Dawson’s Living Campus at JAC, Marie-Victorin and the Eastern Townships

The concepts of Sustainable Happiness and Living Campus were centre stage at several CEGEP sustainability-themed Ped Days in early January.

John Abbott College focused on Climate Action with a keynote address by Dr. Catherine O’Brien, who shared Dawson’s development of Sustainable Happiness training and resources. Jenn de Vera of the Sustainability Office gave a well-attended workshop about projects that define our Living Campus.

Madelaine Côté, chair of Dawson’s Psychology/Anthropology department, presented two workshops to approximately 50 staff at CEGEP Marie-Victorin’s Ped Day. She spoke about how positive psychology plays an important role in the development of authentic sustainability initiatives at Dawson College. She also discussed Sustainable Happiness.

Madelaine will be heading a project this semester to review options for the integration of sustainable happiness and action-based projects into various courses. Many educators can relate to Madelaine’s thinking: “Environmental issues are too pressing not to do anything”.

Dawson College is also working with school boards and our Living Campus platform has inspired a Living Schools movement that now includes elementary and high schools. The Sustainability Office has worked with representatives from all levels of the educational system at our annual Living School Symposium to help identify Living School attributes that contribute to a school where students flourish.

This year’s symposium will be hosted by Cookshire Elementary School in April. Students and staff will use Nature-based themes in teaching and everyone will complete a Sustainable Happiness Passport that challenges them to care for themselves, others and the planet. More news to come…