Windows on the World: Views from Minessence
Jackie Le Fèvre noted that academic opinion appears to be relatively settled upon the inter-related nature of values, and that values tend to sit in hierarchies and can rise or fall in priority in relation to external circumstances. Over the last twenty years the Minessence Values Framework (MVF) has been used with individuals, groups and organisations around the world. This framework clusters values into eight themes and describes seven distinct views upon the world. The current data set for the MVF contains over 17,000 individuals. She explained the structure of the framework itself and explored some of the insights into gender- and occupation-specific preferences that have emerged to date. See powerpoint presentation (1.2mb).
The IFRC's YABC (Youth as Agents of Behaviour Change) Initiative
Dr Katrien Beeckman built on her plenary lecture to provide more information on YABC (Youth as Agents of Behaviour Change), which empowers youth to become leaders of behavioural change in society and in their local community. It does so by equipping them with concrete and practical skills, such as non-violent communication or active listening. YABC starts with each youth member making the commitment to change from within. Through internal arts, youth gain inner peace and harmony before reaching out to their peers and the community. The final purpose for YABC youth is to raise the awareness of society on non-discrimination, gender equality, violence prevention and building a culture of peace, social inclusion and intercultural dialogue and to engage in concrete action, which can take the form of humanitarian diplomacy with authorities, carrying out social projects, organizing campaigns, etc.
Measuring Values in Education – a scheme in 58 schools in Ireland
Molly O'Duffy spoke about her work with Educate Together, the Patron Body for 58 multi-denominational state-funded primary schools in the Republic of Ireland. The ethos of Educate Together schools is predicated on the following core principles: multi-denominational, co-educational, child-centred and democratically run. The schools deliver an ethical education programme, which includes Moral and Spiritual Education, Environment and Ethics, Belief Systems, and Equality and Justice. In keeping with these principles, Educate Together promotes an ethos of respect for the identity, individuality and integrity of all members of the school community, and is devising a tool to help schools measure and evaluate their adherence to the values and principles of the ethos. Shel described this tool and outlined the experience to date in supporting schools to use it. See powerpoint presentation (1.8mb).
The Communication of Social Values
Dr Julie Doyle noted that the mainstream environmental movement has called for a transformation of its own approaches to climate change communication and action, through an acknowledgment that climate change can no longer be simply framed as an environmental issue. As such, a broader coalition of groups and networks, from social justice to faith organisations, are now addressing this issue. Through an analysis of recent climate change communication campaigns by Cafod, Friends of the Earth and the Camp for Climate Action, she explored how different social values are communicated by each campaign. Attentive to the power relations invested in their organisational structures, she considered how different values shape how climate change is made meaningful and the kinds of action advocated. See powerpoint presentation (1.4mb).
Life-Enriching Values
Gwen Clifford described her work with the Human Values Foundation, which has been providing highly acclaimed and effective, non-denominational holistic education programmes for thousands of primary and secondary age pupils both here in the UK and worldwide since 1995. Its programmes help young people explore, develop and practice human values starting with a simple framework of core values including Love, Truth, Peace, Right Conduct and Non-violence. It is now engaging with 21st century technologies to embed and sustain 'Life-enriching values for everyone, both young and old'. There is a long journey ahead but there are many more organisations and partners out there who share the same vision and aims. She suggested it was time to work more closely together. See powerpoint presentation (242kb).