YL Spark Session Guide Book for Teachers & Student Leaders

“When the winds of change are blowing, some people build walls, others build windmills.”

Youth-LeadeR www.youth-leader.org contact@youth-leader.org Berlin. Germany. charity status copyright: Youth-LeadeR 2014

OFFICIAL PROJECT OF THE UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ESD 2005-2014. UNESCO

SPARK SESSION Guidebook for Student Leaders + Teachers

This exercise can be explained on 1 page, but some of you like detailed guides.

This booklet has short and long explanations to serve everyone best.

Select your favourite.

This exercise makes the most of the YL card game and poster sets in class for sparking long-term, year-round youth-led changemaking activities at school. In class and by student clubs.

(0) PROLOGUE

ABOUT YL FOR EDUCATION

About Youth-LeadeR YL connects the finest from the fields of sustainability, youth leadership, social entrepreneurship, media and education to spread sustainability solutions, serve schools, teachers and students, and ultimately advance positive change towards a peaceful, just, thriving and sustainable civilization.

In concrete, we connect - the greatest young and adult heroes of today - with young people and teachers in schools - with novel media, teaching and action tools - with simple methods for learning culture - with groundbreaking services and community to inspire, involve, equip and empower our young generation all over the planet to learn and apply humanity’s leading, proven solutions for solving practically all challenges of our time.

The solutions exist. So do the role models and support networks. We offer them in fun formats, from card games and action packs to webcasts and reality adventure game - that turn world change into the great adventure of our lifetime. With instant impact, and rich benefits for everyone involved.

Discover a bright new world, and join us in making it happen everywhere, at home and abroad.

Required viewing before reading this guide To understand the spirit and quality of young and adult changemakers, sustainability solutions, media, speaker services, methods and 21st century Education that we stand for an enable, please first visit our website and view our "About YL" TRAILER VIDEO. It really opens your eyes and vision to the precious contents, intrinsic motivation and scope of activities that the YL Spark Session enables for youth, students and teachers.

Watching it also adds meaning to my words of welcome and good wishes for your professional life. Enjoy! www.youth-leader.org/about

Youth-LeadeR for Education For the past fourty years, we have been calling for earth-literate, active citizens turning the potential abundance for all into reality. Unfortunately, the aspirations have failed. Still, a majority of urban populations is suffering from inner and outer poverty. Even affluent societies are experiencing bullying and rape epidemic, bad governance, financial erosion and lifesystem destruction on unprecedented scale. This trend has been known, yet continued unstopped for fourty years, it is accelerating, and adult generations have no serious idea how to change anything.

Still, the solutions do exist, by the thousands. They are celebrated in media and showered with awards. And they can be replicated by youth and citizens. All it takes is the right mindset and skills to follow the successful role models.

These are not empty words. It has been proving in thousands of projects, and you can tell from the vibrant media documenting these examples of a bright new world. The more you immerse yourself in it, the more it becomes naturral and evident to you.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES To help achieve the fundamental goal of a new learning culture nurturing a generation of empathic, earth-literate youth and citizens able to succeed in creating a global, peaceful, just, thriving, and sustainable civilization, the UNITED NATIONS have orchestrated a massive global effort with the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development DESD 2005-2014, UNESCO.

Central to growing up as youth leaders and global citizens are 1. SOLUTIONS We discuss global issues, creating an awareness of problems, but offer no solutions that make the difference we need for the vast spectrum of crisis challenges at home and abroad. So what are people going to do? Nothing, or shut down, for avoiding pain and depression. Youth-LeadeR presents an abundance of grand solutions for almost everything - from the heart and tidal wave of the global expert arena.

2. ROLE MODELS The people implementing the solutions, and embodying how it feels and looks to actually be an active changemaker: heroes.

“80% of human behaviour is shaped by role models.”

This is what makes the videos, and the services we offer so effective, real hero/ines! There is good reason why these young heroes are in great demand by schools around the globe, and teachers, students, parents and organizations cherish their contribution.

3. MEDIA conveying genuine changemaker spirit, so we do not only have to rely on the hero/ines brief personal presence. We note the factor of inspiration, right?

This inner, intangible element, the passion and vision, distinguishes recognized youth leaders from apathic citizens. “Find a cause your are passionate about, then take steps of action.”

4. PARTNERS Just like we have partners for our highly gifted musicians and sports players - I call young people with empathy and a sense to create positive change “our new highly gifted” - we need partners for changemaking. That’s real changemakers, the kind of people we offer via YL, through media, “live” encounters and a cocreative global community.

5. INFORMAL METHODS We need to make the inspirational worlds of youth leadership and changemaking part of daily life and learning culture, without stress but with many benefits for the conventional syllabus. The key is to establish cocreative spaces, like changemakers do in coworking spaces of social entrepreneurs, also known as “hubs”. I call them Informal Sustainability Learning Environments ISLEs; they are multimedia exhibits managed by YL student clubs.

These things are quite simple and obvious. In fact, most of us have experienced them ourselves... inspirational speakers, cocreative workshop spaces, amazing student club impacts.

The decisive novelty in Youth-LeadeR is to combine the “best practice” knowledge and tools, people and practices from various fields > in one place >’ translated’, re-defined and packaged for education.

Altogether, it is rather simple. It only requires harnessing the untapped potential that we find in almost any school 1) young people passionate about positive change and 2) equipping them with tools, methods and support for sustaining a year-round flow of activity that is attractive to peers and public, makes an impact and precious for learning culture.

This is precisely what we offer.

The game changer that makes all the difference for impact, behaviour change and feasibility at school is that 95% of these activities, precious learning services to the entire school community, and world changing actions with no less impact than the multi-award winning young hero/ines in our media are IN THE HANDS OF STUDENTS. This is the real game changer, dissolving all limitations that we faced to-date, in terms of teacher time, training and finance.

I encourage you to read “The Science behind YL”, and “The Spark Pack” on our website. They explain powerful intangible forces at work in the way we shape our lives and societies, and how we can align and nurture those that take us to the sound goals that our heart desires, but that dysfunctional memesets and habits inherited from broken, unsustainable parent generations and societies continue to sabotage. www.youth-leader.org/spark www.youth-leader.org/about/science.html

OUR 3+3 PILLARS OF SUCCESS The YL Spark Session introduces and inspires entire school classes for youth-led action in- and outside school context. We are using the examples of 50 outstanding young heroes in the form of playing cards, posters and videos. Students do a quick research on one heroIne, then share with the class. We share enthusiasm, select favourite causes, learn how to implement them and how to follow up with action.

The HeroIne of the Month Exhibit sustains the spirit of youth-led action on global issues in class through the school year, tuned to UN Days. We are using the same media and methods as for the Spark Session. It only requires a few uplifting minutes per month, and links perfectly with the student club of highly motivated and skilled changemakers.

A bigger version is a public multimedia exhibit, serving as “informal sustainability learning environment, ISLE,� reaching, involving, serving and benefitting the entire school community.

YL Student Clubs make changemaking a sport and take yearround action on replicating model solutions from young and adult heroines of our time.

They can choose to take action in the shape of a reality adventure game, with many additional benefits. Their methods include exhibits, fundraisers, research, project action and social experiments, online and onsite - especially by managing the public co-learning ISLE.

The required equipment, Services and community are available on our website and social media streams, in up to 19 languages.

YL Media You need heroes and solutions on the full spectrum of global issues in vibrant, lively, memorable format, conveying genuine changemaker spirit, linking to authentic websites as learning environments, with teaching and action tips, and for using in your own environment to inspire and mobilize hundreds. Where do you find such? I know of no resource on the web except Youth-LeadeR. Even music and musical, perfect for use in music class.

YL Webcasts on UN Days How can we interweave global awareness and youth-led positive change with the school year? The easiest is to align with monthly UN theme days. These days offer opportunity to connect with civil society, administration, media and public! Use our posters, resources, activities, speakers, webcasts to educate yourself, your school, and make a difference.

YL Speakers Meet the finest young changemakers on the planet. But don’t waste your and their time on ppt-presentations. Read their stories before the meeting, study their solution, take action!

Then meet “live” at eye-level, celebrate achievements, ask burning questions how to go bigger, and plan common projects.

That’s how our inner HeroIne unfolds.

Now let’s get started!

WELCOME Dear colleague, I have good news for you.

You can make youth leadership part of school culture, led by students themselves, and enjoy watching them im-plement grand sustainability solutions in partnership with extraordinary changemakers of our time.

It has benefits for learning culture, personal development, subject teaching, society, Earth, and you.

All it takes is a Spark Session, that can be as short as one lesson, followed up by micro-activities through the year, with the HeroIne of the Month exhibit. This need not take more than a couple of minutes per month. The main stream of activities is informally managed by student clubs in interaction with the global YL community of youth leaders.

We have an abundance of novel media, methods and services for you. The best way to get an overview is to take the Youth-LeadeR "Discovery Tour" in our website's "about" section.

Once you have seen our Spark Videos and the visual impressions in this booklet, you will know why it is worth getting to know these tools, and why people from seventy nations, across age groups, cultures and professions agree: "This should be in all schools."

As YL's founder, I am committed to bring humanity's finest solutions for cocreating a global, peaceful, just, thriving and sustainable - a sacred civilization - to the young generation on the planet.

SCHOOLS are their only chance and place to access, learn and practice this en masse, for a long time period, with relevant societal impact.

This is the most exciting time to be a STUDENT LEADER. And TEACHERS are their greatest ally in this endeavour.

This is our time.

I wholeheartedly invite you to send feedback, questions, ideas and requests so we can help you make it happen around you.

May YL add bliss to your working day, and to living our heart's wishes as educators to the fullest.

And may we all teach each other well.

Eric Schneider

YL Founder and Director Images and Voices of Hope Award 2012. IVOH Youth-LeadeR (YL) is a multi-award winning Official Project of the UNITED NATIONS Decade of Education for Sustainable Development DESD 2005-2014, UNESCO, evolving in 20 languages.

CONTENTS 1. The Spark Session activity - on 1 page 2. How the Spark Session helps us cultivate an active generation (and why we have been failing for 40 years) 3. How I run the Spark Session - on more pages 4. Media, methods and support for you 5. Structure of Spark Session and optional year-roung follow-up activities 6. Detailed, commented guide - long 7. Our Services to follow up with

Choose your favourite version, short or long, but please also flip through the others.

1 THE SPARK SESSION ON 1 PAGE

Basically, we assign each student a Hero card or poster, to view the story, video, and then present in class, mixed with watching the 4 kick-off Spark Videos,

"The most inspirational videos I’ve ever seen."

"It makes me feel I want to get up and do something, as well."

"The most energized lesson ever. Even the most quiet students had something to say."

"Students are inspired, and wish to get involved." then agree on making changemaking present in class / at school year-round, select favourite causes, form groups, decide on steps of action, found a student club, take monthly action on UN Days etc.

VoilĂ , SPARK mission accomplished!

Inspired students can follow up by connecting with YL as a student club, and take monthly actions of their choice. Inspired teachers can sustain the presence of youth leadership spirit and action with monthly mini-exercises taking only a couple of minutes.

Of course, we can look at this in more detail.

That's what we are going to do, now.

TOOLS the YL cardgame, the poster set. Each has 44 young hero/ines: their story, qr codes and links to their main video, article and website. Cardgames can be bought, posters and action packs can be printed (black and white is fine and cheap), videos can be watched on computers or on mobile phones.

Required viewing via large screen or projector are the four main "Spark Videos" - the four most outstanding videos showing the four main pillars of youth leadership: a young hero/ine's journey to success, teen action en masse in schools, fun fundraising, and gatherings of outstanding twen changemakers.

1. DISTRIBUTE cards / posters of 44 young hero/ines. Each student receives one, studies the story, and if possible the hero/ine's video, website and action pack.

2. MIX THE PRESENTATION of the 4 inspirational "Spark Videos" with presentations on heroes by the students.

One video, 4 to 8 hero/ine presentations, one video, 4 to 8 hero/ines etc.

3. HARVEST FEEDBACK Build on the shared inspiration. Give opportunity for expression of feelings, excitement and passion for favourite causes.

People across age groups and cultures in seventy nations agree:

"The most inspirational videos I have ever seen." "It makes me feel I want to get up and do something, too." "This should be in all schools." "The most energized lesson ever. Even the most quiet ones had something to say." "Students are inspired and wish to get involved."

4. FOCUS. BUILD VISION Open a conversation about favourite hero/ines, causes of relevance for their home region. Form groups for favourite causes. Formulate mission statements "We are taking action on ... like ..., by starting with ..., then ..., and ... until ...".

5. MANIFEST. TAKE ACTION. FOLLOW UP Decide on follow-up activities, in class, as student clubs, presentations and exhibits for (younger) peers, using YL media, services, webcasts, Hero of the Month exhibit, student club community etc.

BY THIS TIME, everybody is inspired, has knowledge of amazing young changemakers, model solutions on dozens of causes, steps to success, has access to action packs, methods, community, support, has made the experience of presenting, of shared enthusiasm, envisioning project implementation, and ideas for year-round student-led activities at school. That’s quite something!

If you know your tools and have some experience with intrinsic motivation, informal learning methods, and student club activities, it is pretty easy and a lot of fun.

Results are open, and depend on the participants.

At schools with a vibrant culture of self-organized learning and student club activities, you are likely to have the most tangible effects: an active student club, spreading the spirit and taking action.

However, success does not depend on instant feedback, only. Lasting impact and a changemaking climate unfold through year-round presence.

This can be cultivated by a YL student club, managing monthly exhibits and activities, but also by teachers, with very little effort.

As a teacher or student leader, you have the tools for year-round presence of youth leadership in the classroom, with a "Hero/ine of the Month" mini-exhibit, with brief hero/ine presentations, potential activities and webcasts, tuned to UN Days of the month.

2 How the Spark Session helps us cultivate an active generation

What does a Spark Session do?

In the Spark Session, we introduce the audience to 1. available, proven, powerful sustainability solutions for co-creating a sustainable civilization. The solutions exist, implemented by ordinary youth and citizens. We can achieve it now.

2. shining human examples, achieving things we would consider impossible, proving us that all of us can do these things, if we put our mind to it. The heroines's stories and advice help us learn the handful of steps.

It is simple.

3. simple media, tools and methods for integrating these quality educational resources in in/formal subject teaching and extracurricular activities throughout the school year and daily life.

4. exciting supportive services and community for teachers and student clubs who wish to make a change and create the world they wish to see.

The Session includes Knowledge Transfer, Spirit Transfer, Equipment and Support. These are the resources of successful changemakers. They facilitate year-round, self-organized changemaking activities.

If done in an open format, in a cordial atmosphere, the Spark Sessions almost guarantees that 70-100% of students are newly inspired with a vision and can-do feeling that young people can make considerable, instant, cascading changes to create the world of inner and abundance they wish to see, at home and abroad.

There is more: 10-80% of students are willing to support, or even fired up to take action on a regular basis. Our tools and support network make it easy to sustain this spirit yearround with minimal effort for teachers (10 min a month): By using the common student club format, our monthly flow of media and activities, and global club community, youth can play the major role in sustaining year-round activities in class, at school, with exhibits etc.

The videos and stories receive outstanding feedback all over the planet. People across age groups and cultures agree:

"The most inspirational videos I’ve ever seen."

"It makes me feel I want to get up and do something, too."

"This should be in all schools."

"The most energized lesson ever.

Even the most quiet ones had something to say."

"Students are inspired and wish to get involved."

That is our grand collective dream shared as educators and education ministries, youth, parents and citizens, isn’t it? This is what all curricula and societies hope and seek to see happen in their young generation and students. It is even the very purpose of schooling: “Enabling the young generation to succeed, and become active citizens in a libertarian, democratic society.” A society, which today also has to be sustainable, in a global, cooperative family of nations.

To help achieve this fundamental goal, the UN have orchestrated a massive global effort with the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development DESD 2005-2014, UNESCO. But we have all failed to achieve for the past 40 years that we have included global issues and active citizenship in schools.

The reasons are clear. That is, to me they are, because I see the success models and the basic elements of their success.

Once we become conscious of these, we become able to make the changes we desire. And this is very good news.

Reasons for failure in the past, and why we can now succeed I am repeating the intro to YL for Education, but it’s worth it, since to-date ignored by even the best-meaning educators.

So far, there has been a close to complete lack of 1. SOLUTIONS We discuss global issues, creating an awareness of problems, but offer no solutions that make the difference we need for the vast spectrum of crisis challenges at home and abroad.

So what are people going to do? Nothing, or shut down, for avoiding pain and depression. Youth-LeadeR presents an abundance of grand solutions for almost everything - from the heart and tidal wave of the global expert arena.

2. ROLE MODELS The people implementing the solutions, and embodying how it feels and looks to actually be an active changemaker: heroes.

“80% of human behaviour is shaped by role models.” This is what makes the videos, and the services we offer so effective, real hero/ines! There is good reason why these young heroes are in great demand by schools around the globe, and teachers, students, parents and organizations cherish their contribution.

3. MEDIA conveying genuine changemaker spirit, so we do not only have to rely on the hero/ines brief personal presence. We note the factor of inspiration, right? This inner, intangible element, the passion and vision, distinguishes recognized youth leaders from apathic citizens. “Find a cause your are passionate about, then take steps of action.”

4. PARTNERS Just like we have partners for our highly gifted musicians and sports players, we have to connect “our new highly gifted” with the planet’s finest changemakers.

5. INFORMAL METHODS making the inspirational worlds of youth leadership and changemaking part of daily life and learning culture, without stress but with many benefits for the conventional syllabus. The key is to establish cocreative spaces, like changemakers do in coworking spaces of social entrepreneurs, also known as “hubs”. I call them Informal Sustainability Learning Environments ISLEs; they are multimedia exhibits managed by student clubs.

THE GAME CHANGER that makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE for impact, behaviour change and feasibility at school is that 95% of these activities, precious learning services to the entire school community, and world changing actions with no less impact than the multi-award winning young hero/ines in our media are IN THE HANDS OF STUDENTS. This is the real game changer, dissolving all limitations that we faced to-date, in terms of teacher time, training and finance.

These things are quite simple and obvious. In fact, most of us have experienced them ourselves. The decisive novelty in Youth-LeadeR is to combine the “best practice” knowledge and tools, people and practices that we have in various fields, in one place, translated, re-defined and packaged for the world of education. I encourage you to read “The Science in YL”.

3 IN MY WORDS.

HOW I RUN THE SPARK SESSION

To make the most of the session, I take these steps: 1. I GIVE A HOMEWORK This part is very precious, since it allows personal study, reflection, intense, memorable interaction with the heroes, following their curiosity, dialogue among friends about the homework, and an emotional warm-up for the main session.

"Take home one hero poster, view this hero's video, story and website at home.

Prepare to give a brief presentation, telling the hero's story, showing the poster, maybe the video. Create a graphic showing the main steps from start to success."

OR - if we are having a one day workshop: Pick a card / poster from the stack, research your hero/ine, using the story, qr codes and links on backsides, and the action pack (online or I have it available as print-out). Participants can use mobile phones, computers or whatever is available. Depending on available infrastructure, I organize internet access or have the videos on dvd.

From my view, school and a homework are the perfect context, for internet access, time for research, reflection, letting the story sink in and feel into the hero.

2. “MEET YOUTH LEADERS IN ACTION�

I mix watching the 4 extraordinarily powerful Spark Videos with students' hero presentations. The Spark Videos represent 4 fundamental aspects of youth leadership: a young hero's complete story, a youth mass movement, fun fundraising as a lifestyle, amazing twen heroes.

(A) Spark Video 1: Craig Kielburger, mega story of a teen changemaker; time for enthusiasm (B) 4 - 6 presentations (C) Spark Video 2: We Day, teen activist mass movement, time for expressing enthusiasm (D) 4 - 6 presentations (E) Spark Video 3: Lulu Cerone, Philanthro-Parties, time for enthusiasm (F) 4 - 6 presentations (G) Spark Video 4: YES! Youth for Environmental Sanity, time for enthusiasm (H) 4 - 6 presentations Students use their poster and mindmap graphic to present - and stick posters to the wall, on a laundry line or whatever. This creates an exhibit. (This part may or may not include watching videos as part of student presentations. Not all videos are spectacular, and it would mean an information overkill) The time may not suffice for presenting all heroes. I treat this part in a fun way: We use dice and the class list for determining who presents. A presentation takes 2 to 5 minutes.

When the time dedicated to the presentations is complete, I say: "Okay, there's more of these superstars, and I encourage you to find out about all of them. You have the poster exhibit to explore, their links, and your friends can tell you all about them." To complete this part, I use feedback graphics (bulls eyes, see end of brochure) for "How did you like the session?" + "Have you learned something?" + "Is this important? Should everybody at school know about this?" + "Would you like to experience more of this?"

3. "SHARING FEEDBACK" After a brief statement about the positive feedback, I open a space for conversation and expressing personal feelings and passion. "So, what do you think? What struck you most? What moved you most?"

"Which hero/ine would you like to meet via webcast?"

"Who would you like to go join in action?"

(This part is important to give space to express their feelings. Feelings and a sense of care and community are essential ingredients of success of young changemakers. Without them, nothing happens. This is the difference that the Spark Session can make. It can ignite the fire inside, a fire we all feel but which has been suppressed for so long due to fear of suffering and negative peer pressure, lack of role models, power, tools, support and community. This phase allows to experience and build a shared sense of passion and vision as a group, the tangible feeling of "we can do it, and that it will be fun" - so that the spirit can be sustained long-term by the most active ones, and will not be torpedoed by the less active ones.)

"Which projects do you believe you can implement, as a group of friends?"

"Which causes are also present in our region?"

"Would you like to see it solved? Which hero, whose solutions can help us create the world we prefer, right here?"

4. "FOCUSSING & VISION" "Which causes are you most passionate about? Which cause are you willing to take action on, at home or abroad? Form groups, take your poster."

When groups have formed: "Huddle together, study your hero/ine once more, eventually watch the video, visit their website and facebook pages. You can use your mobile phones, too. Each of them also has an Action Pack which I have here for you (I hand out the heroes Action Packs - these are printouts around 4 pages long, listing suggested activities, available tools and partners).

"Develop a mission statement on how you will take action on your favourite cause. Include steps, such as "We take action on..., like (name), starting with..., then step 1, 2, 3, 4..." This phase can take 7 to 15 minutes.

I don't make it too long. Groups can always figure out details later.

We listen to the mission statements. Now, we have five to twelve groups.

That's great! Everybody has found their favourite, yet everybody knows, respects and can relate to the other's causes and their activities. This enhances the probability of moral and tangible support!

(Have you noticed: this session includes everything that students need to follow up with presentations, spark sessions and exhibits for their peers.

They have passion, knowledge of many heroes and solutions, presentation experience, created an exhibit, have action packs and a team. That's quite something after one session!)

5. "DECISION + MANIFESTATION + FOLLOW-UP" "Excellent! Folks, you are really able to do this now. This has been a great session, and I am super inspired. f you would like to make this part of your life and school, I am willing to support you with all means.

We cannot do much in class, but you can do it as student clubs. You have all the knowledge, the skills, the action packs, you know what to do, you can even contact many of the heroes for final questions.

Youth-LeadeR also offers you media, year-round flow of social media, new tools, posters, exhibits, webcasts, and their platform is a global community of young and adult heroes and student clubs. There's five things that they offer: 1. Manage a "Hero of the Month" mini-exhibit in class.

This is tuned to UN Days, like Day of Water, Environment, Peace, Women etc.

It includes a mini-presentation like we have done today, sticking up the poster and listing some activities. would you like to do this? Who will take care of it?

2. Take action on a cause, and meet the Hero/ine via webcast.

You have found favourite causes and heroes to meet earlier on. Shall we decide for one, two or three causes to take on as a class?

3. Form a student club in support of one or all hero/ines. Okay, you said you want it, and you can have it. Who wants to take action on your favourite causes? You have the tools, and you can also take many other activities.

So, for those who are on fire and wish to make changemaking their sport and lifestyle, they even have this: 4. Found a YL Warrior Clan. Student clubs can join their global network and take different actions every month. These dedicated groups take three monthly missions, on causes like you have seen today. They usually include a fundraiser, and other things. Big things, too, making headlines, you have seen how it works.

You document your actions, fun, achievements along with fun selfies on their social media platforms, earn credits and ascend levels for your actions. This sounds like an awesome lot of fun, true Griffindore stuff. With year-round action.

This actually starts with something I think we all have in mind - since we all agreed that youth leadership is super inspirational, important that everyone should know: 5. Hold presentations, create exhibits, do spark Sessions for younger peers. We have everything here, and you have all the passion and skills to to organize inspirational presentations for others.

I am sure that people will love it! At schools, events and elsewhere. You can include fundraisers, campaigns and actions for your heroes right away.

What do you think of it? We have our exhibit, right here. What are your ideas, where can we organize exhibits, and presentations?

Do you feel ready, or is there anything else you feel you need?�

4 STRUCTURE OF SPARK SESSION + YEAR-ROUND FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

To-Do’s for sustaining the spirit The Spark Session is the big first step.

Students’ collective inspiration, shared vision and commitment are a solid foundation we can build on. From now on, any story, cause or unit we introduce related to global issues, youth leadership and changemaking will fall on fertile ground, spark energy, relational, creative and solution-oriented thinking, with a sense of following up with action.

But - beware! The unsustainable society, with its nonsense, dysfunctional memes, distorted priorities, destructive habits and distractions is everpresent ... in homes, peers, media and school.... and instantly overrides the brief positive upgrade. Yes, very bad. This is the typical result after workshops, conferences, speeches - return to boring, and no relevant personal or world change. Why? For lack of media, methods and support. We are changing this!

To-do’s: We need to make - hero roles models everpresent in daily life, and in class - youth leadership & changemaking part of life and school.

For teachers, it only takes 5 minutes a month.

For youth, it means having an awesome time, every day.

Reminder: “80% of human behaviour is shaped by role models.

Much of it subconsciously.” Copy-paste. Fill everyone up with the finest! Spirit makes all the difference. Solutions make all the difference. Behaviour change happens through prolongued exposure, not one session, not a quick “like” on facebook, but through cultivating the feelings - and manifesting them in action.

Spark Session OPTIONAL FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES

IN CLASS

AS STUDENT CLUB

IN OTHER PLACES

Instant Action

Exhibit at school

Presentation

Hero/ine of the Month exhibit with presentation and activities

Actions, from fundraisers to replication of model solutions

Spark Session

Exhibit UN Day Webcasts

Evolving the exhibit into an ISLE Actions

Integration in subject units

Presentations in class Change Generation Rising Warrior Clan

Field trips

Documenting activities online at YL and in local media

Before we look at the comprehensive and illustrated description of the Spark Session, let's sum up the media, methods, tools and services at your disposal to use before, during, and especially after the Spark Session.

1. AN ABUNDANCE OF MEDIA at the hands of teachers and students 2. ILLUSTRATION OF THE METHODS (esp. exhibits) for reaching out to the whole school community, involving them long-term, and making changemaking part of the world we live in and 21st century learning culture for youth leadership, co-creative citizenship and sustainable development 3. CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF MODEL SOLUTIONS implemented by the young hero/ines in the Spark Session tools, as well as by adult changemakers that students get access to 4. YEAR-ROUND SUPPORT- & ACTIVITY PROGRAM for youth and student clubs Clearly, these serve precious learning activities. Many of them will actually become clear, and be used as the year unfolds, as teachers and students become familiar with these resources, as opportunities arise, and as occasions and events bring particular global issues to people's attention and agenda, such as girls education (Malala, Bring our girls back), Day of Water, mini We Days, youth action days, bullying incidents, ocean issues etc.

5 VISUAL IMPRESSIONS OF MEDIA, METHODS, SUPPORT FOR YOUTH, TEACHERS, STUDENT CLUBS

6 THE DETAILED, COMMENTED

SPARK SESSION GUIDE

INTRO The Spark Session serves to > inspire youth - with change the world spirit > empower them - for making a real difference > equip them - for taking action Building the bridge to student-led follow-up activities through the school year requires us to > build a sense of shared vision for good > determine favourite causes > build teams > design an action plan This exercise can be completed in one session > a homework > 45-120 minutes, e.g. 2 lessons or half a day The Spark Session should be done with the entire class. This is the only time that YOU as a teacher are required to be prepared and fully involved.

Follow-up activities are managed > by student clubs > by inspired students (using a wall space) As teacher, you can add precious momentum > by being supportive and available on demand > by micro-presentations by inspired students on young heroes, on occasion of monthly UN theme days, posting their Hero Poster on the wall space You see? No stress on time, finance, training :-)

SPARK MATERIALS (1) The YL Card Game "Change Generation Rising" and / or the Poster Set "Children & Youth Leaders"

featuring 44 young changemakers around the world, and their teen-led model solutions for sustainability; available for download+printing in 20 languages.

(2) Our webpage, with video links for your students (3) A computer, for viewing videos in class.

To ensure an optimal viewing experience, you can download the videos and use a projector.

That's it. Easy. On top, both media sets have timeless value. They are everpresent, anchor youth leadership spirit in the classroom using minimal space, and students and teachers can use them on many occasions. The Spark Session makes sure that everybody knows and loves them as a powerpack of inspiration.

# 0 PRE-SESSION In order for everybody to tune in with high attention and be able to actively contribute to the Session, start with assigning a homework.

Distribute > a hero card or poster to each student > a sheet with the research task and links 1. Read the HeroIne's poster 2. Follow links for video, article, interview, website 3. Create a mindmap about the heroIne's journey and steps to success 4. Prepare for a 2 minute presentation in class, using the poster, mindmap, favourite photos, but rather not the video, due to limited time ~ 15-45 min Notes. Distribution only takes a couple of minutes.

Students may expect a normal homework. They will be surprised. These stories and videos are anything but normal, and already the first little Spark experience.

By now, students have had their first "disruptive experience" of awakening to the world of youth leadership and a feeling of "Youth We Can", looking forward to an interesting session at school.

OPTIONAL For the homework, you can give each student (a) the link to the entire gallery of heroInes, or (b) only their heroIne’s video weblink. Both is fine. a) Access to the full page allows them to follow their curiosity, experience YL as a freely accessible platform and community, and broaden their knowledge. This might be precious for the session and discussion. Also, it may reduce the risk of information overload during the session. b) If you wish to maximize suspense and surprise of the class experience, limit access to their own heroIne. The choice is up to your intuition.

NOTE The page also includes four extraordinary Spark Videos conveying the essentials of the world of youth leadership 1. a teen changemaker's journey 2. the most powerful teen movement of our time 3. adding fun and adventure to changemaking 4. most amazing twens, their spirit, their gatherings ~30 min They are essential part of the Spark Session group experience.

It may or may not be of advantage to view the videos twice before AND during the session. I think it depends on the group.

When working with a HIGHLY MOTIVATED group, I would ask them to view the videos at home. The second viewing in class enables us to deepen the experience, and focus on details - such as how the changemaker spirit is conveyed.

This is precious learning for their own future media work.

# 1 SESSION 1) PRESENTATIONS a) View Spark Video no.1: Craig Kielbuger, 10min b) Present Your HeroIne, poster+mindmap, 1-2 min Present 7 HeroInes, add poster to the wall c) View Spark Video no.2: We Day, 5min d) Present another 7 HeroInes, 1-2 min each e) View Spark Video no.3a+b: Lulu Cerone, 4 min f) Present another 7 HeroInes, 1-2 min each g) View Spark Video no.4: YES! Jams, 10min h) Present another 7 HeroInes, 1-2 min each ~ 75 min 2) EXPRESSION & DIALOGUE > Express your feelings. What was new to you?

What touched you most? What was most exciting? > Everybody take a pen and make your cross on the "Bull's Eye" graphics for visual feedback visible and memorable for everyone ~ 5 min

3) LOOKING AHEAD > "Who likes this, who wants more of this?" > "Who is willing to contribute to activities?" > "Who feels fired up to take action, and would like to join the heroes' initiatives?"

4) FAVOURITE CAUSES > “Which causes and heroes do you care for most?” > “If you had to choose one cause to join - now!

Which one is it? Form groups.” ~3 min 5) ACTION PLAN > “Formulate an action and strategy statement, using your poster and knowledge.”

Example: "We are joining Cassandra's TGIF initiative.

As a student club, we will connect restaurants and biofuel companies for turning used cooking oils into biofuels, and donate our profit share to social causes." ~5 min 6) OUTLOOK (closure of the session) > "I share your passion for youth-led initiatives for positive change. I would like to make it part of our monthly class activities*, and if you want to take action as a student club, you have my support." ~2 min * The "Hero of the Month" activity (see later)

By now, students - are deeply inspired - have presented a hero story - have seen most extraordinary videos - have broad knowledge of youth leaders - know dozens of teen-led model solutions - have aquired a worldview of Youth We Can - have experienced a shared sense of priority for positive change - have felt shared enthusiasm - have put themselves in the heroIne’s shoes - have selected favourite causes, found likehearted peers and explored steps of action - have access to quality media, solutions, community and support - feel confident and equipped to take action - know that they can establish a culture of youth leadership at school - have established alliance with their favourite and supportive teacher - know that they have the spirit, skills, tools and experience to inspire others

I have never experienced an exercise, workshop or conference with comparable potential.

Notes Depending on the available time, you will (not) be able to hear everybody's presentations, include videos etc.

The most important - the discovery of the exciting world of youth leadership, access to it via YL and option of self-organized action in youth and student clubs can even be achieved in a 45 min session.

Even if you are in a very conventional school, and can only make time for one single lesson, you should make sure to give your students this life-changing opportunity - inspired young people can take action in- and outside school.

Good opportunities are UNITED NATIONS Days. The ones respected also in the most conservative schools are the United Nations Day of Youth, and United Nations Day of Peace.

Still, if you have the chance to invest more time, go for it! I suggest a unit of 90min + 45min (+week-end with #2 activities) + 45min, for a complete experience.

Then follow-up.

Congratulations to a successful Spark Session!

THE ROLE OF TEACHERS TEACHERS are important, even though 95% of activities are in the hands of students.

1. as supportive contact on demand, for permission of school activities, leave for presentations, media interviews etc.

2. for a micro-exhibit in class, that sustains the presence of youth-led changemaking in class, and helps the YL student club to maximise their presence and impact on peers and learning culture.

You can help them by sustaining presence of youth leadership, global awareness and a sense of action in the classroom with these three simple steps: 1. Keep a YL Card Game, and Poster Set folder in the classroom 2. Maintain a small wall space as Hero Poster miniExhibit 3. Assign a presentation task to a couple of students “Present the HeroIne(s) of the Month, taking action on current UN Days of the month: Girls, Peace, Water...�

This easy, gentle linkage and colaboration of class activity and student club is a precious and powerful synergy. More on the next page.

Keep up the same kind of activity year-round with a mini-exhibit in class. Brief presentations on HeroInes taking action on important global issues addressed by the UN Days of the month make youth-led action for sustainability part of life.

It takes only minutes, and has profound value for students' worldview, active students, student clubs and learning culture.

Present in 2 minutes, as you are already used to. Stick the poster to a small Wall Exhibit space in class + add a blank sheet of paper for ideas and optional activities. If you have a YL student club, they will manage these activities.

Please consider: It is extremely helpful and beneficial for the club of passionate young changemakers, so that their efforts and presence be not limited to stands in corridors during breaks (when the attention of the mass of students is directed to chatting, relaxation, eating, ... and boredom, solitude and bullying). They work hard to keep their spirit up, uplift others and make a difference for people in need, our societies and the planet. To-date, They are our finest, yet often neglected, bullied, burned out by peers and uncaring teachers. Some of our HeroInes are the ONLY ONE at a school of 2,000. Please help motivated young people achieve. This monthly minipresentation and exhibit can nurture a different generation. www.youth-leader.org/about/education.html www.youth-leader.org/calendar.html

FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES It is good to add a quick instant action as closing step of the Spark Session for one of the HeroInes.

This is easy.

And then, other activities that take a little more effort.

# 2 ACTIVITY 7) TAKE AN INSTANT ACTION "You love it, you know how to do it, now be the change you want to see. Manifest your action statement, using your HeroIne's Take Action Kit, and evolving your own ideas."

This can be > A QUICK FUNDRAISER in class, and also in school with bake sales etc for - Lulu’s water projects in Uganda - Hassan’s rural girls literacy training in Pakistan - Daniella’s partner schools in India and Uganda - Usha’s (adult) self-defense trainings for girls - or a Book Drive for Julia and Emma’s project > A BIGGER ACTIVITY, like - researching the local situation on “grease-tobiofuel”, “donate don’t dump”, “wetland species conservation”, “local water issues” etc.(Cassandra, Gabrielle, Avalon, Robyn) Will some even take a Vegan Challenge (Chloe) ?

It takes little time, but some can be completed in just hours! They involve interesting steps, gather precious information and can lead to big action.

The choice depends on your environment.

8) REFLECT > Assess your activity, success and satisfaction using your own "Bulls Eye" graphics, share with us.

9) DECIDE "How about making this a lifestyle, keep going, and take your actions to another level?" > Form a student club > Register with Youth-LeadeR as YL Warrior Clan

YL Action Packs for each HeroIne completement their stories, videos and website. They can be used as Teaching Tools and as Action Kits. Students are well familiar with them, since they have already browsed them for their initial research and Mission Statements before and during the Spark Session.

Action Tips are categorized in levels from 0 to 4, in respect to the challenge. This is the kind of activities pursued by YL student clubs on a monthly basis. www.youth-leader.org/media/action-packs.html www.youth-leader.org/about/student-clubs.html

Notes.

I suggest a small activity at this stage, (and bigger ones in Step #4) to give everybody a taste of youth leadership. Depending on the initiative, they vary from online to hands-on local activity, research to giving presentations, fundraisers to campaigns, and contributing to expert platforms. They can take an hour, a day, one or two weeks. Each project is precious! Each has the potential to "make considerable waves", gain media presence, build a colaborative network, result in speaking requests and more. Each delivers quick results, from learning to impact, as well as assessment of local potentials, in case that the project is difficult to implement locally.

By now, students - have a first changemaking experience - with real life impact, maybe media presence - with shared fun, satisfaction and reflection - know what youth leadership is about - can have a dialogue with our heroInes - can keep going in self-organized ways - have built a bond as friends or club

I know of no comparable activity program offering such instant opportunity for concrete changemaking experience with real world results.

# 3 SPREAD THE SPIRIT 10) SPREAD THE SPIRIT You have made all the necessary experiences to spread the spirit to others. > Present to younger peers > Present to school, with an Exhibit > even with Activities You can organize - video sessions - exhibits - distribute cards or posters, asking the group to - present the HeroInes to the group - fundraisers, like bake sales - campaigns and petitions - human frog chorus performance - book drives

* HOW EXCITING *

This experience of inspiring + mobilizing + equipping many others + integrating relevant world changing activities in a presentation is very precious!

It is rare and very difficult to do - unless you have the quality and mass of YL media and activities and support programs.

By now, students - have a first speaking experience - have experienced peers’ positive reaction - might have mobilized more club members - may have sparked a club at another school - may have contributed big to another heroIne’s initiative through fundraisers, book drives, campaigns, petitions etc embedded in their presentation or exhibit - know that each of them has the power to set a strong spark in another school, potentially unfolding to reach hundreds for year-round action

# 4 GO BIG 11) GO PUBLIC > Present / Exhibit at other schools > Present / Exhibit at events and conferences You have made the experiences, tested your skills, you know your tools to reach out, inspire and mobilize audiences.

12) TAKE ACTION > Take action on a solution > Document your activities, get into media

By now, you have come across many examples of youth leadership and solutions, have experience with presentation, activities, impact on audiences that you are well prepared to take on causes you are really passionate about - with as much impact as the young changemakers you have got to know.

ISN’T THIS AWESOME? AND YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR FIRST MONTH.

# 5 DOCUMENT ACTIVITIES

Documentation is part of the experience, for 1. an exercise in positive change media culture, conveying vivid spirit and action steps for informing, inspiring and mobilizing people, like we have experienced it in the Spark Videos and heroInes' stories 2. mobilizing the public for building the reach and impact of your project, like our heroInes 3. inspiring the YL student club community 4. encouraging youth and teachers to follow their example 5. contributing to our heroInes’ initiatives 6. documenting your student club activity for school 7. building precious content for your CV The next page shows a collection of simple, vibrant images from Julia and Emma’s facebook stream. You can tell why and how the media respond.

By now, you have - joined the world of changemaking - have inspired others, as a mobilizer - taken life-changing action - mobilized people - pioneered positive change media culture a new, precious and powerful way of communication - applied by the world’s most successful changemakers and media makers Check back on the amazing Spark Videos, Lulu’s, Julia and Emma’s nationwide media coverage and growing success.

This is what you have begin to learn now. You are ahead of even the most progressive journalism schools exploring “solution-oriented journalism” etc.

- since your work builds the bridge to instant action by the reader.

You are becoming a pro!

After one session, you have ascended to a bright new world far beyond and unknown to your peers, parents, teachers and local experts.

After one week, you have made the first life changing impacts and formed a team.

After one month, you have inspired others, tested and unfolded your skills, made it into the media.

You have entered the path of the YL Warrior.

Now imagine yourself after one year.

After three years. By the time you leave school.

Do you sense the unlimited potentials for every part of your life? For our generation? For civilization?

For all species? For the planet?

Are you joining?

7 SERVICES TO INTEGRATE CHANGEMAKING INTO LEARNINGCULTURE

“HEROINE OF THE MONTH” MINI-EXHIBIT Keep up the same kind of activity year-round with a miniexhibit in class. Brief presentations on HeroInes taking action on important global issues addressed by the UN Days of the month make youth-led action for sustainability part of life. It takes only minutes, and has profound value for students' worldview, active students, student clubs and learning culture.

Present in 2 minutes, as you are already used to. Stick the poster to a small Wall Exhibit space in class + add a blank sheet of paper for ideas and optional activities. If you have a YL student club, they will manage these activities.

Please consider: It is extremely helpful and beneficial for the club of passionate young changemakers, so that their efforts and presence be not limited to stands in corridors during breaks (when the attention of the mass of students is directed to chatting, relaxation, eating, ... and boredom, solitude and bullying). They work hard to keep their spirit up, uplift others and make a difference for people in need, our societies and the planet. They are no less than our finest. our future social entrepreneurs and cultural creatives, the ones naturally inclined to fixing our broken societies.They are the epitome of aware, active youth that “everybody wishes for” in media, education manifestos, families and the UN. I call them our “new highly gifted”. But - the reality is twisted: to-date, they are often neglected, bullied by peers, frustrated and disencouraged by uncaring teachers, sabotaged by principals, even aggressed by unsustainable industry and media. Some of our HeroInes are the ONLY ONE at a school of 2,000. Please help motivated young people achieve. This monthly mini-presentation and exhibit can nurture a different generation. www.youth-leader.org/about/education.html

INFORMAL SUSTAINABILITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. ISLE Summary of The Science behind YL: - 80% of human behaviour is shaped by role models.

- The young generation can only grow into inhabitants and cocreators of a global, peaceful, just, thriving and sustainable civilization, if their days are filled with worldview, thinking, passion and actions of “heroInes”.

- In a sustainable, and in a change generation, earth stewardship and changemaking are necessarily part of learning culture; not in theory and observation only, but in experiential practice with tangible impact.

- We experience this “upgrade” when viewing the Spark Videos, when discussing, planning and implementing action in the Spark Session - via information, inspiration, solutions, tools, dialogue, co-learning and instant action opportunities.

Applying this knowledge at school We can make this practice part of daily life at school through constant interactive multimedia exhibits with posters and films, fundraisers, optional activities - with changing themes month by month. In fact, this is what social entrepreneur-“hubs” do, co-working spaces for “people with good ideas for the world”.

I call this an informal sustainability learning environment, ISLE, a vital part of 21st century learning culture. It is simply a bigger replication of the mini-Exhibit, managed by the most “change action passionate” youth across classes - the YL student club - aligned with their priority values, benefitting the entire school. www.youth-leader.org/about/science.html www.youth-leader.org/about/education.html

“UNITED NATIONS DAYS OF THE MONTH” ACTIVITIES + WEBCASTS

I have repeatedly mentioned a year-round flow of activities tuned to monthly changing themes.

Choosing UNITED NATIONS International Days are the logical choice. They - cover a lot of global issues - are well respected in schools - mobilize civil society, media and governments They are excellent opportunity for doing “something special” in class and looking at the bigger picture.

Our large amount of heroInes and model solutions easily covers each UN Day’s theme, and thus serves not only schools, but also the UN’s purpose of - sensibilizing the global citizenry on global issues - enabling sound action for overcoming challenges For every month, we offer multimedia resources and role models for selected UN Theme Days, exciting activities and real hero speakers via “live” webcast.

It is a perfect win-win for schools, the UN, heroInes and YL student clubs teachers, enabling teachers to plan with interweave YL offers with the school year. www.youth-leader.org/calendar.html

!

YL SPEAKERS There is nothing more inspirational and important for selfdevelopment than encounters with the heroInes themselves.

This is true for any kind of role models, from musicians to athletes, mothers or entrepreneurs. Also us changemakers thrive on such encounters! Just check out the podiums from Bioneers to Ashoka Globalizers.

So far, it has been difficult to find speakers with real experience in the field, and good educational methods and resources for easy integration in conventional schools, be it for units or special occasions.

We are changing this. Our heroInes are in big demand around the globe, by schools, events and the UN. Our benchmark is extraordinary: proven model solution, well documented, replicable by young people, accessible for support. on top, we offer our media, methods and community!

We offer you -friendly, personal encounters with the most outstanding young full blooded changemakers on Earth - an action-oriented experience - eye-level encounter by personal action on the cause - followup action opportunity with the heroInes - quality media for preparation and follow-up - follow-up action as part of a global community of like-hearted youth taking action with the heroInes This means that the encounter + the relevance + impact + learning dimensions + follow-up are far more deep, rich and powerful than conventional speaking offers. YL Speakers are available onsite and online, for schools and events. Please consider that they are 24/7 changemakers, and make sure to contribute to their causes. That’s what learning is all about. www.youth-leader.org/speakers

CHANGE GENERATION RISING We offer you media.

We offer you action packs and methods.

We offer you exhibits, speakers and webcasts.

But we think there is need for more to really make things flow.

There is so much happening at school, around the year, in the world, on social media - that it really helps to have STRUCTURE. Not as rigid as school days. But like sports clubs. With regular dates, tools, tasks, community, action, impact, feedback and celebration.

This structure uplifts us and also makes us keep going when we have a low phase. Life today poses too many low phases and burn-outs to ask us to stay n high energy all the time.

That’s why we make changemaking - a sport for youth and student clubs - a reality adventure game - with seasons, fun, performance, champions - with vivid docu of your actions and achievements YL Warrior Clans take 3 Monthly Missions, with Heroes, replicating solutions all over the planet, earning credits for impact and headlines made, ascending levels for completed quests. With unprecedented value for personal development, CVs(!) and lifelong opportunity.

This is true Griffindore stuff.

The greatest youth leadership program ever.

And it’s for real! www.youth-leader.org/cgrising www.cgrising.com

www.youth-leader.org/about/student-clubs.html

www.youth-leader.org/about/infographic.html

GETTING STARTED

View the Spark Videos www.youth-leader.org/spark

Browse the YL Card Game, order as many sets as you like at www.youth-leader.org/cardgame

Browse the Hero Poster Gallery, download and print posters at www.youth-leader.org/posters/youth.html

Then, just get started!

It is very simple, and this guide book way too long.

Enjoy!

Please document your activity, and share it with us. We will include it in our educational materials to inspire others.

Get in touch with us any time. contact@youth.leader.org