Landon Pearson Resource Centre Celebrates its Newfound Accessibility and National Child Day

By Nick Ward

Landon Pearson has devoted much of her adult life to the promotion of the rights and well-being of children and youth in Canada and around the world.   As a Senator, an author and an international representative of Canada, Pearson has done everything in her power to create a culture of respect for children and childhood.  Throughout her illustrious career, this lifelong quest is something Pearson has brought with her to all corners of the world.

In 2006, upon her retirement from the Senate, Pearson donated her extensive collection of materials including reports, documents, books and archival material related to childhood and children’s rights to Carleton University. With this donation and with her appointment as adjunct professor in the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies the Landon Pearson Resource Centre was born.

Celebrated for her unique and innovative methods for including the voices of young people, Pearson maintains that the principal role of the Centre is to help every child understand his or her fundamental rights and responsibilities as citizens and to facilitate their participation in a receptive society.

 “The goal of the Centre is to promote knowledge, information and experience.  The Centre is absolutely unique both on campus, and in Canada.  We intend the Centre to give a more significant voice to all children and youth” explains Pearson.

Five years have passed since the inception of the LPRC, and after countless hours of intensive work and organization, the classification of the collection according to the articles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is now virtually complete and accessible to all interested parties. With this essential stage now in the past, the Centre and its founder are peering towards a bright future as they prepare to take the next step in the centre’s existence.

As an independent body that is universally accessible, the LPRC’s database of information is sure to be a useful resource for all those who study and advocate for child and youth rights.  Combine this tremendous amount of material with Pearson’s absolute wealth of political and civic experience and Carleton University can now boast that it hosts one of the world’s premier children and youth rights resource centers.

In step with its newfound accessibility, Pearson has named a special advisory group for the Centre that includes experts from a number of diverse fields that pertain to children, youth and gender.  Pearson has also made the significant move of affiliating the LPRC with the Institute of Women’s and Gender studies.  Pearson has always maintained a focus on bettering the lives of women, youth and children recognizing that children’s and women’s rights issues and struggles run parallel to one another.

Fittingly, Dr. Virginia Caputo, Associate Professor in the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies has been appointed as the director of the Centre.  Caputo was honoured by the appointment and hopes to aid Pearson in enabling children and youth to have their voices heard in more just contexts.

“To be named Director of the Centre is an honour and once in a lifetime opportunity.  It is a thrill beyond words to have the opportunity to collaborate with Landon in this new capacity. I believe that in actively cultivating a culture of respect for children and youth in hearing what they have to say, we can transform our collective lives.”

Caputo will certainly be an incredible asset to Centre. Trained as an ethnomusicologist and social anthropologist, her research includes anthropology, childhood research, feminism and how they all intersect.  Caputo’s research interests include children as engaged social actors, feminist perspectives on children’s and women’s lives, globalization and childhood, schooling and gender, and girlhood studies.  She has been teaching courses on childhood, girlhood and women’s lives in the Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies since 1997, and hopes that her ample experience in child, youth and Women’s and Gender studies, as well as her intrinsic knowledge of the university setting will bring an invaluable element to the LPRC.

“Landon and I share a passion for, and commitment to, children and youth rights.  I am looking forward to taking on my new role as Director of the LPRC with energy, creativity and enthusiasm.  It is a privilege working so closely with Landon to learn from her immense knowledge, experience and wise counsel and to assist her with the work of the Centre.”

On November 24th in the Arts Faculty Lounge, Dunton 2017 at 2:00pm, the LPRC will celebrate both its newfound accessibility and National Child Day in one highly anticipated event.

At this celebration Pearson will introduce three distinguished advisory group members who embody the Centre’s ideals and mandate will initiate a vital discussion on children and youth rights.

Dr. Katherine Kelly, director of the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies, will discuss the parallels between children’s and women’s rights and bringing a feminist perspective to the study of their lives.  Dr. Stefania Maggi, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, will speak on the complexity of ethics when carrying out research in this area and will also discuss an upcoming conference she and Pearson are organizing and will host through the centre next fall.  Finally, the panel will also include Sue Bennett, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Child & Youth Protection Program at CHEO.  Bennett will discuss violence against children, and her role in a violence study.

All are encouraged to attend what is sure to be a historic day for Children and Youth Rights.

Landon Pearson Resource Centre
Celebration of National Child Day
The Honourable Landon Pearson, O.C.
Dr. Sue Bennett, MB Ch.B, FRCP
Professor Katharine Kelly, Pauline Jewett Institute of
Women’s and Gender Studies
Professor Stefania Maggi, Child Studies
Thursday, November 24, 2011, 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Arts Faculty Lounge (2017 Dunton Tower)
More Information:  http://www.landonpearson.ca/