Students bask in the sunset at ȽÁU¸ḴEMEṈ, Sucia Island

This fall, join Dr. Elin Kelsey, renowned Hope ecologist, with Positive Psychology coach, Joy Beauchamp, in this cross-border partnership between the University of Victoria and Western Washington University. Designed as an intensive course, with coaching throughout the quarter, you will get to partner with University of Victoria and Western Washington University students in a Salish Sea collaboration.

Grounded in Positive Psychology and Constructivism, this course explores ways to foster hope, personal agency and community resilience during this time of heightened uncertainty associated with climate change and the global COVID-19 pandemic. The class will use a solutions-orientation to frame the current situation we are living in, and will support students in amplifying evidence-based positive trends. The one-week intensive course (Wednesday-Sunday) will have a different focus for each day: 1) Maintaining personal well-being during rapidly changing conditions; 2) The importance of hope and ‘outlaw emotions’ in engaging with and communicating about climate change or other global issues; 3) environmental intersectionality, climate justice and multi-species agency; 4) Social ecological and community resilience in the Salish Sea;  and 5) Allyship, social care, self-kindness and solutions incubators

The course will bring students outside (even through the virtual environment) and help them explore how a focus not only on the very real problems we face but also on solutions and gratitude can help amplify their ability to nurture personal, community, global sustainability and transformation in response to critical issues like climate change.

  • Class meets Wednesday September 22, 2021 for initial orientation and pre-course assignment.
  • Coaching sessions offered September 29 through Sunday November 14 (1 hour per student). 
  • Intensive online synchronous course Wednesday November 10 through Sunday November 14, 2021, 9:00 am-3:00 pm per day over five days. 

Please note: the course requires a major pre-course assignment to be completed the week before class begins and after course homework with checkins through Sunday November 28. 

Professors: Dr. Elin Kelsey (WWU) and Joy Beauchamp MA (UVic)

e-mail: elinkelsey@gmail.com and joy@schoolofchange.ca 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *