When down a hole, it is essential to distinguish a shovel from a ladder – one gets you out, one digs you in deeper. So too, with society’s opinion- and decision-makers. You are invited to nominate any of them for a Ladder or Shovel Award, explaining to fellow Villagers why they should endorse your Award.
Ladder and Shovel Awards
Shovel Award: for digging community into a bureaucratic hole
25th September 2008
This week a Shovel has been awarded to those who support the Education Amendment Bill introduced by Education Minister Chris Carter last week (September 08). This Bill proposes police vetting of all people who have unsupervised access to children during the opening hours of early childhood centres and schools.
The reason for the Shovel is that this Bill will add another layer of bureaucracy and more bureaucrats to the community.
It will add the need for more technology with the vetting procedures, and a requirement for local community to learn these procedures, taking valuable time and adding frustration.
It will also add disincentives for parents (and others in the community) to be involved with their children, and eliminate what used to be spontaneous acts of support and kindness.
In short, it is a move away from an environment where children and adults alike develop skills in communicating with one another about whom to trust and in what ways, to one where people are forced to be dependent on bureaucracy. As a result they risk becoming more naive as individuals and even more vulnerable.
What do you think? Send us your comments? Send your nomination for a Ladder or Shovel Award - about the Ladder and Shovel Award.
See Minister's press release (9 September) (PDF, 12 KB) and release from New Zealand Playcentre Federation (11 September 08) (PDF, 12KB)
Local community practitioners, academics and policy-makers are invited to blend theory and practice to help support a “whole of locality” paradigm, one in which all can flourish by recognising and fulfilling their potentials.
Brokering Solutions
What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs - book review
The healing power of well-inhabited gardens
Creating knowledge for sustainably bright futures
see more →
Following the maxim that “there’s nothing as practical as good theory” the aim here is the co-creation of practical, robust and relevant theory. Blog contributions, comments and suggested links are most welcome.
Theories
Lectures on Ancient Greek Economy & Leisure
From Localities to Network Localities & Nations of Well-Connected Villages
Village Theory Think Piece: How to better understand the global from the perspective of the local
see more →
What kinds of local and local-through-to-global connection-building can help Villagers to better recognize, refine and fulfill their aspirations from the places where they live? You are invited to let us know about projects and share successes and challenges.
Projects
New Local "Currency" Systems by Edward Goldsmith and Perry Walker
Clare Cooper Marcus on "The Needs of Children in Contemporary Cities"
Janine Benyus - Recognizing What Works: A Conscious Emulation of Life's Genius
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