ChangemakersGlobal Youth Fund is pleased to present Changemakers - an innovative project on global citizenship. New to North America, new to the world, Changemakers presents a daring new vision of citizenship for our modern times.
It’s founded on the belief that young people - working together - can become the most imaginative and influential world leaders, and bring about inspired change... on a scale never seen before.
All this is possible when we use a more group-based approach to leadership - one that puts emphasis on group intelligence and "collective wisdom."
See how it all works by starting a chapter (Contact Us) and recruit members. We will then help facilitate you and your peers through a collaborative process to design and choose your own project for global change.
 Through seminars, workshops, and creative dialogues, you will help one another...
- generate ideas for global action
- research and nominate projects for adoption
- evaluate projects through dialogue & debate
- set achievable, measurable goals
- vote democratically to adopt ONE project as your official campaign
Once a project is chosen, members will then work together to create awareness and raise funds for the adopted campaign.Actively involving students in problem-solving and decision-making processes, all within the context of global awareness and outreach, GYF is a perfect example of 21st century education at its best!
~ Dr. Joanne Marien, Superintendent, Somers School District
PhasesThe Changemakers Program can vary in length (4 months to a year, depending on the chapter) but it always consists of four phases:
I. Research
Members gather information on humanitarian or environmental causes they would
like to support or come up with ideas on projects to launch in the community. For example, you might consider raising funds to help an international charity build schools in Africa or you may want to create an organic vegetable garden at your school. Once you have an idea you're passionate about, submit a nomination form for the chapter to consider. We encourage you to come up with your own ideas but feel free to consult our Ideas Bank. Browse Ideas | II. Dialogue and Selection
Chapters use our meeting guides and curriculum to organize dialogues and discussions about global issues and proposed solutions. You work as a group to evaluate project ideas and choose three finalists. We will then help you organize and facilitate a day-long "youth assembly" to choose your official campaign or project. This phase of the program will expose you to various concepts and leadership skills, including: - Collective Wisdom
- Consensus Building
- Project Evaluation
- Methods of Voting
- Open Space Technology
| III. Community Engagement
With
online or direct support from GYF, chapters organize activities in their schools and communities to raise awarenes and funds
for the adopted campaign.
Activities may include but are not limited to:
- getting local youth to participate in a global video conference
- organizing a doucmentary or film screening
- putting on an art or photo exhibit
- organizing a benefit concert
- creating art or media projects for the campaigns
- selling bracelets and t-shirts to raise money
All activities require approval of prooper authorities and should be supervised by an adult sponsor (i.e. parent or teacher).
| IV. Reflection
At the end of the campaign or project, chapters convene another youth assembly to reflect on their successes, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate their achievements.Each chapter takes a formal vote to disperse funds to the appropriate charities or beneficiaries. Chapters then adjourn until the next cycle begins. |
What You Can Do
- Start a chapter by contacting us
- Let interested youth or teachers know about our program
- Let us know how we can support your efforts as changemakers
For the pilot program, we are looking for high school students who are…- Interested in working with other youth to make a real difference inthe world
- Open-minded and willing to learn from your peers
- Able to contribute time, energy, and creativity to improving our planet.
Yes.
Global change is not for experts only. Everyone has a role to play.
You may be surprised at how much you already know and how much you have
to teach your peers. By being part of this program, you will also
learn a lot – from our website and educational material, but especially
from other youth.
That’s
perfectly ok. You can still contribute in many other ways. - Ask
questions about the campaigns nominated by other members.
- Take part in
the dialogues.
- Tell your peers what you like and what you don’t like.
No.
Just the opposite. We are here to help you pick your own campaign.
Once chosen, the campaign is yours to run, yours to manage. We will
support you as much as we can but how much you accomplish is entirely
up to you.
- Lots of different ways to create change and produce measurable results.
- The many critical challenges facing our planet.
- Collective Wisdom – what it is, what it isn’t, and how to foster it.
- A group-based approach to leadership.
- How to “champion” causes, not just support them.
- Fundraising skills.
- Creative activism – how to develop innovative approaches to creating positive change
Your
ideas, opinions, and creativity. Your initiative – every member is a
leader and a champion for the chosen campaign. Don’t wait for
instructions. Attend at least one meeting per month and cast votes to
choose the finalists and the official campaign. Your commitment to
help fundraise and create awareness.
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Changemakers
