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A great video from one of my favourite publications,Good Magazine which shows the impact of volunteerism - based on US stats but meaningful where ever you live....

I think that this book is remarkable .... and I want one immediately. Andrew Zuckerman has created this Wisdom Book. Highly original, beautiful and fresh. Take a look....

Additional Programmes:
Learning Through Art at the Guggenheim Museum
Artful Citizenship at The Wolfsonian

Also both important and interesting is Visual Thinking Strategies which aims to bring a wider understanding and practice of visual literacy into schools.

There are also lots of great art sites in the UK
Young Tate
Tate Tracks

And Creative Partnerships and The Making do some wonderful art projects in schools.

The College describes their aims as follows:

The College enables young people to become responsible citizens, politically and environmentally aware, committed to the ideals of peace, justice, understanding and cooperation, and to the implementation of these ideals through action and personal example.

It sounds to me as though Atlantic College may actually be achieving some of these aims, partly by helping students feel genuinely capable. I went to hear Richard Gerver's talk on creativity in education in London on Tuesday, who was excellent, and was again inspired to think seriously about how vital it is to broaden the curriculum.

So much discussion in education is about the academic curriculum, new teaching methods etc. Thankfully a lot of discussion about 'soft skills' and confidence too. Which is great. But nothing in my opinion makes a person feel more capable, than actually being capable.

As with Atlantic College and countless other examples of inspiring programmes for young people, it is the variety of experiences which seems the essential opportunity. Whether a sports programme, a dance programme, or an art or service one, each may offer an opportunity to a young person which provides the catalyst for developing a sense of excitement and enjoyment.....

William Damon's recent book The Path to Purpose, describes the results of a research project with young people, looking particularly at the discouragement of many young people who are not engaged with their lives. He writes:

"Ultimately all young people will make their own choices: no one can do this for them. But we can make it far more likely that they will be able to make good choices which provide them with a lifelong sense of well-being. We can offer them possibilities that fire their imaginations, guidance that encourages their highest aspirations, support that helps them realize their aspirations, and a cultural climate that inspires rather than demoralizes them."

"Green algae can produce hydrogen gas, H2, in a process called "biophotolysis" or "photobiological hydrogen production." This process is carried out by photosynthetic enzymes, which split water to obtain electrons, excite these electrons with photons, and eventually use these electrons to reduce 2H+ to H2. The scientific challenge associated with this approach to hydrogen production is that the enzyme that actually releases the hydrogen, called a "reversible hydrogenase", is sensitive to oxygen. ... The ultimate goal of this work is to develop a water-splitting process that will result in a commercial H2-producing system that is cost effective, scalable to large production, non-polluting, and self-sustaining." Maria Ghirardi

Amy Franceschini and Michael Swaine were interested in bringing this laboratory process out into the public eye, as an educational and research model.

Wanted to share a JFK quote that David Barrie posted in the comments.

"The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by sceptics or cynics...We need men who can dream of things that never were."

Perhaps this is why another optimist has been voted into the Whitehouse by rather a lot of people?

Thanks Libby for the link!

Youth worker Nelsa Libertad Curbelo Cora describes the inspiration behind Barrio de Paz (Peace Town), a non-violent youth movement in Guyaquil, Ecuador. Barrio de Paz brings together street gangs to provide services to the struggling community. Gang members band together out of a need for unity, structure, and love when their social fabric has been torn apart. Mirroring the society that marginalizes them, gangs use this unity for domination and aggression. Nelsa shows how this instinct toward oneness can be transformed into a power of service, life, and love.

Via Shedworking Via Treehugger