Why are we an Ecocultural Learning Institute?
Photo Credit: Pavł Polø
In Place - An Ecocultural Learning Institute Grounded in Community-Driven Development & Responsible Travel
Our mission is centered around building relationships with communities and people whose ways of life are grounded in deep place knowledge. When communities are able to find and maintain a mutually beneficial balance between people and land, everyone is better off.
This balance is a key part of our vision of a sustainable future and important to keep in mind when thinking about programs related to community development, study abroad or intercultural education, and responsible travel. In our work, we amplify the voices of those who share our vision and create opportunities for each other to learn. This is at the core of why we chose to adopt InPlace as our new name and highlight our work as an Ecocultural Learning Institute.
Our programs are intersectional at their core and focus on people, including the social and ecological issues essential for human well-being. There is a growing body of knowledge reflecting a basic understanding that all people are ultimately dependent on their surroundings. People are shaped by what is around them while also having a profound impact on the place in which they live. This is one reason why sustainable community development is so important. If our environment shapes our lives, it matters what kind of community we are in, the complex web of social support systems available to us, and our relationships with the natural world.
In our discussions on the future direction of InPlace, we initially felt wary of using “eco,” as there are many ‘greenwashed’ companies (particularly in travel and tourism) claiming to be planet-friendly or sustainable that are not doing the actual work. However, we decided to let our efforts speak for themselves. Some of these include:
Only running study abroad and intercultural education programs to communities that have invited our presence;
Thinking about the impact on communities and not just students; and
Following the principles of responsible travel.
We look forward to continuing to create opportunities for co-learning and connection under our new name and working together towards a better future where humans and ecological systems can find a balance through community development, intercultural educational programing, and responsible travel.
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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.