by Selah Woelk
This winter, three new ventures joined the Grebel Peace Incubator. From imagining bees as messengers of peace to imagining alternatives to incarceration, their innovation contributes to our community in unique and important ways.
Bees for Peace is an organization that reminds us of our shared responsibilities to protect the environment and build community. With the goals of supporting endangered bee species and bringing communities together, Bees for Peace creates native pollinator gardens. These gardens provide bees with important habitat and foster connection within the communities that create them.
Bees for Peace founder Carrie Dohe is particularly interested in facilitating interfaith dialogue about what it means to be a community of faith working to protect the environment. The first event held by Bees for Peace was an intentionally interfaith collaboration between Baha’i, Buddhist, and Christian communities to build planter boxes for pollinator gardens. Currently developing a curriculum for kids' summer camps, watch the Centre for Peace Advancement website for opportunities to volunteer with Bees for Peace!
Supporting endangered bee species and bringing communities together...
Drawing from a restorative justice lens, Just Outcomes is an organization which uses restorative principles and tools to promote systems change in communities, schools, workplaces and the criminal justice system. Founded by Matthew Hartman, Catharine Bargen, and Aaron Lyons, Just Outcomes provides consultation in response to harm within a community as well as preventative education to build restorative communities resilient to harm. Originally, Just Outcomes serviced only Western Canada and the United States, but Michelle Jackett is bringing the work of Just Outcomes into Ontario.
A graduate of UWaterloo, and Restorative Justice lecturer in the Peace and Conflict Studies program, Michelle has worked with Just Outcomes to integrate restorative justice practices into youth correctional facilities in the States and hopes to expand their reach into eastern Canada.
Using restorative principles and tools to promote systems change in communities, schools, workplaces and the criminal justice system.
From classrooms to seniors' homes, MIND Educational Games Institute teaches community members by playing games that engage both one’s mind and one’s heart. Collecting games from cultures around the world, MIND Educational Games director Ali Okan hopes that playing these games will both build people’s cognitive skills and foster intercultural empathy. MIND Educational Games promotes learning new skills while learning about other cultures.
The warmth and energy that Ali, Seminur, and the MIND Education Games Institute team have brought to the Centre is evident in their donation of mugs to add to a collection used at weekly coffee breaks, and the stack of games that sit on Ali’s desk with a sign urging other Centre participants to borrow them. Keep a lookout for the logic puzzles he shares as well.
MIND Educational Games promotes learning new skills while learning about other cultures.
We hope you will join us in welcoming Bees for Peace, Just Outcomes, and MIND Educational Games Institute to the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement! Be sure to check out the important work these organizations are doing.
If you are interested in joining the unique community of peace and justice-minded individuals at the Centre for Peace Advancement, reach out to the Centre Coordinator Teresa Edge at teresa.edage@uwaterloo.ca