How to support students to be Changemakers?
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
— Margaret Mead
Your youth are the next generation of citizens to change the world. How will you empower them to do it?
It is a fact that young people are going to inherit a world that where the number of problems is outrun by the number of solutions. The only way we are going to change that is to support youth to start and advance as changemakers, so that the number of solutions outruns the number of problems. This document is tailored to adults and teachers to learn a framework on how to support youth in their life to change the world for good. The document outlines what it takes to start and advance in the Changemaker Journey.
“Everyone a Changemaker” Movement
In our world today, we can easily say that the number
of problems outrun the number of solutions.
In order to flip this around, we need to increase the number of solutions—the number of
Changemakers.
“The key factor of success for any society going forward is what percentage of its people are changemakers. It’s the new literacy. And empathy is the foundation of that new way of being.”
—Arne Duncan, USA
Former Secretary of Education
A CHANGEMAKER IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO CONSISTENTLY PRACTICES:
COGNITIVE EMPATHY
Develops deep cognitive empathy to actively listen and notice social problems, however small they are
NEW LEADERSHIP
Develops resilience and leadership in the pursuit of solving social issues from a young age
TEAMWORK
Equips himself, his teams, and his communities to collaborate to work on meaningful solutions
CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
Applies critical thinking to come up with innovative solutions to address complex issues
Becoming a Changemaker
A Changemaker recognizes that they can make a difference and gives themselves permission
to advance change for the good of all
Video
How might we empower and support our students to be Changemakers?
The Changemaker Journey
The Changemaker Journey
The Changemaker Journey
This a map that delineates the journey of a Changemaker, which consists of four main steps. The following pages are a toolkit for you to help youth to experience the Changemaker journey. Each step includes resources alongside an introduction, video, outcomes, activities, and discussions with questions that prompt youth to explore the stage they are on and continue moving forward in their Changemaker journey.
The Changemaker Journey
Contents
Step 1: Spark
Spark is the moment of finding the power within, and letting yourself use it to create positive change.
Spark
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Outcomes
Activities
Click each activity for details
No More Fear
“Overcome fear of failure by failing”
“Recognize how much we have in common.”
“Connect students to causes by trying new things!”
“Why, Why, Why, Why, Why?!?!?!?!”
“Let me show you how I feel…”
Discussion
Step 2: First Action
The next step is to take action. Youth need to experiment, which moves them closer towards a solution.
First Action
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Outcomes
Activities
“How you empathize with a problem and find its solution”
“Learn to present ideas quickly but powerfully”
“Become a creator for a sec--just DO IT!”
“Put your ideas together and see what can happen!”
Discussion
Step 3: Appreciate
Appreciation builds the momentum that propels youth to commit to long term action.
Appreciate
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Outcomes
Activities
”What are the ideas moving forward?”
“Share successes in the areas youth have been working on”
“Take time to feel the wonder”
“Develop the best way to appreciate each other”
Discussion
Step 4: Change
Change is where youth realize their awesome potential and have a path to get there.
Change
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Outcomes
Activities
“Make a plan for your venture”
“Learn to network with the right people”
“Make a life plan”
Discussion
“A world full of light,
love, and laughter. Its
time has come. Let’s
make it happen.”
-Sadhguru
Everyone a Changemaker
Appendix
Who is Ashoka?
Ashoka is a global community of leading social entrepreneurs. In a world defined by constant change, Ashoka helps people, organizations, and communities activate their Changemaking power and shift mindsets to respond to change differently, for the good of all.
Discussion Methods
Spark
First Action
Appreciate
Change
Additional Resources
No More Fear Exercise
Time: 30-50 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
People: 8-30
Materials: Suggestion sheet, Phone (optional)
Description:
Fear of failure is a barrier to success. In order to overcome fear, you need to first be able to embrace it through exposure. Once the fear of failure is overcome, confidence, creativity and opportunity for success increase. This game is designed to challenge you to fail as many times as possible by asking semi-outrageous requests.
Steps:
#WeHearYou
Time: 45 min
Difficulty: Easy
People: 8-30
Materials: Question sheet, timer
Description:
Empathy between strangers can be accelerated by asking and answering personal questions. “One key pattern associated with the development of a close relationship among peers is sustained, escalating, reciprocal, personal self-disclosure.” This activity fosters empathy through mutual vulnerability by asking a series of 36 questions divided into three sets intended to be more probing than the last. →Discussion Activity for: Why Empathy Matters
Steps:
1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?
3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?
6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?
7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?
8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.
9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?
11. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.
12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?
13. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?
14. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
15. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?
16. What do you value most in a friendship?
17. What is your most treasured memory?
18. What is your most terrible memory?
19. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?
20. What does friendship mean to you?
21. What roles do love and affection play in your life?
22. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.
23. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s?
24. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?
25. Make three true “we” statements each. For instance, “We are both in this room feeling ... “
26. Complete this sentence: “I wish I had someone with whom I could share ... “
27. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him/her to know.
28. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest, say things that you might not to someone you’ve just met.
29. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.
30. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?
31. Tell your partner something that you like about them already.
32. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
33. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet?
34. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?
35. Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?
36. Share a personal problem and ask your partner’s advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.
Time: 1-2 weeks
Difficulty: Hard
People: 8-30
Materials:
Quest Packet
Description:
In order to see real growth, we often have to move outside our “comfort zone.” With the help of your teacher(s) and teammates, you will be given an epic quest! This quest will challenge you to do something, be somewhere or meet someone which you may not have on your own. You may be asked to talk with strangers, visit a new part of town or do something you would not normally do. Your personal quest may take some time to complete. It could be a few days to a week. Your ability to appreciate the people and practices that you encounter in your quest will help you understand them. As you complete your quest, you will develop empathy and gain exposure to unfamiliar environments.
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
People: 8-30
Materials:
Paper and pen
Description:
You can empathize with other people, social issues and yourself better by asking the question: “Why?” The purpose of this activity is to help you dig deeper and more fully understand people and the problems they face. This will allow you to find better solutions.
Steps
Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
People: 2+
Materials:
Paper and pen
Description:
In order to pinpoint situations that are personal to you and in need of innovative change, it helps to visually draw a map. The map can be of a place where you have noticed an issue (e.g., home, school, community). By drawing a map and marking locations that foster positive or negative emotions, you will be able to recognize important problems and some of the core reasons behind them.
Steps
Resources
Videos
Activities
Articles
Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Hard
People: 2+
Materials:
Paper, pen and building materials
Description:
Innovative and successful solutions come through deeply empathizing with the people you’re designing for by immersing yourself in their lives and asking them questions. From the knowledge you gain, you can generate a lot of ideas and prototype possible solutions to tailor fit their specific needs. This activity will help you to get a better feel for how this is done.
Steps:
Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
People: 1+
Materials:
Paper and pen
Description
Your success hinges on your ability to share your idea with others. In order to share efficiently, you need to be able to communicate your idea succinctly and with power. People respond best when things are explained as simply as possible. To this end, you need to prepare an “elevator pitch!” An elevator pitch is a brief explanation of your idea. So brief, in fact, that you could explain the whole thing in the course of one short elevator ride! Having this pitch prepared will make it easier for you to share your idea at times when it counts the most.
Steps
Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
People: 5+
Materials:
Building materials (e.g., cardboard, paper, scissors, glue, paper clips, string, etc.
Description
It can be easy to get caught up in the immensity of a problem. At times, this can hinder us from taking action. It is important to learn to let go of these fears, and simply act. This game aims at helping you let go of inhibitions by engaging in the design process and by putting you through a “trial by fire.” You won’t have much time to think, but remember, something is always better than nothing!
Steps
Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
People:
Materials: Sticky notes, markers
Description:
Great ideas should be rewarded! Case competitions (school or class wide) are ways to share ideas in bulk, and hear about how others have thought about creating solutions for specific problems. This allows for ideas to be rubbed against each other, and for the best ones to be implemented on a larger scale.
Steps
Resources
Videos
Prototyping styles (Articles and activities)
Time: 3 weeks
Difficulty: Hard
People: Student body President, film people
Materials:
Description:
This is a chance for youth to see what their peers have been doing sparking additional people through validating youth and their individual efforts.
Steps
Time:
Difficulty:
People:
Materials:
Description
Students have the opportunity to highlight their progress in the changemaker journey showing what they have done and share their story with peers. Have a mini Film festival of service.
Steps
Time: 1 week
Difficulty: Easy
People: 2-30
Materials: pen and paper/ journal or camera
Description
Too often we forget to appreciate the little things that surround us and give our lives meaning. This week long challenge is to look for five things to appreciate each day. By doing this, you will begin to see the immense potential that surrounds you, as well as the potential within yourself.
Steps
Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Hard
People: 2+
Materials:
Paper, pen and building materials
Description
Innovative and successful solutions come through deeply empathizing with the people you’re designing for by immersing yourself in their lives and asking them questions. From the knowledge you gain, you can generate a lot of ideas and prototype possible solutions to tailor fit their specific needs. This activity will help you to get a better feel for how this is done.
Steps
Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Hard
People: 2+
Materials:
Paper, pen and building materials
Description
To really appreciate someone you are going to need to deeply empathize with them by immersing yourself in their lives and asking them questions. From the knowledge you gain, you can generate a lot of ideas and take the first actions to fit their specific needs. Use the guidelines of this activity to understand how best to appreciate others.
Steps
Resources
People
Outlets
Videos
Time: Variable
Difficulty: Hard
People: 10+
Materials: Venue, refreshments
Description
Networking party This is a chance for youth to meet and greet with people who are in contact with social issues around them. This could become a monthly or quarterly thing.
Steps
Time: 1 Hour
Difficulty: Easy
People: 4-30
Materials: Pen, Paper
Description
Youth can try several methods of planning or mapping of their project or life. They will use mind mapping, SMART goal setting, and card sorting to give youth a vision for the future.
Steps
Resources
Connections
Inspiration