sfa :: 2008 annual conference

Youth Sustainability Confabulation*

(*from the Latin word confabulari, meaning “to talk together”)

We want you! That’s right, we’re talking to YOUTH. If you are a college student, teenager, young farmer, aspiring farmer or just a regular person under the age of 35 who cares about sustainability issues and thinks the future is an exciting, yet slightly scary place, you need to attend the Youth Sustainability Confabulation.

Who: Any young adults (under 35 years old) who want to discuss a wide range of sustainability issues, connect with others and have a good time
When: Friday, February 1, 2008 -- 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Youth Sustainability Confab Celebration starts at 5:00 p.m.)
Where: Jackson Campus Center, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN
Cost: FREE to those 35 yrs and under (this includes tapas!)

The Annual Conference admission is free for college students and kids, but does not include lunch. They can purchase a lunch pass (for a delicious locally produced lunch) for $12.

SFA has two very basic hostel-style suites reserved on the Gustavus campus. Each suite has three bedrooms with bunk beds for six to eight people per room and shared restrooms. To reserve a spot, call or email Anne Borgendale at 320-226-6318 or communications@sfa-mn.org. These are free accomodations. Space is limited.

Youth Sustainability Confabulation: Your voice, our future

ST. PETER, Minn. -- We want you! If you are college student, teenager, young farmer, aspiring farmer or just a regular person under the age of 35 who cares about sustainability issues and thinks the future is an exciting, yet slightly scary place, you need to attend the Youth Sustainability Confabulation (YSC) on Friday, February 1st from 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Gustavus Adolphus College.

A Confabulation, or “Confab”, is an informal talk, a discussion, a chat. The YSC is designed to amplify the voice of youth, and an opportunity to make your perspectives, ideas, concerns and solutions heard. Connect with other innovative, future-focused and concerned young adults who may share parts of your worldview, but who also bring a unique perspective to the Confab. Finally, we will work to identify and promote youth leadership aspirations and ability. You will lead us toward a more sustainable future, and we have a vested interest in your voice. You ARE our future.

At the Confab, a World Café setting will guide you through a series of informal, thought-provoking, small group discussions. You will discuss a wide range of sustainability issues, along with the forces that are driving change in the world today, and envision scenarios of how the future might unfold. Music and video clips will inspire the discussions. The afternoon will wrap up over tapas (made with local ingredients), a panel discussion and interaction with the ‘elders’ of sustainability.

We want to involve you as future leaders in designing sustainable food, energy, and agricultural systems. SFA will announce internships for college-age youth who seek deeper experiences outside of the classroom that will connect them with sustainable farmers, farming systems, farm marketing, and food and farm-related events. Our partners will announce future leadership and learning opportunities to broaden your knowledge and experience.

For more information, contact Anne Borgendale, communications@sfa-mn.org or (320) 226-6318. Click here to register online. RSVP for free on-campus lodging so you can attend SFA of MN’s 17th Annual Conference – “Local Foods: The Next Step” on Saturday, February 2nd.