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We Need That Rite of Passage…

Posted on October 29, 2013 by David Blumenkrantz

Dougie MacLean, the wonderfully talented Scottish folk singer puts down in verse what many of us believe.

I hope you enjoy and share. As he sings: "You need that rites of passage before you can continue on...." More important today than ever. Special thanks to all who are guiding youth, through rites of passage, to adulthood and meaningful connections with all life.

 

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Posted in ROPE

Designing as if All Things Are Related© – Part 2

Posted on October 2, 2013 by David Blumenkrantz

 Graphic from Whole Building Design Guide, 3.22.2012.

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Several weeks ago my long time friend (notice I didn’t say “old friend”!) and award winning green building designer Chuck introduced me to a concept called Integrated Design Charrettes. It is a key ingredient in a whole building design approach that we discussed in Part 1 of the September Paradigm Shift Blog. This design process is almost identical to the process we have used for many years to help a community co-learn and co-create their own rite of passage. In order to achieve the goal of designing and building a structure that is aligned with its physical surroundings and is in balance with nature as well as meets the needs of those who will live, play, learn and work at the location, all constituency groups must be involved in the early design phase. “Planning and Conducting Integrated Design (ID) Charrettes” describes the process clearly. A whole systems integrated design process requires intimate conversations between all the constituency groups.

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Posted in ROPE

Read more about Youth & Community Development through Rites of Passage in the new and highly acclaimed book by Dr. David Blumenkranz.


David Blumenkrantz, Ph.D., Ed.M., Founder & Executive Director, the Center for Youth & Community

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It’t time for a Paradigm Shift – a fundamental change in beliefs, theory and approach – in developing community-centered responses to the challenges faced by today’s Youth & Community. More here>>