The Future of IVS
**Note, we changed our name in 2021 to be more reflective of our mission. Institute for Village Studies started in partnership with Western Washington University in 1999, and we look forward to carrying on this work as InPlace - Ecocultural Learning Institute.
One statement on equity and antiracism is not enough. We know that movements and meaningful change take time, and we wanted to be intentional about our course of action. We know we could do better. That is part of the fight for sustainability and issues of social and environmental justice. There are always areas to improve, and we must continue to take steps to create more enabling environments for systematic change.
For us, that means it’s time to hit the reset button (faster than we intended!) and make sure our work is aligned with our values of social and environmental justice.
So, what’s next for IVS?
We plan to change our name. This is something we have talked about a lot over the years and recognize it’s outdated and not entirely illustrative of our work. However, as a small organization with limited resources, it will be a challenging process and take time. We welcome you to be part of the discussion as we decide our name and solidify our goals for the future. Contact us, if you want to be involved.
The focus of our programs will be expanded to include communities here in the United States. Cross-cultural education does not require travel. There are many lessons to learn locally, and we must work to better understand and work across cultures at home. This change has been inevitable as we grapple with the impacts of climate change and COVID-19. Now it seems like an even more crucial aspect of our mission. We commit to building relationships in our own communities and doing a better job of amplifying BIPOC and rural voices to realize their vision for a better future. We need to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones to determine how the many lessons we have learned abroad might be applied locally, while doing the anti-racist work necessary for transformational change.
At the same time, we know there are systemic issues of racism and white supremacy inherent in both study abroad and development. Most students that study abroad in the United States (approximately 70% according to 2017-18 data) are white. There has been some progress, but we can take steps to work towards equity in international education. Domestic programming will be a key part of that strategy. This will allow us to foster relationships with BIPOC and first-generation students before deciding to go to WWU or other universities. Whereas internationally, local students and faculty will eventually be included in all of our programs. Scalable solutions as a small NGO with a limited capacity will take more thought. Still, we are actively discussing what that might look like in the future and are excited by the possibilities.
IVS has offered an alternative to the traditional development narratives often seen abroad because we are not afraid to ask tough questions. We will continue to advocate for communities at home and overseas to support their agenda for a better future. But we realize there is always more to learn. Our leadership will continue to participate in the necessary training to undo institutional racism, as we continue to reckon with what we can do to improve.
We will continue to take steps to decolonize our curriculum to ensure we include a wide variety of voices and ask critical questions. It is also essential that instructors are not limited to university faculty, but local program managers, academics, professionals, and community members take the lead in the creation and implementation of educational programs. Local knowledge and BIPOC voices must be prioritized over the traditional academic discourse.
But most importantly, we can’t let our critical lens spur inaction. Mistakes are inevitable, and we have to continue to embrace a growth mindset to learn along the way.
This will not be easy, but we are committed to forging a pathway forward to support our partners and the amazing work they are doing around the world. We also believe that we are well-positioned to bring our knowledge from working internationally to strengthen partnerships between communities in the US. All we ask is that you’re patient and honest. Help us learn from inevitable mistakes, and know that we are committed to our partners and our mission.
In Solidarity,
The IVS Team
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Our decision-making processes throughout the pandemic have been grounded in our values. We have been intentional in our approach to stay true to our mission. This year, we have continued to implement strategies to connect our network through peer-peer learning, hone our model for change and community-driven development, and tackle challenging issues like climate change.