Ecojesuit has a new e-book that shares some of the learning of the network and seeks to facilitate greater collaboration among ecoteams within and across Jesuit conferences.
A Workbook on Effective Collaboration: Learnings from the Ecojesuit Network revisits the network’s objectives guided by the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs), shares insights and points of reflection, and offers pathways in moving forward. Most of these lessons are drawn from experiences in the previous year.
“In seeking to go deeper and discuss ways forward, we are challenged to: (1) share stories from the ground that include personal and group narratives, struggles, hopes, and relations of care and solidarity, (2) provide communication and collaboration platforms for youth, marginal communities and Indigenous Peoples at the Province and Conference level, and (3) link ecological activities, from the Conference and the local, to the global,” writes Ecojesuit in the first section of the book, which outlines three discerned objectives in the next five years: promote global cooperation, accompany regional actions, and share and promote local initiatives.
Ecojesuit, which stands for Ecology and Jesuits in Communication, is an online platform initiated by the Jesuit European Social Centre and the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific to promote global collaboration and networking on ecology. Members emphasise Ecojesuit’s nature as a “wirearchy” rather than an institution. “Networks put more focus on flexibility and response to how issues are being engaged with globally,” they write in the book.
In section two titled, Renewed Beginnings, Ecojesuit Global Coordinator Fr Pedro Walpole SJ expounds on the elements of networking and identifies convergence points for stronger connections and more effective collaboration. Among others, he underscores the need for skills in social media and communication as essential for the network. He writes: “Recent UAPs should actually give us greater basis for collaboration for systems impact. This is what is beginning to emerge, and there is a need to focus on developing further communication skills.”
Further in the book, readers can find exercises in writing articles, critiquing videos, and shooting a video using a camera phone. All these are offered as networking resources to help take local voices to the global level. “[W]ith the advancement of technology, we have new opportunities and more creative ways to share our stories,” they write.
The book also includes narratives of tribal communities in India, as well as insights from Jesuit Conference of South Asia President Fr George Pattery SJ and Ecojesuit Coordinator for South Asia Fr Lumnesh Swaroop Kumar SJ. The South Asia Ecoteam shares from experience the value of collaboration and the importance of going from local to global. Their realisations show the need for greater communication, commitment, encouragement, participation, and creativity.
Ecojesuit hopes that Jesuit works and ministries will find meaningful use of the workbook, which is available to download for free here.