Youth-led campaigns

Youth-led actions & campaigns – 23/02/13 Aims: To consider the role of young people in national and global campaigns.

To consider the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threat of youth-led campaigns.

To think about the issues affecting young people on a local level and reaching an agreement on these.

Action Project Workshop Want £500 to run a local project or campaign? This workshop will explain the Action Projects funding and support you to apply with your group. We will start by looking at past rewarded action projects for inspiration and key learning. The key criteria for the fund will be outlined and explained. We will end by helping leaders to create a simple plan to work with their group to apply Part 1 Time 16:00 – 16:15

16:15 – 16:45

Activity 10 mins 10 mins 20 mins

Preparation

Welcome & Introductions Ice breaker Introduction to the session Aims for the session Youth in campaigns

Flipchart

Campaign flashcards To consider the role of young people in national and global campaigns.

Flashcards

Split into smaller groups and each group with a flash card. Using post it notes, each group should consider: o How do you think young people were involved in these campaigns? o What might young people have brought to the campaign? What did they bring? o Why do you think young people might have been interested?

Each group feeds back on their discussions.

Draw out some key points.

10 mins

Your story What campaigns have you been part of?

Share a story with the person next to you about your experience in a campaign.

If you have, what inspired you? How were you involved? Who helped you?

If you haven’t, what’s stopped you? No interest, lack of opportunities, money, access?

Feedback some stories to the group. Who was

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involved in ‘youth-led’ campaigning?

16:45 – 17:00

17:00 – 17:25

15 mins

Exploring ‘youth-led campaigns’ Split into different groups.

First, what does “youth-led” campaigns mean – come up with a definition.

Share these collectively and agree on a common definition / common ideas.

Next, lets do a SWOT analysis of youth-led campaigns. o Strengths – energetic, passionate, time o Weaknesses – money, lack of skills & experience o Opportunities – nimble, responsive, o Threats – many issues, credibility, For Strengths & weaknesses think about the young people leading those campaigns – their collective strengths & weaknesses. Consider the people and the movement.

For opportunities & weaknesses consider the wider world. What might the opportunities be for youth-led campaigning within the wider civil society movement? What might stop it?

Gallery walk of all the groups.

Youth issues at a local level

20 mins

Issues for youth Step 1. Ask the participants, on their own, to think of 4 words that are the ‘4 most important issues for young people at a local level’. Stress that it is very important that participants do not use sentences or phrases – only single words.

Step 2. Now split the group into pairs. Again, they must agree just 4 words between them, having shared and negotiated their individual ideas.

Step 3. Ask the pairs to form a group of 4 people with another pair. Again, they need to agree just 4 words between them.

Step 4. Repeat this process until there are just 2 large groups remaining and each has just 4 words.

Step 5. Give these two large groups ten minutes in which to agree on the final words that will represent the whole group’s judgement. Stop the exercise after 10 minutes, even if the group has not managed to reach an agreement on their final 4 words.

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Debrief What words did people come up with?

How difficult was it to reach a decision?

How easy might it be to agree campaigns and issues to lead on?

Introduce the idea of consensus decision making – often used in youth led campaigns and movements.

17:25 – 17:30 12:30

5 mins

Close Reminder of the aims of the session.

Action project workshop tomorrow morning.

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