Blueair’s Post

The week that was and boy what a week! 3 weeks in and I’m starting to settle nicely into the role. Connecting with members has been a big focus this week and I am impressed with the passion and encouragement coming out of Waimakariri, Selwyn and Christchurch councils (more to come later next week 😉). But it has also been about reflecting on the year and the hard mahi our stakeholders have been through and continue to deliver on. Recovery has been a big theme, with wide scale damage and changing how we react or manage our open spaces. Service delivery models, analytics and data driven research in our fields that stack up against other competing departments, community projects and much more. A lot of it comes back to resilience and what it means in our Parks, Play and Open Spaces networks. How are we delivering resiliency in these areas? Are we helping our communities to become more self aware and resilient along the way? With the LTP’s around the corner there is more work to come and is an opportunity to see how your plans might stack up through the lens of resiliency. Food for thought, from your staff Christmas party mini putt and ten pin bowling champion (trophies to come).

“A worker co-op’s primary goal in operating an enterprise is for service to its employees and its community…” - Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation / La Fédération canadienne des coopératives de travail At Alethea,  we are very proud of our identity as a worker cooperative and our community is proudly the international education sector around the world. We are proud to celebrate Canada’s 2023 National Co-Op Week with Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada -- Coopératives et mutuelles Canada. This year’s Co-Op Week theme is “Co-operating on Climate Action” and we can’t think of something more aligned with the work we’re doing as part of the international education community! Worker Cooperatives are a fundamentally different business and organizational structure than a traditional business. Our employees are called members and we are not beholden to shareholders or investors. And we invite you to celebrate with us and learn more about cooperatives! While increasing awareness of the climate crisis and how it intersects with international education and social justice, our team will also continue to share more about cooperatives as an organizational structure. The CWCF shares that in worker cooperatives “members combine their skills, interests and experiences to achieve mutual goals such as creating jobs for themselves, providing a community service and increasing democracy in the workplace” and contributes to the inherently more sustainable operating model than a traditional business. Read a little bit about Co-Op Week here: https://lnkd.in/gyeEf6h5

I truly cannot imaging having incorporated Alethea Global Cooperative as anything other than a worker co-op. When I first learned about worker co-operatives years ago, it felt like an impossible dream for a workplace: an organization where employees' opinions had equal weight to that of senior leadership? An organization where employees were owners and shared in the success of the company based on their labour and not their seniority... could it really be like that?! Years later, I lived the exact opposite experience of a democratic workplace in strategic decision-making during the pandemic and then again after having been acquired by private equity. I saw and experienced, first hand, as I'm sure many of us have, where the decisions of a few owners and executives made the lives of the workers worse. Where, had workers had a say, or an equal share in the gains, things might have turned out differently. I will always fiercely believe in and walk the talk on workers' rights and I could not be more proud that we made the choice to incorporate Alethea as a worker co-op and even more grateful that Sarah Mines, Marcie Mealia, and Michelle Avelena saw the value in making that choice for our team. Shout out to Tania Suarez Mendoza, Margherita Pasquini, Mehwish Kareem, Cert DDM, and Amy Spark who have recently come alongside to contribute to a system with more equitable organizational structure! #sustainability #climatejustice #cooperatives #workercoops #coopweek2023 #climateaction #intled #workersrights

SQ Cares: invest in you & our planet! April is all about health and our Earth! In recognition of World Health Day (April 7th) and Earth Day (April 22nd), SQ is giving all Squad members (PT & FT) 3 extra paid hours off between April 15th and 22nd to prioritize your well-being and our planet. Focus on Your Health: Check-ups: Schedule an appointment to stay ahead of potential health concerns. Get Active: Go for a walk, run, bike ride, or simply move your body! Fuel Your Body: Cook healthy meals, explore new recipes, and prioritize your diet. Set Goals: Focus on small, achievable health goals for long-term success. Give Back to Our Earth: Clean Up: Organize a trash pick-up in your neighborhood or park. Every little bit counts! Plant a Tree: Plant a tree to improve air quality and create a haven for wildlife. Educate Yourself: Dive into documentaries like "Our Planet" or "My Octopus Teacher" to learn more about environmental issues. Let's invest in ourselves and our planet! #SQCares

I was delighted to attend the launch of Wandsworth Council’s ground breaking Night Time Strategy “Night Time, Our Time” in November. The work sets a new standard for inclusivity, transparency, and community engagement. The strategy, developed in collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders, including police, local businesses, and community members, outlines a comprehensive plan to enhance the borough's safety and make it a more attractive place for people to spend time at night. The Night Time Strategy is deeply rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and welcome in their community, both during the day and at night. The strategy recognises that nightlife is not just about bars and clubs; it is about creating a vibrant and inclusive space where everyone can enjoy the many benefits of a thriving night time economy. Key Highlights: Inclusive Engagement: The strategy places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, ensuring that the voices of underrepresented groups are heard and considered in shaping the community's nocturnal landscape. Interactive Map and Strategy: An interactive map and strategy provides residents with a dynamic tool to explore the various aspects of the plan, fostering a sense of ownership and encouraging active participation. Transparency through Visual Storytelling: The incorporation of photos, sound and art not only communicates the team’s dedication to innovation and creativity but also showcases the progress achieved through collaborative efforts. Wandsworth's Night Time Strategy is not just a plan for the future; it is a model for future urban planning. By embracing inclusivity, transparency, and engagement, the council has set a high bar for other councils looking to enhance their night time environments and create more vibrant, inclusive communities. Blanka Hay Grace Crannis https://lnkd.in/giqjWnmE

Did you know closing streets near schools can make them safer and healthier for kids? Check out our latest publication, "Safer and Healthier Streets for Children: The Possibilities of School Street Closures in Calgary, AB," by the wonderful Madeline Kleinfeld. Whether closed for short periods (drop-off and pick-up) or permanently, closing school-adjacent streets to vehicles can encourage active travel, independent mobility and community connection, while decreasing pollution. We commonly call them "school streets" or "open streets." Our report dives into: -The benefits to child health 🚶♀️🍎 -Impact on traffic 🚗❌ -Success factors for implementation 🌳✨ Discover inspiring school street examples from Montreal, Kingston, Calgary, Edmonton, and Paris, France. Let's create safer and healthier environments for kids! 👉 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gyfWzxij

https://lnkd.in/dFBWEQM9 As a parent and an air quality specialist, it was interesting to read the results from a survey done by C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Only 21% of parents reported that their school has a response policy in place for poor air quality conditions (61% of parents did not know if a policy was even in place at their school). If you have school aged children, this is definitely something that is worth a conversation about with your childrens' teachers and school administration. #cleanair #airpollution #healthyair #schools

Community safety isn't a one-person job; it's a shared mission. By working together, you can ensure a peaceful environment where families thrive and businesses flourish. Here are some tips to help keep your community safe. #carolinaskylights #sunlight #sun #sky #skylights #sunshine #light #sunnyday #bethelight #naturallight #inspireothers #mondaymotivation #tgim

'Shifting gears on levelling up' is a new report released by More in Common and Power to Change this weekend. Alongside evidence of the extent the public care about this agenda, they propose five tests that should guide a levelling up reset. They all sound sensible to me and cover neighbourhood impact, community control, revival of high streets, protection of local parks and community safety. There's heaps of public opinion data here to engage with but the two findings that struck me were: 📣 Seven in ten Britons think that local and national governments do not give residents and community groups the freedom to bring about improvements in their local area. 🌳 Britain’s parks and green spaces are what make people proud of their local area (as shown in the attached). This holds true across people with different beliefs and values (the chart shows this across the 7 segments that you can read more about here: https://lnkd.in/erQ5MkSd). The first of these findings chimes strongly with what IPPR and IPPR North heard from residents of Hastings, Redcar and Stoke-on-Trent in our own citizens' panels. The public want to see power fairly shared across the country and within their communities. Read more about that research here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eNVPWNib. The second matches up with what I've found in countless public workshops and focus groups but have never seen laid out in polling results like this before. We tend to be proud of where we live. People and local heritage are key parts of this, but green spaces and parks can be the thing that stitches a neighbourhood together. Read the full report from More in Common and Power to Change here 👉 https://lnkd.in/et-stTzC

"Average life expectancy is three years shorter in communities where there are barriers to participation in civic life." The need for intentional, grassroots community and neighborhood engagement is ongoing and extends to all age groups. Public servants have a responsibility to prioritize access to information and participation in civic life now more than ever. 💡 The Surprising Link Between Budgeting and Good Health (governing.com) #civicengagement #civiclife #communityengagement