Making Change Project

NOTE: This is a concept, an idea – so far. If you have any ideas about funding this project or would like to be involved, please let me know! Leave a comment below!

My daughter and I sat quietly one summer evening, enjoying our backyard and chatting about our vacation plans, our days, and the beautiful night time sky. After a moment of silence, she turned to look at me intensely and said “Mom, we’re so lucky – I want to help other people have what we have!”

The first thought that crossed my mind was “Great!” I want her to care about our world and to look for ways to give back or help. I also believe in the power of youthful creativity and vision – because our children are authentic and innovative by nature, often seeing solutions that we’ve missed or dismissed!

My second thought was “Yeah, but…” She may only be ten years old, but I still want to teach her to do more than just donate my money.

Children are naturally empathetic and we’re encouraging them to care about the world. Our schools include classroom time and projects teaching social responsibility and social justice  to ensure we raise socially responsible citizens. I’ve seen it at my own childrens’ school – students passionately want to do something to help the third world children they are taught about, to save the environment, to eradicate prejudice and poverty, to feed the hungry, or to care for animals.

We, as adults, must not miss this opportunity to teach our highly engaged children about finding their passions, recognizing their unique strengths, and putting that caring into action – teaching them to set goals, research options, find creative solutions, and build business plans that make their caring “real” for those that need help!

There are more and more signs that our global economic and social systems are struggling – buyouts, incentive packages, bankruptcies, divorce, bullying, war… Our next generation must care about more than profits – they must learn early and be equipped with the skills and tools to consider their environmental, social and economic footprint.

We cannot solve our problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. – Albert Einstein

The world is changing and we need to embrace dramatically different models for doing business – models that put an emphasis on values and ethics in all business, not just non-profit. This project will plant that seed with our next generation – allowing them to both learn and practice real world business and leadership skills within a socially conscious framework.

Teaching our children to think this way now builds our societal capacity for both making and sustaining change – whether they become conscientious and proactive employees, passionate volunteers or socially minded entrepreneurs. By honoring them for who they are and equipping them to navigate this changing world, we prepare them to be contributing and discerning citizens of our society.

The “Making Change” Program

Students will ask themselves:

1) Who am I? What are my strengths and what do I care about? (Self Knowledge)

• Individual Coaching – one on one discussion to help students explore their own interests, abilities and strengths.
• Community mentorship resource pool – building a group of community/business people, secondary school and/or post secondary student volunteers available as mentors. Build relationships with business programs at local post secondary institutions.

2) Who else cares about the same stuff I do? What kind of help is needed? (Community Building)

• “Making a Difference” Fair and web info – gather and share information about local charities. Including types of assistance that each organization needs (in order to focus kids on providing the help that people need, rather than what we think they need)
• Online Social Media Network – to provide the ability for students to safely network with other students with similar interests, to collaborate and discuss ideas. This capitalizes on the creative and collaborative online presence that is familiar to students today. In addition, online social networking is quickly becoming the new standard for marketing and business building. This may be achieved by taking advantage of existing social media tools or by customizing a web site specifically for the “Making Change” program.

3) What’s my plan? (Taking Concepts to Business Plans)

• Ongoing Mentor Groups – help students “network” with small groups of other students with diverse skills and interests. Match with community mentor(s) to assist in business model and plan creation. These groups will then provide support during business plan implementation.
• Volunteer Boards of Directors – organize volunteer business leaders to sit on Boards of Directors for students to present their business plans to and receive feedback from.
• Portfolios – Develop or customize online tools for documenting student goals, measurements and progress.

4) Now how do I do that? (Learning and Practicing Real-World Skills)

• “Making it Real” workshop series – a set of workshops designed to teach students real world leadership, marketing, communication, new social media and business skills that will help them make change in our world.
• Funding Options – develop “business start-up” funding for student ventures (when needed). Coordinate local micro-loaning or student banking (could be through a banking partner or by setting up a public donation/micro-loan website)

5) How will we celebrate? (Recognizing Accomplishments)

• Share with the community: Documentary Production, website information, social media presence, promotion through traditional media, presentations to all partners, city councils, and business associations.
• The Party! An opportunity for all students to show how they planned and implemented changes in our world, what they learned and what they might like to do next.