News, Blogs and Events

Young Advocates for Change

26th July to 2nd August 2014, Switzerland

Initiatives of Change in partnership with the Child to Child Trust and Universal Education Foundation present the second edition of CATS: Children as Actors for Transforming Society.  This conference provides a space where children, young people and adults live, learn and work together as equal partners in transforming society.  Over six days, the beautiful venue of Caux Palace (Switzerland) will become a meeting point for a global community of advocates for the rights and well-being of children.

IDS short film is shown at London Feminist Film Festival while being viewed over 1000 times an hour on Vimeo

30%: Women and politics in Sierra Leone’, a short film produced by Pathways to Women's Empowerment has been recommended as a staff choice by Vimeo, resulting in 1000 views an hour. The documentary follows the challenges and successes of gender equity in politics in Sierra Leone. The women's movement in Sierra Leone is becoming increasingly influential, and the film tells the story of three women who are fighting for their role in government as the women’s movement campaigns for a 30% quota for women in government.

Mobilizing European Citizens for Global Development

On the 30th and 31st of January 2014 the First European Conference on Citizen Initiatives for Global Solidarity will take place in Brussels under the header ‘Mobilising European Citizens for Global Development’.  Hosted by HIVA, the conference aims to explore the presence and position of Citizen Initiatives for Global Solidarity in European countries, as well as to create a knowledge and network forum for all stakeholders. The conference

Work with Us - a documentary

On Wednesday 6th November the Work with Us documentary was shown at the Institute of Development Studies.  This 20-minute film was produced in collaboration with communities around the world as part of the Participate initiative. The stories, messages and perspectives that emerge provide background to how change can happen along with the challenges in dealing with complex issues. The screening which can be viewed at: http://vimeo.com/74513961

How can people and organisations catalyse sustainable change?

On Wednesday 30th October Participate partners from grassroots organisations and activist movements gathered at the Institute of Development Studies (UK) to discuss visions for change in development, based on the life experiences and stories of people living in greatest poverty and marginalisation. The partners are amongst 17 organisations in the Participate network whose recent participatory research has resulted in a report: ‘Work with us: How people and organisations can catalyse sustainable change’.

Participation for Development: Why is this a good time to be alive?

Photo of Robert ChambersRobert Chambers

Based on and abbreviated from a keynote to the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) conference in Canberra on 28 November 2012

For us engaged with participation for development, why is this a good time to be alive? There are so many negative trends in our world – in climate change, rising inequality, abuses of globalisation, the glorification of greed….and so much else. But for participation for development, I believe the glass is not half empty but half full and filling, because there are so many wonderful realities and potentials for making a difference for the better.

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