

• •

Appropriate Relationships / nourishing warm relationships Cement Continuity Common interest / Cooperation (no destruction and avoidance) /Collective (one hand alone cannot clap) Connection Development Belonging to a society Life and building a country Secular society Title of success Unified society Web that leads towards a virtuous society

Impact of Social Cohesion in Community Voices (participants feedback) •

•

•

•

•

Bringing communities together/Building relationships Bringing diversified citizens of various affiliations and backgrounds together and maintaining the link Circle that connects people together (we all complete the other) Correlation with others/Stronger Connections with each other Convergence and similarities of projects across the country

Impact of Social Cohesion in Community Voices (participants feedback) •

•

•

Identifying the problems and searching for solutions for all – North, South, East and West Introduction to other regions through its people Opening cooperation possibilities between different regions

•

Felt responsible

•

New established relationship with municipality

Community-based action Recommendations •

•

•

•

•

•

Introduce, present, and train individuals and groups on the working tools they need; Consistently, work on strengthening the essential social human relational skills Provide opportunities for individuals and groups to experiment with the realization of their ideas; Provide balance between support and independent action of individuals/groups - Ensure that people take personal responsibility through tangible contributions Build up on prior engagements to maintain the initiated energy momentum within the people, until they are ready to manage its continuity by themselves;

Connect people with each other for the purposes of materializing their projects and activities.

Education Field Recommendations •

•

Develop and apply relational capacities (listening, generative dialogue, open conversations, alternative forms of expression, complex problem solving methodologies, conflict transformation methods, effective decision-making tools ..) that strengthen social cohesion in the classrooms and the overall campus environments Unify the meaning of social cohesion for Lebanon and its people. Open dialogue spaces in educational settings amongst all stakeholders (e.g., at schools: students, parents, educators) around social cohesion with the purpose of identifying potential actions for implementation there.

Education Field Recommendations •

•

Create social cohesion projects within diverse education settings. Connect the processes, participants and outcomes to understand the broader dynamics at the country level. Bring education to life by having community-based service and action an integral component of the curriculum. This supports the understanding of the purpose of our learning, which moves from an individualistic ambition to a more collective connection, with clarity of our role coming through experience not downloaded spoon-feeding.

Towards a Social Cohesive Ecology: Themes from a Participatory Community perspective

Acknowledgements enact your creativity, contribute collectively and sustain the growth

ASSABIL Heinrich Boell Foundation Public Libraries in Hermil, Baakline, Srifa, Beit Meri, Beirut- Monnot/Geitawi/Bashoura

Comunity Voices participants n Hosts – Hala F., Firas, Joumana, Solange, Lina www.nnow.org

Towards a Social Cohesive Ecology: Themes from a Participatory Community perspective

Presented by enact your creativity, contribute collectively and sustain the growth

Hala Makarem Paper Prepared by

Hala Makarem – n initiator Dr. Kamal Abouchedid - Director of the Center for Applied Research in Education (CARE) at NDU

attended by ALL – Thank YOU www.nnow.org