Ken Simons
born 1956 in British Columbia, Canada
lived until 1979 in BC, from then until 1996 in England, and subsequently in Toronto
Spouse: Maggie Helwig [link]
Children: one daughter, Simone Helwig (born 1995)
Parents: Arthur and Margaret Simons [Fulford Harbour BC]; siblings Wayne Simons [Ganges BC] and Bob Simons [died 1999] [link]
Bachelor of Arts: Honours First Class (Iberian and Latin American Studies), 1989 University of Southampton, England.
Dissertation title: "A política nuclear no Brasil 1945-1988"
Earlier education:
Attended University of Victoria, BC Canada from 1973-75
Gulf Islands Secondary School, Ganges BC Canada 1968-73; Saltspring Elementary, Ganges BC Canada 1966-68; Marlborough Elementary, Burnaby BC Canada 1962-66
Paid editorial work
- Managing editor Peace Magazine 2002-present [on acting basis for individual issues 1997-2002]
- Production manager, Canadian Forum 1999
- Associate editor Peace Magazine 1996-present
- Editor/production worker Peace News (UK) 1990-1996
- Production manager The Martlet 1981
- Editor-in-chief The Martlet (University of Victoria) 1978-79
Freelance work
Websites designed, edited, and maintained
Currently webmaster for wri-irg.org (since 1997); peacemagazine.org (since 1997); torontosmallpressbookfair.org (since 1997); pcpctoronto.org and subsidiary sites (since 1999); metta.spencer.name (since 2002); maggiehelwig.com (since 2003); davidhelwig.com (since 2004).
Monographs copy-edited and designed
- The Lessons of Yugoslavia, Metta Spencer, ed. (London: Elsevier Press, 2000)
- Separatism: Democracy and Disintegration, Metta Spencer, ed. (Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield, 1998)
- PN Educational Offprints 1 and 2, Ken Simons, ed. (London: Peace News, 1993/94)
- Nonviolent Struggle and Social Defence, Shelley Anderson and Janet Larmore eds. (London: WRI, 1991)
- Opening Doors to Peace, Mitzi Bales ed. (London: WRI, 1991)
Editorial work on shorter papers and dissertations
I have edited academic papers and dissertations in the UK and Canada; have done editorial and design/layout work on a number of reports, book chapters, and newsletters; and designed maps for the English and German editions of Howard Clark's Civil Resistance in Kosovo.
Consultancy work
I do computer troubleshooting and consulting on a freelance basis, including network setup, hardware and software upgrades, and data rescue.
Paid/fulltime work in the nonprofit sector
- Worker, Balham Food and Book Cooperative, London UK, 1983-85
- Assistant warden, Youth Hostels Association, London UK, 1980-83
- Fulltime volunteer, Clapham Action for Vocational Education (adult literacy), London UK, 1979-80
- Coordinator of Salt Spring Island recycle depot, 1974
Voluntary work in the nonprofit sector
- Cook meals for Out of the Cold, St Thomas' Church, Toronto 2002-present
- Youth worker with International Voluntary Service, London 1984-85
- Newsletter collective with Returned Volunteer Action, London 1983-85
- Archaeological dig, Salt Spring Island 1973
Committee work
- Peace Magazine editorial group, 1996-present
- Personnel selection committees, War Resisters' International and Peace News, 1992-1996
- Newsletter committee, National Peace Council 1992-94
- Organising committee for post-Gulf War conference, 1991
- Urgent response network, National Peace Council 1990-93
- Peace News Trustees board, 1990-1996
- Talk on Kosovo to the Communities in Conflict working group, University of Toronto 2000
- Workshop on solidarity movements, "Choosing Peace Together" conference, Porec, Croatia, 1998
- Workshop on former-Yugoslavia, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Cardiff, Wales 1993
- Workshops on peace journalism, War Resisters' International conferences in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994
- Bicycle maintenance teacher, Clapham and Battersea Adult Education Institute, London UK 1981-1984
- Bicycle maintenance teacher, Braziers College, Oxfordshire 1983
- Lecture on wholefood cookery to 6th form domestic science class, Bedford UK 1983
- Adult literacy animateur, Frontier College, BC/Alberta 1981
- Literacy tutor, CAVE adult literacy club, London UK 1978-1980
Periodicals
Numerous articles in Sanity (UK), Peace News (UK), The Martlet (Canada), Peace Magazine (Canada)
Also: Nonviolent Activist (USA), Tribune (UK), Comeback (UK).
Chapters in books
"Civil society and the Kosovo crisis, 1981-1999" in Metta Spencer ed. The Lessons of Yugoslavia (London: Elsevier Press, 2000)
Studied Portuguese to degree level, Spanish to second-year university level, and French to high-school level. I have done translations of articles from Portuguese, Spanish, and French for publication; and have cleaned up other translations from/to the above languages, including much of the material on the wri-irg.org website. I also understand some German and Italian, and have a rough working knowledge of the south Slavic languages.
Travel, including long-distance cycle touring. One-star hotels in Paris. Public transit, though not in geeky detail. Cooking, supermarkets, cheap restaurants, and food in general. Newspapers and literary fiction. Swimming with my daughter in the summer in Toronto.