Mount CARES is a student-driven initiative at Mount Saint Vincent University to foster compassion on Mount CARES – Campus Animation Project
1.
Mount CARES – Compassion, Appreciation, Relationships, Engagement, Service
2. Project Purpose
The project will support Mount students of diverse spiritual, religious, and secular beliefs to help foster the development of a compassionate university through collaborative student-led action, dialogue, and the creation and use of media. The project will work toward the Mount declaring itself a “Comp
assionate University”. (Project dates: November 1, 2013 – May 31, 2014)
3. Hope to Achieve
• Strengthen ongoing participation and leadership by YA of diverse beliefs, including international students, Mi’kmaw and YA of African descent with the work of cultivating compassion personally and on campus
• Increase awareness, knowledge and appreciation of diverse beliefs and each other through increased engagement
• Increase understanding and experience of compassion from diverse perspectives and its role in cultivating a welcoming, inclusive and pluralistic campus community
• Provide opportunities to YA to lead an organization, like the Mount, to become a Compassionate University, and feel a part of a local, regional, national and global movement committed to creating positive change
• Increase ongoing engagement and collaboration between YA and organizations of diverse beliefs on campus and in the community
• Increase the experience of care and compassion
• Increase appreciation of compassionate activities in our history & already present on campus
4. Process:
Mount CARES team (20 young adults of diverse beliefs) – engaged in project planning & delivery
• facilitated by an advisory group (2-3 young adults (included in 20), staff/faculty of diverse beliefs)
5. Key Activities
• Collaborative engagement
On campus - student, staff & faculty – esp. young adults of diverse spiritual, religious & secular beliefs
In the community
With partners (mentioned below)
School Board, Dept. of Education
Diverse faith groups (e.g. UN Interfaith Harmony Week event)
• Compassion Circles – minimum 4
o Engage students & general campus – diverse spiritual, religious & secular beliefs
Explore what is compassion
Where do we experience it
What are the gaps
How can we cultivate it more – through positive action?
• Develop online platform
o Raise awareness about project & diverse beliefs on campus
o Promote & encourage engagement
o Record & share video-taped stories of YA & others on campus of diverse beliefs about their understanding, and experience of compassion, and what would help to foster it. o Share learnings
• Exploration & evaluation
o Identify past & present activities demonstrating compassion
o Compile, analyze, summarize - information from videos and Circles
• Compassionate University
o Draft a strategic plan and proclamation of commitment to intentionally cultivate compassion on campus; discuss with stake holders. o Plan & produce a celebration to proclaim the Mount as a “Compassionate University”
