Community Action Project (CAP)

Planner

Professional Learning Pod (PLP) # _____

PLP Members: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PLP Faculty Mentor: _________________________

“We are passionate lifelong learners. Together we commit to working toward the well-being of self, enrichment of the community, and stewardship of the planet” (Faculty of Education – Vision Statement - partial)

“Social responsibility involves the ability and disposition to consider the interdependence of people with each other and the natural environment; to contribute positively to one’s family, community, society, and the

environment; to resolve problems peacefully; to empathize with others and appreciate their perspectives; and to create and maintain healthy relationships” (B.C.’s New Curriculum - Social Responsibility Competency)

VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

Community Action Project (CAP)1

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.

(Margaret Mead)

CAP Description and Criteria (from website)

What is a Community Action Project (CAP)?

CAP is a solution-and-place-based process that involves working collaboratively to make a positive difference within your group’s school(s) and/or community.

What does a Community Action Project (CAP) entail?

The CAP process includes 6 stages of collective action:

STEP 1: Identify an achievable area of focus/need within your school and/or community. (i.e. The desire for compost collection; Poverty awareness, etc.). Rewrite your area of focus/need in the form of a question (i.e. How can we promote leadership and environmental awareness through the implementation of a composting program in _______ school community? How can we help to increase awareness about poverty issues within _________ community and directly support those in need? Note: Refer to previous list of CAPs for examples and possible continuation of projects.

STEP 2: Research and find out as much as possible about your CAP.  What information will you need to seek in order to address your question? Who will you need to contact by email, telephone, face-to-face?  What organizations in your community might help?

STEP 3: Create a feasible Action Plan.  Delegate roles and responsibilities within your group in relation to the research that you have conducted in step 2.  Create a timeline of action that will allow for achievable goals and outcomes. Who in your group will do what and when? What support will be needed by your faculty advisor(s)?

STEP 4:  Implement your Action Plan as laid out in step 3.

1 CAP ideas & planner adapted from United Notions: A Middle Years Curriculum; J. Karmel & N. Cruickshanks (1999/2009)

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP PlannerSTEP 5: Present CAP process and contributions to Yr. 6 faculty and colleagues.

STEP 6:  Reflect on the CAP process both collectively and individually.

What are the criteria for a Community Action Project (CAP)?

The primary purpose of your CAP is that it responds to a tangible and valuable need or desire of your school and/or local community.  Questions that help to inform specific criteria for this collective endeavour include:

Is your CAP related to a specific social and/or environmental need or desire within your school(s) and/or geographic community?

Does your CAP represent a collective group interest – one that every member of your group is interested and invested in?

Is your CAP going to make a positive difference, benefit, or impact for your school(s) and/or community?

Does your CAP design something (i.e. a curriculum/program/website/film clip), participate in something (i.e. help to organize a ‘Walk of the Nations’ or ‘Shoreline clean-up;), or actually implement something (i.e. a school compost collection, designated bicycle lane, community mural, etc.)?

Is your CAP achievable? Can it be meaningfully accomplished within the timeframe allotted within your courses/program?

Is your CAP supported and endorsed by your faculty mentor?

Why is a Community Action Project (CAP) important in education?

CAP recognizes the important role that education has within local and global communities.  

CAP addresses B.C. Education’s Core Competencies, Communication, Thinking, and Personal & Social (https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies), as well as the Performance Standards for Social Responsibility; in particular, ‘Contributing to the Classroom and School Community’, Solving Problems in Peaceful Ways’, Valuing Diversity and Defending Human Rights’, and Exercising Democratic Rights and Responsibilities’ (http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/perf_stands/social_resp.htm)

CAP adheres to TRB Standard #4: Education values the involvement and support of parents, guardians, families, and community in schools.

CAP also reflects VIU’s Cross Curricular Outcomes as set forth in the Faculty of Education:

Multiversity – Committed to equity, inclusion, and social justice we:

Recognize our role as educators and global citizens within ourselves, our classroom, our education system, our community, and the world around us.

Work towards social justice and environmental stewardship.

Professionalism – As informed members of the broader educational community we:

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner Engage willingly in collegial, collaborative activities. Acknowledge and facilitate the diversity within our educational communities.

CAP Process and Timeline

Action Plan timeline: September 5 to October 13, 2017

Target Dates/Weeks Action

Week 1/ 2 (Sept 5-12) Step 1: Identify an achievable focus/need within school/community (confirmed by Sept. 12)

Week 2/3 (Sept 12-19) Step 2: Research your CAP project

Week 3/4 (Sept 19-26) Step 3: Create a feasible Action Plan

Week 4/5/6 (Sept 26-Oct 10) Step 4: Implement your Action Plan as laid out in Step 3

Week 6 (Oct 13) Step 5: Present CAP process & contributions to faculty & colleagues

Week 6 (Oct 10-13) Step 6: Reflect on CAP process both individually & collectively

Getting Started…

Step 1 – Identify a Community Action Project (Sept 5-12)

a) In your professional learning pods brainstorm – and list - as many ideas as you can related to areas of need or interest in your local school or community. Include a brief rationale for each identified project idea that explains why each idea is worthwhile for your school or community (add more paper into folder if need be). Note: Refer to previous list of CAPs (on Breaking Barriers website) for examples and possible continuation of projects.

Example: How can we increase student awareness and educate our local community about the impact that littering can have on oceans and beaches?

Rationale: As we live on Vancouver Island it is of great importance that our young people and community recognize that keeping our beaches and oceans clean is everyone’s responsibility and has far-reaching impacts on marine life and other living systems.

CAP ideas and rationales:______________________________________________________________________

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

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b) Within your pod read over your list of ideas and rationales. Look for any similarities or connections between ideas. Which ideas go together? Which ideas are repeated and can be crossed out? What new ideas should be added? Which ideas do or do not reflect CAP criteria as laid out on page 3?

c) With consensus, decide on one CAP that your group is excited/passionate about and committed to. Write your pod’s project and rationale for why you have chosen it:

CAP:_________________________________________________________________

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RATIONALE:___________________________________________________________

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d) To help your Community Action Project become clearer, rewrite it as a question:

Example: What can we do to create safer access around ___________________ School for student bicycle riders?

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP PlannerIt is helpful to include a strong verb in your questions to suggest that action will naturally follow as part of your plan. A few verb possibilities are listed below:

o Decrease o Increase o Educate o Limito Promote o Enhance o Discover o Createo Encourage o Involve o Reduce o Publicizeo Inform o Teach o Communicate o Authorizeo Create o Convey o Develop o Explain

CAP QUESTION/Focus: _________________________________________________

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e) After your CAP question/idea is clearly defined, present and discuss it with your faculty mentor for support and endorsement.

***Once mentor support has been confirmed (no later than Sept 12), proceed to Step 2.

Step 2 - Research (Sept 12-19)

Once your Community Action Project (CAP) is clearly defined (and endorsed by your faculty mentor) the next step is to research and find out as much as you can about it. What information will you need to seek in order to address your question? Who will you need to contact by email, telephone, face-to-face?  What organizations in your community might help?

CAP Example: What can we do to create safer access around ___________________ School for student bicycle riders?

Does the school, city hall or local planners have any strategies for making the streets near the school safer for bike riding?

Who do you need to talk to, or meet with, to discuss this matter? Who decides on the building of bicycle paths, road signs, etc., for city roads? What has been done in other areas, and on other roads to make them safer for

bike riding?

Research Required for CAPWithin your pod create a list of people/ ideas that will need to be researched before action on your CAP can be initiated as well as a group member(s) responsible for following up on each item (add more paper into folder if need be):

1.____________________________________________________________________

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

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Group Member responsible:

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP PlannerGroup Member responsible:

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Group Member responsible:

Step 3 – Prepare a Feasible Action Plan (Sept 19-26)

Based on ideas and research generated throughout steps 1 & 2, your group will now create a specific, feasible plan (based on the evaluation of many options) to help you carry out your CAP.

a) State your CAP question: ___________________________________________

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b) From an evaluative process using research generated in Step 2 prepare a specific plan (refer to page 10) that addresses your CAP and one that is feasible for your group to carry out within the time allotted for this project.

CAP Example: What can we do to create safer access around ________________ School for student bicycle riders?

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner Designate bicycle paths (NO, process is too long to establish)

Put signs up along the roads (NO, not feasible without lengthy city council process)

Reduce the speed limits for cars (NO, long, lengthy, process)

Make car and truck-free roads during school hours (NO, great idea, but unlikely within time allotted).

Other ideas?

Designate crossing guards on the roads during school hours (YES, could feasibly initiate within school’s ‘community service’ hours)

Delegate roles and responsibilities within your group in relation to your Action Plan.  Create a timeline of action that will allow for achievable goals and outcomes. Who in your group will do what and when? What support will be needed by your faculty mentor(s) and/or others? (refer to page 10)

FEASIBLE ACTION PLAN (use your own template if desired)

ACTION PLAN POD ROLES & RESPONSIBILITI

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TIMELINE SUPPORT REQUIRED

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

c) As a group, predict how you will know if your project was successful (i.e. more students are biking to school because they feel safe; parents are at ease, etc.).

CAP Success Indicators (How will you know that your CAP was a success?)______________________________________________________________________

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Step 4 – Implement your Action Plan as laid out in Step 3 (Sept 26 – Oct 10)

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

Step 5 - Present CAP to Faculty and Colleagues (Oct 13)

Once you have carried out your Collective Action Plan (to the best of your ability given your time allotment) your pod will prepare a succinct 10 minute presentation to inform colleagues, community members*, and faculty about your collective, community efforts. (*Any community members that have become involved (directly or indirectly) through CAP projects are welcome to attend – invitations to be requested and sent via PLP groups)

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

What will you say or do to present and explain, in an interesting and captivating way, the process, implementation, and effects of your CAP?

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Planner

Coming full circle…..

Step 6 – CAP Review and Reflection (due Oct 13)

Congratulations! As professional learning educators you have demonstrated responsibility and commitment to your community by working collectively on a collaborative action project. Through this dynamic process you may have encountered setbacks and challenges as well as anticipated accomplishments – all of which are valuable experiences for you to process within your final term of your PB program.

What are your thoughts now that your project has been planned and implemented?

Reflective Guidelines

Provide reflective feedback both individually and collectively that includes – but is not limited to - thoughts about project success, frustrations, breakthroughs, challenges, reference to success indicators (page 10), and advice for future Community Action Projects. Write your notes in whatever form you choose and include visuals if applicable.

Collective: As a group, provide a brief yet succinct summary of your CAP process including collaborative engagement within your professional learning pod as well as involvement within your local school/community.

Individual: Each group member is asked to provide an autonomous response to this Community Action Project.

Submit both your individual as well as collective responses – along with this completed CAP planner to your mentor - on the day of your CAP presentation (October 13).

Include and make reference to CAP process during December E-portfolios/Exit Interviews.

It is my view that we owe every student who engages in community action a fair chance for success.

The only way of having confidence that they will later succeed is to be sure to provide them not just with information, theories, and skill-building activities,

but also with the opportunities to gain experience in applying knowledge and skills to

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VIU – YR. 6: CAP Plannerappropriate, real community projects.

When students are given the opportunities to learn about action,

learn through action, and learn from action,

then the experiences becomes part of them, and they begin to recognize their

value and worth in society. (Hammond)

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