12491 CE: Making Meaning: Global Models for Youth Changemaking
Organizer: Tony Streit
Presenters: Patricia Cogley, Isabel Bustillos, Kareen Matushek
Youth media and creative technology programs can be an entry point to young people exploring and creating change within their local community. Young people may examine personal experiences with bullying or access to clean water in their neighborhood. Dedicated mentors and media production practices facilitate new learning and deeper understanding of issues. Research and interviews can uncover new information and lead to new experiences. The resulting media or technology pieces is a foundation for community dialogues or social change campaigns resulting.
This discussion will address how media making supports young people’s work as changemakers. Additionally, it will explore how changemaking efforts can lead to stronger mediamakers. It will feature young leaders and digital media artists from three global models of young people using media to create change:
Started in 2006, Adobe Youth Voices (AYV) is the largest global youth media initiative, engaging with over 5,000 educators and 190,000 youth from more than 100 countries. The core philosophy of AYV is to empower young people to “Create with Purpose.” This challenge to young people is intended to foster a more intentional strategy for media making – one that is purposeful, designed to have impact and effect change, in their lives and communities and the world we inhabit together. AYV is collaboratively developed and managed by the Adobe Foundation and the Educational Development Center.
TakingITGlobal is one of the world’s leading networks of young people learning about, engaging with, and working towards tackling global challenges. Youth around the world actively engaged and connected in shaping a more inclusive, peaceful and sustainable world. Through a collaboration with Adobe Youth Voices, TIG has trained ovver 8,000+ youth participants with media making skills in over 40 countries, creating space for young people to share their perspective and solutions to complex local issues. Over 20 youth in TIG’s network have been finalists and winners in international media festivals.
Ashoka’s Youth Ventures program shares a vision of an “Everyone is A Changemaker” world – a world that responds quickly and effectively to social challenges and where each individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to drive change. Through training and mentorship, Ashoka Youth Ventures supports young people to have the transformative experience of launching and leading their own lasting social ventures. Creating media has become a key component of Ashoka’s initiative, so that young people can raise awareness about the issues that are important to them, and to engage audiences in continuing to participate in their social ventures.
The three organizations have collaborated to provide young people with a portfolio of specialized tools to develop skills in communication and media making to raise awareness, support their community-minded entrepreneurship, and spread their changemaking stories.
