Tag / #Changemakers

by Champions for Change

Can Kids Change the World? Yes, They Can! 🌍💪

In today’s post we offer support for educators to empower young minds to tackle natural disasters.

In a world where natural disasters seem ever more frequent and severe, it’s easy to feel powerless. But history tells us a different story—a story where even the smallest voices can make the loudest echoes. Let’s dive into how young changemakers can spearhead initiatives for natural disaster preparedness and resilience.

Youth Power: Changing the Climate of Opinion 🌱☀️

Remember the Slip, Slop, Slap campaign?

 

Or how a single voice like Greta Thunberg’s can rally millions for climate action? These examples show us the power of youth-led campaigns in bringing about tangible changes.

 

The Blueprint for Action 📝🌈

Through engaging activities, students can explore how they too can become agents of change. By studying successful campaigns, students learn the ingredients for impactful action: passion, persistence, and the power of a united community.

Sparking Ideas, Igniting Action 🔥🚀

Embrace the journey of empowering young minds to tackle the challenges of natural disasters. By understanding the past and present, we inspire a generation of innovators ready to shape a sustainable future.

Here are some examples of successful youth led initiatives

  1. Youth Influencing Climate Action: This initiative showcases youth-led initiatives driving real solutions for a sustainable future. Young people are becoming catalysts for change in the face of enormous climate change issues. They are at the forefront of building a sustainable future with cutting-edge technology and circular economic models1.
  2. Youth Climate Action Challenge: This program is part of the Global Shapers Community, a network of activists who are leading initiatives in their communities to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals2.
  3. COPE: This initiative focuses on helping children and youth prepare for disasters. It aims to discuss complex topics like climate change with children and explain the recent increase of heat waves, the rise of wildfires, or the melting of the polar ice caps3.
  4. SEED: Australia’s first Indigenous youth ­led climate network. Seed are building a movement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people for climate justice with a vision for a just and sustainable future with strong cultures and communities, powered by renewable energy.

These campaigns are empowering young minds to tackle the challenges of natural disasters and climate change, inspiring them to shape a sustainable future. They are harnessing the strength of youth to promote climate action and protect the environment1.

Here are some more successful campaigns that students can study to understand the ingredients for impactful action:

  1. #Home2V8te: Student unions in the UK contributed to the campaign to legalize abortion in Ireland by offering financial support to students so they could travel home to vote1.
  2. Saving Bursaries: This campaign originated at Bristol University where students spoke out against plans to cut bursaries that helped students fund their studies. The campaign spread nationwide and resulted in bursaries being increased1.
  3. Period Poverty: Undergraduate student Rosy Candlin founded the organization Every Month, which donates 250 menstrual packs a month to food banks, aiming to end period poverty1.
  4. Going Green: Students around the world are campaigning to reduce their universities’ environmental impact. In the US, the 100 Percent Renewable Campuses campaign has had great results, encouraging Cornell and Boston University to buy energy from renewable sources1.

These campaigns demonstrate the power of passion, persistence, and a united community in driving change. By studying these examples, students can gain insights into how to plan and execute their own successful campaigns.

Tools for the Journey 🛠️🌟

  • National Geographic’s Guide to Natural Disasters: Learn about natural disasters and how they affect our world. Explore here
  • Australian Emergency Management Knowledge Hub: A treasure trove of resources on managing disasters. Discover more

Let’s Make a Difference Together 🤝💖

Remember, every big change starts with a small step. By equipping our young learners with the knowledge and tools to tackle these issues, we’re paving the way for a safer, more resilient future.

#YouthInAction, #DisasterPreparedness, #Changemakers, #FutureLeaders

by Lynne Strong

Top 10 Issues Young Australians Care About _ Empowering Action with the Young Environmental Champions Program 🌏💚

 

Young Australians today are more engaged than ever, especially on issues impacting their future. 🌏💚

Let’s explore the top 10 concerns and see how the Young Environmental Champions program empowers them to take action.

  1. Climate Change: A critical concern, driving youth to advocate for sustainable practices and policies.
  2. Environmental Conservation: Protecting Australia’s unique biodiversity is a priority.
  3. Mental Health: Addressing mental well-being is essential in today’s fast-paced world.
  4. Education Reform: Seeking educational systems that align with modern-day challenges.
  5. Social Equality: Fighting for inclusivity and diversity in society.
  6. Economic Stability: Concerns about job security and economic prospects.
  7. Healthcare Accessibility: Ensuring equitable healthcare for all.
  8. Renewable Energy: Pushing for a switch to sustainable energy sources.
  9. Waste Reduction: Minimizing waste, especially plastics in oceans.
  10. Indigenous Rights: Recognizing and respecting Indigenous cultures and rights.

The Young Environmental Champions program offers the tools, skills, and platform for young Australians to tackle these issues head-on. Through project management training, leadership development, and advocacy skills, participants are well-equipped to bring about the change they wish to see.

It’s about taking passion and turning it into impactful action.

Here’s how our program supports their actions on these top concerns:

  1. Climate Change 🌍: Advocacy for sustainable solutions.
  2. Environmental Conservation 🐨: Protecting Australia’s unique wildlife and habitats.
  3. Mental Health 🧠: Promoting well-being through eco-friendly practices.
  4. Education Reform 📚: Aligning learning with modern challenges.
  5. Social Equality 🤝: Fostering inclusivity and diversity.
  6. Economic Stability 💼: Encouraging eco-friendly job opportunities.
  7. Healthcare Accessibility 🏥: Supporting wellness in all communities.
  8. Renewable Energy 🔋: Championing sustainable power sources.
  9. Waste Reduction ♻️: Initiatives for reducing and recycling waste.
  10. Indigenous Rights 🖤💛❤️: Respecting and integrating Indigenous perspectives.

The Young Environmental Champions program equips youth with skills and platforms to address these issues effectively.

#YouthEmpowerment #EnvironmentalAction #FutureLeaders #AussieYouth 🌿🌟👥🌱

by Lynne Strong

Changing the world might be easier than you think. The secrets to success

 

At Action4Agriculture ( formerly Picture you in Agriculture ) we see our programs as vehicles to provide opportunities for people and organisations to come together to give young people agency and voice and empower them to be changemakers.

Our role models are emerging leaders in the agriculture sector. We identify, train and develop them to be confident communicators and trusted voices.  We provide them with opportunities to multiply their impact by working with young people in schools and the community. We call them Young Farming Champions. They represent the diversity of people who work in the agriculture sector.

Their hands on journey begins by facilitating our school programs The Archibull Prize and Kreative Koalas 

Our schools and our Young Farming Champions have taken on the big hairy goals – the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or the SDGs for short

We are working with our schools to tackle the SDG targets Australia most needs to meet

 

We have all heard people say if changing the world was easy we would all be doing it. What we have found it is easy if WE believe it is and WE surround ourselves with enough people who share the vision and are committed to taking action and DO.

There is a formula.

  • Identify the outcome you want to achieve
  • Identify what success looks like
  • Start with a big idea – keep it as simple as possible
  • Identify the actors
  • Identify the actions the actors need to take
  • Identify the expertise you need to outsource
  • Identify the GO TO Person to access the experts
  • Design and Deliver your ACTION PLAN
  • Monitor, Evaluate, Report and Inform

We suggest you start with a basic understanding of psychology.

What makes people tick

 

and the theory of change 

Australia’s Guru of Changeology, Les Robinson, keeps it simple for us

You need to be prepared to experiment, collect data, report on that data and share it with others

Most importantly you need people who genuinely care and understand that it takes a village.

We are identifying people who really care and have the expertise to support our schools and Young Farming Champions.

We are big fans of the Collective Action for Collective Impact model

In 2020 we paired with OzHarvest FEAST to tackle Zero Hunger, Responsible Production and Consumption and Climate Change.

We partnered with Corteva Agriscience to build a library of resources for teachers and students

We partnered with Australian Wool Innovation. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Local Land Services and Corteva Agriscience to identify, train and develop young agriculturalists

We partnered with  Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Education, Changeologist Les Robinson, Science Communicator Jenni Metcalfe, 21st Century Learning Expert Josh Farr and John Holloway and the Murray Darling Basin Authority Education team to  deliver professional development workshops for teachers and students. These workshops were funded by NSW Local Land Services and NSW Department of Planning Industry and Environment

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We partnered with the Geography Teachers Association of NSW and ACT to deliver professional development workshops to teachers

Over the next week we are very excited to share with you a series of blogs that showcase the changemakers we have worked with in our Kreative Koalas schools. All of the students and teachers we work with are committed to leaving a legacy  we can all be proud of.

We can all be changemakers, we just need to care enough and surround ourselves with people who care as much as we do.

 

Sneak Peek you can check out the #KreativeKoalaKids artworks here

#ConnectCollaborateCommunicate #EngageEmpower #CollectiveAction #CollectiveImpact

 

by Lynne Strong

Anika Molesworth says COVID-19 is a big challenge for farmers, but it also encourages us to share ideas and work together for a better and more resilient future.

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Is distance a barrier to #ClimateActionNow Young Farming Champion Anika Molesworth??

No way!!!!

If you think a global pandemic is too overwhelming to do something – Anika says think again!

Anika zoomed from her farm in Broken Hill to Pakistan last night, on the topic “How COVID-19 is impacting agriculture and rural communities, and what needs to be done.”

In Anika’s own words ……

To a large and diverse virtual classroom, we spoke about how COVID-19 impacts on both the lives and livelihoods of farmers and people living in rural communities.

My key points were:
• COVID-19 poses a particularly serious threat to farmers who live remotely and do not have easy access to doctors and healthcare.
• The disease is a vulnerability amplifier for poorer farmers, older farmers, those who have limited labour resources and few market options.
• Disruption to food availability and affordability can lead to reduced food options in some regions and therefore poorer diets and malnutrition.
• Transport restrictions can impede access to markets, and challenges in logistics can be particularly obstructive for fresh food that is highly perishable, which may result in increased food loss and waste.
• Increased costs of farm inputs, like livestock feed, fertiliser, water, contract labour and machinery, may result in lower net returns.
• The reduction in tourism to rural areas has flow-on financial impacts to local farmers and local businesses (e.g. restaurants, shops, hotels).
• Improving hygiene and working conditions for farmers is critical to prevent the spread of disease, as well as improving information channels and access to healthcare.
• Improving the standard of living for farmers through education, income diversification, market access, food transport and storage practices, will help them to become more resilient to future crises.

There was great conversation with lots of excellent questions and comments.

I learnt a lot and thank Humera Hania for inviting me to virtually visit Pakistan to be part of this event.

COVID-19 is a big challenge for farmers, but it also encourages us to share ideas and work together for a better and more resilient future.

Visit Anika’s website to learn more how she is putting her passion project into action

Visit her Youtube Channel here