Creating a Youthfesto Lesson Plan
A youthfesto is a manifesto, which is a public declaration of policy and aims, created by young people. It is a declaration of demands, recommendations and commitments that arise from the experiences and perspectives of young people. Youthfestos are youth-led work that seeks to change the world by centering and honouring the experiences and wishes of young people in collaboration with adults. The first youthfesto was created in the context of the More Than Words project at a Spring Retreat held at McGill University in May 2023. This event brought together young Indigenous peoples from Eskasoni, Rankin Inlet and Treaty 6 Territory, the homeland of the Métis (Saskatoon), alongside community leaders and researchers. The youthfesto is a call to support young Indigenous peoples, with the tagline “Trust and Invest in Youth”. This youthfesto was inspired by the Montebello Girlfesto, created by youth participants of the NetworksforChange project from around the globe in Montebello, Quebec. The Girlfesto is a call to end gender-based violence, with the tagline “We Want Freedom, Not Just Safety”. The Youthfesto and Girlfesto center perspectives of Indigenous young peoples as they call on adult supporters to collaborate with them to create safer communities and better futures for everyone. These manifestos have been opportunities to explore collaborations between diverse groups—youth and adults and Indigenous peoples and settlers—to work towards common goals.
Activity Overview This activity will begin with an introduction to manifestos, reflections and writing to help the students determine what changes they wish to see in the future and work as a group to create calls to action and commitments. Once these ideas have been generated, the group as a whole discusses and agrees on the main goal of the youthfesto and creates a starting point and conclusion for their work. The teacher consolidates the youthfesto into a single document and allows youth to edit it. Typically, after the youthfesto is produced, it will be shared with changemakers in the community, however, possible modifications could invite other teachers, school staff or community members into the process earlier.
Activity Goals Empower students Engage adults in youth-led work Identify positive changes to be made Engage students in community Explore the dynamics of intergenerational collaboration
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Creating a Youthfesto Lesson Plan
Supplies flipchart paper markers, pencils, pens
post- it notes in different colours Artwork produced by students or relevant resources
Time required: approx. 3hrs + follow up in the next days
Preparation
Prepare the room where the activity will take place: Write each of the prompts on a piece of flipchart paper and hang them up on the wall. Prompts: Our Vision is … To Realize This Vision We Need To... We Urge Stakeholders To… As Youth We Commit To… As Adults We Commit To… Collect materials that are specific to your class including previous art projects, books you have read, etc., and set them up in a gallery style around the room. You can write an introduction to the youthfesto, explaining the context for its production: the place and time, the students and changemakers involved and the goal of the youthfesto. Print this and hang it up on a flipchart page. Consider what your students are passionate about and who in your community works in or is connected to those topics. Adults ideally will be in the classroom at the time that the youthfesto is being created, but they can also be engaged at a later time.
Introducing the activity and the prompts Introduce the concept of a youthfesto. Having examples can be helpful for students to visualize what they are producing. Explain the activity step by step, including the goal or expected outcome of the activity. Read out the prompts on each flipchart Our Vision is …. To Realize This Vision We Need To… We Urge Stakeholders To… As Youth We Commit To… As Adults We Commit To…
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Creating a Youthfesto Lesson Plan
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Reflection on past productions
Invite students to reflect on the work you have done as a class. What projects have they completed, what topics have you discussed and what is happening in their school or community that they care about? Having relevant material displayed in the classroom can help jog the memory of students. Paper and pens can be distributed so the participants can jot down thoughts as they occur to them.
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Writing
Students will walk around to the different flip charts and using post-it notes add their ideas, calls to action, dreams and commitments. Invite students to walk around the classroom a few times, taking a couple of passes at each flip chart paper/prompt. Invite comments and modifications to the Introduction paper.
Discussion
Gather everyone together to read each flip chart and every post-it note aloud. Ask the students to find connections between the visions they have, their calls to action for stakeholders and the commitments they are willing to make. New post-it notes can be added to flipcharts at this time. Discuss what the starting point and conclusions of the youthfesto will be. The introduction should state the core values, and beliefs reflected in the youthfesto and what is important to know before reading it. The conclusion should highlight some takeaways and the main calls to action of the youthfesto, as well as the next steps for the document, its contributors and the group or project itself. This can also be a good time to think about what the slogan of the youthfesto could be, whether it is something that appears on a post-it note or comes up during discussion.
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Creating a Youthfesto Lesson Plan
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Feedback & Editing
The teacher will compile all the ideas into a single document with flipchart prompts as the headers. This can happen over a few days. Once the document is created, bring it back to the class for reviewing and editing. This is an opportunity to reflect on what was said and what changes might need to be made. Ask students if they still stand with what they wrote down during the first activity and make sure everyone agrees with the goal and vision of the youthfesto they have created Discuss what to name the document. Possible names might be a play on “manifesto” like youthfesto or girlfesto, the class might want to call it directly a manifesto, a declaration or a proclamation.
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Sharing
After the students agree the youthfesto is ready to share, identify who they would like to share it with. People to share it with might be: Parents Other teachers School staff Other classrooms Community members The youthfesto can be shared online via email or websites, or in person through classroom or school displays. Note: All identifying information should be removed from the youthfesto before it is shared publicly. Who the youthfesto will be shared with and how must be stated clearly and repeatedly for the students. The implications of sharing it, both positive in terms of impact and possible risks such as negative social feedback, should be discussed together as a group and amongst each other (peer-to-peer, teacher-to-teacher, etc.).
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Creating a Youthfesto Lesson Plan
Modify the Activity for Your Group If there are too many prompts for your students, consider reducing the number of prompts to the ones that are most relevant and will generate the most ideas from the students. If the post-it note approach does not fit your group or your vision, you can facilitate the activity in a smaller group reflection fashion. After step 2, participants would divide into smaller groups and reflect on what they saw and what themes jumped out. Some prompts for discussion include: What stood out for you? What changes do you want to see in the school or community? What promises can you make to see those changes happen? What promises do adults need to make to see those changes happen? The statements and reflections from each group can be written down and recorded as they relate to the different prompts. These statements can be compiled into the youthfesto. Adults and changemakers from the community can be engaged in steps 2, 3 and 4. This can either happen with adults coming to the classroom to participate or the youth fest can be shared with them after it has been created and they can contribute their commitments. If you are facilitating this activity as part of an event, step 2 can include a review of the highlights of the event, including the different genres of creative productions and the messages that were generated.
Connect with us! Share your festo with More Than Words on social media or reach out to our project coordinator, Leann Brown leann.brown@mcgill.ca
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