Unit 4: Campaigning for change

This unit helps you develop your campaigning skills. You already know each other well as a group and know what issues you want to take action on. You know about the wider community and which people and groups are likely to support your aims. You need to reach them effectively and gain their support. To do that, you need to know how to campaign for change and also making that step between the local action that needs to take place and communicating that on a global level.

The methods you need depend on what you are trying to achieve, who you need to influence, the context in which you are working and the resources you have available. The activities in this unit look to give you the basic building blocks, which can be adapted or arranged in different ways depending on your needs and circumstance. Because of the range of methods and examples given, you will find this unit a bit longer than the others.

• Creating a clear message
• Getting the message across
• Keeping the campaign alive

Young people from schools across Leeds identified improving their school environment as a priority for change. Working with the Youth On Health group, they carried out research on environmental issues in their area and came up with a string of proposals to take back to their schools. Through the school council and discussions with the Head teachers things began to change in many schools across the country.

‘We spoke to the school council about getting more recycling bins in school and setting up stalls to raise money. We talked about litter in class and ran a poster competition as well as a making a ‘wheel’ to tell people the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of recycling.

A number of schools have introduced recycling stations for paper, plastic bottles, tin and compost as well as investing in compost bins for fruit and kitchen waste. The groups have developed their understanding of energy reduction and are encouraging people to turn off TVs, play stations, stereos and not leave anything on standby. Some schools have introduced Electricity Monitors, who turn lights of during breaks and after school.

Below are the three aims of the unit. Use activity sheet 27 to rate your current knowledge. Give yourself a personal score on the scale 1-2-3-4-5. 1 is low and 5 is high. What proof do you have? Refer to the list in the Introduction for examples of what might be good sources of evidence. This is particularly important if you are using this unit to gain credits towards an award. What score would you give yourselves as a group?

Download the Unit 4 - What Do We Know worksheet

4.1 Creating a clear message

• 4.1(a) In The Picture
• 4.1(b) Read All About It
• 4.1(c) Spinning A Line

4.2 Getting the message across

• 4.2(a) Listen To This
• 4.2(b) Taking The Mike
• 4.2(c) On The Spot
• 4.2(d) Web Power

4.3 Keeping the campaign alive

• 4.3(a) Finding The Target
• 4.3(b) The Big Event
• 4.3(c) Back Off

Unit Review