A Roadmap for Active Citizens & Future Shapers by Volunteers Centre Skopje: VOICES magazine

A Roadmap for

Active Citizens &

Future Shapers

Warning: This interactive guidebook will inspire you to be a CHANGE AGENT & make a difference!

This booklet is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme (Key Action 3: “Europe for Citizens”) of the European Commission, through the Project: European Youth at the Frontlines of active citizenship: A Roadmap towards a collective “South- NorthEast- West” Momentum, implemented in partnership with Young Europe Society- Romania; Citizens in Power-

Cyprus; EUCMC Aarhus- Denmark; and Asociacion Mundus- Spain. The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Acknowledgements Production by: Volunteers Centre Skopje, 2021, www.vcs.org.mk Written and edited by: Neda Ahchieva Design, illustrations, photo research and cover by: Selina Niemi Illustrations and cover by: Dimitar Ahciev Additional writing and research: Rute Carlos Matos Cardoso & Goran Adamovski Director: Nikola Stankoski More info and e-version: www.roadmap4youthactivism.info Printed in Skopje, Macedonia, May 2021 All rights reserved.

The best way to predict your future is to create it Abraham Lincoln

If found, please return to: Name ______________________________ Email ______________________________ Phone ______________________________ Emergency contact ______________________________

Hello! W

elcome to your new interactive planner! It has been designed to motivate you to shape the future and guide you along the way. Nothing changes if nothing changes. That’s why this planner aims to inspire you to try a different approach and follow the steps that will make your ideas for a better tomorrow reality. It will motivate you to stop saying “I want”, and give you tools that will make you say “I will”. Why did we create this Planer? We want to empower and motivate you to be confident, to think critically and systematically using the tools and activities given here in order to make a change in your life, your community or the world. The distance between your dreams and reality is called action, and this planner will guide you as you shift from thinking to doing! A change is in sight, and you are the change-maker in charge!

Do you have an idea that can change the future? Let’s unlock the POWER OF YOU. YOU are unstoppable if you decide to be unstoppable! This planner is organized in 6 chapters, with each offering insights, tools and techniques compiled to support you with making your ideas reality! Think of it as your coach, mentor, assistant and friend that will be by your side! Follow the chapters, do the exercises, learn and research more about the examples that can help you make your idea come true, and most importantly- remember that most great things happen when you step out of your comfort zone! This is now your guidebook! YOU can make a difference in this world just by being a “good citizen”, which in return can enhance your life in many rewarding ways (you always gain by giving!). We hope you enjoy this interactive planner, learn new things using it, and have fun along the way!

Almost every succesful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so David Brooks

What are the steps on the road to change? This interactive planner is organized as a guidebook. It has 6 Chapters designed to provide useful knowledge and tools which will empower you to make your ideas come true! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

YOU CAN SHAPE THE FUTURE! OBSERVE (Look) ANALYZE (Explore) VISUALIZE (Imagine) PLAN (Think) ACT (Do)

The Action Cycle and the chapters in this Planner have a unique flow customized to guide you with your ideas for improving your world or civil activism!

Observe

Plan

ACT

Analyze

Visualize

A Roadmap to active citizenship:

Table of Contents Owner info Introduction Guidebook Chapters Brainteaser: what’s a good citizen?

3 4 5 9

Chapter 1 - You can shape the future! Can you shape the future? Can you make a difference? Open Letter to all Future- Shapers Activism (Reverse) Poem Societies change and evolve, but does humanity? Youthquake! Civil Activism in times of a global pandemic: Alternative Activism We are all links in the chain of our humanity! The power of positive thinking Empowering wisdom from children’s books Are you an active citizen bingo game Where are you on the active citizens Olympics Podium? Brain teaser- word grid puzzle How can being a future-shaper affect your happy hormones? Simple ways to be a valuable member of your community Crossword puzzle How can the EU support and inspire you to be a Change Agent? Digital Citizenship- are you a good digital citizen? FAQs- Can everyone be a change agent?

13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 26 30 31 32 34 36 38 40 46 49

Chapter 2 - Observe (look) Master the art of observing Gamba walk Fill in the blanks to write the story Community observation Mind-map How to keep yourself informed about your community Roll the dice game How to decide what you want to change in your society? (Magic Formula) Honestly speaking… brainteaser How do you feel about being a future-shaper? Who, what, where game Swot analysis 6

57 58 60 61 63 64 65 67 68 69 70

Speed networking as a tool to hear different perspectives Letter to myself 20 Ways to empower yourself as a citizen

72 74 75

Chapter 3 - Analyze (explore) Ask more, assume less! Where to start with your analysis? How to understand an issue? Root Cause Tree Analysis Analyze the potential implications of your idea Traffic lights Assessment Exercise PESTLE Analysis- how can it help you adapt to the “big picture”? Explore where is your idea on the Roadmap to Change Step 1: Will this issue become a problem? Step 2: Is this issue already a problem? Step 3: Why are we not solving this problem? Is your issue of concern a “wicked” problem? Make your idea or solution SMART! Society Crush Game Changing behaviors and Change Management How can you achieve the change you want? All Management is change Management The 20/60/20 Principle The seven R’s of change Management and learning by doing How do you embrace or resist change? Understanding the difference between individual vs collective awareness The brain’s two systems of thinking and change of habits Five monkeys experiment: how people follow behaviour patterns mindlessly

80 80 82 84 85 87 89 92 93 94 96 98 101 102 103 103 104 105 106 107 108 109

Chapter 4- Visualize (imagine) Why is it important to define your vision? Visualize a perfect society: Utopia brainteaser activity What would you like to leave in the past? Burning bowl ceremony 12 Inspiring movies about active citizens based on true stories Fishbone Diagram and how to use it to solve a problem Get inspired: Have you heard about the “Doughnut Economy” Model? Let us inspire you! 25 young Europeans at the frontlines of active citizenship

118 120 124 126 130 133 138 7

Chapter 5- Plan (think) Why and how to plan? Create an Action Plan What are your values? Create your Manifesto Fable: What’s the best way to be effective? Find (or create) your spiritual master Communication- the real challenge of leadership How can you best communicate with your key audiences? Why is storytelling one of the most powerful tools for activism? The science of stories The role of storytelling in inspiring change What does the individual change journey look like? How can we use storytelling to achieve change? How to translate storytelling principles into stories? Facts versus stories: when to use facts, not stories? What’s the DNA of a good story? The Rhetorical Triangle Framework Think out of the box: Idea 1- Use the power of Art Think out of the box: Idea 2- Trigger Shock reactions Think out of the box: Idea 3- Go viral for a good cause 12 Rules for making a change Scrambled words challenge

143 144 146 148 150 152 155 156 157 159 160 162 164 165 167 168 169 172 175 178 179

Chapter 6- Act (do) Why act? The impact of your idea Tactics to reach your target groups and get your message across Meet elected officials to ask for support How to use social media effectively? Win hearts and minds with value-based marketing The Science of motivation Regular Reflection and Evaluation Bringing out the best in each other 198 methods of nonviolent action Getting supporters for your initiative Brainteaser: talk to a potential supporter Ask for institutional support from decision makers (local and international) Activism for introverts Start/ stop/continue Checklist The importance of extending gratitude 8

187 189 191 193 193 196 200 200 201 203 208 209 211 216 217 218

Beware of controversial activism How can you spot fake news? Fact-checking vs censorship What is a conspiracy theory? How do conspiracy theories spread? How to identify a conspiracy theory? Your personal transformation journey Dare to dream! The question on everyone’s minds? What can you do as an individual to make a difference? Final Thoughts

BRAIN TEASER: What are the qualities of a “good citizen” in your opinion?

220 221 222 223 225 226 229 230 231 232 234

Write your answers on the Gingerman cookie. Be specific and write everything that comes to your mind.

Draw the lines of your left hand here to high-five yourself!

Be a game changer!

CHAPTER 1

YOU CAN SHAPE THE FUTURE!

To shape /ʃeɪp/ verb: take up a stance or set oneself to perform a particular action. Future /ˈfjuːtʃə/ noun: a period of time following the present moment; time regarded as still to come. 11

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito Dalai Lama

I’m still learning Michelangelo at age 87

t’s rare throughout history that citizens have had such opportunities to shape their own future, as Europeans have today. We live in interesting times, when we are not afraid to challenge the notion that we need courage “to accept the things we cannot change”, and we’ve realized that in today’s world, we need courage “to change the things we cannot accept”. With this interactive planner we want to remind you that those who can make a change in our communities are each & every one of us, as well as those with power (who we elect).

Democracy is not something abstract, and thinking that “nothing ever changes”, or “politicians are all the same”, is unacceptable in the 21 century. Every single one of us has the ability and power to take charge, challenge those in power and, as cliché as it may sound, be the change we want to see in the world. Positive social change can only happen as a result of two things: merging the fire of anger caused by in-action in our societies, with the fire of hope for a better world. Anything can be achieved by us as citizens joining hands and helping each other!

Does your opinion matter?

o you feel like every few years you get to vote at elections, but the rest of the time governments do all kinds of unfair, illogical and even dangerous things? Do you catch yourself talking to the TV or wondering are you crazy while you read the news? Do you believe that governments are making decisions that affect the lives of millions, they are wasting public money, destroying the environment, and you are powerless to do anything about it? But are you powerless?

Can you make a difference? Rather than just complaining and voicing your frustrations, you want your voice to be heard and your opinion to be considered. Instead of yelling at the TV, this planner will teach you how to put your thoughts and ideas in writing and make them visible. And who knows,

your thoughts may go viral, you will gain supporters and that will influence the public opinion and bring some reforms? Our goal is to make you realize that you don’t need to wait for elections for something to change to improve your community. If you have tools, knowledge and guidance about social activism and initiating change, you can be at the frontlines of active citizenship!

Let us inspire you! In this planner we will share 25 stories of young change-makers from across Europe, who dared to be bold and change things in their societies. These are people who had the courage to change something so they decided to stop being passive observers and took a risk to make their communities a bit nicer. We hope you’ll enjoy reading their stories!

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito Dalai Lama 14

Open letter to all future-shapers

n the winter of 1788-1789, the desperate government of Louis XVI asked the common people of France to send lists (Cahiers de doléances) with their hopes and complaints directly to the King. They served to voice the concerns of the people and give them a chance to express their hopes for a better world. With that, a crucial psychological barrier had fallen: it became possible to imagine a very different world. With the hopeless leadership of the time, this spark contributed to the fire that started the French Revolution, which changed Europe forever. Why is this important to remember? France in 1789. Russia in 1917. The COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020. These are some of the points in time when the world changed direction. The pandemic we live in is not a revolutionary moment, but it is changing the “old system”. Like France’s complaints, the corona virus forced questions about what kind of future do we want, what is the proper role of governments, what is collective

responsibility and what makes a healthy society. Covid-19 has turned a spotlight on the dark sides of our world, and exposed the weaknesses in our societies. We have become aware of the fragility of our world. Now, we have a choice: to deal with problems in a better way by using the lessons of the pandemic as a catalyst for positive change, or to let the world become even more selfish and divided. We want to remind you that when you name things- grievances (as the French did) you give them shape and make it harder to ignore them. You can do that with the help of this guidebook. You can spell out your hopes for something better in your communities or lives. Your enthusiasm can create a positive impact in our world today. You can be a voice of change in your community, and remember: great things never come from comfort zones! This is why we encourage you to challenge yourself, think bigger, be bold, and let’s make the world a little nicer together!

If you could change one thing in your community, what would it be and why?

The smallest change in perspective can transform a life. What tiny attitude adjustment might turn your world around? Oprah Winfrey 16

We can make a difference? We can no longer keep up with the idea of democracy. We do not believe that Being an active citizen will make a difference. In an age of fear and uncertainty, Our ability to make a change is limited. It’s naive to think that Through brave actions and initiatives We can improve our societies Because we are uniquely human Greed will eventually supersede us. We refuse to believe that We are in control of our own destiny.

Stop! This can’t be right! Now read it from the bottom up. This is reverse poetry: Reverse poetry is a poem that can be read forwards (top to bottom) and have one meaning, but can also be read backwards (bottom to top) and have a different or opposite meaning. Did your feelings change as you read the poem backwards?

Remember, sometimes you just need to look at things from a different perspective. 17

Societies change and evolve, but does humanity?

More than machinery We need humanity More than cleverness We need kindness and gentleness Charlie Chaplin

To start your journey towards shaping the future, we want to send you back to the past, to the year 1940.

hese are the words from Charlie Chaplin’s first movie with dialogue, “The Great Dictator”, and this speech is considered to be one of the best of all time. Do you think these words are as relevant today as they were in 1940? (Note: Edited for shortness). We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness - not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world, there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our 18

cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost… In the 17th Chapter of St Luke, it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within you”! In you! You, the people have the power - the power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then - in the name of democracy - let us use that power - let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world - a decent world that will give youth a future and old age a security. Let us fight to free the world - to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all people’s happiness. In the name of democracy, let us all unite!”

Youthquake:

Change coming from young leaders! The Oxford Dictionary Word of the year 2017 was… youthquake. The noun, youthquake, is defined as a “significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people”. It is suitable to describe many of the biggest change movements in the last

decade, as they were all initiated and driven by young people. It is probably a result of the fact that young people now have a voice in a much more democratic space- Social Media, which help them organize and raise awareness about the issues that concern or anger them.

Some of the young leaders that inspired civil movements recently are:

Malala Yousafzai

became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, after she was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan for advocating for girls education

Greta Thunberg

gained global popularity as a result of her global activism. Millions of people around the world participated in a series of youth-led climate strikes, that evolved into a movement called “Fridays for Future”.

The Parkland (shooting) students

They became gun control advocates after a shooting at their high-school that became the deadliest high-school shooting in the US history.

Joshua Wong

helped lead the pro-democracy “Umbrella Movement” in Hong Kong. He was banned from running at local elections as a result of his activism. 19

Civil activism in times of a pandemic: Covid-19 and Alternative Activism What happened to protest movements during the covid-19 global pandemic?

efore the pandemic, millions of people around the world were protesting on the streets and expressing their revolt on issues ranging from climate change to human rights to equality. In fact, 2019 was often times called “the year of the street protests”. They happened in Lebanon, Chile, Hong Kong, Sudan (where they managed to get rid of a dictator for 30 years, Omar Al-Bashir). Around the world, people of all walks of life went to the streets and demanded positive change in their countries. These people protested in hopes that their actions will change their countries forever! Then came the coronavirus and more than four billion people around the world were put under lockdowns. It became very challenging to protest when people were not able to meet physically. This was very demoralizing and the protestors started to wonder if it was all for nothing. However, the issues that angered people were not resolved, and some got even worse- such as poverty, unemployment, rising food prices. What were protesters doing to keep the strikes going during the pandemic? Many activist had to get creative and find alternative ways to make their voices heard. For example, in Brazil, millions of people went to their balconies and loudly banged their pots and pans to protest 20

President Bolsonaro’s management of the pandemic. It was the biggest protest against his government to date. In Poland, women went out to the streets while social distancing to protest a bill they say would tighten abortion restrictions even further. Many movements went digital to continue raising awareness about their causes. Greta Thunberg, who inspired and led the “Fridays for Future” school skipping movement, urged her followers to take it online with hashtags like #ClimateStrikeOnline and #DigitalClimateStrike. During the lockdowns, all around the world at 9pm people self-organized and went out to their balconies to applaud the essential workers that kept our societies going during the most challenging times. Time will tell if these virtual protests will be as effective as those on the streets. However, it is worth noting that many of the activists were successfully communicating with policy-makers about their causes and concerns. An organization from Germany fighting for asylum rights (Sea Bridge), had a “virtual march” in Berlin that targeted different institutions, like the Interior Ministry, with concentrated tweets, videos, emails and phone calls. They were the Number 1 trending hashtag in all of Germany (#LeaveNoOneBehind), and they even managed to surpass #covid-19.

Apart from alternative forms of protests, the activists also used other tactics to stay relevant during the pandemic crisis. Some of them have been using their networks to fight covid-19 and support with the consequences it had on the already fragile economies in some countries. In Lebanon, those who protested against corruption traded their flags and banners for disinfectants and food supplies, trying to serve the community at a time when the government didn’t. In Hong Kong, the activists re-purposed

Belarus

Protests for Democracy and against the President Lukashenko, who allegedly rigged the elections.

Mauritius

Protests against the Government’s handling of one of the world’s largest oil spills done by a Japanese boat, with catastrophic results for marine life.

USA

What started as “George Floyd- I can’t breathe” Protests evolved into a country-wide movement called “Black lives matter”, one of the biggest in US history.

the space used to make banners to make hand disinfectants with their slogans, as they believed this helps them get their messages across to the public when they can’t get out on the streets. This is proof that even in extraordinary circumstances, people get creative with their activism, or risk getting exposed to a virus because they believe and have hope that their voices will be heard and this will lead to a positive transformational change in their communities. Yet some protests were too powerful to be stopped, and people still took to the streets despite the pandemic. These are some of the biggest demonstrations that made headlines during the pandemic:

Hong Kong

For independence and against the growing influence of China and the Chinese Government.

Lebanon

after the resignation of the Government people protested against the elites and for political reforms and secularism.

Burma

Protests against a Military Coup.

Thailand

Against the military rule and to demand new discussions about the role of the Thai monarchy.

Poland

Against police brutality and the LGBTQ hostility shown by the Polish Government, as well as against the abortion ban.

Russia

In support of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny after his arrest and the release of the film “Putin’s Palace”

This goes to show that anger knows no fear, and people are willing to take big risks with hopes that it will contribute to changing the current situation that angers them. 21

We are all links in the chain of our society!

we ensure a transformative social change. he positive thing that came out of the global COVID pandemic It is initiatives from everyone that can was that it truly offered an play a role and every citizen opportunity to pause, evaluate has a voice in making that and consider what happens social change as effective as once it is over. There was a lot of interesting possible. While everyone energy around the idea was confused ab out the future and we are all that the pandemic was together shaping “the new a great reason to pause normal”, believe in your and re-evaluate how we power as a citizen to change do things in our societies, Donna Barnes the things you cannot accept. and re-evaluate what is unacceptable and can be done better. Use your enthusiasm to truly be at the Basically, it gave us an opportunity to frontlines of change and at the frontlines think about how we want to reconstruct of active citizenship in your societies. and re-open our countries once Let’s re-shape our societies and our world the pandemic is over, and how can together!

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves William Shakespeare 22

The power of positive thinking

here is a famous anecdote about Mother Theresa, in which she explained how she was asked why is she not taking part in the demonstrations against war. Her response was that she will never do that, but if they organize a peace movement, she will be the first to join. Her message is clear - we should think about the things that we want to see, not the things that we don’t want to see happen. Let’s not be against war, let’s be pro-peace! Similarly, the legendary speech “I have a dream” by Martin Luther King Jr sends the same message. It doesn’t have a

shred of negativity, hatred, anger, despite the issues black people in America were facing back then. Instead, he directed his entire speech in a new direction, talking about his dreams and focusing on the things that he would like to see happening. The more we focus on the things we don’t want, the more we give meaning- energy- emotions to it and the more we attract it. Some call it law of attraction, others positive thinking, but the fact of the matter is- focusing on the desired outcomes is more likely to give you the energy you will need to accomplish your goals and ideas.

That’s how we’re gonna win. Not fighting what we hate. Saving what we love. Rose Tico, Star Wars: The Last Jedi 23

Write positive characteristics you have that make you a good leader.

10 words of wisdom by Gandhi* Be the change What you think you become Where there is love, there is life Learn as if you will live forever Your health is your wealth Have a sense of humor Your life is your message Action expresses priorities Our greatness is being able to remake ourselves Find yourself in the service of others

*An Indian lawyer and political ethicist, who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India’s independence from British rule, and in turn inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Honored in India as the father of the nation, he pioneered and practiced the principle of Satyagraha - resistance to tyranny through mass nonviolent civil disobedience. 25

Wisdom from Children’s books Some children’s books are so wise that they should be required reading for every adult. Here are a few inspiring examples:

Alice in Wonderland

Pippi Longstocking

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’ asked Alice. ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat. ‘I don’t much care where...’ said Alice. ‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat. ‘... so long as I get SOMEWHERE,’ Alice added as an explanation. ‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if you only walk long enough.”

Pippi is different. She is an “odd child.” And she behaves as such. Nevertheless, or maybe because of that, we can learn a lot about life and work from Pippi. Here are some examples:

by Lewis Carroll

Just keep walking... your heart will guide you where you need to be. Carroll (1832-1898) was not only a famous writer of children’s stories (this one dedicated to a friend’s daughter- Alice Liddell), he was also a mathematician, photographer, and Anglican deacon. In his own journey to leave the world better than he found it he came to see the absurdity of life and the importance of following your heart, faith and passions.

by Astrid Lindgren

“The whole world is full of things, and somebody has to look for them.” Pippi is a Thing-Finder and always walks around the world with open eyes. She is curious and asks questions. And she can discover something special in anything. Even in a rusted tin can. How often do we overlook the small things in our fast and noisy everyday lives? Curiosity should always be maintained in everyday (working) life.

“Do not wait for people to smile at you. Show them how it’s done!”

Pippi is very positive and loves life. That’s what she shares with all the people she meets, and infects them all with it. Imitation wanted! “I’ll make the world the way I like it.” We can only make a difference if we take our lives and our work into our own hands and actively shape them. Pippi leads the way with a positive example. “I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that.” #MakeItEasy! Why should one assume a negative outcome? And even then, would it really be that bad? You’re allowed to experiment. And you’re allowed to fail. Pippi is brave and often tries new things. Maybe you should, too?

“How nice it is to live.” When Pippi said that, she was sitting in the garden with her friends Annika and Thomas, smelling flowers, drinking coffee and eating gingerbread cookies. Pippi loves her life and she shares that too. She enjoys the little things and beautiful moments. Some of life’s most important lessons are summarized here in a very simple way, so everyone can understand them. The

world needs people with Pippi’s qualities. People who are different. Lateral thinkers who are courageous and appreciative; who motivate, electrify, and inspire. People who are also uncomfortable and talk about things. But they also look at opportunities and solutions from a different angle. This is how innovation is created. This creates change. And in our everyday life, sometimes you just need a “Pippi” moment to become aware of all the little big things. This will remind you that every day we all have the opportunity to shape our lives and make them a bit more colorful.

Peter Pan

by J.M. Barrie “All the world is made of faith, trust, and pixie dust.” Think of the happiest things. It’s the same as having wings. “Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.”

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.” 27

What was your favorite story as a child? What are some key messages from it that you agree with now as an adult?

Think like a child!

n 2010, a group of psychologists decided to test experimentally the intuitive notion that, as we leave our childhood behind, we leave also some of that creative inspiration that is the basis of original ideas, innovative thought and discovery. They asked a group of university students to write a short essay: Imagine school is cancelled for today. What would you do, think, and feel? All students answered the same question. But for one group, a single sentence was added to the instruction: You are seven years old. After approximately five minutes of writing, each participant was asked to complete a version of the Torrance

Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT). The average performance was about as expected—with one major exception. Those participants who were in the seven-year-old state of mind exhibited significantly higher levels of originality in thought. Both their verbal and figural responses left their more adult-minded counterparts in the dust. Imagining yourself a child, it seems, can quite literally make your mind more flexible, more original, more open to creative input and more capable of generating creative output—which nicely complements previous findings that laughter and positive mood have the same effect.

Are you an active citizen? BINGO!

If you answer “YES” to all questions in one row (horizontally) or in one column (vertically), you get a BINGO!

Have you ever volunteered?

Do you pay taxes?

Have you ever demonstrated?

Do you follow rules and laws?

Do you support equal rights in a democratic society?

Have you worked “pro bono” to support a person or a cause?

€ TAX

Do you regularly vote?

Do you donate clothes?

VOTE

Do you stay informed about the world and follow the news?

Are you a good neighbor?

Do you make an effort to not pollute the environment?

Have you ever signed a petition?

Do you comment on social media about issues in your society?

Have you donated blood?

NEWS

Do you recycle?

Have you ever donated for a cause?

€

Where are you on the active citizen olympics podium? What types of citizens are there? Inactive (Passive) Citizen:

Is not involved in the community or any local initiatives. Does not vote. Passively complains about the government without taking any specific steps or action to change or improve things.

(3rd Place) Personally responsible Citizen:

Acts responsibly in the community and tries to contribute (pays taxes, votes at elections, doesn’t break the law, doesn’t litter, recycles, volunteers in times of crisis, donates blood or clothes, helps when possible, causes no harm, is a good neighbour.

(2nd Place) Community- oriented citizen: Takes a leadership role and organizes the community to solve problems that are affecting everyone (organizes petitions, writes letters, sends requests to policy-makers, organizes volunteering initiatives for people or causes as needed in the community).

(1st place) Problem-solving Citizen:

Researches the problems in the community and creates plans for change. Explores ways to solve the root causes of the problems, and tries to collaborate and influence the local government representatives to co-create positive transformations for the community.

3 31

Brain Teaser: Find Active Citizenship Words

Dream

Responsibility

Courage

European

Demonstration

Activist

Justice

Empathy

Change

Rights

Citizen

Equality

What do you think of Europe Today? Word Cloud with answers by the Participants in the Project “European Youth at the Frontlines of Active Citizenship” on Europe Day, 9 May 2020. We are all in this together!

Lifechanging Adaptive Creativity

Eclectic

Respect Motivating

Citizenship Mix

Semi-open

Fast

Solidarity

Integrartive

Quality

Access

Multicultural

Peace Leader

Diverse

Mobility

Legal Progressive

United

Change

Strong

Collobration

Crisis

Selective

Kind

Democratic

Awesome Confusing

Different

Together

Broken

Connected Inspirational

Motivated Potential

Innovation

Unity’s

Rich

Friendship Divided

Interesting

Note to self: Before you talk - LISTEN. Before you can teach others - EDUCATE YOURSELF. Before you offer criticism - GRACEFULLY ACCEPT IT. Before you change other’s minds - LEARN TO CHANGE YOUR OWN. Before you can get what you want - LEARN WHAT YOU TRULY NEED. 33

How can being a future-shaper affect your “Happy Hormones” How can being an active citizen help you feel amazing? This is the science behind what makes our body produce positive chemicals when we interact with others in our society, when we are enthusiastic about making a change in the world, and when we are helping others.

DOPAMINE

SEROTONIN

“The feel-good Hormone” Stimulated during pleasurable activities

“The Will Power Hormone” Works as a mood-stabilizer.

Released when:

We strive towards a goal When we are motivated When we feel enthusiastic about something

We are grateful We change our environment We make our goals reality

OXYTOCIN

“The Love Hormone” Produced from human relationships/ bonds Released when:

ENDORPHIN

“The Calm Hormone” Works as a pain-killer! Released when:

We are generous We form new relationships We are sociable

We are exited or we enjoy ourselves We are socializing with friends We are helping others

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step 34

Lao Tzu

Give yourself a task in the next week to “pay it forward” in your community. Here are some ideas:

JOB D Leave a positive message for someone in your community who you believe needs it

ONE

Give a compliment to at least 3 people in your community you are not close with Send a nice message on the phone to someone you haven’t talked to in a while - just because Give 5* reviews to local businesses from your community Send a handwritten letter to say “thank you” to someone Give someone from your community a small gift - just because Clean some garbage from a public area in your community (not yours or any private property)

Simple ways to be a valuable member of your community:

Become selfaware

Pay it forward

Continue to learn

Research topics from your community

Show what you value

Think big

Don’t be a follower

Be grateful

Develop relationships

Learn how to influence others

Visualize success

Go into your community, observe and analyze issues

Create a plan

Which zone are you in?

Comfort zone

Feeling safe and in control

Fear zone

Caring too much about what others think, finding excuses

Learning zone

Dealing with challenges Acquiring new skills Being innovative

GROWTH ZONE

Conquering your objectives Living your dream Finding a purpose

Active Citizenship Crossword! Can you find the answers to our Active Citizenship Crossword Puzzle? The answers are on the last page of this chapter. Across

Down

2. Help someone become stronger and more confident

1. A written request signed by many people, appealing for a particular cause

3. A change in form or appearance, evolving something; opposite of stagnation

4. To form or create a new conception about society imaginatively

6. When the population revolts against the government

5. To notice or realise something previously unknown

8. Strong emotion and desire for something

7. Formal group decisionmaking process by which the population chooses persons for public service functions

9. Having or showing the capacity to develop into something in the future 10. Acting in advance of a future situation, rather than reacting 11. A manifestation of protest by a group of citizens through a public rally

How can EU help and inspire you to be a change agent? Have you read the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027? It aims to Engage, Connect and Empower young people through 11 European Youth Goals: 1. CONNECTING EU WITH YOUTH Foster the sense of youth belonging to the European project and build a bridge between the EU and young people to regain trust and increase participation.

2. EQUALITY OF ALL GENDERS Ensure equality of all genders and gender sensitive approaches in all areas of life of a young person.

3. INCLUSIVE SOCIETIES Enable and ensure the inclusion of all young people in society.

4. INFORMATION & CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE Enable and ensure the inclusion of all young people in society.

5. MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING Achieve better mental wellbeing and end stigmatization of mental health issues, thus promoting social inclusion of all young people.

6. MOVING RURAL YOUTH FORWARD Create conditions which enable young people to fulfill their potential in rural areas.

7. QUALITY EMPLOYMENT FOR ALL Guarantee an accessible labour market with opportunities that lead to quality jobs for all young people.

8. QUALITY LEARNING Integrate and improve different forms of learning, equipping young people for the challenges of an ever-changing life in the 21st century.

9. SPACE AND PARTICIPATION FOR ALL Strengthen young people’s democratic participation and autonomy as well as provide dedicated youth spaces in all areas of society.

10. SUSTAINABLE GREEN EUROPE Achieve a society in which all young people are environmentally active, educated and able to make a difference in their everyday lives.

11. YOUTH ORGANISATIONS & EUROPEAN PROGRAMMES Ensure equal access for all young people to youth organisations and European youth programmes, building a society based on European values and identity. 41

Have you heard about the European Solidarity Corps? The EU is built on solidarity: solidarity between its citizens, solidarity across borders between its Member States, and solidarity in its action inside and outside the Union. Solidarity is a shared value which is strongly felt throughout European society. The aim of the European Solidarity Corps is to give young people the chance to take part in a range of solidarity activities that address challenging situations across the EU. There are two types of youth placements as part of the Solidarity Corps. Young people between the ages of 18-30 can take part for a period of two to twelve months in either: Volunteer placements - offering full-time voluntary opportunities, with a grant. Occupational placements - providing opportunities to find a job, traineeships, or apprenticeships in a wide range of sectors. Under the volunteering strand young people can register if they are legally resident in the EU or in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey or North Macedonia, or if they hold the nationality of these countries.

Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless Sherry Anderson 42

Have you visited the European Youth Portal? The European Youth Portal offers young people information on opportunities in Europe and beyond. Explore initiatives to learn, work and volunteer. Find ways to make your voice heard as a European citizen.

Have you participated in a European Youth Week event? The European Youth Week places every two years all over Europe to celebrate and promote youth activities. Anyone can register an event in their own community.

photos: europa.eu

Have you researched the opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ Program?

Have you considered applying for EU Funding? If you have an idea that you believe will contribute towards making our lives in Europe even better, feel free to visit the EU funding Programs and Open Calls page, and learn about the different types of support that are available.

Discover EU! This is an initiative of the European Commission that offers around 12.000 young EU-citizens a free trip around Europe on Interrail. To participate, you need to be 18 years old and answer 5 questions about the European Union. As an 18-year-old citizen of the European Union, DiscoverEU offers you the opportunity to participate in a travel experience that will enable you to take advantage of the freedom of movement throughout the European Union, explore the diversity of Europe, learn about European cultural heritage and history, and connect with people from all over the continent. Furthermore, DiscoverEU enables you, as a young person, to develop life skills of value to your future, such as independence, confidence, and openness to other cultures.

All these possibilities can be found on www.europa.eu

photos: europa.eu

Digital Citizenship Ok, it’s the 21 Century and we all spend a lot of time online. We can’t imagine life without internet, computers, smartphones and access to a lot of information within seconds. We the digital citizens use information technologies to proactively engage in society, politics, and government. All good Digital Citizens: Protect private info for themselves and others Stay safe online Respect themselves and others Respect copyright and intellectual property Stand up to cyberbullying when they see it happening Carefully manage their digital footprint

Have you ever asked yourself are you a responsible digital citizen? What does that even mean to you?

What is Digital Citizenship? Digital Citizenship refers to the ability to engage positively, critically and competently in the digital environment, drawing on the skills of effective communication and creation, to practice forms of social participation that are respectful of human rights and dignity through the responsible use of technology.

Active digital citizens are: Using technologies to make your life and community better Engaging respectfully online with people who have different beliefs than you Using tech to make your voice heard by political leaders and shape public policy Determining the validity of online sources of information

Are you an active digital citizen? Many of the characteristics of a good citizen, from being respective and responsible to doing what’s right, are key elements of digital citizenship as well. We need to learn to apply the real-life qualities to the digital spaces.

Active citizen Advocates for equal human rights for all

Advocates for equal digital rights and access for all

Treats others respectfully and never bullies

Treats others with respect in online spaces and never cyberbullies

Doesn’t steal or damage property of others

Does not steal digital work, identity or property of others

Communicates clearly, respectfully and with empathy

Active digital citizen

Communicates respectfully through different digital platforms and channels

Respects basic human rights of privacy, freedom of speech, etc

Respects basic human rights in all digital forums

Protects self and others from harm

Protects personal information from outside forces that may cause harm

FAQs: CAN I BE A CHANGE-AGENT?

To end this Chapter, we wanted to answer some questions most people have on the topic of citizenship and active contribution to society.

What is activism? There is no clear definition, but generally speaking, it represents the awareness about the importance of the citizens who have no governing or political functions. In most cases, when we say activism we usually refer to action(s) by members of the civil society (outside of government) aimed towards the system of governance (government). The broad definition of activism is that it’s addressing an issue by challenging the current situation, or challenging those in power. Activism is very diverse and can span over many different forms. Some forms can be quite loud, for example a massive demonstration, and some forms can be quiet- just one person who wants to make a change.

What is a good society? A good society means a just and equal society. This includes economic, environmental, social, and other types of justice.

Guided by this, in an ideal world, if you see or witness an issue or a situation where someone is suffering and is being treated unfairly, and you think to yourself- someone should do something about this, the question to ask yourself is: why don’t you do something about it? Remember that compassion is within all of us, and solidarity is one of the principles on which today’s Europe was built.

Can I be a socially active? We all know a story about a family member, a friend, a neighbour, a colleague or someone from our broader circle of people who showed courage and dared to do something about issues that they felt were wrong. These actions are a part of their integrity- they couldn’t tolerate injustice or wrongdoing in any way, shape or form. Social activism is not separate from life, but it is life itself. Whatever you are doing in your life, activism is something you can do within that, that helps you stand up to old systems of power that, as Greta Thunberg would say-“belong in a museum”.

What is the biggest thing stopping us from achieving the change we want? One word: Fear. We are constantly bombarded with grim prognoses about the future. The doom clock is ticking, climate change is terrifying, we are destroying the planet, everything causes cancer, there are mutant viruses that can kill us, etc. Yes, these are very serious challenges, but it’s also ok to have a vision of the future as something positive that we want to move towards, as this will motivate us to work to achieve it. (Remember what Mother Theresa said about the anti-war protests?) Fear breaks the connection between our natural human compassion and what we do about a certain issue. It forces us to move forward based on a negative view, rather than a positive one. Getting past fear is the most important challenge you have to overcome to resist power in your own way. Do not be afraid. Stay true to yourself. Show courage. You have a lot to offer to the world, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

I want to be an active citizen, where do I start? This guidebook will help you along the way, and hopefully the tools and resources here will guide you to make your ideas reality. The Roadmap to Change is a great place to start as it will help you realize where your concern is on the scale to change, and what specific steps you can take to initiate transformation. As an individual, in most cases you can act much faster and more effectively than any politician or decision maker. Hope is not a strategy, and you should act and do something about the situation that concerns or angers you. To create purposeful forward momentum, you need to take the initiative and not simply be a passive citizen. You can start to assess issues in your society that you would like to change by reflecting on the following: What is happening? What is not happening? What can I do to influence a positive change?

Correct Answers: Find Active Citizenship Words

Correct Answers: Crossword Puzzle

Are you curious to find out how you can make a change and be a future shaper? Start with the next chapter, and enjoy the journey!

Draw the lines of your right hand here to high-five yourself!

Change is in sight!

CHAPTER 2

OBSERVE (LOOK)

Observe /əbˈzəːv/ verb: notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant. Look /lʊk/ verb: direct one’s gaze toward someone or something or in a specific direction. 55

Observe and reflect, and become a little wiser everyday Doe Zantamata

Before you talk, listen. Before you can teach others, educate yourself. Before you offer criticism, gracefully accept it. Before you can love fully, love yourself. Before you change others minds, learn to change your own. Before you can get what you want, learn what you truly need. Chopra

MASTER OF THE ART OF OBSERVING Critically observe the world around you for a few days.

Notice five things that are beautiful in your city or community. Have you seen some things that are not ok and can be better? What issues in your community are getting ignored? Who should be doing something about the issues that need to be fixed? 57

Gemba Walk ? Go see

Respect

o a gemba walk. This is very important to ensure that you are not working isolated, but you are aware of what’s happening “on the ground” or in reality.

“There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.” Gemba in Japanese (現場) means the “Real Place” or “Actual Place.” Gemba walks represent the action of going to see the actual place of the project, understand the current context after the pandemic, see if anything changed

Ask questions

after the last time you were there, ask questions, and see if you think of ideas that can improve your project. Gemba Walk is the activity spending time where the problems exist, understanding the reality on the ground, asking questions, and getting feedback directly. The Gemba walk will be different for each idea. It can be at the area where you plan to have a project linked to nature, or it can be a visit or a meeting with your target group. Gemba is the term for “where your project will add value and make a difference”. Gemba is linked to another Japanese management concept called Genchi Genbutsu, which translates to “go and see for yourself”.

e lv o S

Co Observe 58

Recognize

te ica n u Comm

te ra e op

e th

problem

Write a log of what you noticed and your thoughts during your gemba walk.

Fill in the Blanks to write the story: Try to put yourself in the shoes of someone who will see things with fresh eyes and lots of enthusiasm. This is a story about a new neighbor who just moved into your community. Fill in the blanks to complete the story.

I am _________________ and I am feeling soooo ______________ to finally move to (most common first name in your community)

(emotion felt by new residents)

this corner of the world. Last week when I arrived in my new neighbourhood, the first thing I saw was _________________. My neighbour has been explaining things and (something you can only see in your community)

showing me around. He says that most people who live around here are __________, (adjective)

__________, and ___________, but said I should watch out for the ____________ (adjective)

(adjective)

people - they can be trouble. Yesterday I got lost trying to find my house. So embarrassing! The Mayor walked by and ___________________________________.

(what your mayor would do if they saw someone lost in the neighbourhood)

When ________________________________happened, I thought it was a bit strange, (something your community does differently)

but people tell me it’s very typical here. I believe I will a great time here because _______________________, and I can’t wait to _________________________.

(best thing about living in your neighborhood)

(some exciting event or activity that you do in your community)

I hope this works out great! It’s like my neighbour said, the first rule around here is ________________________, but if you really want to fit in here, remember what (a thing everyone talks about being important)

everyone says: ______________________________. Can’t wait to see what this (unspoken rule that everyone seems to live by)

chapter of my life will bring, and I am excited for all the new challenges ahead!

Community observation mindmap

t’s important to start putting some of your observations and thoughts on paper, even if they are not fully organized. Observe your community, how are things done in the society and in the city. What thoughts or feelings do you get when you see certain things? What makes you happy? What makes you proud? What makes you sad? What makes you angry? Put these thoughts on the mind-map.

your continent. Start organizing your thoughts in categories, and sub- branch each category to things that are linked to it. For example, one category can be traffic, and then the sub- branches of this can be public transport, bicycle roads, pedestrian walkways, zebra crossings, bus stops, etc. You can sub- branch each of the sub- categories too, for example public transport can be divided to bus stops, taxis, trams etc.

Creating a mind-map is very simple. You start with a word that will be the center of your mind map. For example, it can be the name of the neighbourhood you live in, your city, your country, or even

There are no right or wrong answers. The goal of this exercise is to focus on things that trigger certain emotions with you. This will make it clear to you what are you personally passionate about. 61

What I know today that I didn’t know yesterday

When I have one week to solve a seemingly impossible problem, I spend six days defining the problem. Then, the solution becomes obivious. Albert Einstein 62

How to keep yourself informed about your community

Subscribe to local news and podcasts

Identify what issues you care about or interest you and pursue them

Follow journalists or news outlets on social media and check trending viral topics

NEWS

Have social discussions with family and friends to heard different perspectives

Fact-check the information and be smart about the facts you find. Sometimes data is manipulated.

Don’t get all of your news from one source, and try to hear both sides of the stories.

FALSE TRUE

Roll the dice! After you spent some time observing and thinking about your community, take a dice, throw it and finish the sentence: 1. I feel like we need to change _____________________________________________________________________ 2. I believe I can improve _____________________________________________________________________ 3. I need to learn more about _____________________________________________________________________ 4. I would like to transform _____________________________________________________________________ 5. I will do something to help _____________________________________________________________________ 6. I will work to update _____________________________________________________________________ 64

How to decide what you want to change in your society? The magic formula here is: ANGER + HOPE = ACTION

Think about the things in your society that make you angry. These are the things that go against your beliefs, values and principles. If there are such things that make you feel angry, the chances are that there are many other people who are angry about them as well.

Think about the things you are hopeful about. Hope is the second emotion you want to closely examine. You need to believe that change is possible in order for you to decide to do something about the issue. You can focus some of the anger on the hope for a positive change.

Action. Once you have carefully considered what are you most hopeful about, the only way you can make a difference in the world is by taking action. Your goal is to stay optimistic that the issue that angers you can be transformed into something that gives you joy.

Make a list of...

... things that make you angry

... things that give you hope

Honestly Speaking... Think about your community as a football game. Which one are you and why?

How do you feel about being a Future-Shaper? Circle one: (draw something in the empty box if none of the photos apply)

WHO, WHAT, WHERE GAME Here is a fun activity you can play with your family or friends to get you thinking about your community or city. Try to fill out these categories only with things from your local surroundings. They can be in their original language, no need to translate. The one who fills all categories first stops the time for that round for all.

Letter

Nature spot or place

Manmade thing / place

Place to eat or drink

Local celebrity

Object around you

O P E

SWOT ANALYSIS Use this tool as part of your observation. Focus your thoughts on your community or city. Through the SWOT Analysis you can understand what are the things that you think are it’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Note that this analysis reflects your personal views and there are no right or wrong answers.

Two important lists: Don’t be impressed by:

Generosity

Money

Integrity

Followers

Humility

Degrees

Kindness

Titles

+1 3

Be impressed by:

90..... 432 5 0

€

How lovely to think that no one need to wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world! How lovely, that everyone, great and small, can make their contribution toward introducing justice straight away... And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! Anne Frank

Speed networking as a tool to hear different perspectives Explore topics from your community in a fun interactive way! Organize a speed networking conversations with your family and friends! Find out what those around you think about issues you all face daily. Rules of the activity: It is a meeting of a group of people in a short amount of time. Speed networking is a structured process for facilitating conversation between people. Give only 2 minutes to answer these questions.

List of questions you can ask each other:

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

How do you like to spend your free time in your local community? If you were elected mayor of your city, what would be your first improvement, and why? If you could live anywhere for one year, all expenses paid, where would you live? Why do you like that society? What do you like about your community? If you had one extra hour of free time a day, would you use it for yourself or for others? If you could snap your fingers and fix something in your community, what would that be? Who was your favorite teacher and why? Did they inspire you? Who inspires you and how are you like them? If you knew you could not fail, what would you do to make the world a bit better? If you could get rid the world of one thing on your street, what would it be? What is your favorite quote? If you could be invisible for a day, what would you do in your community? If someone rented a billboard for you, what would you put on it? What do you like best about your current community? Which member of your family has had the greatest influence on your current way of thinking? Who is the most influential person in the world today? Why? Name 3 things in your community that you think will change in the next ten years. If you had unlimited money and space, what one thing would you add to your community?

19. You win a million dollars, but you have to give half to a charity in your community. Which charity would you pick? 20. If you could drive/ride/or fly anything to work or school, what would it be? Why? 21. If you had a magic lamp and a genie who granted you 3 wishes for your city, what would the 3 wishes be? 22. If you could, would you become the President of your country? Why or why not? 23. Using only one word, name how you feel about your community today. 24. Think of a word beginning with the first letter of your name that sums up your neighborhood? 25. If you could change one current issue in the world what would it be and why? 26. Why do you (or don't you) vote? 27. What do you love most about living in your country? 28. If you could erase one day in your city’s history which one would it be and why? 29. What is something unexpected that has changed in your neighborhood in the last few years? 30. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about the future in your neighborhood, would you want to know and what would you ask? 31. Where else would you consider living? Why? 32. What’s something in your neighborhood you’ve been really proud of lately? 33. What makes the world go round? 34. Are you a good neighbor? 35. If you could ask your future self one question what would it be? 36. Would you rather be liked or respected in your neighborhood? 73

Letter to myself

Now that you have thought about the world around you, ask yourself: If I could change one thing about my community, what would it be and why? Write a letter to yourself and decide when you want to open it.

20 simple ways to empower yourself as a citizen: 1. Pay it forward 2. Research Topics 3. Study the Masters 4. Find a mentor 5. Try to save some money 6. Become self aware 7. Continue Learning 8. Don’t be a follower 9. Show what you value 10. Broaden your social circle 11. Learn how to influence 12. Eat healthy 13. Visualize success 14. Think bigger 15. Be grateful 16. Create a plan for your life 17. Use social media 18. Develop relationships 19. Get involved in your community 20. Respect those around you

Congratulations, that is the first spark of your unique idea about how you can make a change! Now move to the next chapter and see how you can evolve this spark and turn it into a fire!

Draw the lines of your fist showing the “thumbs up” sign! Good job!

Nothing changes if nothing changes!

CHAPTER 3:

ANALYZE (EXPLORE)

Analyze /ˈa-nə-ˌlīz/ verb: examine methodically and in detail to explain and interpret it. Explore /ɪkˈsplɔː/ verb: inquire into or discuss a subject in detail. 77

Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. President John F. Kennedy

What does this quote mean to you?

Ask more, assume less! It’s very important to not skip over the part of setting the foundations of the idea that can lead to a process of transformation. Empathetic research and analysis will help you gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of people’s needs, and the way they see, understand and interact with the specific issue and the world around them. Challenge yourself, slip into the shoes of a student and assume a beginners mindset. Ask questions with an open mind, re-learn some things that have changed or evolved, re-think your opinions if necessary, and leave your assumptions behind.

Where do you start? Ask yourself: What issues upset you? Having feelings towards an issue is a powerful motivator. It can help you keep going through the ups and down you may face. Do other people share your frustrations or hopes? Ideally, you want to focus on an issue that concerns and interests other people as well, or your community as whole. Can you think of a specific, doable solution for a specific issue? Being able to clearly explain your idea or solution and convince others that it’s realistic and doable will help you greatly. Will your idea have a lasting impact on people’s lives or in your community? Will it create change? Try to be solution- oriented so others in the community can benefit from the change you introduce long after it is done. 80

Not taking a risk is the biggest risk. Taking a risk isn’t easy and is not always fun. It can be scary and hard. But you know what else is scary and hard? Taking no risk at all.

What’s the risk you’re not taking? Why?

How to understand an issue:

Root Cause Tree Analysis LEAVES: What is the problem your community is facing?

The concerns you hear from people affected by the problem.

TRUNK: What laws, policies or structures influence the problem? The structural and cultural factors that create an environment that supports the problem. Think about the policies or practises that keep the problem in place.

ROOTS: What are the historical, social or economic root causes for this problem? How did the problem grow? You should challenge the factors listed here.

Your idea or solution should address the structural factors of the problem - the trunk in the Root Cause Tree Tool. When discussing solutions, it is important to think about all of the people affected by the problem. You may or may not be directly affected, but it’s important to make sure that those who are directly affected by this issue can feel like they can talk to you in an atmosphere of trust and mutual confidence.

Think about the issue you are analyzing in the shape of a tree. What are the roots, the trunk and the leaves? Think about your idea and list the concerns.

Analyze the potential implications of your idea Now that you have an idea about an issue or a problem that you would like to change/ improve in your community, let’s analyse the idea in more detail. This table is an effective method to consider in situations when we are deciding about next steps and are trying to crystallize an idea.

Give honest answers to the following questions. What will be, if I act on my idea? (What would the benefits be)

What won’t be, if my idea happens? (What will be avoided if action is taken?)

What will be, if I don’t do anything? (Will things stay

the same? What will happen as a result of no action at all?)

What won’t be, if my idea doesn’t happen? (What will be the damage if I don’t act?)

Traffic Light Assessment Think about your idea and the observations you made in more detail. You observed different things in your community, and now try to categorize your thoughts and reflections using this visual method.

RED: I have concerns/ Potential Risk/ Needs attention YELLOW: Not so clear/To think about/Might need changes/Needs more info GREEN: Positives/No concerns/Recognize as good

Some people have a tendency to think and talk about the past when asked about their ideas. Avoid that and if you catch yourself talking about the past, stop and start to talk about the future and what are you excited about. Start now. Force yourself to think about what’s something you want to change or create in the next year! What is the thing you’re most excited to achieve?

PESTLE Analysis

What is it and how can it help you adapt your actions to “the big picture” in your country and globally?

ow do important news and events, both national and international, impact our communities?

ourselves and raise our awareness about the ways in which big news or events can impact our civil initiatives and activism.

Any analysis is incomplete if it doesn’t consider “the big picture”. This is why we recommend considering what is happening around us, so we can sensitize

When analysing a certain issue and the macro-picture, consider the PESTLE Analysis checklist, which provides a useful framework. PESTLE stands for?

P E S T L E

Political

Economic

Social

Political: political changes can have farreaching implications for communities. Good examples of this are elections, new governments, international political agreements, new laws or changes in legislations, corruption of political decision-makers etc. Economic: factors that can potentially slowdown the economy: the stock markets are down, the price of oil on international markets is high, world currencies fluctuate, the unemployment rate is going up in your country, there’s inflation, etc. Social: there is an increase in the public awareness about a specific problem, there are demonstrations, current social “hot topics” that are covered by the media, social informal initiatives that are gaining momentum, inaction of institutions in charge of maintaining social justice and equality, etc.

Technological

Legal

Environmental

Technological: technological change is a continuous process but it can also happen in short periods of time, for example new technologies such as mobile telephones and the Internet have made fundamental changes in the way in which we behave. Think about improved technologies, alternative energy solutions, and smart technological solutions which can in some way contribute to your civil initiative. Legal: factors such as regional or national laws, law enforcement, the judiciary system and its effectiveness, outdated laws that need to be updated to be useful in today’s circumstances etc. Environmental: environmental scanning is the process of keeping in touch with changes in the environment and is an important process in the strategic planning of any initiatives. 87

Do a PESTLE analysis of your current circumstances in order to understand the “Big picture” of everything going around you

P E S T L E

Analyze and explore where is your Idea on the “Roadmap to Change”

e present you with a Roadmap that can be used as a guide for changemakers, active citizens, activists and all those who want to shape the future. On the next few pages you can read more about the three-step “Roadmap to change”, which we created to offer directions and advice on what can be done depending on the circumstances of any social situation/ issue/ problem that you would like to improve. This Roadmap aims to provide you with simple guidelines to recognize the phase of the issue (Step 1, 2 or 3), and what can be done to initiate steps towards a solution. Please read the steps carefully and try to see where is the issue you are trying to change and what are the action points suggested for that step.

Summary of the Roadmap:

The first step of the Roadmap is anticipating an issue before it happens: consider the implications of the issue escalating, and think about it by comparing it with similar situations. Ask yourself: will this issue become a problem? The second step is the perception and recognition of a problem that exists: some are invisible to the eye, some don’t affect us or are slowly developing. Ask yourself: is this issue already a problem? The third step is the most complex, and needs a lot of analysis and action: it’s realizing why the community doesn’t solve problems that are obvious, and how can we act in those situation to be a part of the solution. Ask yourself: why are we not solving this problem?

n erceptio P : 2 P E n ST tion of a i n g o c e &r issue existing Is this a

? problem

step e extra h t o G • areness w g a e is a evelopin • R d w lo s ze • Analy issues

St ep to 3: W so lve hy d th o w ei ss e fa ue il ?

STE P issu 1: Ant ic e be fore ipating it ha a ppe n ns

Wil l th

is b

eco

me a pr Res oble earc situ m? h pr evio • D ation u • T on’t co s or exp s simi la m hink erie p nce r glob are s ally •

STEP 1: Will this issue become a problem? Ask yourself: Do I live in a community that is failing to anticipate this potential problem? What can you do: Research previous similar situations or experiences: if you anticipate that an issue will snowball into a bigger problem, start by researching if something similar has already happened in your community. If yes, we tend to forget things very quickly, so it’s always a good start to refresh everyone’s minds. However, in most cases even prior experience is not a guarantee that a community will anticipate a problem, especially if it happened long time ago and has been forgotten. If something similar hasn’t happened before, have in mind that policy makers have no prior experience with the issue, and are not sensitized to the possibility of escalation. Don’t compare: When we find ourselves in unfamiliar situations, we instinctively try to compare it to something familiar. Comparisons can

only serve for inspiration and as tools for learning, but avoid the risk of drawing (false) analogies. Comparison is a good approach if the old and current situations are truly similar, but it can be dangerous if they are only vaguely similar. Focus on the specificities and uniqueness of the issue that concerns your community, and do a PESTLE Analysis to understand it better. Think globally, act locally: Have other countries experienced similar challenges? How have they approached the issue? Are there any best practice ideas that would be easy to implement? Do a case- study analysis. What is stopping the current policy- makers from adopting any of these international successful solutions? Think about your role as an active citizen and what can you do to act in your community for the benefit of all.

The world is changed by your example, not your opinion. Paolo Coelho 92

STEP 2: Is this issue already a Problem? Ask yourself: Do I live in a community where a certain problem exists, but those in power are unaware of it? What can you do: Go the extra step to make it visible: How visible and obvious is the problem that concerns you? Why are those in power failing to see it? Some problems, like the chemicals used for soil fertility, are invisible to most people. Most policymakers will avoid doing the extra work to investigate the invisible side of problems, especially as they are dealing with other more visible issues which are covered by the media. Depending on the situation, you can present evidence yourself or demand action from your local politicians to take steps to understand the (invisible) issue better. Raise awareness about the issue: Sometimes politicians are not aware about issues happening on the ground for the simple reason of being physically away and detached from the place, not realizing that a certain issue has actually become a problem. You can contribute to raising awareness about the issue by way of social media, contacting the local media or any other activism tactic that is applicable to your circumstances. Analyze slow developing trends: Some issues are developing very slowly, and have many fluctuations. One

example of this is global warming, where only by looking back and analyzing data, we can realize that temperatures around the world have been slowly increasing in recent decades, leading to atmospheric change. If you are concerned about an issue that is slowly developing into a big and complex problem, learn more about the issue and highlight the evidence that is not directly available or obvious to others. Don’t accept slow developing issues as “the new normal”: Sometimes a major change in the society is accepted as “the new normal”, especially if it happens slowly and over a long period of time. If the economy, education, environment is worse than the year before, our standard for what is “normal” shifts. It may take years of such year-to-year changes before people realize that conditions used to be better, and what is now accepted as “normal” is in fact a decline. You can demand the policy-makers to plan or suggest solutions by analyzing the challenges this issue brings, and in synergy with the civil sector and the wider public, try to remedy the situation before it becomes too critical.

STEP 3: Why are we not solving this problem? Ask yourself: Do I live in a community where the issue is seen, but it’s not getting solved? What can you do: Have open and honest discussions: These issues require the longest discussions because they have many reasons for not getting solved. What you can do as an active citizen is start by organizing conversations about the situation. Why is nobody solving the problem even though it’s obvious? Is there a law about this and is it effectively enforced? Is the majority thinking: “it’s not my problem, someone else should fix this”. Why are we as a community not doing more to overcome what is affecting all of us? How can we as citizens be a part of the solution? Is the maintenance of the problem good for some people? Investigate conflict of interest of the elites at the expense of the citizens. Are the leaders and decision-makers too self-absorbed in their pursuit of power to worry about their society’s problems? Are they guided by short-term focus on quick wins, tolerating the problem and not thinking about the long-term consequences? Do their interests clash with the interests of the rest of society? Failures to solve problems due to conflicts of interest are much less likely in societies where the elite cannot isolate themselves from the consequences of their actions. If they are trying to do so, make efforts to challenge them by using some of the 94

active citizenship tactics that will expose their irresponsible leadership. Psychological denial: Are those affected by the problem in denial about it? If something makes us feel painful emotions, we subconsciously suppress or deny our perception in order to avoid these feelings. The emotions mostly responsible for psychological denial are anxiety, fear and grief. We refuse to think that our loved ones will die because the thought is painfully sad. For example, research shows that those who live next to a dam and will certainly drown if something happens to the dam, are the least concerned about accidents. This is because of psychological denial: the only way of keeping their sanity is to deny the possibility altogether. If this is the case, do your best to raise awareness and have conversations about sensitive topics/ feelings. Is the problem beyond our capacity to solve? Learn about so-called wicked problems. Some problems pose a very difficult challenge to societies, and despite everyone’s good intentions, the problem is simply too complex to solve. This is where innovative thinking, courage and out-ofthe-box solution oriented approaches can make a world of difference.

Where is your idea on the Roadmap to change? What advice from the roadmap can you follow?

Is your issue of concern a “Wicked Problem”?

so-called “wicked problem” is a problem that is difficult or near impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. In some cases, those responsible to solve the problem are in fact major contributors to the problem (for example corrupt politicians will not want to solve corruption; or leaders who don’t care about the environment will not want to pay attention to global warming

etc. Other classic examples of wicked problems are poverty, homelessness, some civil wars and conflicts, etc. Some of the issues we face in our communities are wicked problems, in which clarifying the problem is often as big of a task as solving it. You’ll need to gain a much deeper insight into the people involved and learn how to reframe the problem entirely if you want to have a chance at coming up with a valuable solution.

We cannot solve our problems with the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. Albert Einstein

Research more about wicked problems and think about the issues in your community that you would like to change. Is your idea trying to solve a so-called “wicked problem”?

How can you make your idea or solution good? Make it SMART!

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Relevant

Time-bound

What are your SMART objectives?

________________________________________________ Specific

________________________________________________ Measurable

________________________________________________ Achievable

_______________________________________________ Relevant

_______________________________________________ Time-bound

_______________________________________________

Want to feel happier instantly? There is a simple thing you can do that will boost your happiness immediately…. Do something kind for others!

Brainstorm ideas of kind things you can do for the people in your life or in your community.

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Society crush game Ask yourself what countries do you have a “social crush” on? What are the aspects of that society that you like and why? Think about countries that are the opposite of your dream society. What policies and laws from these countries do you dislike and why? What would you like to emulate in your community or country and why? What countries are the opposite of the society you want? What do you dislike from these countries that you would like to avoid or not have in your country?

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Changing behaviors and Change Management

his is one of the most difficult challenges, and is studied in great detail by Change Management. If the issue you are trying to change requires a change in behaviours, we encourage you to do some research about change management theory, and pick approaches and models that apply to your specific situation. Old habits die hard, but we all know Einstein’s words: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. Fact is, for an issue to change, there needs to be a change in the things that are currently done. To start changing behaviours in your community, you can follow these simple 5 steps for guidance: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Identify the specific behaviours you want to change What drives the current behaviour? Provide MOTIVATION for the new behaviour Focus on making sure people have the ABILITY to change Make the new behaviour a HABIT

MOTIVATION (give reasons why should they care) • What’s in it for them? • Why should they bother to change their behaviours? • What difference will it make? • What could go wrong if their behaviours don’t change? • Give context: what’s the vision? ABILITY • Explain “the why” and “the how” to change • Use any tools or non-formal educational methods • Try to remove barriers in attitudes through dialogue and honest exchange of opinions HABIT • Focus on turning the new behaviors into habits • Emphasize the benefits and rewards from sticking to the new behaviours

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How can you achieve the change you want?

his is a question as old as time. Many people have been called “naive” or “hopeless optimists” for believing they can make a difference in the world. The sceptics say that people can barely manage to change themselves, let alone the world. But what if that’s exactly the way to change the world- by changing ourselves first? By changing yourself you are directly changing the world, because you have changed your world and those in it as a direct chain reaction. Start by changing

something you have control over, like a bad or annoying habit, or your diet, or your hair- you get the idea... Or embrace some changes that are difficult to accept if that means you will be more at peace. Change is an integral part of life. Wise people have said that the only constant thing in life is change, and our challenge is to accept this. In an ever-changing world where seasons change, emotions change, people come and go, if we truly want to change something, there is no better way to start than changing yourself.

All Management is change Management

here’s no shortage of articles, books, and talks on the subject. But many of these indicate that change management is some subspecialty of management, something that’s distinct from “managing” itself. In fact, all management is the management

of change. The only constant in life is change, and the sooner we accept that, the sooner we’ll realize that there’s no need to be afraid of changes, as most of them can be managed and navigated successfully.

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The 20/60/20 Principle

Accept 20%

Undecided 60%

Reject 20%

According to Change Management Theory, the 20-60-20 Principle applies in every situation when a change is introduced. The principle states that: 20% of people will immediately be on board with suggestions for changes (want change, will say YES) 60% of people will be neutral or indifferent to your suggestions (not sure if they should accept change, can shift towards yes or no, will say MAYBE) 20% of people will immediately be opposed to your suggestions (don’t want change, will say NO) The task of the person leading the change is to get the 60% undecided group to join those that say yes

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones Confucius 104

What are the 7 R’s of Change Management? The 7 R’s of change management is a checklist of 7 simple questions that will help you consider all relevant aspects of the process. Ask yourself: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

The REASON behind the change? Why are you initiating this change? RISKS involved in the wanted change? What could possibly go wrong? RESOURCES required to deliver the change? Do you have the right amount of resources for this initiative? Who RAISED the change initiative? Who is going to be leading this initiative? RETURN required from the change? What’s going to be the outcome of the transformation? Who is RESPONSIBLE for creating, introducing and implementing the change? Do you have someone with the right mindset to make sure the change management goes smoothly? RELATIONSHIP between suggested change and other changes in the community? Think about all other aspects linked or interconnected with the thing you’re trying to change.

Change Management and Learning by doing

ark Twain said: The only person who likes change is a wet baby. As most jokes, there’s a lot of truth to it. Change is both a condition and a process; both substance and form. In today’s world, there is no such thing as as change in isolation. Each change affects others and causes a second and third wave effects. Change can take place gradually or be a sudden shift. In most cases, if you can control it, gradual change is the recommended way. Change is about interrupting the habits and patterns that no longer serve us. If you want to meaningfully make a change, try not to just leave the dysfunctional

habit or belief behind, because for real change to happen, you need to replace it with a healthy one. You need to choose what you’re moving forward towards. That’s why it’s important to reflect not only on what you’d like to be free from and leave behind, but on what you want to happen instead. Change management was summed up nicely by Gandhi, who said: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”. That’s why you need to learn from every success and every mistake, and keep an open mind to embrace all effects (desired or not) from the change process. 105

How do you embrace or resist change? Consider where you were 5 years ago personally and professionally.

What change did you embrace? How? Was the impact on your life positive or negative?

What change did you resist? How? Was the impact on your life positive or negative?

What did you learn from embracing or resisting change in the last 5 years?

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Understanding the difference between Individual vs collective awareness

ociology teaches us that in social groups or communities people are guided by the same or similar beliefs, ideas, values and behaviors, and these are the glue that unites everyone in those communities. The collective awareness is a result of the rules, assumptions, traditions, laws and limitations of the people living in the community. These factors shape the way we think, the way we act and shape our relationships- personally, professionally, religiously etc. Living in the 21st century, we see how some universal human values have shifted. People prefer material wealth to spiritual growth. We forget to appreciate what we have in the constant pursuit for more. We are forgetting to be socially responsible. We pollute our food, air and water, we kill animals for food or for fun, there is not enough empathy, understanding and tolerance. Social habits don’t change instantly. We all know the stories from the past where those that dared to be different were humiliated, killed, declared as witches, or suppressed; we have all heard the stories how progressive books were banned, censored, burned and destroyed (despite exposing the truth).

Why bother trying to make a change in your community? Because our individual awareness is a part of the big mosaic called collective awareness. When a small number of individuals change their way of thinking and acting, the change will be noticed by the majority. Try to proactively be a part of the solution, not the problem. Be inspired to contribute towards a more compassionate, peaceful and loving world. Start changing the world from within yourself, that’s the best place to start. Be the change you want to see in the world! Start something amazing that can snowball into something even greater and even more amazing, that could lead to a collective behavior change.

How to make a decision to change something? Ask yourself: Am I willing to learn something new? Am I open to new information? Am I ready to make a change? What am I willing to give up to make a change?

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Our brain’s two systems of thinking and change of habits

e present to you Daniel Kahleman’s systems of thinking. He is a Nobel Prize winner and is acknowledged as the father of the field of Behaviour Economics. In his book “Thinking fast and slow” he proves that humans have two modes of thinking. The first mode is called System 1 (S1). This is intuitive in nature, it is emotional and acts automatically and quickly. This system doesn’t involve much effort. It is often sloppy and wrong.

The second mode of thinking is System 2 (S2). This is rational thinking. In contrast to S1, this type of thinking is slow, deliberate and often requires significant effort. It doesn’t just go by intuition or gut but is more instilled in reason or logic. This thinking is often much more accurate or precise. As this type of thinking is effortful, the human brain has limited capacity for this kind of thinking.

Complex decisions

Effortful

Sy s

Automatic Quick Instinctive

More logical More deliberative

The human brain, for the most part, works in the default mode of System 1. We are prone to System 1 thinking most of the time as our brains are lazy by nature and try to conserve energy. If the System 1 mode gets something that is complex, unexpected, a surprise or an anomaly, it recruits the System 2 mode. The System 2 brain works hard on it and as soon as it is satisfied that it has an explanation or 108

m 2 think te

g in

m 1 thinki te

Slower

Sy s

Conscious

Little/No effort

Emotional No sense of voluntary control

answer, it hands over the baton to System 1. 95% of our thinking happens in System 1, and only 5% in System 2. For behaviour change to truly take place, they need to become a “no brainer” and to be done by System 1 if we want to ensure long-term effects and change of habits.

The five monkeys experiment How people follow behavior patterns mindlessly

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A group of scientists placed 5 monkeys in a cage and in the middle, a ladder with bananas on the top.

Every time a monkey went up the ladder to get a banana, the scientists sprayed the monkeys with cold water.

After a while, every time a monkey went up the ladder, the others beat up the one on the ladder.

After some time, no monkey dared to go up the ladder regardless of the temptation, or how hungry they were.

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The scientists then decided to substitute one of the monkeys. The 1st thing this new monkey did was to go up the ladder. Immidiately the other monkeys beat him up. After several beatings, the new member learned not to climb the ladder even though it never knew why.

A 2nd monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The 1st monkey participated in the beating of the 2nd monkey. A 3rd monkey was replaced and the same was repeated (beating). The 4th was substituted and the beating was repeated and finally the 5th monkey was replaced.

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What was left was a group of 5 monkeys that even though never received a cold shower, continued to beat up any monkey who attempted to climb the ladder. If it was possible to ask the monkeys why they would beat up all those who attended to go up to the ladder... I bet you the answer would be... “I don’t know - that’s how things are done around here”

Does this sound familiar?

*Taken from the book Competing for the future by Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad (1996) 112

It’s important to ask ourselves why we continue to do what we are doing in some cases where it doesn’t make sense. “That’s just the way it is. It’s always been that way. That’s just the way it’s done” are not acceptable answers.

Is there something in your community that you always wanted to do in a different way? How can it be done?

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Draw the lines of your hand showing the “you rock” sign

You are unstoppable if you decide to be unstoppable!

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CHAPTER 4

VISUALIZE (IMAGINE)

Visualize /ˈvɪʒ(j)ʊəlʌɪz/ verb: form a mental image of something. Imagine /ɪˈmadʒɪn/ verb: suppose or assume something. 115

What you think - You become. What you feel - You attract. What you imagine - You create. Buddha

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Our world is changing because more people gain access to education and knowledge, and this knowledge sparks new conversations about sustainability, social equality, opportunities and much more.

Images: UNSPLASH Clay Banks, Ehimetalor Akher, Jason Leung, Julian Wan, Nathan Dumlao, Thomas de Luze

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Why is it important to define your vision?

vision is a sense of the future. It is an imagined possibility, thinking beyond today’s circumstances. It creates a bridge between today and tomorrow, and isn’t guided by the past or the status quo. The power of a vision is that it gives us the basis for positive action, change and transformation. To be effective, a vision must describe the future in a way that’s easy to understand. It must have a concept of success that

is simple to understand, and should be measurable (not necessarily in a quantitative way). Leaders use their vision to mobilize people, to facilitate change and to create the future. A vision is the first step towards change. You can’t act effectively without first developing an understanding of what you are trying to accomplish, and how you plan to do that.

M IS M PT I O

JO Y

PA TH

D TU A TI G R

ES S

What you choose to focus on will grow!

If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it - then I can achieve it Muhammed Ali 118

Visualize how your initiative will make you feel: Instead of a to-do list, create a to-feel list:

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VISUALISE A PERFECT SOCIETY: Utopia Brain Teaser Activity

You can do this activity alone or with a group of family or friends. Challenge yourselves to consider how a perfect society looks like for you. Consider things from other countries that you find to be “perfect”, or come up with brand new ideas about how you imagine a “perfect country” to look like. Here are some aspects to consider: NAME: Perfect name for your country. Your name should reflect the ideals and values of your utopia.

MOTTO/ SLOGAN: Create a slogan/motto to which will reflect the overall ideals of your society

COUNTRY FLAG: What would symbolize your utopian society? Explain your choice.

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GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM: How will the government of this utopia be structured? Will you have a democracy, anarchy, a monarchy, or a dictatorship? How will decisions be made in your utopia?

CITIZENSHIP: How do you become a member? Who will your citizens be? How many? What will they do? What rights will they have?

EDUCATION SYSTEM: What will your system of education be like?

ECONOMY: What systems will be in place for the production and distribution of goods and services? What form of currency will you use? How is wealth distributed? Will your economy be independent or reliant on the rest of the world? Who will do the work? What does a day in the life of one of your inhabitants look like?

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT: Will you use technology in your utopia? How and how much? What role will scientific research play? What will your energy sources be? How will you dispose of society’s waste?

RELIGION: What role will religion play in your utopia? What freedoms or restrictions will you place on religious practices?

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HEALTH: How will healthcare look like? What is free and what is not?

JUSTICE SYSTEM: How are conflicts resolved in your society? Who makes the decisions in conflicts?

CULTURE AND MEDIA: How much freedom of expression will artists and the media enjoy? Who will control the media?

LAND AND ARCHITECTURE: What sort of landscape will you have? What will houses and buildings look like? How will they be arranged? What will the relationship between private and public space be? How and where will people live?

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the the old, but on building the new Socrates

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As you were creating your utopia, was there an aspect of your perfect society that was especially difficult to decide on? Why?

Did you struggle with deciding between different options of governance or systems for the specific categories?

What conclusion can you draw out if this activity?

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BURNING BOWL CEREMONY What would you like to leave in the past? Write down everything that you would like to change with your idea for a better tomorrow. Think about all things you would like to no longer see happen. Think about what frustrates you. Think about what makes you angry. What upsets you? What negative things you want to change? Write everything that comes to your mind, no filter. Then find a safe way (preferably outdoors) to burn all these notes. As they burn, imagine how they become history, and think about the positive change you will bring with your project. Safety first please!

Devin Avery, Unsplash 124

Devin Von Diema, Unsplash

Think about the things you burned. As you reimagine the future, it’s important to think about what you want to keep from the past. What are some things that are good and can stay the way they are?

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12 inspiring movies about active citizens based on true stories

hen you are trying to visualize your plans, it’s always a good idea to turn to visual arts for inspiration. We have compiled a list of movies that tell real stories of real people who decided to do what is in their power to change things for the better in their communities and thus make the world a bit nicer.

Which ones have you seen already? We recommend seeing all of these movies that carry very strong messages about the power of every individual, and the moral that everyone can make a difference in their community and in the world.

Pay it forward, 2000

A story of a social studies teacher who gives an assignment to his students to think of an idea to change the world for the better, then put it into action. When one of the students, Taylor, creates a plan for "paying forward" favors, in which he decides that instead of returning a favour, he will pay it forward by doing good deeds for three people; he not only affects the life of his struggling single mother, but he sets in motion an unprecedented wave of human kindness which turns into a national phenomenon and movement.

Patch Adams, 1998

The film is based on the life of a real doctor, Dr. Patch Adams and his lifelong quest to change America's health care system. Patch Adams said: "The most 126

revolutionary act one can commit in our world is to be happy." Dr. Adams was one of the first medical professionals who learned the psychological effects humor has on the physical body. In the movie, he decides that he doesn’t want to be the old-school type of doctor, and refuses to conform to the ideals of doctors being better and more intelligent than their patients.

Erin Brockovich, 2000

An unemployed single mother becomes a legal assistant while no one takes her

seriously due to her trashy clothes and bad manners, but she almost singlehandedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting the city's water supply. What she discovers is that the company is trying quietly to buy land that is contaminated by deadly toxic waste which the company is illegally dumping and is poisoning the residents of the area. As she digs deeper, Erin finds herself in a series of events that involve her in one of the biggest class action lawsuits in American history against a multi-billion dollar corporation.

Schindler’s List, 1993

Schindler's List tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who helped save the lives of more than a thousand Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. Schindler employed them in his factories during World War II, subsequently saving them from being sent to concentration camps. The film is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. It’s directed by Steven Spielberg, features Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson as lead characters, and won 7 Oscars in 1994.

The Spotlight, 2015

The Boston Globe Magazine assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against a local priest accused of molesting more than 80 boys. The team interviews victims and tries to unseal sensitive documents. The reporters make it their mission to provide proof of a cover-up of sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church. The investigation exposed the Catholic Church's worldwide cover-up of child sex abuse by its priests. The Boston Globe won a Pulitzer in 2003 for public service for its coverage of the

issue, and this movie won Best Picture Oscar in 2015.

The Blind Side, 2009

The heartwarming story of how NFL star Michael Oher went from a disadvantaged teenager to one of the most soughtafter college football prospects. As a homeless black teen he was in and out of school for years, until he got adopted by white parents who truly cared about him. The story shows that all it takes is one small act to bring about a big change in someone’s life, and that we shouldn’t judge a person based on how they look or where they came from. With the love and support of his parents, Michael Oher went on to become one of the most successful NFL Players of all time.

Coach Carter, 2005

Considered one of the best Basketball Movies of all time, this movie has a great social message. The high-school basketball team gets more than just a new coach to turn around their basketball program; they get a role model who really cares about the student athletes. The movie teaches us that no matter where we are from, with education anything is possible, and that your surroundings don’t dictate your future. Only with hard work and determination you can be anything you dream of.

Dead Poets Society, 1989

John Keating, an extraordinary English teacher, tries to encourage his students to break free from the norm, go against the status quo and live life unapologetically. Mr. Keating acts more as a therapist than a mentor. Instead of bullying the shy, introvert students, he works with them, makes them express their emotions, 127

fears, insecurities, and heightens their personalities so that they can face the world standing shoulder to shoulder with the extroverts. The movie delves deep into the conformity of life, of society and even in our educational systems that force us to endure the repetitive routine of life. Live life to the fullest. Take the road less traveled. Carpe Diem.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, 2019

A 13-year-old Malawi boy is thrown out of the school he loves when his family can no longer afford the fees. He sneaks into the library and learns how to build a windmill to save his village from a famine. This film depicts in subtext, how climate change deeply affects people so dependent on farming for every bite of food they eat and what little cash they can earn. While this film is primarily about a very bright young man who helps his family and community, the underlying conditions affecting them are very thought- provoking.

Dangerous Minds, 1995

Former Marine and California educator LouAnne Johnson gets a job teaching in a pilot program for bright but underachieving teenagers at a notorious inner-city high-school. Her teaching methods are inventive. After a terrible first day, she decides she must throw all teaching norms to the wind. When Johnson returns to the classroom, she does so armed with a no-nonsense attitude backed by her military training and a fearless determination to better the

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lives of her students - no matter what the cost. Not only does it have a great social message, this is the movie that gave us “Gangsta’s Paradise” by Coolio.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2017

Frances McDormand plays a grieving mother driven by an unforgiving thirst for justice. She personally challenges the local authorities to solve her daughter's murder when they fail to catch the killer for seven months. After going slowly insane that the justice system doesn't seem to be doing anything about the case, she paints three billboards with controversial messages directed at the town's chief of police. This is a story about how one person was brave enough to go against the police and the church representatives to single-handedly demand for a Criminal Justice Reform.

Snowden, 2016

The film is about Edward Snowden, a CIA subcontractor and whistleblower who copied and leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency beginning in 2013. He uncovered that a virtual mountain of data is being assembled to track all forms of digital communication- not just from foreign governments and terrorist groups, but from ordinary people as well. When Snowden decides to leak this classified information, he becomes a traitor to some, a hero to others, and a fugitive from the law. The movie raises awareness on the topic of whistleblowing, and why it is one of the most-debated ethical dilemmas in modern times.

Is there a movie from your country that tells a story about a brave person who dared to do something in order to make a change for the better?

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FISHBONE DIAGRAM

hen you have a problem, it’s important to explore all of the things that cause it before you start to think about a solution. That way you can solve the problem completely and holistically, rather than just addressing parts of it. This can help with the concerns in the traffic light activity we did earlier.

head and the reasons for the problem feeding into the spine.

Fishbone diagram is a cause-and-effect diagram that helps project managers to track down the reasons for specific problems. The diagram looks just like a fish skeleton, with the problem at its

It’s an important tool to consider as you are visualising your idea, as it will help you consider some aspects that are not very obvious at first sight.

Step 2

1: Issue or m

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Proble

Ste

Step 3

This diagram-based technique, which combines Brainstorming with a type of Mind Map, pushes you to consider all possible causes of a problem, rather than just the ones that are most obvious.

How to use the Fishbone Diagram to solve an issue Step 1: Identify the Problem First, write down the exact issue you face. If possible, identify who is involved, what the issues are, and when and where it occurs. Step 2: Think of the Major Factors Involved Next, identify the factors that may be part of the issue. These may be laws, finances, equipment, materials, mentality, people involved with the issue, and so on. Step 3: Identify Possible Reasons Now, for each of the factors you considered in step 2, brainstorm possible reasons for the issue that may be related to the factors. Show these possible categories as shorter lines coming off the “bones” of the fish. Where a reason is large or complex, break it down into sub-reasons. Step 4: Analyze Your Diagram By this stage you should have a diagram showing all possible reasons for the issue that you can think of. Depending on the complexity and importance of the problem, you can now analyze the most likely reasons further, and visualize how would you like to see them resolved. 131

Create a vision board for your idea

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GET INSPIRED: Have you heard about the “Doughnut Economy” Model?

he new model is a theory that could possibly replace Capitalism as a system. While you are trying to visualize your solutions, we thought this might offer some additional inspiration and a look from a different perspective. The Doughnut, or Doughnut economics, is a visual framework for sustainable development – shaped like a doughnut. It has been developed by Kate Raworth, an English economist working for the

University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. The main goal of the new model is to re-frame economic problems and set new goals. In this model, an economy is considered prosperous when all twelve social foundations are met without overshooting any of the nine ecological ceilings. This situation is represented by the area between the two rings, considered by its creator as the safe and just space for humanity.

Rethinking economics is not about finding the correct one (because it doesn’t exist); it’s about choosing or creating one that best serves our purpose - reflecting the context we face, the values we hold, and the aims we have Kate Raworth, Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist

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ics

g hn utE cono m ou

,D ed ia

i ki m W

Inner Ring: Twelve essentials of life that no one in society should be deprived of; Outer Ring: Nine ecological limits of earth’s life-supporting systems that humanity must not collectively overshoot; Sweet Spot: The space both environmentally safe and socially just where humanity can thrive 134

What is the Doughnut made of? Social foundations The social foundations are inspired by the social aims of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. These are: • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

Food security Health Education Income and work (the latter is not limited to employment but includes actions such as housekeeping) Peace and justice Political voice Social equity Gender equality Housing Networks Energy Water Ecological ceilings

The nine ecological ceilings are:

Chemical pollution Releasing toxic materials into nature decreases biodiversity and lowers the fertility of animals (including humans). Nitrogen and phosphorus loading Inefficient or excessive use of fertiliser leads to the fertilizer running off to water bodies, where they cause algae blooms which kills underwater life. Freshwater withdrawals Using too much freshwater dries up the source which may damage the ecosystem and be unusable after. Land conversion Converting land for economic activity (such as creating roads and farmland) damages or removes the habitat for wildlife, removes carbon sinks and disrupts natural cycles. Biodiversity loss Economic activity may cause a reduction in the number and variety of species. This makes ecosystems more vulnerable and may lower their capacity of sustaining life and providing ecosystem services.

Climate change The human-caused emissions of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere, changing the Earth’s climate.

Air pollution The emission of aerosols (small particles) has a negative impact on the health of species. It can also affect precipitation and cloud formation.

Ocean acidification When human-emitted carbon dioxide is absorbed into the oceans, it makes the water more acidic. For example, this lowers the ability of marine life to grow skeletons and shells.

Ozone layer depletion Some economic activity emits gases that damage the Earth's ozone layer. Because the ozone layer shields Earth from harmful radiation, its depletion results for example in skin cancer in animals. 135

om ics hn ut Eco n

he Doughnut template used for Planet Earth as a whole, indicating errors in red.* An interactive version of the global doughnut analysis is available at: https://www.kateraworth. com/doughnut/ Source: Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia, accessed at: https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Doughnut_(economic_model)

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Do ia, d e kim

The first city to introduce the Doughnut Model* In April 2020, during the first wave of COVID-19, Amsterdam’s city government announced it would recover from the crisis, and avoid future ones, by embracing the theory of “doughnut economics.” Laid out by British economist Kate Raworth in a 2017 book, the theory argues that 20th century economic

thinking is not equipped to deal with the 21st century reality of a planet teetering on the edge of climate breakdown. Instead of equating a growing GDP with a successful society, our goal should be to fit all of human life into what Raworth calls the “sweet spot” between the “social foundation,” where everyone has what they need to live a good life, and the “environmental ceiling.” By and large, people in rich countries are living above the environmental ceiling. Those in poorer countries often fall below the social foundation. The space in between: that’s the doughnut. Amsterdam’s ambition is to bring all 872,000 residents inside the doughnut, ensuring everyone has access to a good quality of life, but without putting more pressure on the planet than is sustainable. Bold City- Leaders* Copenhagen’s city council majority decided to follow Amsterdam’s example in

June 2020, as did the Brussels region and the small city of Dunedin, New Zealand, in September 2020, and Nanaimo, British Columbia, in December. In the U.S., Portland, Oregon, is preparing to roll out its own version of the doughnut, and Austin, Texas may be close behind. The theory has won Raworth some highprofile fans; in November, Pope Francis endorsed her “fresh thinking,” while celebrated British naturalist Sir David Attenborough dedicated a chapter to the doughnut in his latest book, A Life on Our Planet, calling it “our species’ compass for the journey” to a sustainable future. *Source: Time Magazine, accessed at: https://time.com/5930093/amsterdamdoughnut-economics/ The Article appeared in the February 1, 2021 issue of TIME.

LET US INSPIRE YOU! Check out the next page! These are stories of 25 young Europeans from Romania, Spain, Denmark, N. Macedonia and Cyprus who had a vision for a better world and dared to make a difference! These young Europeans truly shaped the future in their communities, and we wish them much success in their future!

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Vera Romanu is creating mini video series and a “buddy-system” for intl. students at the Bucharest Academy of Economy, providing intercultural guidance and orientation.

Dídac Espí Vallvé works on a hand-made sound system as an alternative way of youth recreation while promoting local musicians and DJs. from Santa Coloma de Gramenet.

Daniel Oprea works on a song and a documentary tackling the issue of teenage suicide aimed to raise awareness about psychological help availability in Harghita county.

Andria Spyrou aims to uncover the dark reality of the “fast fashion” industry & works on a “slow fashion” model to inspire all into conscious consumerism.

Javier Esteves leads an initiative in which 12 Danish homeless youngsters will move into a local Cultural Center and work on their re-inclusion in society.

Sara Jazadziska works on a documentary about Ohrid to raise awareness about it’s UNESCO protected natural/cultural heritage status.

Petar Stevanovic leads an environmental campaign to clean up areas in nature to raise awareness about pollution and inspire behavioral changes.

WE BELIEVE IN MAK

Meet the inspiring Europeans at the Frontlines

Krisztina Kerekes founded an NGO to create opportunities for non-formal learning and active participation of young people in Miercurea Ciuc.

Marios Limnatis started an online shop to show that it’s possible to give back to the community in a sustainable manner and donate net proceeds to charity.

Lidia Fernandes Rodriguez leads workshops for peer social work students using yoga and therapeutic theatre to explore emotional mngt and empathy.

Elena Ramirez Gonzales hosts workshops for drag- kings, as Barcelona lacks safe spaces that offer platforms for reflection about gender identity.

Shubhdeep Singh Parwana is organizing a mini festival and a series of cultural events created and hosted by national and international artists in Aarhus.

Stefanija Stefanoska is facilitating workshops for young people from Struga and the area, aimed to empower them to cope with stressful issues.

Lina Staškevičiūtė aims to raise awareness about food waste through workshops & influences policies to change the current unsustainable practices of food disposal.

Marija Ristova woks with the town municipality to create new green areas and deforest the shores of the nearby lake in her home town Kavadarci.

Ionut Barb works to legalize access of non-motorized boats and kayaks to the Mesteacanul lake in Balan, which will create new leisure opportunities for the entire community.

Daniel de Garcia Morales is organizing a participative youth art festival in Santa Coloma to raise awareness about local and emerging art and artists.

Capucine Chandon organizes events in which people from Aarhus can join activities focused on mindfulness, biophilia and reconnecting with nature.

Marianna Parmatzia leads story-telling workshops for peers using art as a medium for communication, that will culminate with an intercultural art exhibition.

KING A DIFFERENCE!

s of Active Citizenship!

Christoforos Hadjiandreas is joining forces with fellow medical students to provide advice on coping with the effects of the pandemic to our health.

Jana Oltovska is creating an inclusive program for young people on the autism spectrum to ease their inclusion in the organization of scouts in Skopje.

Jonatan Nordentoft de Regt unites the cultural sector in Aarhus to develop projects to promote the city as an up-andcoming intl center for art and culture.

Razvan Cimpean is collaborating with the local municipality to create and establish a much needed mountain biking route in his home town Bălan.

Laia Cuadro Segarra is organizing courses in Catalan for immigrants to Catalonia, focusing on practical language skills that will ease integration into their new society.

Michalis Georgiou created a “recycle fish” and worked with the mayor to place it at a beach in Cyprus to expose the harm from single use plastic packaging.

Draw the lines of your left foot!

Your steps make a difference! Slay the day!

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CHAPTER 5:

PLAN (THINK)

Plan/plan/ verb: design or make a plan of something noun: an intention or decision about what one is going to do. Think/θɪŋk/verb: direct the mind towards someone or something; use the mind actively to form connected ideas. Noun: an act of thinking. 141

When I have one week to solve a seemingly impossible problem, I spend six days defining the problem. Then, the solution becomes obivious Albert Einstein

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WHY PLAN? A goal without a plan is just a wish!

s we discovered in Chapter 4, having a vision without a plan is a recipe for failure. A vision is the starting point, but it takes a lot of work to get to the finish line. All the steps and tasks that need to be done from the start to the finish line can be organized in a plan, which is sometimes called a strategy. This plan is the thing that links where you are today with where you want to be in the future. It outlines what you need to do to achieve your vision with specific steps and methods. How to make a good plan? There are many different approaches and a lot of styles in planning. For any Plan to make sense it must include at least the following elements: A clearly stated goal, desired results, objectives, resources and activities and steps for the execution of the plan. Ask yourself these questions while thinking about your plan: • • • • • •

What do I want to accomplish? Intent: translates the vision into very specific terms that can guide your actions. What am I going to focus on? Concept: it describes how you visualize the results What steps am I going to take? Objectives: series of specific actions to be accomplished, quantified and measurable. What do I have to work with? Resources: a good plan must identify the resources to be used. Resources include the people, finances and time that are needed. How am I going to put everything together? Synchronization: controlling the plan, managing the activities and monitoring of the implementation. What do I do next? Hope everything goes according to plan, but expect the unexpected and be prepared with ideas on what you can do if something goes wrong. 143

Now considering the elements of a good plan, try to create the first draft Action Plan for your initiative. You can update and change this plan as you learn more.

Idea

Planning

Strategy

Success

My Action Plan Name: _____________________________________________________

Don’t call it a dream, call it a plan 144

What is my goal?

What do I plan to do to reach this goal during the next week?

What do I plan to do to reach this goal during the following month?

What do I plan to do to reach this goal during the following six months?

What would I need (from others) to achieve my goal?

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CHECK-IN WITH YOURSELF PAGES

What are your values?

s you are planning the next steps for your idea or initiative, it’s crucial to not lose track of who you are and what you truly believe in. To help you have this self-check, we created a very interesting activity that we hope you’ll enjoy. This activity was inspired by Google’s “Ten things we know to be true” Manifesto. The Google site explains, “We first wrote these 10 things when Google was just a few years old. From time to time we revisit this list to see if it still holds true. We hope it does— and you can hold us to that.” These are the 10 Statements from their Manifesto:

• • • • • • • • • •

It’s best to do one thing really, really well. Fast is better than slow. Democracy on the web works. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer. You can make money without doing evil. There’s always more information out there. Focus on the user and all else will follow. The need for information crosses all borders. You can be serious without a suit. Great just isn’t good enough.

Very thought-provoking, right? Now, we can agree or disagree about whether Google lives up to its manifesto, it's nevertheless interesting to use it as a starting-point for discussion. Have you written a manifesto, a personal mission statement, or a list of goals or values? Why don’t you challenge yourself to do it now?

If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan but never the goal 146

What are some statements that you consider to be your personal values? How do you plan to keep your integrity while you pursue your goals? Write your own “10 things I know to be true” Manifesto. These will help you stay on track during challenging times.

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What’s the best way to be effective?

his is the million dollar question while we are planning our next steps. We will try to answer this question with one of Aesop’s Fables. For those who don’t know, Aesop was a storyteller in ancient Greece, and wrote a number of short stories now collectively known as Aesop’s Fables. Although no actual writings by him have been found, numerous stories credited to him have been gathered over the centuries. This is one of them.

The North Wind and the Sun The Sun and the North Wind started to argue about who is stronger. As they argued, they noticed a traveller walking down a road. “Look,” suggested the Sun, “there’s a traveller wrapped in a coat. Let’s decide who of us is stronger by seeing who can strip him of his coat.” The North Wind agreed to the test and immediately sent an icy blast against the traveler, to try to whip the coat from his body. The traveller clutched his coat, and the harder the North Wind blew, the more tightly he hung on. Finally, the North Wind gave up. Then the Sun began to shine - first gently, so that the traveller unbuttoned his coat and let it hang loose. Then the Sun started to shine more warmly, until the traveller took off his coat and stopped to rest under a shady tree. The lesson from this fable is a timeless one: Gentleness and kind persuasion often win where force and threats fail.

Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder 148

Rumi

As you check in with yourself, ask yourself do you agree that kindness is more effective? Can you think of examples from your life when you used a kind approach and it got you better results than you would have gotten if you used aggression?

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Find (or create) your spiritual master!

uring our hectic lives, it can be hard to take time to think about things that matter the most. A really good way to check in with yourself is to imitate a Spiritual Master. To do that, first you have to identify your Spiritual Master. Doing this is a really good way to learn more about yourself, because there are so many people one can choose to

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be your spiritual master. The person that you choose is going to tell you a lot about yourself. It could be a figure from history, somebody you know, or a fictional character. Once you identify your spiritual master, you need to learn about this person- what do they stand for or what are their values? Then try to incorporate those values into your everyday life.

Note: If you’d prefer or if it’s easier for you, you can create a personality from different characteristics of different people. For example: I would like to have the wisdom of Gandhi, the serenity of Buddha, the graciousness of Audrie Hepburn, the business mind of Rockefeller, the kindness of Mother Theresa, the bravery of Martin Luther King, the creativity of Picasso, the innovative mind of Steve Jobs, the visionary imagination of Leonardo da Vinci, the empathy of Charles Chaplin, and the sense of humor of my grandmother.

As you are thinking about potential spiritual masters, here is a painting of influential people and leaders. Of the 101 famous people in this photo, how many can you recognize? (This was originally designed as an intelligence test). The answers are at the end of this chapter.

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Communication - The real challenge of leadership! Communicating your idea Even the best ideas don’t get noticed if they are not communicated well. It is very important how you explain your idea or initiative to others. We suggest using the chart below which can help and guide you in the process. The table has five questions that you need to answer in order to prepare your communications plan. Each question focuses on important aspects of the initiative and will challenge you to think about specific things you need to consider.

All communication must lead to change Aristotle

Effective messaging: it’s all about the way you say it!

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Who cares about this issue enough to join or support you?

How can you reach out to potential supporters?

What do you have?

What do you need?

Primary goal:

Secondary goals:

Potential support

These are specific things that you want to achieve

Resources

Goals

Demands How can you reach your goals? What actions can help you achieve your demands?

Activities

What’s the key message of your idea? What do you stand for?

Good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity Nat Turner

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How can you best communicate your idea with your key audiences? You want to develop a message that will break through the everyday noise of different information and will reach the key people that you want to listen to your idea. A “Key Message” is a core idea you want others to remember and repeat about your initiative. The more people remember and repeat your key messages, the more potential you have to influence public opinion, create change, and get the attention of your target audiences. The words, phrases, stories, and images you use to communicate your initiative should all connect back to your key messages. These are some tips to help you decide on your key messages: 1. Tailor your message to your target audience Your target audiences are the key players that can be convinced to support your initiative. It’s a good idea to develop 3-5 key messages for your idea that you can have ready to use in different situations.

2. Focus on shared values between yourself and the listeners Think about a core value that you established for your initiative that you share with your target audience. 3. Connect stories to the broader context through storytelling. You want the listeners to see how the issue is more complex, and it’s not just a one-off story. We will explain this in more detail on the following pages. 4. Use facts and statistics. Statistics are a great way to help people understand the bigger picture about your initiative. Too many statistics, however, can be hard for people to remember and repeat. It’s a good idea to use only a few key statistics in your messaging. 5. Make links to pop culture Pop-culture references in your messaging can help people remember your initiative. Things like popular songs, movies, viral videos, holidays, or awareness months can inspire you to think of clever messaging that will get the attention of your target groups and inspire them to get interested and learn more.

A fool with a Plan is better off than Genius without a Plan! T. Boone Pickens 155

Why is Storytelling one of the most powerful tools for activism?

hen you think about your activities and plan your next steps, it’s important to incorporate some storytelling in your plan. Let’s have a look at what is the science of stories, how can neuroscience help us understand how the human brain processes stories and what makes them a powerful communication

tool? Let’s explore what role storytelling can play in driving change, and equate this to the human stories that all of us go through during change, and learn how stories can help us on our change journey to the point of acceptance, engagement and agreement, which is what we ultimately want.

Those who tell stories rule the world Plato

tories may shape how you communicate and engage with all your target groups. But what are stories and what is storytelling? Before we dive into the details, let’s go over the basics. Storytelling is an incredibly powerful form of communication. We have all experienced in our personal or professional lives the power stories can have. Just think about fairytales you loved as a child, legends passed down

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through generations, even popular anecdotes that are shared year after year among friends or colleagues. All of these stories are powerful in different ways, and the common theme of what makes them so powerful is that they’re memorable, trigger emotion and leave a lasting impact. This is what makes stories an incredibly powerful communication tool.

The Science of Stories Let’s have a quick look at the neuroscience behind storytelling.

Wernicke’s Area

LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION

Broka’s Area LANGUAGE PROCESSING

hat you see in this photo is a graphic that indicates what happens when we present people with information, data, facts and figures. In those situations, two different parts of the brain get activated and light up: the part of the brain that manages language comprehension, and the part that

manages language processing. When people receive factual information, this is what’s happening in their brains. Both of these brain centers start working in order to process the information and retain it. It’s a very efficient and effective process, and that’s how the brain works to process the info.

If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten Rudyard Kipling

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his second graphic shows what happens in the brain when people are presented with stories. What you can see is that instead of just two areas of the brain being engaged, a total of eight different brain areas are getting activated and engaged. In addition to the parts of the brain that manage language comprehension and language processing, this process also starts to trigger parts of the brain which focus on colors and shapes, that manage scents, and some that focus on sounds and movements. Essentially, what happens is that many more parts of the brain get triggered when you tell someone a story, and you’re starting to tap into the emotional

parts and elements of the brain as well, which is really important. By doing that, you’re creating a lot more engagement through the brain and this results in deeper connections, deeper responses and greater retention of information over time. By telling someone a story, you’re massively increasing the chances that they are going to remember the information and that it’s going to have some kind of connection with them, or have some kind of impact that they can easily remember, as opposed to facts and the figures which people will process rationally and logically, but are not going to feel any connections or relate to them.

Motor Cortex MOVEMENT

Visual Cortex

COLORS & SHAPES

Wernicke’s Area LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION

Sensory Cortex & Cerebellum LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION

Audutory Cortex SOUNDS

Olfactory Cortex SCENTS

Broka’s Area LANGUAGE PROCESSING 158

The role of storytelling in inspiring change

tories are a powerful tool for initiating change. However, then it comes to transformational changes, not all stories are created equal. As people go through change, their mental and emotional state, their mood and perceptions, even their motivations, will change as they go through that journey. Different types of stories will have a

different effect and impact on people depending on where they are on their change journey. Depending on whether someone has just heard the news about a change and they are just beginning to process it, compared to someone who might be further on in their journey and starting to accept the change, if you tell these people the exact same story, it’s going to have a very different impact.

Not all stories are created equal when it comes to change

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What does the individual change journey look like

o explain the stages people go through during a change process, we will use a model developed by Elisabeth Kubler- Ross, called the “Change Curve”. It describes the internal emotional journey that individuals typically experience when dealing with change and transition. This model maps the typical emotional responses that people go through during change. We have

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adapted it to be suitable for active citizens who want to initiate change. This journey consists of several stages that people go through: shock and denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. (It’s very similar to the grief curve, and it’s interesting that change and grief have very similar concepts mentally and emotionally).

Initial reaction: Often the initial reaction is shock and surprise. The change or idea might have been unexpected, it may have been a complete surprise, or even if it was somewhat expected, there can still be an element of shock as an initial reaction knowing that it’s now really happening. Depending on the individual, they might stay at this stage for some time or move quickly out of it. Some people process things very quickly and move on within minutes, and others stay in that state of surprise longer, processing what the change means and what is happening. Possible negative responses: After the initial reaction, the curve starts to slope down as people often start going into negative responses towards change. At this stage we see reactions like confusion, frustration, resistance, denial, anger, even fear. This is very common as people start to cope with the thoughts of “what does this change mean to me, how is it going to impact me and what are the potential threats that can impact me as part of this change”. Here we often see people in quite a negative state as they’re starting to process the change. That’s completely natural and nothing to worry about. However, what we want to avoid is having people stuck at the low points of the curve, and stay in that negative state of mind for too long, because that’s when it starts to get unhealthy and critical. Readiness: What we want to do is to see the leveling or flattening of the curve (in the middle part), where people start to accept the

change. They may not like it, they may not be fully on board with it, but they start to accept it’s happening and they need to get on board. This is when they are asking questions, experimenting and trying things out, and even though they’re not “fully sold”, they’re starting to understand that they need to accept this change. Rebuilding: After the flattening of the curve, that’s when we start to see more positive emotions coming back into play. We start to see people being much more curious and open, they start to show some enthusiasm and connection to the idea, and are much more engaged with the change. Maximizing potential: Ultimately, right at the top of the curve we see emotional states like pride and excitement, sense of achievement and a lot of motivation. This is where people are really “sold” and engaged with that change. The goal as communicators and change managers is to move people through the change curve. We can’t eliminate parts of the change curve, we can’t stop people from going through it, but what we can do is always try to flatten and shorten the curve so that the lows are as shallow as possible, so people aren’t spending too much time in the negative states of mind, and we do our best to move people as quickly as we can towards acceptance and openness to change.

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How can we use storytelling to achieve change? Basic storytelling principles for each of the stages on the Change Curve Journey

ow that we know that people go through this change journey at different speeds and different rates, how can we potentially use storytelling for the different aspects of the change curve? In terms of storytelling, these are some different principles for communication during the different stages of the change curve. We need to keep these in mind

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when we consider how people go through change. As people go through the change curve, different types of stories and different types of communications will have very different impacts on their mental and emotional states. That’s why you need to think about communication and storytelling slightly differently, depending on where your audiences are.

Initial reaction: What we want to avoid here is overcommunicating. In a state of shock they can’t process too much information, so we need to give them time and space, and keep information high-level, without getting into too much detail. Possible negative responses: Here we want to reassure people. Don’t fill their heads with positive stories, you might hit a wall. Reassure them that negative feelings are normal, and they’re not on their own. This will resonate better with them when they’re feeling low. Readiness: They’re not fully engaged but are starting to think about the potential benefits. Think how can they see their role in the change, without forcing the benefits on them.

Rebuilding: This is when we can start to encourage people more openly to consider the positives of the change, help them envisage the future and what’s exciting about the future. At this stage we can share some personal stories to create a better bond or maybe inspire them. Maximizing potential: Here we can share successes and goodnews stories to help them feel good about the change. We can provide them with tools to share their own stories. At this stage, they are really good ambassadors of change, so we can rely on them as ambassadors to share their own stories and their own messages.

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How can we translate the basic storytelling principles into stories? These are some examples that can help you translate the principles into stories that you can infiltrate into your initiatives or ideas for change.

Vision stories: Give people the vision and dream to look towards, without giving them too much detail. Hero’s journey stories: It’s normal to have negative emotions about change, so we can provide metaphors or examples people can connect to. We can use books, movies or pop culture examples that are relatable. Here we can share our personal examples 164

of change, without sugarcoating things, and being open about how hard it was. People and community stories: Help people understand what benefits will the change bring. Share a personal commitment as what you will do differently as a role-model or change maker as part of this change.

Motivation stories: These stories galvanize people. Positive stories motivate people and keep them going- just think how popular inspirational speakers are all around the world!

Success stories: Share success stories, examples of achievements, celebrate the wins and make people feel good about the change.

In this guidebook we use a lot of quotes because quotes are mini stories!

Facts versus stories When to use facts, not stories?

e already explained what happens in the human brain when people are presented with facts, and what happens when they’re presented with stories. There may be times when in some situations facts are better for your audience. As a communicator, you need to make the decision if you think facts are going to be better for your audiences.

This is directly linked to the emotional engagement of the people you are talking to. If they are affected by the change, or feel that they are affected or in danger, we need to tap into both the emotional and the rational sides of the brains, and stories can really help with that. However, if the emotional engagement for the change is not high, they may be going through a change but it’s not going to impact them that much, so in those cases providing facts and data may be enough. Studies have found that when the emotional engagement is high it’s powerful to use stories, but if the emotional engagement is not high, facts and figures might do the job. 165

Think about your target groups and your audiences. These questions can help you evaluate how to use storytelling for a better impact. Ask yourself:

Where are your target groups on their change journeys? If you have different target groups, think about each specifically.

What storytelling approaches might help shift mindsets and behaviors?

How can you use these insights to adapt how you use storytelling in your initiative?

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What’s in the DNA of a good story?

e now know why people connect with stories on a deeper, more personal level than facts or statistics. The more deeply they feel an issue, the more likely they will want to take action. Stories are particularly important when trying to initiate change––the stories we hear in movies, television, books, and from friends have a great influence over how we view ourselves and others. All stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. They typically include a protagonist (central person or people), a struggle, and an outcome. Beginning Set up your story by introducing a protagonist that personalizes the problem. You can help people relate to the protagonist by talking about what they were like before they encountered the problem. Middle Present the struggle or challenge that the protagonist encountered. This is where you can talk about the problem you are trying to overcome with your initiative. Try to relate the struggle directly to the solutions you want to introduce. End Explain the outcome or aftermath of the struggle. How was the protagonist affected? How was the community

around them affected? Was the issue resolved? Why or why not? These are all questions that the listener will want you to answer. As the storyteller, it’s your role to provide some resolution and help the listener draw a conclusion from your story. When storytelling for social change, it is important that you connect personal stories to the broader problem that you are trying to change. A good place to start is to think of three stories that you can use when talking to others about your idea or initiative: The story of self. Why did you choose to get involved in this initiative and how has it changed you? The story of us. How did you start and what have you been able to achieve with others? The story of now. What about this moment makes it the right time to take action on your issue? Please remember that you should always get consent before sharing someone’s story (especially if you are including real names, places or information). It is essential that you ask for consent before sharing with others.

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The Rhetorical Triangle Framework by Aristotle

he final thing we want to mention in this section about Communication is this very useful tool that you can consider when preparing speeches or presentations. It applies not only in professional circumstances, but in private communications as well. Even though it’s been designed a very long time ago (around 350 BC), it is still widely used today and considered to be on the fundamental pillars of rhetorics. The framework is divided in three stages. Aristotle taught that a speaker’s ability to

persuade an audience is based on how well the speaker appeals to that audience in three different areas: logos, ethos, and pathos. Considered together, these appeals form what later rhetoricians have called the rhetorical triangle. We encourage you to take some time to research this Rhetorical Triangle in more detail, and learn how you can use it to your advantage when you’re presenting or communicating to an audience.

Credibility

- Trustworthiness - Tone / Style

Ethos Emotion

Logic

- Emotional or imaginative impact - Stories

- Reasoning or argumentation - Facts, figures, case studies

Pathos

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Logos

Think out of the box! As you are planning the steps you want to make for your initiative to work, you can always consider “out of the box” ideas that will stand out. We will mention three such ideas below, however, when something is truly important to you and you want to find creative ways to raise awareness about it and get people to give it the attention it deserves - the sky is the limit!

Plan for the future, because that is where you are going to spend the rest of your life Mark Twain

Think out of the box idea 1:

Consider using the power of Art! ART AND ACTIVISM Art has power. Art with purpose can do more than just attract attention. It can also send messages and resonate with people around the world. This relationship between art and activism has always existed, just think about signs used at demonstrations or messages of hope expressed through graffiti and murals. Defining art is almost impossible because it can take many physical and emotional forms. However, the purpose of art has always been to evoke a certain meaning, reaction or feeling by the viewer or participant. Art Activism on the other hand, is combining the creative power of

the arts to move us emotionally with the democratic power of activism. Art is an incredible way to communicate your idea, provoke a reaction and thus contribute towards a change, or at least start having conversations about the topic

Jacob Padilla, Unsplash

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Creating art for your project is a powerful way to communicate your message and inspire change! It is important to be thoughtful about the creative process when making art. You want to make sure to prioritize the voices of the people directly impacted by what the artwork is representing. Make the creative process collaborative by gathering info from different target groups and stakeholders, asking for feedback and getting approval once its finished. If people feel misrepresented by your artwork, it will not be helpful to anyone. Examples of art used in activism include: • Illustrations and designs on social media, leaflets, banners, postcards, stickers, posters, etc. • Infographics, memes, or animated gifs on social media or online • Large scale murals • Photographs on social media, in gallery exhibits, or in publications • Films or documentaries on social media, web sites, or at screening events • Music, songs, and spoken word performances and events, recordings for social media, or sound clips played on local radio; podcasts. • Theater, performance, skits, and comedy sketches acted out in public spaces, at theaters, or for online audiences • Dance and music videos performed live or recorded for social media • Comic strips or graphic novels drawn and distributed • Origami or other paper art used to create sculptures or displays 170

• Culinary skills used to communicate a message through food or drinks • Hair, such as clipper designs, and makeup or face paint • Fashion and costume performances

Musical challenge: Here is a question for you: do you know what these songs are about? Are their messages still as relevant today as they were when they were first released? Michael Jackson- Heal the World Bob Marley- Get up, stand up John Lennon- Imagine The Clash- Know your rights Michael Jackson- Man in the mirror Manic Street Preachers- If you tolerate this, your children will be next Pink Floyd- Another Brick in the wall Black Eyed Peas- Where is the love Mariyah Carrey & Whitney HoustonWhen you believe New Radicals- You get what you give

Banksy

What Art for a good cause can you remember, and why did it leave an impression on you? What was the message?

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Think out of the box idea 2:

Consider triggering shocked reactions!

ometimes you need a bold idea that will attract a lot of attention. Shock value activism campaigns (designed, as the name implies, to create a “shock effect”) are one such idea, but it’s crucial to be very careful if you decide to consider doing something like this.

Source: ProRail

Already present in art, music and advertising, creating ‘shock value’ is nothing new. ‘Shock value’ is the unpleasant, uncomfortable and sometimes disturbing reactions that images, videos, campaigns can cause.

“Victim Fashion” Created By Accident The Netherlands train service ProRail launched a controversial campaign to raise awareness about railway accidents

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In a time when global activism is on the rise, it gets harder and harder to get the public’s eye and attention. One way to change this is through ‘shock activism’, through tactics that confront people with a certain idea and make them reflect and discuss it. People are attracted to what’s new, different and a lot of times disturbing – even if they don’t agree with it or find it uncomfortable, they cannot stop looking or talking about it. Here are some examples of Shock Value Campaigns from recent years.

after the number of casualties tripled in only three years. It consisted of the creation of a “fashion” brand featuring a replica collection of clothes worn by actual railway accident victims (damaged and torn apart from the accidents). The target group of the campaign (teenagers, since they were the majority of railway casualties) received the idea enthusiastically. However, it also received high criticism and had to be removed after a short time. It’s still early to tell if it was successful, but it was definitely widely spread and discussed, bringing attention to the problem.

Source: dove.com

Source: climateclock.world

Climate Clock The Climate Clock is the result of a collaboration between artists, scientists and activists to alert the world about climate change. The clock – already present in several locations like New York - is counting down how long it will take, at current rates of emissions, to burn through our “carbon budget” — the amount of CO2 that can still be released into the atmosphere until we reach 1.5°C warming.

Source: fanpage.it

Dove “Real Beauty” Dove’s Real Beauty campaign with the slogan “Courage Is Beautiful” was a way to thank the healthcare workers for their incredible dedication, work and service during the covid pandemic. The

“Slap Her” An independent Italian newspaper (fanpage.it) published a controversial video, in 2015 – the interviewer stopped

campaign shows the faces of the medical professionals severely marked by the protective gear they’ve been wearing for prolonged periods of time and during their extended shifts while being on the frontlines of dealing with the coronavirus patients.

young boys on the street and introduced them to a young girl. The boys were first asked to give the girl a compliment, and they were all happy to do so. Then they were asked to hit the girl for no reason whatsoever. In a very emotional and tense way, all of the boys refused to do so. The video was designed to raise awareness and spark conversations around the topic of violence against women, while showing the pure emotions of children when being asked to do something aggressive towards a young girl. 173

Source: fanpage.it

“Lush Fighting Animal Testing” The Fighting Animal Testing campaign of Lush was one of the most shocking campaigns ever. On World Animals in Laboratories Day, the brand of handmade and cruelty-free products decided to expose animal testing in the most dramatic way they could. How did they do it? By doing it in a human. It consisted of a person being treated like

a lab animal in a lush shop on a busy street in London: the lady (actress) had drops put into her eyes, was force-fed with her mouth held open by separators, was injected and a part of her hair was shaved off. People were shocked and appalled by what was happening in front of them, and the outrage was huge. The aim of the performance was to raise awareness about the importance of cruelty-free products, and to avoid using products that are tested on animals. The performance went on for more than ten hours and while this was happening, the audience was asked to sign the cosmetics testing directive petition to ban the sale of all animal-tested products in the EU, the result was that a little over a year after the campaign, the banning of sales of all animal-tested cosmetics in the EU was finally made into a law.

How is shock an effective tool for advocacy?

hock is effective because it grabs attention and makes you think. Through shock, people are confronted with the reality that a lot of times they try to ignore some issues – we know it’s there, we just don’t want to be reminded of it. Shock activism puts an uncomfortable magnifying lens on the issue, but the example with the Lush Animal testing Campaign proves that ‘shock activism’ can work. It makes people consider, talk about the issue and decide to act on it. If you have a bold idea that could be shocking to some people, go for it. Just remember the goal is not to offend or

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disrespect – it’s to draw attention to your initiative. Don’t forget to keep in mind the legal limitations (in other words- try not to be arrested) and also consider the social, moral and ethical norms in your country. Also remember that outof-the-box ideas will always be discussed and criticized, so be prepared to deal with the consequences or with negative responses. There will always be someone saying it was ‘too much’ or calling it ‘disrespectful’. You may not agree with their comments, but just as you have a democratic right to expose your ideas, they also have a right to voice theirs.

Think out of the box idea 3:

Try to go viral for a good cause!

ou know those silly challenges on social media that make zero sense but somehow become viral? Like the ones challenging people to take a “selfie” in dangerous places, looking death in the eye? Or the pyromaniacal selfpunishment challenge where the goal is to record yourself pouring flammable liquid and really burn? How about the one to eat laundry detergent pods? It is difficult to single out the dumbest and most bizarre challenges on social media. Yes, there are a lot of pointless viral things on social media, but in the sea of trending activities, every now and then we come across something that is meant to contribute to a good cause. Some challenges or videos that went viral have been used as a platform for social activism and for a good cause, aiming to raise the awareness of the public about important social issues, or raise funds for charities. Probably one of the most famous viral challenges for a good cause is the

“Movember” Challenge. First created in 2003, it challenges men not to shave their mustache during the month of November in order to spread awareness about men’s health problems (such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide). The movement today is truly global with many followers from across the globe and has managed to not only raise awareness, but raise over half a billion US dollars for these diseases so far. Another popular challenge for a good cause is to wear different socks on World Down Syndrome Day. Since it started in 2012, every year on 21 March if you browse through social media you’ll find lots of people posting pictures of their feet in mismatched socks. The initiative was started by an organisation called Down Syndrome International to encourage people to start a conversation about diversity, uniqueness, inclusion and acceptance.

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Have you heard of the “Earth Hour”? Every year, millions of people across the planet turn off their lights between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm on the last Saturday in March, an annual tradition now well known as ‘Earth Hour’. The goal of this activity is to spread awareness about sustainability and climate change. On April 2 every year, the world turns blue in honor of World Autism Awareness Day. It’s all part of Light it Up Blue, a campaign that aims to foster understanding and acceptance for those with autism. Supporters are encouraged to wear blue clothing and post to social media using the hashtag #LightItUpBlue to raise awareness. In addition, landmark buildings around the world light up in blue colors in support of the cause. Possibly the most successful and popular social media challenge for a good cause in recent years was the “Ice bucket” challenge. It was an activity involving the pouring of a bucket of ice water over a person’s head, either by another person or self-administered, to promote awareness of the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and encourage donations to research. It successfully raised awareness about the symptoms of the disease all over the world and raised over $200 million for ALS research.

So how do you create a viral challenge or videos for a good cause? As with everything to do with social media, there are no rules. Listen to your gut feeling and dare to take a risk. Make your point personal and relatable. Be a storyteller, both with words and visuals. Establish a sense of urgency and importance, make a short and clear call to action. Set realistic goals. Be different and unique. Make it easy to do the challenge, so you can engage many supporters and followers. You can use this idea also to fundraise for your initiative. If you decide to do that, be very clear and transparent about your plans, and set a limited time for donations (30 days or less). Short-term crowdfunding and online fundraising campaigns usually see a great amount of activity (site visits, donations, etc) within a short period of time. Random fact: Statistics show that people are most generous throughout the middle to end of the work week, with Thursday taking the lead for most generous day of the week?

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Have you ever participated in a social media challenge? Can you remember a viral campaign for a good cause that left an impression on you?

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12 Rules for making a change Rule 1: Creating change is not easy and takes work Rule 2: Your leadership is based on your values Rule 3: intellectual actions are always better than physical Rule 4: To get real change you must make real change! Rule 5: Every leader needs a team Rule 6: It will not be predictable, expect to be surprised Rule 7: Some of the resources today must be directed towards tomorrow Rule 8: Becoming better means becoming different Rule 9: Work for the future with optimism Rule 10: Share your knowledge and learn from doing Rule 11: Empower people to grow your collective imagination Rule 12: Take time to reflect and put things in perspective

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Can you guess these scrambled words? (linked to planning)

1. YATSERTG _________________________________________________________ 2. OVISNI ___________________________________________________________ 3. AGSLO ___________________________________________________________ 4. AIMCSIVT ________________________________________________________ 5. AIMOUONRICNSM _______________________________________________ 6. UTPRODEPSRS __________________________________________________ 7. ESSESMGA _______________________________________________________ 8. TCFVEIEEF _______________________________________________________ 9. SLVUAE __________________________________________________________ 10. CNOTIA _________________________________________________________

Hint: All of the scrambled words were mentioned in this Chapter.

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Correct answers to the scrambled words: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Strategy Vision Goals Activism Communication

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Supporters Messages Effective Values Action

100 famous people 1 Bill Gates, Microsoft founder 2 Homer, Greek poet 3 Cui Jian, Chinese singer 4 Vladimir Lenin, Russian revolutionary 5 Pavel Korchagin, Russian artist 6 Bill Clinton, former US President 7 Peter the Great, Russian leader 8 Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister 9 Bruce Lee, martial arts actor 10 Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister 11 Henri Matisse, French artist 12 Gengis Khan, Mongolian warlord 13 Napoleon Bonaparte, French military leader 14 Che Guevara, Marxist revolutionary 15 Fidel Castro, former Prime Minister & President of Cuba 16 Marlon Brando, actor 17 Yasser Arafat, former leader of Palestine 18 Julius Caesar, Roman emperor 19 Claire Lee Chennault, Second World War US Lieutenant 20 Luciano Pavarotti, singer 21 George W. Bush, former US President 22 The Prince of Wales 180

23 Liu Xiang, Chinese hurdler 24 Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General 25 Zhang An (the painter) 26 Mikhail Gorbachev, former Russian leader 27 Li Tiezi (the painter) 28 Dante Alighieri, Florentine poet 29 Dai Dudu (the painter) 30 Pele, footballer 31 Guan Yu, Chinese warlord 32 Ramses II, Egyptian pharoah 33 Charles De Gaulle, French general 34 Albert Nobel, Swedish chemist, founder of Nobel prizes 35 Franklin Roosevelt, former US President 36 Ernest Hemingway, American novelist 37 Elvis Presley, American singer 38 Robert Oppenheimer, American physicist 39 William Shakespeare, English playwright 40 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Austrian composer 41 Steven Spielberg, American film director 42 Pablo Picasso, Spanish painter

43 Marie Curie, physicist and pioneer of radioactivity 44 Zhou Enlai, first Premier of the People’s Republic of China 45 Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, German writer 46 Laozi, Chinese philosopher 47 Marilyn Monroe, American actress 48 Salvador Dali, Spanish painter 49 Dowager Cixi, former ruler of China 50 Ariel Sharon, former Israeli Prime Minister 51 Qi Baishi, Chinese painter 52 Qin Shi Huang, former Emperor of China 53 Mother Teresa, Roman Catholic Missionary 54 Song Qingling, Chinese politician 55 Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet 56 Otto Von Bismarck, German statesman 57 Run Run Shaw, Chinese media mogul 58 Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Swiss philosopher 59 Audrey Hepburn, Belgian-born actress 60 Ludwig Van Beethoven, German composer 61 Adolf Hitler, Nazi leader 62 Benito Mussolini, Italian fascist politician 63 Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq 64 Maxim Gorky, Russian writer 65 Sun Yat-Sen, Chinese revolutionary 66 Den Xiaoping, Chinese revolutionary 67 Alexander Pushkin, Russian author 68 Lu Xun, Chinese writer 69 Joseph Stalin, former Soviet Union leader 70 Leonardo Da Vinci, Italian painter 71 Karl Marx, German philosopher 72 Friedrich Nietzche, German philosopher

73 Abraham Lincoln, former US President 74 Mao Zedong, Chinese dictator 75 Charlie Chaplin, British actor 76 Henry Ford, founder of Ford motor company 77 Lei Feng, Chinese soldier 78 Norman Bethune, Canadian physician 79 Sigmund Freud, Austrian psychiatrist 80 Juan Antonio Samaranch, ex Int. Olympic Committee President 81 Chiang Kai Shek, Chinese general 82 Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom 83 Leo Tolstoy, Russian novelist 84 Li Bai, Chinese poet 85 Corneliu Baba, Romanian painter 86 Auguste Rodin, French artist 87 Dwight Eisenhower, former US President 88 Michael Jordan, American basketball player 89 Hideki Tojo, former Japan Prime Minister 90 Michelangelo, Italian Renaissance painter 91 Yi Sun-Sin, Korean naval commander 92 Mike Tyson, American boxer 93 Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister 94 Hans Christian Andersen, Danish author 95 Shirley Temple, American actress 96 Albert Einstein, German physicist 97 Moses, Hebrew religious leader 98 Confucius, Chinese philosopher 99 Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Indian Nationalist Movement leader 100 Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch painter 101 Toulouse Lautrec, French painter 102 Marcel Duchamp, French artist 103 (behind George Bush) Osama bin Laden ( founder of Al Qaeda) 181

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Draw the lines of your right foot!

Keep going, superstar!

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CHAPTER 6:

ACT (DO)

Act /akt/ verb: take action; do something. Do /duː/ verb: perform, achieve or complete an action.

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To think is easy. To act is difficult. To act as one thinks is the most difficult Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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Why Act

s mentioned previously, the distance between your dreams and reality is called action. Just start, and don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers today. Some things will only become clear to you once you start. Confucius said: What I hear- I forget; What I see- I remember; What I

do- I understand. To really understand something, you need to “do” that thing. That way, you truly start to identify with what you do, not what you say you’ll do. As you move towards the last steps of your journey to bring your vision to life, it’s important to remember that:

Behind every problem, there’s a question waiting to be asked. Behind every question, there’s an answer trying to reveal itself. Behind every answer, there’s an action trying to take place.

The secret of getting things done is to act! Dante Alighieri

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What were some small things you did lately that made a difference or made the world just a bit nicer? What can you give yourself a Gold Star for?

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The impact of your idea What you do has a far bigger impact in the world than what you say. Think about the impact your initiative can have in your community, in your country, in Europe, in the world. What do you think is the biggest impact of your actions? Here are some types of impact, but the list can be expanded to add other out-of-thebox types of impact. Educational impact Contribution to the progress of knowledge, new skills and competences; training, capacity building and life-long learning. Environmental impact Contribution to the management of the environment, natural resources, sustainable practices and behaviors, reducing waste and pollution. Cultural impact Contribution to understanding of ideas and reality through artistic expressions and activities; cultural development and enhancement. Social impact Contribution to community welfare, quality of life, behaviors, social issues, practices and activities of people and groups. Health and wellbeing impact Contribution to mental or physical health matters, and improving the quality of life and wellbeing. Economical impact Contribution to micro or macro economy; financial and economic growth; or social entrepreneurship with benefits for charitable causes. Political impact Contribution to how policy- makers act, discussions with state officials to raise awareness about an issue, and contributions to development of policies.

There is great power in starting. Dream big. Start small. Begin now Robin Sharma 189

Everything that you do has some effect, some impact. Think about the results you want to achieve with your idea. What kind of impact do you hope to have?

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Tactics to reach your target groups and get your message across

All the activities and actions that you plan to do in order to reach your target groups are called tactics. Each tactic should fit within your overall strategy to reach your goals. There are a variety of tactics that you can choose from, and the sky is the limit. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to determine which tactics to use and when in order to get the desired results from your initiative. On the next page is a list of some of the most popular tactics that can be used by all who want to act within their democratic rights.

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Petitions A petition usually lists demands followed by space for supporters to sign and write their contact information. When people sign a petition, they are indicating that they support the demands it calls for. The goal of every petition is to collect a lot of signatures and deliver them to a decisionmaker who has the power to support or implement the demands. Creating flyers, banners and posters about your idea Making your ideas more visible is a good way to attract attention to your project. These promotional materials should communicate your ideas in a straightforward visual way.

Letters to (local) media Most media outlets (printed or virtual) usually have sections where readers can submit content in their own words. They may publish “letters to the editor”, which is a short (usually 300 words or less) response to a newspaper article, or even a so-called op-ed, which is an opinion piece that is generally longer and allows 192

Petition gathering tips: • Set a goal for the number of signatures you want to get; • Create a paper petition as well as an online version; • For paper petitions, identify high-traffic areas in your community where you can get people to stop and sign; • For the online petition, use email, websites, and social media to share it and spread the word; • When you deliver your petition, make sure the process is documented- take photos or stream it live on social media. Here are some tips: • Find a strategic location where a lot of people will see, photograph, and discuss the promotional materials with others; • Make sure to check to see if any permits are required to display them somewhere on a frequent part of your community; • Arrange to capture photos, video, or a livestream the distribution of promotional materials and people’s reactions to getting them; • Share any feedback, responses or comments you receive on social media. the writer to cover a topic the reader feels passionate about. Here are some tips: • Research any previously published letters in the media outlet you are considering; • Use your storytelling skills to write or create a story that incorporates your key messages. Personal stories about how people are affected by an issue are very interesting to the media.

Meet elected officials to ask for support

obbying means meeting with an elected official in person to ask them to support your ideas. It’s relatively easy to visit elected officials–– most of them are required to have public contacts with members of their community. Call their offices and schedule a meeting. Once you have arranged a meeting, keep these important tips in mind: Start the meeting by thanking the elected official for taking the time to meet with you. Opening with gratitude can help keep their mind open to your ideas. Prepare your key messages prior to the meeting. Stay focused and remember to use your storytelling skills. Consider yourself an information source. Policy makers have limited time and staff.

They can’t be as informed on all issues as they would like to be. Be armed with knowledge and facts so you can fill any information gap they might have, or answer any specific questions they might ask. Tell the truth and don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know something. If you don’t know something, don’t make it up. Offer to get the correct information to them after the meetings, and make sure to do that. Send a thank you note immediately following a meeting. Depending on what was agreed at the meeting, follow-up and send a reminder after some time, mentioning you are still waiting to hear from their side with any updates.

How to use social media effectively?

ocial media are a powerful tool for communicating your ideas and recruiting potential supporters. You can use social media like Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, ClubHouse, Snapchat, Reddit etc to tell your story, recruit likeminded people, boost the attendance to your events, show support for similar

initiatives, and get the attention of your target groups. Social media is also a way to engage people who may not be able to participate in your project in-person. Instead of just posting on social media, it’s a good idea to have a plan for what to post. Here are some social media ideas that can attract attention to your project: 193

Post interesting images - art, photographs, memes, etc. - that will attract a lot of shares and/or likes. Include timely, funny, or inspiring captions for added engagement. Tools like Canva.com or Adobe Spark are free and low-cost options for creating images. Create videos- by asking supporters to share their stories on camera. You can also livestream events and actions on Facebook and Instagram, or live post on their stories feature, Snapchat, and Twitter, or invite experts to talk about the issue on a video conference call on sites like Google Hangout. Tools like Apple iMovie or YouTube Editor are low-cost options for video editing. Share news and conversation starters on sites like Twitter and Facebook as a way to spark dialogue about your issue and make widely visible comments from your supporters. Lively conversation helps your social media pages receive high engagement and boost your overall visibility online. Document your actions with photos and videos of your project. For example, post photos of supporters out in the community, or livestream something you’ve organized. Ask supporters to tag themselves in photos and videos on sites whenever possible to help expand the reach online. Ask influencers to endorse your idea: they can help champion your message by posting about the project. Celebrities, politicians, admired teachers, athletes, internet personalities, student groups, are all examples of people that may have large followings in your community. Followers will likely trust the 194

endorsement of your influencer and help spread your message. Beware of the trolls. Social media is a place where trolls and cyberbullies hang out. If they find your project, it can be demoralizing for you. It’s a good idea to be prepared with how to deal with them if they pop up. On most sites, you can block trolls from posting on your page, or you can simply ignore them or engage them in a way that helps you build your power (such as using their nasty comments to prove why your work is necessary). Don’t get addicted. Social media can be addictive. It’s important to remember that creating meaningful change in society requires more than posting on social media, but also building relationships with people in real life.

What tactics are you planning to use for your initiative? You may use the below Starburst Method to brainstorm considering all of the below questions.

What? Who?

Where?

When?

How?

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Win hearts and minds with valuebased Marketing of your idea

hen you talk about your initiative to your potential supporters and target groups, consider using a valuebased approach. This is when you focus on making a connection with people’s values and ethics. In today’s era when empathy is more important than ever, anything that is honest and raw will stand out from the rest and attract attention.

demonstrate with authenticity what they stand for and why. In doing so, they not only attract and keep better supporters (or customers), but they also build a community of loyalists who advocate at their own will to spread the message as a result. By prioritizing your values and those of your supporters, you will win your target groups hearts and minds.

Where can you start? First define your purpose, the reason you started your initiative. Sometimes people don’t care WHAT you do, they care WHY you do it. Why are you authentic?

We highly encourage you to research this topic in more detail, as the core of active citizenship is valuebased actions that correspond with ethics that unselfishly aim for a greater good in the world.

For reference, a 2017 study by Edelman discovered that 50% of consumers worldwide consider themselves to be belief- driven when making decisions, and 67% supported a new product or service for the first time because they agreed with the product’s or company’s values. What this study demonstrates is that to build successful relationships today, everyone must express and

Here are some examples of valuebased Marketing by several companies that dared to speak-up, be purpose driven and clearly express their values. All of these marketing campaigns had fascinating results and impact because they dared to be different and speak their truth. We hope they will inspire you to create valuebased messages to reach your potential supporters.

Source: Nike

Nike blacked out it’s home page in support of the “Black Lives Matter” Movement four days after the killing of George Floyd, to voice a clear anti-racism message. ‘for once, don’t do it. don’t pretend there’s not a problem in america. don’t turn your back on racism. don’t accept innocent lives being taken from us. don’t make any more excuses. don’t think this doesn’t affect you. don’t sit back and be silent. don’t think you can’t be part of the change. let’s all be part of the change.’ 196

Source: Toms Source: Doconomy Source: Patagonia

TOMS has built an empire around sociallyresponsible products, driving brand loyalty through a simple mission: if you buy their shoes, you help donate to someone in need. For TOMS, values-driven marketing sparked brand loyalty and business success for a niche product in a very saturated market of shoe products.

Doconomy, a Swedish startup, worked with Mastercard to develop the first ever card to prevent consumers from exceeding their limit, not based on credit, but on levels of CO2 emissions caused by their consumption.

Patagonia ran a Campaign “Don’t buy this jacket” on Black Friday to encourage people to consider the effects of consumerism on the environment and purchase only what they need.

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Source: Airbnb

Source: Dove

Apps with filters are hurting our self- esteem and confidence. They especially hurt young teenage girls! Did you know that by age 13, around 80% of girls edit the way they look online? Dove started a fight against unrealistic beauty standards with a Campaign called “Reverse Selfie”. the campaign calls for action instead of just awareness, and Dove offers a Social Media Confidence Kit, which encourages parents and teachers to have ‘the Selfie Talk’ with the young people in their lives.

In 2016, after President Trump imposed a travel ban on several countries with a Muslim majority, Airbnb aired a Superbowl ad “We accept”. It required Airbnb users to agree to “treat everyone in the Airbnb community- regardless of their race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or age- with respect, and without judgment or bias” or else be removed from the platform. At the core of this initiative was the belief that acceptance starts with all of us.

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Have you ever purchased a product or a service that you were proud to own and agreed with the values and morals of the company that produced it? What was it that inspired you to tell more about it to others around you?

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The Science of Motivation Research suggests that we are most likely to act when the next immediate step is specific, actionbased and personally relevant. Setting a goal to “become a perfect society” will motivate you less than setting a goal to “schedule a meeting with the municipality manager to discuss a specific issue from our community”.

wikimedia commons, Jun Chen, MD

Keep in mind that motivation goes far beyond goal setting. Knowing that our brains are hard-wired to respond to stories better, we can sprinkle our goals with a sense of purpose and ownership when we describe the impact they will have and how they will shape the future.

Regular Reflection and Evaluation

When written in Chinese, the word “Crisis” is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity John F. Kennedy 200

Define set times to reflect on progress. This will ensure that the team can communicate all the expectations that have or have not been met and take action. Create a safe space to identify and resolve challenges, and create opportunities to ask for support to make sure that the team successfully implements their shared vision and objectives. Most importantly, these times give you and your supporters a platform to celebrate successes and getting closer to the goals.

Bringing out the best in each other Engaging the collective brainpower between you and your supporters to solve problems is a strong signal of trust in each other, and your shared commitment to the longterm vision. It’s important to keep in mind that we are all individually and collectively accountable for what happens in our societies. The successes are ours to own, and the challenges and problems are ours to share. Provide opportunities for constant feedback, regardless if it’s positive or negative, as long as it’s constructive. Celebrate achievements and have discussions on how to improve things in the future. This way you speed up each other’s growth and development.

Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance, you must keep moving Albert Einstein

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In the space below, please draw what success looks like to you…

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198 Methods of nonviolent action by Gene Sharp

his list was created by Gene Sharp, an American political scientist and a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, called “the Machiavelli of non-violence”. He founded the Albert Einstein Institution that’s dedicated to advancing the study of nonviolent action. The list he created has 198 tactics, grouped into three broad categories: FORMAL STATEMENTS 1.Public speeches 2.Letters of opposition or support 3.Declarations by organizations and institutions 4.Signed public declarations 5.Declarations of indictment and intention 6.Group or mass petitions COMMUNICATIONS WITH A WIDER AUDIENCE 7.Slogans, caricatures, and symbols 8.Banners, posters, and displayed communications 9.Leaflets, pamphlets, and books 10.Newspapers and journals 11.Records, radio, and television 12.Skywriting and earthwriting GROUP REPRESENTATIONS 13.Deputations 14.Mock awards 15.Group lobbying 16.Picketing 17.Mock elections SYMBOLIC PUBLIC ACTS 18.Displays of flags and symbolic colours

nonviolent protest, noncooperation (social, economic, and political), and nonviolent intervention. We also recommend watching his BAFTA awarded movie “How to start a Revolution”. For more ideas about peaceful civil action tactics, a very good resource for nonviolent action ideas is his institute’s website: https://www.aeinstein.org 19.Wearing of symbols 20.Prayer and worship 21.Delivering symbolic objects 22.Protest disrobings 23.Destruction of own property 24.Symbolic lights 25.Displays of portraits 26.Paint as protest 27.New signs and names 28.Symbolic sounds 29.Symbolic reclamations 30.Rude gestures PRESSURES ON INDIVIDUALS 31."Haunting" officials 32.Taunting officials 33.Fraternization 34.Vigils DRAMA AND MUSIC 35.Humourous skits and pranks 36.Performances of plays and music 37.Singing PROCESSIONS 38.Marches 39.Parades 40.Religious processions 41.Pilgrimages 203

42.Motorcades

70.Protest emigration (hijrat)

HONOURING THE DEAD 43.Political mourning 44.Mock funerals 45.Demonstrative funerals 46.Homage at burial places

THE METHODS OF ECONOMIC NONCOOPERATION: ECONOMIC BOYCOTTS ACTION BY CONSUMERS 71.Consumers' boycott 72.Nonconsumption of boycotted goods 73.Policy of austerity 74.Rent withholding 75.Refusal to rent 76.National consumers' boycott 77.International consumers' boycott

PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES 47.Assemblies of protest or support 48.Protest meetings 49.Camouflaged meetings of protest 50.Teach-ins WITHDRAWAL AND RENUNCIATION 51.Walk-outs 52.Silence 53.Renouncing honours 54.Turning one's back THE METHODS OF SOCIAL NONCOOPERATION OSTRACISM OF PERSONS 55.Social boycott 56.Selective social boycott 57.Lysistratic nonaction 58.Excommunication 59.Interdict NONCOOPERATION WITH SOCIAL EVENTS, CUSTOMS, AND INSTITUTIONS 60.Suspension of social and sports activities 61.Boycott of social affairs 62.Student strike 63.Social disobedience 64.Withdrawal from social institutions WITHDRAWAL FROM THE SOCIAL SYSTEM 65.Stay-at-home 66.Total personal noncooperation 67."Flight" of workers 68.Sanctuary 69.Collective disappearance 204

ACTION BY WORKERS AND PRODUCERS 78.Workers' boycott 79.Producers' boycott ACTION BY MIDDLEMEN 80.Suppliers' and handlers' boycott ACTION BY OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT 81.Traders' boycott 82.Refusal to let or sell property 83.Lockout 84.Refusal of industrial assistance 85.Merchants' "general strike" ACTION BY HOLDERS OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES 86.Withdrawal of bank deposits 87.Refusal to pay fees, dues, and assessments 88.Refusal to pay debts or interest 89.Severance of funds and credit 90.Revenue refusal 91.Refusal of a government's money ACTION BY GOVERNMENTS 92.Domestic embargo 93.Blacklisting of traders 94.International sellers' embargo 95.International buyers' embargo 96.International trade embargo

THE METHODS OF ECONOMIC NONCOOOPERATION: THE STRIKE SYMBOLIC STRIKES 97.Protest strike 98.Quickie walkout (lightning strike) AGRICULTURAL STRIKES 99.Peasant strike 100. Farm workers' strike STRIKES BY SPECIAL GROUPS 101.Refusal of impressed labour 102.Prisoners' strike 103.Craft strike 104.Professional strike ORDINARY INDUSTRIAL STRIKES 105.Establishment strike 106.Industry strike 107.Sympathy strike RESTRICTED STRIKES 108.Detailed strike 109.Bumper strike 110.Slowdown strike 111.Working-to-rule strike 112.Reporting "sick" (sick-in) 113.Strike by resignation 114.Limited strike 115.Selective strike MULTI-INDUSTRY STRIKES 116.Generalised strike 117.General strike COMBINATION OF STRIKES AND ECONOMIC CLOSURES 118.Hartal 119.Economic shutdown THE METHODS OF POLITICAL NONCOOPERATION REJECTION OF AUTHORITY 120.Withholding or withdrawal of allegiance

121.Refusal of public support 122.Literature and speeches advocating resistance CITIZENS' NONCOOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENT 123.Boycott of legislative bodies 124.Boycott of elections 125.Boycott of government employment and positions 126.Boycott of government departments, agencies, and other bodies 127.Withdrawal from governmental educational institutions 128.Boycott of government-supported institutions 129.Refusal of assistance to enforcement agents 130.Removal of own signs and placemarks 131.Refusal to accept appointed officials 132.Refusal to dissolve existing institutions CITIZENS' ALTERNATIVES TO OBEDIENCE 133.Reluctant and slow compliance 134.Nonobedience in absence of direct supervision 135.Popular nonobedience 136.Disguised disobedience 137.Refusal of an assemblage or meeting to disperse 138.Sitdown 139.Noncooperation with conscription and deportation 140.Hiding, escape, and false identities 141.Civil disobedience of "illegitimate" laws ACTION BY GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL 142.Selective refusal of assistance by government aides 143.Blocking of lines of command and information 144.Stalling and obstruction 205

145.General administrative noncooperation 146.Judicial noncooperation 147.Deliberate inefficiency and selective noncooperation by enforcement agents 148.Mutiny DOMESTIC GOVERNMENTAL ACTION 149.Quasi-legal evasions and delays 150.Noncooperation by constituent governmental units INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTAL ACTION 151.Changes in diplomatic and other representation 152.Delay and cancellation of diplomatic events 153.Withholding of diplomatic recognition 154.Severance of diplomatic relations 155.Withdrawal from international organisations 156.Refusal of membership in international bodies 157.Expulsion from international organisations THE METHODS OF NONVIOLENT INTERVENTION PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION 158.Self-exposure to the elements 159.The fast 1.Fast of moral pressure 2.Hunger strike 3.Satyagrahic fast 160.Reverse trial 161.Nonviolent harassment PHYSICAL INTERVENTION 162.Sit-in 163.Stand-in 164.Ride-in

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165.Wade-in 166.Mill-in 167.Pray-in 168.Nonviolent raids 169.Nonviolent air raids 170.Nonviolent invasion 171.Nonviolent interjection 172.Nonviolent obstruction 173.Nonviolent occupation SOCIAL INTERVENTION 174.Establishing new social patterns 175.Overloading of facilities 176.Stall-in 177.Speak-in 178.Guerrilla theatre 179.Alternative social institutions 180.Alternative communication system ECONOMIC INTERVENTION 181.Reverse strike 182.Stay-in strike 183.Nonviolent land seizure 184.Defiance of blockades 185.Politically motivated counterfeiting 186.Preclusive purchasing 187.Seizure of assets 188.Dumping 189.Selective patronage 190.Alternative markets 191.Alternative transportation systems 192.Alternative economic institutions POLITICAL INTERVENTION 193.Overloading of administrative systems 194.Disclosing identities of secret agents 195.Seeking imprisonment 196.Civil disobedience of "neutral" laws 197.Work-on without collaboration 198.Dual sovereignty and parallel government

There are many inspiring TED Talks and videos about active citizenship. Find an inspiring TED Talk (or another video) related to the topic of your initiative or idea.

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GETTING SUPPORT How can you get supporters for your initiative?

You are not an isolated island in this world, so it’s very likely that your idea will benefit from having different types of support and supporters. When you are planning to include more people in your initiative, there are a few simple things you can do: 1. 2.

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Ask! People won’t join your initiative unless you ask them to. Social media: Post about your idea, post articles or share events that focus on the same challenges and issues that you are passionate about. Partner with other groups: Research and find organizations or groups that act in the same field and can potentially join forces with you.

Ask interested supporters to come to an activity, not a meeting: You want to get them directly interested and involved with the work you do on the ground, not just to talk about it. Explore your personal extended networks of people: If your friends, family members or neighbours know others who might be interested in your idea, reach out to them and share more information about your initiative. Have fun! Choose fun and creative tactics to reach out to potential supporters. The more you’re having fun and enjoying what you do, the more people will want to join you.

Brain teaser exercise- talk to a potential supporter Let’s use a specific example. The below is a photo of a potential supporter for your idea. It gives you some basic information about the person. How would you pitch your idea to her? Write everything you think she would like to hear and see on the flipchart on the next page.

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How can you ask for institutional support from decision- makers?

o truly make your initiative successful, you need to think about policymakers or institutions that can potentially provide support to your idea in some way, shape or form. In fact, the more support you get, the better, and this is especially true if you get endorsement for your

idea from relevant decision- makers or governmental institutions, which can be of enormous help. Always remember that they also benefit from supporting local initiatives, and it can truly be a win-win situation.

Policy-makers profiling exercise This is a very simple exercise, another brain teaser, to help you profile the decision- makers target groups. Use the following examples of policy-makers for inspiration. Imagine that these are your potential supporters.

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Think about ways in which you can engage this local policy-maker as a potential supporter of your initiative by asking yourself: What does he want to hear? What does he want to see? Group your answers in the “see” and “hear” packages here:

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Think about ways in which you can engage this international policy-maker as a potential supporter of your initiative by asking yourself: What does he want to hear? What does he want to see? Group your answers in the “see” and “hear” packages here:

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Think about your idea and your group of supporters. You are the pilot on the plane, but your supporters are the engines, the windows, the wings and the tail. How does your plane manage to fly? Here are some thought- provoking questions for you.

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Where do we come from?

Who do we deliver value to?

What gives us the power?

Where are we going?

How do we steer?

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ACTIVISM FOR INTROVERTS? Stay in the background but still be a valuable contributor! Can’t handle crowds? Volunteer to make posters and deliver them before the event. Not a public speaker? Support those on the frontlines through social media by following, liking and sharing their posts to amplify their voice. Not willing to go to meetings? Write letters to contact your local officials and representatives, detailing the changes you’d like to see. Prefer to keep your anonymity? Do the research needed to support the initiative, and be prepared to share with them helpful links and resources. Not keen to socialize? Offer to help with getting financial support, donate if possible, and consider organizing fundraising opportunities. Shy about your creativity? Create different artwork to voice your concerns or ideas. Want to do the bare minimum to be a responsible citizen? Vote at elections.

Life truly is a boomerang. What you give, you get Dale Carnegie

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START/STOP/CONTINUE Checklist

As you are implementing your activities, it’s important to check-in with the others to evaluate how things are going. This table might be useful to organize your thoughts about the activities and overall implementation of your initiative.

Start doing

Stop doing

Continue doing

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The importance of Extending Gratitude Write your Acknowledgements page or your Acceptance speech!

hilosophers, religious leaders, and contemporary scientists all agree that GRATITUDE is a key to happiness. Studies show that consistently grateful people are happier and more satisfied with their lives; they even feel more physically healthy and spend more time exercising. Gratitude brings freedom from envy; when you’re grateful for what you have, you’re not consumed with wanting something different or something more. That, in turn, makes it easier to live within your means and also to be generous to others. Gratitude fosters forbearance— it’s harder to feel disappointed with someone when you’re feeling grateful toward him or her. Gratitude also

connects you to the natural world, because one of the easiest things to feel grateful for is the beauty of nature. But it is hard to stay in a grateful frame of mind. We take things for granted, we forget what other people have done for us, we have high expectations. When writers finish a book, they get to write an acknowledgements page where they thank everyone who helped them as they were writing their book. Winners of the Academy Award get a chance to give their Acceptance speech, where they thank the most important people in their lives.

Trade your expectation to appreciation and the world changes instantly Tony Robbins

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What and who are you grateful for in your life? What are you especially thankful for? Have you told them recently that you appreciate what they are adding to your life?

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Extend gratitude to other active citizens Here are some ideas for compliments that you can give to other inspiring leaders and active citizens. The most important thing is to be genuine and speak from the heart if you want to praise their efforts and give credit where credit is due. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

I love the way you advocate for others. Your enthusiasm makes a difference. Your understanding of community issues is inspirational. Your empathy is inspiring. I like your knowledge and insights on social injustice. Your integrity and ethics are motivating. I appreciate you taking the time to research the topic. Thank you for encouraging others to stand up for other people. I am thankful to know someone like you. You truly are the change you want to see in the world.

Truth is more important than ever Beware of controversial activism!

Who can you trust these days? There are many examples where misinformation and conspiracy theories are being aggressively pushed forward by a lot of people in the name of social activism. However, it is essential to do your research and check the facts before you join any groups of people that are seen as “controversial”. Remember the saying “where there is smoke, there is fire”. Some recent examples of controversial activism include: Q-anon, 5G Technology theories, Anti-vaxers on the Corona Vaccines, and the “Flat Earth” movement. 220

When you research about your idea or initiative, it’s important to stick to the facts and avoid “alternative facts”. A lot can be said about fake news, but why are they bad and how can you recognize them?

Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance... George Bernard Shaw

I may disagree with what you have to say. But I shall defend to the death your right to say it Voltaire

How can you spot fake news?

ith so much information available nowadays, it’s crucial to distinguish the real news from the fake ones. And how do you do that? You start by developing a critical mindset. Ask yourself: “Why was the story written?”; “Is it trying to influence what I believe in?”; “Is this a click bait?”; “Is it triggering some emotional response from me?”. Approach what you see and hear rationally and critically. Always check the source, especially if the story states controversial claims. Be aware of strange extensions or endings of websites (“.infonet”, “.offer”) and prefer “.com” or other common extensions. If the author or the website are not familiar to you, that can also be a red flag. Fake news and alternative facts can sometimes come from pages that seem official but aren’t – if you’re not sure of the credibility of the info, check if that’s the real website or a copy that looks extremely similar. Is there more than one source? Did someone else pick up the story? Checking global news agencies such as Reuters, CNN or BBC may be a good place to start. However, despite the rigorous editorial guidelines, big outlets can still make

mistakes – double check whenever you can. Next, go through the content and examine the evidence. What type of facts do they defend? Usually, credible stories offer facts backed up by quotes from experts, survey data or official statistics. Are they presenting all the facts or were they selected or twisted to support a particular angle of the story? Does the evidence prove that something happened without a doubt? Don’t trust images 100%. With different softwares available, it’s now very easy to create fake images from scratch or to edit real images – you can look for strange shadows on the image or weird edges around a figure. However, images can also be true but used in the wrong context. For this, you can use Google Reverse Image Search to check if the image was used before and where. Last but not least, use your common sense. Does the story “sound right”? Have in mind that fake news are often written and presented to you in a way that feeds your hopes, fears and stereotypes while messing with your emotions. 221

Where is the line between factchecking and censorship? checking and censorship: should private companies have so much power over public discourse? Transparency may help with this question – “How are these decisions made?”; “What are the rules?”; “How do the algorithms work?”; “What content is disappearing or appearing lower on the users’ feeds?”; and “Why is that?” are key questions to ask.

ne of the reasons why the line between fact-checking and censorship is getting thinner and thinner is social media. However, fact-checking is not a violation of free speech. Factchecking is about facts, while free speech is about opinions. A case that is often analysed when this matter is discussed is the banning of former USA president, Donald Trump on Twitter. Under the US law, a private company like Twitter blocking a user is not a violation of free speech, and companies can regulate the content on their webpages as they want. This leads us to another question regarding fact-

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In many countries, social media like Facebook and Instagram work with independent, third-party fact-checking organisations who are certified through the non-partisan International FactChecking Network (IFCN) to fight misinformation. But Twitter is not that clear on the rules and parties involved – “internal systems” are being mentioned by the company when it comes to factchecking, sometimes “trusted external source”. And this is indeed worrying for democracy, especially if the same company is both regulating and factchecking the content. Fact-checking is an important tool to fight misinformation, yes, but it can also be used as censorship if opinions and narratives are also checked.

What is a conspiracy theory?

conspiracy theory is a belief that certain events or situations are secretly manipulated behind the scenes by powerful forces with negative intent. Such explanations reject the universally accepted storyline of these events; plus, the official version may also be seen as proof of the existence of a conspiracy, since anyone who tries to contradict the theory is, to their eyes, just another part of the plot. Conspiracy theories have six things in common – six things to be aware of when researching the subject. It starts with a secret plot organized by a group of conspirators. Then, ‘evidence’ that seems to support the theory pops up and it’s mostly based on the belief that ‘nothing happens by accident’,

coincidences don’t exist and everything is connected. This way, the believers separate the world in two: the good and the bad – the bad being people or a group of people chosen to be scapegoats of the conspiracy. The existence and spreading of these theories increases in periods of anxiety, uncertainty and hardship, usually after big and impactful events. A couple of examples are the theories that started after the 09/11 attacks or the anti-vaxxers on the Covid-19 vaccines movement that is being felt nowadays. This suggests that believing in secret plots and theories is driven by a strong human need for knowledge and certainty – people want to know the truth and be sure of that truth.

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Always fact-check controversial groups and info

here are many examples where misinformation and conspiracy theories are being aggressively pushed forward by people in the name of social activism. However, it is essential to do your research and check the facts before you decide to join any groups of people that are seen as “controversial”. Conspiracy theories can cause damage since they often target or discriminate against a group identified as the enemy. The defense mechanism awakened by these beliefs polarises society and fuels violent extremism that can justify discrimination and hate crimes. Recently, this has been seen due to controversial theories about the origin of the coronavirus that suggest it was all a plot from the Chinese government – hate crimes against Asians were reported all over the world since the pandemic started.

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Public institutions are also targets since conspiracy theories spread mistrust and can lead to political radicalization. QAnon is a good example of this. The far right-wing community believes a group of Satan-worshipping pedophiles (mainly consisting of elitist democrats, politicians, journalists and other institutional figures) controls the deep state government and aims to undermine Donald Trump. The most violent result of this theory was the storming of the U. S. Capitol Hill in Washington in January 2021. Besides the destruction of public assets, five people lost their lives, and the trust in the police’s ability to defend the Capitol suffered hard repercussions. Conspiracy theories can also lead to mistrust in scientific and medical information which, in the case of vaccines, can have serious consequences to public health. This was the case of a north-American pharmacist who tried to destroy 500 doses of the Moderna vaccine because he believed it would change people’s DNA. Also, dozens of cell phone towers were set aflame across Europe when the pandemic started due to theories that the 5G towers were spreading the Covid-19 virus.

How is the internet helping spread conspiracy theories?

e live in a time when information is easily available everywhere and anytime. The internet and especially social media are crucial to the spreading of information as well as misinformation. Everybody can post their thoughts, declare themselves an expert on the subject, easily find same-minded people and spread their message. Unfortunately, in the middle of this ocean of data, it’s not that easy to distinguish the true from the false. That’s why fact-checking your sources and deep researching the subject is crucial. But it’s not only the large amount of content produced on the Internet that is making finding good information harder and harder – it’s also how the information is selected and presented to you as a user. The reason for this? Algorithms. The goal of algorithms is to recommend

similar content to the one that the users are already consuming so they stay hooked and consume more. If conspiracy believers search for conspiracy-related content, search engines will give them more of that, leaving the official and truthful version behind. Even when the search topic is another one, the algorithm will most likely give the user the conspiracy theory version instead of the real one. That’s also why people who believe in one conspiracy theory are more inclined to believe in others. Being aware of how algorithms work can come in handy when checking sources or when deciding what to believe. A documentary called “The Social Dilemma” exposed the tricks of social media and the ways in which algorithms tailor the information we see as users. If you’re interested about this topic, the documentary is available on Netflix.

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How to identify a conspiracy theory? The European Commission provides some guidelines on how to identify a conspiracy theory. Here they are in a nutshell. 1. Check the author Unlikely to be a conspiracy theory • The author has recognized qualifications and credentials in the topic and uses verifiable facts and evidence from scientific or academic research

Likely to be a conspiracy theory • The author is a self-proclaimed expert and not attached to a reputable organization or institution • The author claims to have credentials but they don’t withstand scrutiny or are suspended

2. Check the source Unlikely to be a conspiracy theory • The source has been quoted by several reputable media outlets • The information is backed by many scientists/academics • Independent fact-checking websites support the source and related claims

Likely to be a conspiracy theory • The source of information is not clear • The information is shared only by selfproclaimed experts • Independent fact-checking websites do not support the source and have refuted related claims

3. Check the tone and style Unlikely to be a conspiracy theory • The author does not shy away from exploring complexity, including different perspectives • The author is prepared to acknowledge limits to their knowledge • The tone is objective, factual

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Likely to be a conspiracy theory • The author presents their information as the only valid truth • The author raises questions instead of providing answers • The author demonizes whoever they assume is behind the alleged secret plot • The tone is subjective, emotionally charged • Emotional images or anecdotes are used to illustrate the message

Believing in a conspiracy theory doesn’t make someone unintelligent, ignorant or evil. It just means they’ve encountered wrong information, and these days wrong information is everywhere. SOURCE: HTTPS://EC.EUROPA.EU/INFO/LIVE-WORK-TRAVEL-EU/CORONAVIRUS-RESPONSE/ FIGHTING-DISINFORMATION/IDENTIFYING-CONSPIRACY-THEORIES_EN

Things that give us hope today for a better tomorrow Fear never builds the future, but hope does Joe Biden

irstly, in principle we “only” need civil and political will to apply solutions already available, and our societies need the willingness to solve our mutual problems together. Another reason for hope is that there is now an increased awareness about environmental issues around the world. This type of thinking has been around for some time, but it truly spread and accelerated over the last few years.

Finally, a great reason for hope is the fact that governments around the world are becoming increasingly focused on long-term planning. As we saw from the Roadmap to Change in Chapter 3, it takes courage to start thinking long-term and to make brave, anticipatory decisions at times when problems can be seen but before they reach crisis proportions.

Each one of us can make a difference. Together we make a change Barbara Mikulski 227

What gives you the most hope for a better tomorrow? What things are going well compared to a few years ago?

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Your personal transformation journey This Guidebook is for change agents who want to shape the future. The ultimate goal for every single citizen in today’s world is to not be afraid to speak their truth, and do something about the things they cannot accept. The ultimate goal is for every single one of us to go:

FROM:

TO:

Just doing what needs to be done without a real sense of purpose, not realizing why your individual actions are important and how much they matter in the world

Actively taking ownership of your everyday actions, and acting with a sense of pride and direction, believing that your individual actions have an impact on the future.

Assuming that others know what needs to be done, thinking someone else should worry about it or will take care of it, and staying in the shadows, feeling unmotivated and unsupported.

Actively stepping up to assume more responsibility, demand answers or support and follow your vision through to competition until the change is achieved, feeling confident to take the lead and work on challenges.

Avoiding honest conversations about what is not working, feeling like it’s not your responsibility and being afraid of negative consequences from speaking up.

Actively discussing progress, what support is needed and what needs to happen to reach success, feeling confident, reassured, and supported.

It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do Moliere

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Dare to dream!

o build a future, it must first be imagined. To unlock our potential, we must first visualize our objectives and the steps needed to achieve them. Studies suggest that our minds learn just as quickly from vividly imagined scenarios as they do from real experiences. That’s how championships are won, it’s how milestone achievements happen! Set a vision of what success will look like, define and commit to your goals, and most importantly, be an agent of change! This Guidebook was designed to lead you through the entire process: from Vision to a Roadmap to Change to Success. We hope it inspired and empowered you

to be a proactive citizen. If you have a vision for a better world, start with the WHY, build the HOW, and achieve WHAT you dream of. It’s important to dare to dream because actively imagining (very intentionally) what it would feel like to implement and achieve your goals has helped everyone from Michael Phelps to break Olympic records, to hospital patients speed their recovery time, not to mention many stories of success which can’t be rationally explained and can only be considered “a miracle”. Put simply, imagining where you’d like to go in rich sensory detail makes your goals more achievable.

First, think. Second, dream. And finally, dare. Walt Disney

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The question on everyone’s minds?

The most searched word on google in 2020 was WHY. People are looking for answers more than ever before in all of google search history! The question of WHY has never come up in any previous years. That’s really important to think about in terms of the mindsets shift. People around the world are looking for answers and want answers now more than ever.

Keep asking WHY, and most importantly: be the difference that you want to see in the world.

For true success, ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now? James Allen

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What can you do as an individual that can make a difference in the world? Do you still ask yourself: What can I do as an individual citizen when in reality the world is shaped by governments and powerful big corporations? This is a very valid question. If you are wealthy or powerful, you can do a lot and use your position of power for a greater good. However, the vast majority of us who don’t have the wealth and the power can still make a difference in our communities and in the world. How?

1. Vote: In any democracy, the easiest, simplest and cheapest action you can take is to vote. Some elections are decided by very small numbers of votes. Besides voting, remember that the elected officials are there because of you and for you- the citizens, so you can contact them for any issues that could benefit from their support.

2. Be a conscious consumer: You can always decide what you, as a consumer, do or don’t buy. The reason why more companies are becoming environmentally aware is because consumers refused to buy products that are made in unethical ways. Apart from

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buying or refusing to buy products or services, you as a consumer can draw attention to the company’s policies and ways of working. One good example would be the campaign against animal testing from Chapter 5. Consumer activism can be anything from trying to shame a company for doing bad things, to praising companies for doing good things.

3. Use your network (6 degrees of separation): Your single vote or consumerism might not change the world, but you can multiply their power by talking to others who also vote and consume. Start with your family and friends. There are many

examples of business owners who changed the company policies as a result from pressure from their children or spouse. Convince those around you to join you in your efforts to make a point.

4. Act locally: To directly benefit from your actions, consider making an effort to improve your own local community and environment. It will not only make your life more pleasant, but it will set an example to others.

5. Donate (or fund-raise): You can truly multiply the impact of your actions by making a small donation to others who fight for a cause you support. Most activists operate on very low budgets, so any additional sums of money can make a big difference. You can also organize a fundraising for a cause you’re truly passionate about and that you’d like to support.

6. Write a project: Find other likeminded people and check what “Calls for Project Proposals’’ are published by your country’s EU Programs National Agency, or any other national or international funding programs or foundations. Feel free to have a look at the EU funding programs listed in Chapter 1. Many programs give funding to so-called “informal groups”, so you don’t even need to worry about the legal aspects. Once you find a Call for Projects within your area of interest, pour all your concerns, proposed solutions and a vision for a better tomorrow into the project application. Every beginning is hard, but usually it’s not that complicated and as young leaders, we’re confident you will be able to figure it out. Not only will you learn a new life skill (project writing), but your application will hopefully be successful and that way you can truly start bringing your vision to life!

Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow Robert Kiyosaki

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Final thoughts

e wrote this guidebook during a global pandemic, while the world was experiencing major repeat waves of covid infections, and we live with lockdowns, curfews and major restrictions. Looking back, 2020 and 2021 have been very challenging years. Beyond the pandemic, we witnessed racial inequality, systematic mistrust in governments, digital divide, inequality, and other events that truly changed our societies and our mindsets. We’d like to stay optimistic and remind you that throughout history, major global crises have usually been followed by transformations for better, with a silver lining that many social benefits were introduced as a result of the big crisis. In other words, global crises usually act as a catalyst for behavior changes. Here are a few examples: •

1929 Great Depression: Led to Social welfare. The economic devastation drove the creation of social welfare programs in the US.

•

1945 The Holocaust: Led to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The aftermath of WW2 spurred the creation of international peacekeeping organizations, resulting with the creation of the Declaration.

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•

1980 HIV/AIDS Crisis: Led to Public Health Programs. After governments failed to protect people from AIDS, widespread protests led to the creation of public health programs and critical medical advances around the world.

•

2001 War on terror: Increased safety from terrorist groups. Hundreds of terrorists were arrested around the world, large-scale terrorist attacks were prevented, the Taliban regime lost power and many terroristtraining camps were closed.

•

2008 Great recession: Led to “waking up” of exploited workers. This started the “Occupy” movement in the USA, which resulted in Wall Street regulations changes.

•

2020 COVID-19: TBC. We are yet to see how the pandemic will change our relationship with the world around us, but the learnings from Covid will be enormous and hopefully help us shape the world for the better. It already made us more empathic about what’s going on in countries and we became more aware about our local community and environment.

At these times when hybrid/blended interactions are the new normal, during which we all advanced our digital skills, we think glocally, we have “finfluencers” or financial influencers that openly teach us about finances, “greenfluencers” that teach us about the environment, platforms like Roblox and Minecraft allow us to create virtual worlds so proms and graduation ceremonies happen virtually, and times when we are all labeled as “Generation C”, which doesn’t stand for

a particular age group as the others, but it’s a reflection of a mindset of a conscious consumer who cares deeply about creation, curation, connection, and community. We have all explored our communities more than ever before, so we are now more concerned with what’s happening in our backyard. Supporting local small businesses is a new trend that is still going strong around the world.

Always keep in mind that life is a lesson, so keep trying until you succeed. Try different approaches and ideas, and eventually - you’ll get it right! Question EVERYTHING without reservation! Remain curious and open-minded. Test what is “common knowledge”. Research fantasy, until it becomes a reality. Experiment with knowledge. Change the answers and don’t settle for “good enough”.

The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do Steve Jobs

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Now go and shape the future!

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European Youth at the Frontlines of active citizenship: A Roadmap towards a collective “South- North- East- West” Momentum -training course

CIP - Каталогизација во публикација Национална и универзитетска библиотека "Св. Климент Охридски", Скопје 323.21:316.42(036) 316.354.4:316.42(036) AHCHIEVA, Neda A roadmap for аctive citizens & future shapers / [Writen and edited by: Neda Ahchieva; illustrations and cover by: Selina Niemi, Dimitar Ahciev]. - Skopje : Volunteers centre, 2021. - 234 стр. : илустр. ; 20 см ISBN 978-608-65912-1-2 а) Граѓански активизам -- Водичи COBISS.MK-ID 53943045 238