MRCSE 2009 Summer Workshop

 0ver 75 people attended the  MRCSE 2009 Summer Workshop held at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin from June 22nd -26th.   The goal of the workshop was to create a space where people who have a shared interest in community-based sustainability initiatives can collaborate over an extended period to share ideas, find solutions, build innovations, and take action. The workshop was underwritten by a grant from the EPA Office of Environmental Education.

The week long workshop focused on creating transformative learning environments and community-based sustainability education.  Participants explored systems thinking tools, shared sustainability projects, joined a world cafe, and spent a day in an open space dialog.  Throughout the week invited Wise Elders and Story Tellers offered their gifts of knowledge, imagination and creativity.  Many good friendships and kinships were forged as the collaborative formed a lasting sense of community, that for some transformed and regenerated their vision of a new future.  Workshop participants now prepare MRCSE seed grant applications to help take their knowledge, skills, and spirit back into their local communities in hope to continue co-creating and evolving this vision with others.