ESCAPING APATHY

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ESCAPING APATHY

• Grassroots Student Leadership
• February 2007

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What are we talking about?

• Apathy a state of indifference, often leading
  to learned helplessness
• Grassroots Leadership leadership by the members
  of a community, rather than by the traditional
  power structures of that community

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What are we talking about?

• Youth Engagement the meaningful participation
  and sustained involvement of a young person in an
  activity, with a focus outside of him or herself
• Activism intentional action to bring about
  change (social, political, etc.)
• Leadership the process of influencing the
  behaviour of other people toward group goals in a
  way that fully respects their freedom

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What are we talking about?

• Social Justice a state of society in which
  there is equality and justice for all people
• Environment the sum of the total elements,
  factors, and conditions in our surroundings which
  affect our development, action, or survival

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What are the benefits of grassroots student
leadership?

• For the student
• Increases knowledge, experience, credibility
• Increases competence and, consequently,
  confidence
• Creates the feeling that a difference is being
  made, leading to a sense of empowerment
• Provides creative and productive outlet for
  energy
• Connects students to others in the school and
  community

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What are the benefits of grassroots student
leadership?

• For the school and community
• Provides energy for initiatives that staff
  members dont have the resources to address
• Service projects
• Increases intergenerational bonds
• Attracts other students who may in turn gain from
  the experience
• Helps school to meet students needs
• Improves the image of the school

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Goals of this Workshop

• Discuss the meaning of grassroots student
  leadership.
• Provide examples of grassroots student
  leadership.
• Discuss the support necessary/helpful for
  grassroots student leadership.
• Brainstorm ways of enhancing grassroots student
  leadership in your school.

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What is ESCAPE?

• Esquimalt
• Students
• Caring
• About
• Peace the
• Environment

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ESCAPE Projects

• Social Justice
• Amnesty International
• Womens Rights
• Peace Poppies
• Buy Nothing Day
• Remembrance Day presentations
• Environment
• Earth Week
• Waste Weigh-In
• HSSAF
• Water Awareness
• Petitioning

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Other Clubs

• Interact
• EYCI
• GSA
• Political Club
• Chess Club
• Meditation Club

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Interact International Action

• Youth branch of Rotary International
• Local Projects
• Seniors Prom
• Hunger Helpers
• MDGs awareness
• International Projects
• 30 Hour Fast (Stephen Lewis Foundation)
• Uganda
• blankets and medical supplies
• Operation Christmas Child

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EYCI

• Esquimalt
• Youth
• Combating
• Intolerance
• Cultural Awareness
• Current Events/Multicultural Bulletin Board

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GSA

• Gay/Straight Alliance
• GSA Spring Dance
• Conferences
• Support network

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Political Club

• Political Awareness Week
• Take Control Vote campaign
• Leader Roleplays
• All Candidates Meetings
• Student Vote

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Supports for Student Leadership

• School Culture
• Administration
• Teacher Sponsors
• Classroom integration of activism
• Mixed grade interaction, sustainable leadership

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Supports for Student Leadership

• School Culture
• builds momentum (a school that is known for
  activism attracts activists)
• At Esquimalt
• supportive administration, teachers, and
  custodial staff
• many student clubs
• Food Services Industry Training
• Graphics Program

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Supports for Student Leadership

• Administration
• many activities that affect the schools
  population and/or image must be approved by
  administration
• in order for activism to develop, administration
  must be supportive and accessible to students

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Supports for Student Leadership

• Teacher Sponsors
• provide support and advice to students
• increase credibility
• help with continuity of the group
• serve as the contact for many outside
  organizations and the link between schools

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Supports for Student Leadership

• Classroom integration of activism
• possible in almost every class
• exposes students who otherwise would not become
  involved
• allows/encourages development of skills useful in
  activism

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Classroom integration of activism

• Humanities
• letter writing
• public speaking
• media literacy
• human rights issues
• activist profiles
• civic engagement
• debating

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Classroom integration of activism

• Sciences
• climate change awareness
• scientific analysis/evaluation of an issue
• genetic engineering
• renewable resource energy sources
• hydrogen technology
• learning about developing technology, lifetimes
  of certain substances
• plastic
• uranium
• practice developing an argument based on
  scientific data
• resource conservation

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Classroom integration of activism

• Math
• evaluation of graphs (for potential bias)
• surveys (buying and transportation habits)

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Supports for Student Leadership

• Mixed grade interaction, sustainable leadership

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Sustainable Leadership

• Integrate relationships
• split classes
• interclass projects
• identifying potential among grade nines
• Awareness of senior student leaders
• mentoring
• delegating
• Role of teacher sponsors

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How do clubs relate to the rest of the school
population?

• Bridge to classroom learning
• Hallway initiatives

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Classroom Initiatives

• Write for Rights
• MDGs Millennium Development Goals
• HSSAF High School Sustainability Assessment
• Presentations by Community Groups

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Hallway Initiatives

• International Peace Day Peace Poppy Campaign
• Buy Nothing Day clothing swap, book exchange,
  food giveaway
• International Womens Day Musical March
• Petitions, postcard campaigns

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or both

• Adbusts
• Waste Weigh-In

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Community Resources

• WCWC Western Canada Wilderness Committee
• Sierra Club / Sierra Youth Coalition
• VIDEA Victoria International Development
  Education Association
• Lifecycles
• Amnesty International
• Otesha Project
• Compost Education Centre
• Salmonpeople
• VIPIRG Vancouver Island Public Interest
  Research Group
• UVSS UVic Student Society
• Rotaract
• Streamkeepers
• BC SEA BC Sustainable Energy Association
• EcoNews

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Conferences

• Youth Combating Intolerance (Thetis Island)
• World Vision
• Red Cross
• Change Conference (GNS)
• United Way
• Student Voice
• Making Waves (SYC)
• RYLA (Rotaract)
• Healthy Schools
• CISV
• Dreamseed, Challenge Program, Common Energy Forum

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What makes a student leader?

• Responsibilities
• Personal Qualities
• ENTHUSIASM ORGANIZATION

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Responsibilities of a Student Leader

• Inreach
• Coordinate groups activities (chair meetings,
  write emails, draw up agendas, etc.)
• Guide the group
• Mediate conflicts within the group
• Support sustainable leadership
• Enthuse students
• Develop personal relationships with all members
  of the group
• Lead by example
• A.O.B.

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Responsibilities of a Student Leader

• Outreach
• Liaise with staff and administration
• Recruit new members (middle school, high school
  student body)
• Increase/maintain groups profile within the
  school
• Make sure the group is represented in the school
  and community
• Draw on external sources Be the public face of
  the group (media, etc.)

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Effective Student Leaders Are

• Polite
• Organized
• Articulate
• Enthusiastic
• Motivated
• Dedicated
• Reliable
• Punctual
• Willing to work within the system in place
• Sensitive to the various feelings and currents
  within the school
• Open to others opinions
• Humorous and easy-going

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Where will this lead?

• Students who are involved in school clubs or
  other leadership are more likely to
• Complete high school
• Vote
• Remain active citizens in their communities
• May help students discover their passions