"Roots & Shoots, a program of the Jane Goodall Institute, is a powerful, youth-driven, global network of more than 8,000 groups in almost 100 countries. Together, youth of all ages are taking action to improve our world through service learning projects that promote care and concern for animals, the environment and the human community."
quoted from www.rootsandshoots.org
The Rio Grande Roots & Shoots chapter of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA is made up of homeschooling families who have come together with the common goal of empowering our children through inspiration, education and service. We focus our projects on the Rio Grande Valley and the surrounding area. When considering what will make a good project, event or trip for our group, we try to remember the following:
- Is it age appropriate? With this we don't simply mean can the children do it, but can they comprehend it? For our group this requires that we really remain local in focus. Global issues are beyond the comprehension of our age range (4-12yrs) and therefore, while the project might do well, it isn't nourishing the children nor fostering their ability to be a part of and visualize the difference they can and are making.
- Is it trackable? Can the children come back in a few months, or years and see the impact they have made?
- Is it a positive action event or project? In other words does it promote a sense of positive proactive ability, or does it make the kids feel like the world they are inheriting is a mess and it is on their shoulders to fix it? We don't want this for them, and so we try to make our activities based on creating positve change, not repairing negative realities. An example would be that we would not likely do a project where the children are faced with an issue that is beyond their ability to comprehend, abused children, extreme poverty, comletely camaged environment, homelessness. Not that we dont want to help causes of this nature, we just feel that at this time in a child's life we need to build up their confidence in their ability to make a real difference, not make them feel that the world is somehow beyond hope and their efforts would be for naught.
- Can it be successful? This sometimes is no, but we do really try to do projects that can foster success and a sense of accomplishment in the kids.
- Does it carry an expense that may cause issue with some membrs of the group? We are focussed on making a difference through our actions, not our financial capabilities. We do not do fundraisers of things of that nature.
Our overall goal is to foster a sense of ability and streigth in our children. We want them to look at something and immediately think of what they CAN do to leave it in a better state than what they found it. We feel that through exposure, education and action that these kids will really develop a true sense of connection to their community and become citizens who will really make a positive contribution to the future.
NOTE: As our group grows and we begin to have some teen members, we will reevaluate our choices and will likely form a Teen group which can choose their own projects of interest. |
