"Our greatest glory is not in never falling,
but in rising every time we fall."
- Confucius
Welcome
Welcome to the fourth issue of Investing in
Children's E-mailer. The response to
the new format has been extremely positive, and we'd like
to thank everyone who wrote in with their suggestions and
positive words.
As always, we are looking for contributions
to the Voices section, so please send in your opinions and
ideas. This month, it seems that no one had anything to say.
Let's change that for September!
In this issue, we examine the positive benefits
of building resiliency in "at risk" children. We
also take an indepth look at Investing in Children's new mapping
project, examine an interesting new study that suggests drop-in
centres are ineffective and we profile the family-friendly
practices of the Covent Garden Market.
This month, we've set a goal of doubling our
readership for the e-mailer. Our subscription list is well
over 100 now, but we want to get it past 200 for the September
issue. So please, forward this e-mailer to as many people
as you know who would enjoy reading it, and encourage them
to sign up!
When the going gets tough,
the tough get going
Part One: What is resiliency?
This is first of two parts looking at the
subject of resiliency. This month, we look at the ideology
behind resiliency. In the October issue, we will look at resiliency-building
initiatives in the Thames Valley.
 re·sil·ience
n. 1. The ability to recover quickly
from illness, change, or misfortune; buoyancy. 2.The property
of a material that enables it to resume its original shape
or position after being bent, stretched, or compressed; elasticity.
Basketball star Michael Jordan, one of the
greatest players in history, was cut from the varsity team
in high school. Stephen Hawking, one of the world's preeminent
theoretical physicists, has continued to produce incredible
work and live a full life, in the face of a terminal diagnosis
of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease
at it is colloquially known.
What is it about these two men that makes
them successful, despite significant obstacles? In one word:
resiliency. It is the drive to succeed, despite the obstacles
and hardships that marks the resilient. Resiliency is everywhere,
and it is often found somewhere in any success story, even
amongst those with tremendous physical or intellectual gifts.
Michael Jordan channeled his disappointment
into his game, practicing day and night throughout high school,
turning himself into a top high-school player, a top college
player, and finally, one of the most successful and recognizable
athletes in history through effort and determination.
Stephen Hawking looked at his situation thusly,
"The realisation that I had an incurable disease, that was
likely to kill me in a few years, was a bit of a shock. How
could something like that happen to me? Why should I be cut
off like this? However, while I had been in hospital, I had
seen a boy I vaguely knew die of leukaemia, in the bed opposite
me. It had not been a pretty sight. Clearly there were people
who were worse off than me. At least my condition didn't make
me feel sick. Whenever I feel inclined to be sorry for myself
I remember that boy." 40 years later, he is still producing
revolutionary work and has been the author of two best-selling
books.
Resiliency helped make Michael Jordan and
Stephen Hawking successful. A less resilient person might
have given up on their dreams of playing basketball, or been
resigned to their end upon a terminal diagnosis.
To discover more about resiliency, click
here.
X marks the spot
 Collecting
data and statistics can be extremely useful for determining
the quality and reach of services, but being able to synthesize
those raw numbers into useful information can be quite difficult.
This is particularly true in the service sector, where data
analysis costs can be prohibitive.
Investing in Children has developed a mapping
project with the latest high-tech software that produces colourful,
easy to understand maps that graphically display important
statistical information about the people of London and services
available to them.
 The
mapping project was originally a component of Investing in
Children's 1999 Ontario Early Years demonstration project,
to be used as a planning piece. Since those first tentative
steps, the potential in mapping has grown exponentially. "One
of the best things about the maps is that they graphically
confirm what we already know about London," says Heather Cousins,
Investing in Children's resident "cartographer".
The maps are produced using a powerful software
application called MapInfo. Utilizing a database and detailed
political or topographic maps, the software can plot out and
display a number of different types of data onto thematic
maps. The software allows for an almost unlimited number of
maps to be generated, limited only by imagination and available
data.
To learn more, click
here.
Drop in or drop out?
 How
effective are drop-in centres in deterring criminal activity
in youth? According to the results of joint Swedish-American
study, not very effective at all. In fact, these centres may
actually increase the likelihood that a youth will commit
a crime.
The drop-in centres are part of a national
strategy in Sweden devised in the 1960's to provide increased
recreational opportunities for youth and keep them out of
dangerous situations. The centres are open in the evenings
for youths 13 to 19, and offer a number of activities, but
with minimal supervision and little or no structure. Instead,
the youths are permitted to explore their interests independently.
The study followed 498 boys in a medium-sized
Swedish community from age 10 to age 30, beginning in 1965
as part of a larger longitudinal study on Individual Development
and Adaptation. At age 10, the boys were assessed for a number
of risk factors, including those relating to potential for
future juvenile and persistent criminal activity. Over 20
years, the longitudinal study has tracked their progress in
life on a number of fronts.
What did the researchers discover? Click
here to find out.
Covent Garden Market
A Case Study in Family-Friendly
Practices
 Founded
in 1845, the Covent Garden Market is a proud piece of London's
past, a vibrant part of its present, and by reaching out to
new generations, a vital element of its future. The sawdust-covered
floors of yesteryear have been replaced by a spacious two-story
facility filled to the rafters with food, fun and culture,
but the spirit of community remains the same.
The Covent Garden Market is home to many special
events throughout the year, with activities for children and
families, but also an increasing number of opportunities for
teens. The Market is becoming an increasingly popular location
for family events, due to a combination of a community-minded
staff and ample available space in an ideal downtown setting.
The Market features public spaces indoors
and outdoors suitable for any event, including the Labatt
Lounge, the London Free Press Market Kitchen and Market Hall,
plus the outdoor Market Square and Rotary Rink. Rental fees
for the Market's facilities are very reasonable, especially
for not-for-profit groups.
The Market administration is actively creating
new partnerships and bringing even more exciting family- and
child-friendly events to the Covent Garden Market. The vendors
at the Market are also eager to be involved, offering their
time and materials to many different programs.
To read more, click
here.
Investing in Children, through It Starts
with Kids and the Special Friends of Children Business Awards,
recognizes businesses that adopt family-friendly practices,
both for their customers and their employees.
If you would like to see your business
or company profiled in this space, send an e-mail to info@investinginchildren.on.ca,
briefly outlining what makes your workplace or practices family-friendly
and unique.
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