Finally! I have heard back from Navdanya and they have accepted my application for a practicum placement! Yay! I am eagerly looking forward to the next steps of formalizing some of the specifics and getting a plane ticket! Everything seems to be coming together.

I am sequestered away over reading break on the far west coast of Vancouver Island in the small community  of Bamfield, sheltered by a roaring fireplace and a wall of Vandana Shiva's books. I am trying to learn everything that I can. What does food sovereignty mean? How does food security link with broader social issues? How is Ms. Shiva's work applicable in a Canadian/International context? What can I bring to this organization with my unique perspective as a social worker? Where does ecofeminism stand within the larger field of eco justice and ecology? I am having the chance to have some wonderful conversations and learning opportunities, surrounded by my brother and partner who are both biologists.

I am amazed at how Navdanya's work brings together so many of my interests, and offers a chance to work at many levels of organization and structure.  While it sounds like the learning opportunities are vast and fairly open and flexible, for my own sanity I would like to have at least a vague idea of what I could be involved with when I arrive there.  I love the idea of working with a group of students around environmental issues, and I think it would be very important to be at Navdanya for the organizational meetings which fall around the ‘Grandmothers University' from April 10th - 12th. Vandana Shiva will be at these meetings, and from my understanding, the best chance to work with her directly will come from being involved with these meetings. Being in India for these dates means that I will have to be leaving soon - and perhaps will have to leave school a week early. It is an opportunity that seems too good to miss though!

I feel myself starting to become excited now. It feels like this opportunity is becoming real, and I am recognizing that in a month and a half I will be on my way toward an amazing learning opportunity!

In response to:
Bourassa, J. (2009). Psychosocial interventions and mass populations. International Social Work, 52(6), pp. 743-755.

It seems to me that Bourassa comes from a more clinical framework and has seen it as a part of her practice to work toward the reframing of social work methodology. While her critiques of a more medical approach (i.e PTSD) are valid, I feel that the leadership perspective of social work has already moved beyond this place. I wonder though if this conversation would hold more relevancy (and potentially challenge?) with a clinical group of students? Or if the focus of University of Calgary's program has moved away from this over the last few years?

This article raises further questions for me about the role of the individual/family/community in social change. Where is the best place for support? When is it best to support each various grouping? In the context of a disaster, how do we prioritize 'needs' (physical, psychological) without overlooking something based on our 'outsider' lens?

In my understanding at this point, creating, facilitating and maintaining a space for community members (collectively and individually) to maintain dignity through having purpose (and coming to their own understanding of meaning) through rebuilding is essential. Instead of 'facilitating', those working within the context of a disaster situation should focus on opening and holding space for community members to emerge and engage as leaders. What does this mean in the context of emergency provisions? How to hold a balance between service provision (shock treatment) and practice that empowers? How can we break down divisions so that all options include and are based upon principles of empowerment and capacity? So many questions here....

Sometimes I feel that as academics we can lose our way in rhetoric. Clinical, leadership, community development, each practice is triumphed above the others. I strive in for a practice of wholism - and while labels can be helpful in understanding and defining this I continue to ask myself what does wholism mean to me? Right now it means seeing the whole (PIE - Person in Environment -, maintaining a perspective of 'spirit', and opening to 'not knowing' and instead to 'listening'). It is a balance to both 'listen' and 'act', and one that I learn new lessons from each day.