Changemakers: inspiring great achievements
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One of the Curriculum Council’s most popular endorsed programs, Anglicare WA Changemakers, is inspiring young people across the State to do great things.
At Dongara District High School in the Mid-West, Year 11 students mobilized their whole school to participate in a youth banner project which promoted youth culture in the close-knit community.
Dongara’s Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) teacher, Caryn Stokes, said the project was successful because it provided the opportunity for students to take risks and meet challenges.
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She said the students developed confidence as well as organisational, project management and entrepreneurial skills and these skills will translate directly into employability skills.
“The project also helped develop a sense of pride in the community for all those involved,” Ms Stokes said.
The project attracted the support of the Shire of Irwin, the local Youth Advisory Council, the Country Arts Network of WA and the Blue Ocean Gallery & Art Studios.
Ms Stokes said her students did a great job of planning and implementing the project, which included creating a design brief, undertaking training in how to model a workshop and then delivering the workshop to local primary school students.
“From the 40 resulting banner designs chosen by the Changemakers students and the Youth Advisory Council, community members were invited to vote on their top 16 designs,” she said.
“The winning students, who ranged in age from five to 17, were then invited to a two-day painting workshop to transfer their designs onto the official banners.
“As well as the arts experience, my students also evaluated the project, designed and developed certificates of appreciation and ran the official launch event, which was attended by more than 550 people.”
The Curriculum Council’s endorsed programs coordinator, Leanne Meldrum, said Changemakers is popular because the framework provides guidance while allowing for flexibility within the projects.
Changemakers WA project manager, Libby Winchcombe, said schools from the Kimberley to the Great Southern are implementing a wide range of young person-led community involvement projects through the Changemakers program.
In addition to the banner project, students have undertaken child minding for teachers, organised school socials, a morning tea to raise money for the Breast Cancer Foundation, a car wash to raise money for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), a fashion parade to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and collected food and clothing for charity.
Ms Winchcombe said the strengths of the program include its clear structure, its proven formula (it has been operating in the UK since 1994), the strong support materials available and the low cost of implementation.
“The program engages young people in ‘active citizenship’ and offers learning beyond the classroom,” she said.
“The program can also be used with any group, for example high-achievers through to students at educational risk, and it can also be integrated into the curriculum.
“Interest in the program has been strong, particularly from regional schools.”
For more information about the Changemakers program, visit the following link on the Curriculum Council website: |
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Last Updated:
30/ 05/
2008 15:36
