What is Social Action? ---Social Action is a piece of work which is informative. It is created to promote positive changes in a community society. Social Action raises the levels of awareness on different issues affecting a specific community or even a whole country. Why is social action important? ---Social Action campaigns are important as they make people aware of the issues affecting society. Without campaigns it would be extremely difficult to change these issues let alone stop them. Examples of Social Action topics-----Social networking and cyber bulling. ---Animal welfare protection. Social action is... ---Proactive ---Project-based ---Discovering a problem or need of your community. ---Seeing positive in social change and impacts. ---Team work to overcome issues. Social action is not... ---Passive ---One-time activity ---Working for organisations without achieving personal goals.
Examples of Successful campaigns: The Horse crisis in Wales ---Over the years the lives of many horses across Wales have been lost due to cases of fly-grazing, abandonment and neglect. There are as many as 7000 equines at risk in Wales and England. The public need to be aware of the risks and just how many are suffering. What is happening? If you live in Wales: ---In January 2014, Welsh legislation aimed at dealing with the problem of fly-grazing and abandonment. The act is a step in the right direction, enabling local authorities to take appropriate action to overcome a problem which can have bad consequences for animal welfare and community safety. However, the act does not provide all answers to the Wales’ equine crisis. As part of an RSPCA campaign, 1,600 letters were recently sent to members pleding them to play their part in keeping equine welfare firmly on the agenda. If you live in England: ---In England the Government is trying to improve the broken horse passport system and also they want them to take action on fly grazing.
Examples of Successful campaigns: Order in Court The NSPCC are calling for a justice system to fit children. They want vital changes needed to ensure young people in the justice system are treated first and foremost as children....... ---Young witnesses should have access to a Registered Intermediary - a trained communications expert to help them understand what is happening with the police and court whenever necessary ---Children should be able to give their evidence from a location away from court. ---All judges and lawyers taking child sexual abuse cases should undertake mandatory specialist training. Quite recently ‘Order in Court” received great success. Three months after they launched the campaign, the Government announced a series of changes to protect vulnerable witnesses in the justice system. By March 2015 the Government has committed to: ---Ensuring that barristers who take part in sexual abuse cases receive compulsory training so that vulnerable witnesses are treated with the care they deserve. ---Vulnerable witnesses having greater opportunity to give evidence from a place where they feel comfortable, rather than having to go to court, with at least one such location available in each court region. This is great news, marking a significant step forward on two key aspects of the campaign.
Examples of Successful campaigns: Evidence ---A social action campaign to get more young people involved in making a change and to get them interested in social action events/incidents. The company commissioned Demos to undertake a review of the most relevant data currently available. The closest category to youth social action figures are those available on ‘youth volunteering’, most of which cover the 16-24 age range. ---The research recently said with 1000 young people and 500 teachers shows that today’s teens are more engaged with social issues than ever, they’re just using new tools. This includes social media to do it. They see social action and social enterprise as the route to change their world and their communities and taking part has real benefits to young people. But the false stereotypes are decreasing young people’s self esteem and holding them back in the job market. ---Social action improves young people’s sense of belonging to and duty towards the communities they live in, and in turn young people benefit through improved emotional well-being, educational outcomes and career prospects. Wider society benefits by more connected and safer communities.