ACTAsia project

[Guest guest]

Promoting Sustainable Animal Advocacy in China

A one day workshop - Promoting Sustainable Animal Advocacy in China -

is being held in 3 cities in China from May 19-28, 2006. This will be

followed by other initiatives to develop and expand the concept.

 

Introduction:

Asia is the world's most populous continent. Industrialised animal

use is escalating here. However, animal protection is a relatively

new concept, and there are very few animal welfarists tackling a

multitude of issues. They face many more challenges than their

colleagues in countries where animal welfare has become an

established and organised sector.

 

These challenges include one or more of the following - animals being

low on the economic-political agenda and hence facing reduced legal

protection, the need to quickly learn new skills and knowledge of

animal welfare advocacy often with limited resources, social

isolation and lack of support in some cultural contexts, severely

constricted civic freedom in some countries, lack of funding and

inability to professionalise their work through paid human resources.

Although there are many international sources of information and

funding, these tend to focus on specific projects and animal welfare

issues, and there is a lack of organised support to deal with the

wellbeing of animal welfarists. Existing resources and research on

the subjects of stress management, emotional and mental wellbeing,

etc. are not necessarily suitable for the Asian animal welfare

context, and require considerable adaptation to transfer this

knowledge in a culturally relevant manner.

 

Project Background:

The animal welfare movement is losing talented individual advocates

and workers. As they are scarce in the first place, this loss has

serious consequences in terms of continuation and development of

campaigns and projects to improve animal welfare. The movement needs

to take steps to develop and nurture these individuals to ensure

sustainable development of animal welfare in Asia.

 

ACTAsia, a new organisation set up by Asian animal welfarists to

develop sustainable animal advocacy, is beginning to address this

need. A one day workshops - Promoting Sustainable Animal Advocacy in

China - is being held in 3 cities in China from May 19-28, 2006. This

will be followed by other initiatives to develop and expand the

concept.

 

It should also be mentioned that this workshop was brought forward

because of the tragic death in late 2005 of a prominent China-based

animal advocate, Betty Wang, who apparently committed suicide. Her

death has had a huge impact on other Chinese animal welfarists, and

the facilitators were approached for support and information on this

issue.

 

Aims:

The workshop aims to help animal welfarists:

 

1) Understand and accept the realities of animal advocacy in

their own socio-cultural and political context.

2) Learn not only to survive but to enjoy their journey as

animal advocates.

3) Reduce burnout and turnover in the animal welfare movement in

China/East Asia.

 

These aims are all part of ACTAsia's ultimate goal - to create

sustainable and professional animal activism. In many Asian countries

the animal welfare movement consists mostly of individuals working in

isolation, not organisations, and ACTAsia is approaching the issue of

sustainable activism from the point of view of the individual. If the

issues facing individual animal welfarists are addressed, those

people will be in a position to develop the movement and take it to

the next level through different approaches, such as in

organisations, in the media, the government, etc. ACTAsia aims to

provide the tools and the platform to develop these individuals into

dedicated and professional animal advocates.

 

Project Outline

Course content has been developed for the workshops by Pei-feng Su

and Isabel Vadivu Govind. They have both worked in the Asian animal

welfare sector for a number of years, and also have extensive

experience and knowledge of social and personal development issues.

Pei-feng Su will conduct workshops in 3 Chinese cities. These will be

organised and attended by local groups and individuals working in the

field of animal welfare, and includes people who are working on

direct animal assistance (rescue/fostering/shelter etc) as well as

education and campaigns in China. A questionnaire has been completed

by all participants to assess individual needs and to gain a better

understanding of the issues they face.

 

The structure of the workshop will facilitate interaction. Personal

experiences and thoughts of participants and the facilitators will be

vital in driving the discussions forward.

 

The sessions will explore the following:

 

o Social Change as Motivation: to gain a perspective of the

bigger picture and learn how to integrate it into their work with

animals. It will also help them to learn from and be inspired by

examples of successful social change.

o An Overview of Animal Use and the Animal Protection Movement

(historical, international as well as local): to feel part of a

larger community, learn from history, and other activists, both local

and otherwise. It also enables them to become aware of what kind of

work they CAN do within the current social and political climate.

o Sustainable Animal Activism: to enable delegates to

understand concepts that could help them practice a sustainable and

enjoyable activist life. It will include the impact of animal

activism on the individual, and ways to achieve a balanced life in

the context of the animal welfare field.

o

In addition, they will be made aware of other resources such as

books, websites, and counselling or support services.

 

Future plans:

Following the workshop, it is intended that support will continue

among local sources/peers. Further workshops and resources will be

developed for other Asian countries. A network of animal welfarists

will be built up, which will facilitate the development of

international collaboration on campaigns and projects, and also

provide mutual support for emotional and mental wellbeing. This will

be done through an e-group and other forms of contact.

 

The animal welfare movement benefits greatly from the sharing of

knowledge and experience of its advocates, and ACTAsia welcomes

support and guidance from organisations and individuals who would

like to contribute to this endeavour.

 

" Pei F. Su " <pei

--

 

 

[Guest guest]

This is wonderful, exactly what is needed. All best wishes to Pei-feng

and Vadivu for the success of this initiative!

John.

 

aapn , Kim Bartlett <anpeople wrote:

>

> Promoting Sustainable Animal Advocacy in China

> A one day workshop - Promoting Sustainable Animal Advocacy in China -

> is being held in 3 cities in China from May 19-28, 2006. This will be

> followed by other initiatives to develop and expand the concept.