The following piece was written

by Deanne Savard of Peace River,

who was chosen to go to South

Africa this summer on ACGC’s

Change Your World: Alberta

Youth Leadership tour.

South Africa seemed like

such a faraway place before

our trip. It's hard to notice

how insulated your world

is when you are living it

everyday. In northern

Alberta, it's especially

easy to separate

yourself from the rest

of the world. The

world seems so big, and

that somehow makes your problems

bigger, too. Especially being a youth,

it's difficult to see how your dreams

could possibly come true when the

world is so full of people who also

have dreams - it's a zero-sum game

that you can't win.

Visiting Hamburg in South Africa

with the Keiskamma Canada

Foundation and seeing how people

flourish under hardships made me

realize how small

the world really is.

All of the

problems that the

people in

Hamburg face

seemed to actually

strengthen the

community.

Everybody felt a

personal

responsibility to

protect the most

vulnerable

members in the

village. Looking back, it's not that

people in Hamburg have a stronger

moral compass than Canadians do,

but here these subtleties sometimes

hide from plain sight. Being an

outsider in Hamburg, seeing these

dynamics, and then coming home

changed my perspective. Everybody

has these morals in common, and so,

South Africa isn't such a faraway

place after all.

I used to feel afraid of dreaming too

big because I didn't want to be

embarrassed when I lost. Since the

Teach the World’s Largest Lesson!

trip, success isn't a zero-sum game

to me anymore. The world has

opened up to me; there are

innumerable possibilities. Without

all of these new experiences, I don't

think I could have believed that I

could have success. Now, though, I

have never felt this excited about

my future or as motivated to do

well.

With a new school year

approaching, this trip couldn't have

come at a better time in my life.

International learning experience benefits youth

V O L U M E 1 1

AUTUMN 2015 A PUBLICATION OF THE ALBERTA COUNCIL FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION

On September 25th the United Nations will announce

the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of

goals for the world that aim to make our planet fair,

healthy and sustainable by 2030! The SDGs are intended

to build upon the expiring Millennium Development

Goals, to finish the work that was started and to improve

upon the implementation. To help educate about these

goals, numerous agencies across the globe have come

together to promote The World’s Largest Lesson and

ACGC is encouraging teachers in Alberta to join in!

To participate in this global movement, teachers are en-

couraged to plan a lesson between September 28th and

October 2nd which educates their students about the

SDGs, and what they can do to help achieve them.

Don’t know where to start? Start with our two-page

insert in this newsletter about the SDGs and the cam-

paign, and follow up by visiting ACGC’s website. And

don’t forgot to check out the various campaign websites

below!

www.tes.com/worldslargestlesson

Pictured are Lasha, Reana, Sean, Abdul, and Deanne

www.globalgoals.org

P A G E 2

If you are an educator, student, or parent interested

in becoming a global citizen, or if you know of a stu-

dent who wants to help make change in the world,

join Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan

(CW4WAfghan) delegates on October 2nd and 3rd

for this year’s annual symposium titled Global Citizen-

ship: Partners in Education for Afghan Women and Girls.

CW4WAfghan is inviting students to join the chapter delegates and special guests from across Canada for

a full day of interactive sessions focusing on our roles and responsibilities as global citizens and discussing

tangible ways to make impactful change. CW4WAfghan has partnered with Heather McPherson (ACGC)

and Francoise Ruban (Alberta Teachers’ Association) who will facilitate a number of sessions throughout

the day to build upon the volunteer efforts leading to thoughtful and effective development work. Based in

an "active, hand-on" learning style, our presenters will challenge student's perceptions of “helping the third

world” and offer tools and connections to take action!

There are limited student delegate spaces available; please register early to guarantee a spot. Transporta-

tion information will be provided at a later date. Registration is free on Friday, and $25 on Saturday. Stu-

dents are responsible for their meals.

Visit http://cw4wafghan.wix.com/banff-2015 and facebook.com/cw4wafghan to learn more!

Join CW4WAfghan in Banff for Annual Symposium

Scona Initiative makes local & global impact One has to look no further than Strathcona High

School in Edmonton to see that youth, and schools,

can make a large impact on their local and global com-

munity. Over the course of eight years, students at

Scona have turned their motto, "As

One Who Serves" into reality by de-

veloping their Scona Initiative into one

of the largest school run fundraisers

in Canada.

The Scona Initiative is a year long

endeavor for the entire student

body, who collaboratively identify

and select a charitable organiza-

tion to support, as well as plan

their service and fundraising

campaign. This past school

year, ACGC Member Change

For Children Association was identified

along with Edmonton’s Bissell Centre, as Scona’s

partner. Through a 24-hour bike-a-thon with over

1000 riders and 100 volunteers, the students were

able to raise $352 000 to use equally between the

two charities.

ACGC Executive Director, Heather McPherson, ac-

companied Change for Children staff in June 2015 to

the Cuyabeno reserve in Northeastern Ecuador.

With the funds raised by Scona, Change for Children

will work to provide alternative employment and de-

velopment of the communities in the region whose

livelihoods are at risk due to development of large

scale mining and gas exploration. As Heather stated,

“After visiting the Cuyabeno reserve, I am certain the

impacts of the funds raised will be far reaching will

fundamentally change lives in this region.”

Strathcona High School students have shown them-

selves to be leaders in global citizenship, and serve as

a great example to students all across Alberta. Rec-

ognizing their efforts can make a great impact, stu-

dents have decided to create an application form for

non-profits to express interest in partnering with

them in their initiative this year.

ACGC is pleased to now have the Edmonton Public

School board as our member and in turn, show sup-

port to this amazing initiative going forward!

fundraise.sconainitiative.ca/ www.changeforchildren.org

Starting this fall, the CAWST Wavemakers program

will be offering an online course, free for students

across Canada! The Virtual Wavemakers Summit is

an exciting opportunity for educators and youth to

explore local and global water and sanitation issues.

The Summit provides educators with an easy-to-

follow, action-based curriculum that is designed to

develop critical thinking, innovation, effective

communication skills and global awareness.

Participating teams will be challenged to respond to

real-world water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)

issues by designing and implementing a solutions-

based action project. This hands-on, service learning

opportunity provides an authentic experience that reaches beyond the classroom. The Summit provides flexibility for

groups to stagger their learning over several weeks while giving them the opportunity to connect online with CAWST

staff, local water organizations, and other Wavemakers teams across the country.

Visit the website to learn more about the Wavemakers Summit at

http://wavemakers.cawst.org or email wavemakers@cawst.org

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 1

Online curriculum fosters global citizenship & action!

Looking for a novel to inspire your

students to learn more about the

world? ACGC has novel sets by author

Deborah Ellis for loan this school year.

‘I am a Taxi’ is available for Edmonton

schools, and ‘Parvana’s Journey’ for

Calgary schools. ACGC will provide

your class with a set of novels, and up-

on completion, we will arrange to bring

a guest speaker to your classroom who

can speak to the issues raised in the

novel.

Please note, these novels are best suit-

ed for Grades 5-8. For a detailed de-

scription of these novels and the au-

thor, visit http://deborahellis.com/

books/#fiction

For copies, contact projects@acgc.ca!

Join our Global Literature Circle!

Alberta teachers: consider using your skills abroad! Although a new school year has started, its not too early to

start planning for next summer! Consider the following

international opportunities available through the Alberta

Teachers’ Association:

Project Overseas is a joint endeavor by the Canadian

Teachers’ Federation to give professional assistance to

fellow teachers in developing countries. Deadline to apply

is October 30th!

ATA Masulita, Uganda Professional Development

Project provides professional development

opportunities for teachers in the village of Masulita in the

district of Wakiso, Uganda in July 2016. Deadline to apply

is December 1st

ATA - Me to We Kenya Professional Development

Project is a joint endeavor by the ATA and its members

to provide professional development opportunities for

teachers in Kenya. Deadline to apply is January 15th, 2016.

Learn more here!

www.youtube.com/albertateachers

www.teachers.ab.ca/

P A G E 4

The following resources are part of

The Global Goals campaign and can be found on

www.tes.com/worldslargestlesson www.globalgoals.org

www.acgc.ca

On September 25th 2015, 193 world leaders will commit to 17 Global Goals to achieve 3

extraordinary things in the next 15 years. End extreme poverty. Fight inequality & injus-

tice. Fix climate change. The Global Goals for sustainable development could get these

things done. In all countries. For all people.

Join the Movement!

Use a lesson from the

campaign toolkit!

www.tes.com/

worldslargestlesson/

lesson-plans/

V O L U M E 1 1 P A G E 5

Goal 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 4 Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning

Goal 5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 6 Ensure access to water and sanitation for all

Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Goal 8 Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all

Goal 9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 10 Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 11 Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Goal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

Goal 15 Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss

Goal 16 Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies

Goal 17: Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

Suite 205, 10816A-82 Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta T6E 2B3

Phone: 780-988-0200 | Fax: 780-988-0211

admin@acgc.ca

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Share your activities with

us and see your school

profiled in our next

ACGC teach newsletter!

www.acgc.ca/teach

ACGC CURRENT MEMBERSHIP

September 2015

Action International Ministries ˑ Ainembabazi Chil-

dren’s Project ˑ Alberta Teachers’ Association ˑ

Association of Canadian Peacemakers International

Altamas for Peace and Development Association ˑ

Bridges of Hope International Network of Devel-

opment Agencies ˑ Calgary Board of Education

Global Learning Program ˑ Canada World Youth ˑ

Canadian Association for Participatory Develop-

ment ˑ Canadian Catholic Organization for Devel-

opment and Peace ˑ Canadian Humanitarian Or-

ganization for international Reliefˑ Canadian Mora-

vian Mission Society ˑ Canadian Women for Wom-

en in Afghanistanˑ CARO-Canadians Reaching Out

to the World's Children Foundation ˑ CAUSE

Canada ˑ CEIBA Association ˑ Centre for Afforda-

ble Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST)ˑ

Centre for Global Citizenship Education and Re-

search ˑ Change for Children Association ˑ Cross-

roads Christian Communication ˑ Edmonton Public

School Board ˑ energy4everyone Foundation ˑ

Engineers Without Borders- Canada ˑ Four

Worlds Center for Development Learning ˑ Ghost

River Rediscovery ˑ Global Education Program,

University of Alberta ˑ Human Development Foun-

dation ˑ John Humphrey Centre for Peace and

Human Rights ˑ Keiskamma Canada Foundation ˑ

Light Up the World Foundation ˑ Maharashtra

Seva Samiti Organization ˑ Mahatma Gandhi Cana-

dian Foundation for World Peace ˑ Marda Loop

Justice Film Festival ˑ Mennonite Central Commit-

tee Alberta ˑ Micah Centre—King University Col-

lege ˑ Minkha Knitters Cooperative ˑ Mission of

Mercy ˑ Nafasi Opportunity Society ˑ One Child's

Village ˑ One! International Poverty Relief ˑ Opera-

tion Eyesight Canada ˑ Optometry Giving Sight ˑ

Oxfam Canada ˑ Rainbow for the Future ˑ Rainbow

of Hope for Children ˑ ReadAfrica ˑ Rotary Club of

Edmonton ˑ Sahakarini Inter-World Education &

Development Association ˑ Samaritan's Purse Can-

ada ˑ Sinkunia Community Development Organiza-

tion ˑ Somali-Canadian Education & Rural Devel-

opment Organization ˑ Sombrilla International

Development Society ˑ STOP TB Canada ˑ Sustain-

able East African Education & Development Socie-

ty of Alberta ˑ Tools for Schools Africa Foundation

ˑ Trebi Kuma Ollennu Foundation for Community

Development ˑ True Vision Ghana ˑ United Na-

tions Association in Canada ˑ Women's Empower-

ment International Foundation ˑ World Fit for

Children -Alberta Chapter

ACGC Teach is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of

Canada provided through Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada

(DFATD).

Canadians have one of the highest carbon

footprints in the world – we have a

responsibility to Create a Climate of

Change! ACGC member Canadian Catholic

Organization for Development and

Peace believes that by working together,

reflecting on our own choices and

lifestyles, as well as calling for community,

political and international action, we can

tackle the injustice of climate change.

Development and Peace have created a

series of educational materials available

online for Canadian teachers, including an

action sheet with stories of the impact of

climate change, two new eco-justice related

youth activities, as well as inspiring

initiatives to tackle climate injustice from

their international partners. Included in

their resources is a report on climate change

that details how Canada can play its part in addressing climate change.

For more information or to get your school involved, contact Sara Farid,

Development and Peace’s Alberta representative, at sfarid@devp.org or visit

www.devp.org/education to help Create a Climate of Change!

Featured Resource: Create a Climate of Change