The Bachelor of Youth and Community Leadership (BYCL) was launched by the University of Canterbury (UC) in 2020. The genesis of this new degree was a Stage One service-learning course that, in turn, arose from the innovative and active response of many of the university’s students in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. That innovative action saw the formation of the Student Volunteer Army as well as the adoption of a new set of Graduate Attributes for every undergraduate at the university. The idea of a specialist undergraduate degree that captured this unique chain of events began to take form from 2016. The resulting degree was developed as a flexible, transdisciplinary programme for young (and not so young) leaders wanting an academic grounding for their passions in community leadership and social action. In 2020, the inaugural intake of students commenced their studies. In this reflection, we discuss our experience of teaching within the BYCL for the first time, using a collaborative approach to teaching that we based on what we understand, individually and collectively, to draw on principles of democratic pedagogy.
An artist's impression of an installation that forms part of the '60 Lights Market' at the LUXCITY event. Coordinators: Daniele Abreu e Lima and Sam Stringlen; students: Chi Tran, Aria Jansen, Naomi Snelling, Rebecca Wyborn
An artist's impression of an installation that forms part of the '60 Lights Market' at the LUXCITY event. Coordinators: Daniele Abreu e Lima and Michael Smith; students: Alex Heperi, Gagan Saini, Shamal Nanji, Xavier Apelinga
A film directed by Christchurch East Youth MP Beth Walters, produced and filmed by Lila Gibbens. The film captures the views of more than 50 young people from Aranui High School, Linwood College and Mairehau High School. Students share their answers to the following questions: How do you feel about living in the East? What don't you like about living in the East? What do you want to see more of? What do you like? Do you, as a young person in the East, feel your voice is heard? Would you stay? The film features an original song produced by three Aranui High School students: Cheyenne Thompson (lyrics), Evile Jireh Sisifo Laloata (vocals) and Peni Junior Iva (guitar).
A photograph of a hydraulic crane arm placing a tall wooden post in Cathedral Square. The post is part of an installation titled Urban RefleXion, designed by Architectural Studies students from CPIT for Canterbury Tales.
A video of an address by Megan Veitch, University of Canterbury student, at the 2015 Seismics and the City forum. Ms. Veitch shares her aspirations for a renewed Christchurch and her goals for contributing to this.
Post-graduate students who went on an exchange to Oxford after the February earthquakes talking to Vice-Chancellor Rod Carr at a function with Vice Chancellor Rod Car and Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford Andrew Hamilton to sign a Memorandum of Understand between the two Universities.
Post-graduate students who went on an exchange to Oxford after the February earthquakes talking to Vice-Chancellor Rod Carr at a function with Vice Chancellor Rod Car and Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford Andrew Hamilton to sign a Memorandum of Understand between the two Universities.
Gold Award, Jade Rutherford on left and Gina Scandrett on right, the 'voices' of the Student Volunteer Army who, co-ordinated and tracked all jobs, movements of the organisation. Pictured here with Vice-Chancellor Dr Rod Carr, Prime Minister John Key and Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Gerry Brownlee.
Post-graduate students who went on an exchange to Oxford after the February earthquakes talking to Vice-Chancellor Rod Carr at a function with Vice Chancellor Rod Car and Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford Andrew Hamilton to sign a Memorandum of Understand between the two Universities.
Post-graduate students who went on an exchange to Oxford after the February earthquakes talking to Vice-Chancellor Rod Carr at a function with Vice Chancellor Rod Car and Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford Andrew Hamilton to sign a Memorandum of Understand between the two Universities.
A scanned copy of a black and white photograph belonging to University of Canterbury alumnus Colin Lau. Colin describes the photograph as follows: "I believe this is the hallway of the engineering school in Ilam".
Post-graduate students who went on an exchange to Oxford after the February earthquakes talking to Vice-Chancellor Rod Carr at a function with Vice Chancellor Rod Car and Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford Andrew Hamilton to sign a Memorandum of Understand between the two Universities.
A corner of the Cramner Centre with large cracks in its masonry. Several names, probably those of former students, have been written on the building. They are 'Jenny Adams, 63-64', 'Elody Mapp, 1964' and 'Pam Soal, 1963, 1964'.
Topics - A poll on the Stuff website has asked Christchurch residents whether they would stay or go, following the latest earthquakes there. Pupils and staff at Auckland's King's College have been offered counselling following the fourth death of a student in 17 months.
A photograph of a temporary sculpture titled Illuminate, on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was created by students from Unitec's Architecture department for Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a mural depicting ChristChurch Cathedral. The mural is attached to the fence on the site of Christchurch: A Board Game.
Page 4 of Section A of the Christchurch edition of the Christchurch Press, published on Friday 17 June 2011.
Summary of oral history interview with Netta about her experiences of the Canterbury earthquakes.
A photograph of one of the "pods" of temporary classrooms and offices at Kirkwood Village. The pods were constructed at the University of Canterbury campus following the 22 February 2011 earthquake.
A photograph of a temporary sculpture titled Illuminate, on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was created by students from Unitec's Architecture department for Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a student from Unitec's Architecture department installing a colourful sculpture titled Illuminate on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was part of Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A close-up photograph of a sculpture titled Illuminate, on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was created by students from Unitec's Architecture department for Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a student from Unitec's Architecture department installing a colourful sculpture titled Illuminate on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was part of Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a student from Unitec's Architecture department installing a colourful sculpture titled Illuminate on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was part of Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of a student from Unitec's Architecture department installing a colourful sculpture titled Illuminate on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was part of Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A photograph of students from Unitec's Architecture department installing a colourful sculpture titled Illuminate on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was part of Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A close-up photograph of a sculpture titled Illuminate, on a vacant site on Worcester Street. The sculpture was created by students from Unitec's Architecture department for Canterbury Tales - a carnivalesque procession which was the main event of FESTA 2013.
A video clip depicting part of a large-scale, temporary installation titled Antigravity. The installation was created by students from The University of Auckland for CityUps - a 'city of the future for one night only', and the main event of FESTA 2014.
A video clip of two large-scale, temporary installations titled Upload (left) and Equilibrium (right). The installations were created by students from The University of Auckland, for CityUps - a 'city of the future for one night only', and the main event of FESTA 2014.