Looking Upstream



"Our ability to realize what government is truly for, to improve the lives of people, is hampered by the terms of discussion. Whatever brilliant ideas may come forward to improve lives and health, whatever arguments may be brought forward, they are quickly dismissed if they counter the current frame."

Dr. Ryan Meili, Upstream thinking, healthy society and reviving Canadian democracy, Centre for Policy Alternatives


Sound familiar?

If this frustration is one of your frustrations, perhaps Upstream will be of interest to you.

"Upstream seeks to propagate a new frame, one that focuses in on the decisions that will make the most impact on the quality of our lives. By gathering the best evidence available, academics and advocates will promote decisions made on the basis of practicality rather than ideology. Using storytelling through multiple forms of media, Upstream will help to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice. By connecting individuals and partner organization through common language and goals, Upstream will help to create public demand for policies and actions consistent with the new frame, and ultimately mobilize citizens and our government to build a truly healthy society."



2 comments:

Nancy Friday said...

Thanks so much for profiling this approach. I love the fact that Upstream is a movement. The promo video is great - and reminds me of a book an adult literacy student once wrote that was published called Where the River Begin. A group of youth in Trinidad followed a river they loved to find its source and learned many things about their community and country along the way. I love the idea of following the stream of evidence of issues to the source. Nancy

risky mouse said...

Thanks Nancy. I LOVE that book. We often try to look upstream and find the waters often seem muddy up there and we all argue about what we see. But maybe a systematic approach will help.