Changemaker
Pathway

  • Foyer
    • Welcome
    • Preparing for the Journey
  • Assembly Hall
    • How do we begin to identify as changemakers?
    • What are a changemaker’s core skills?
    • What are the tools that will help you to become a changemaker?
  • Problems
    • Why empathy as a starting point?
    • How can we apply different thinking?
    • What’s already being done?
  • Solutions
    • How do we start to generate solutions?
    • How do we refine our goals?
    • How do we make sure we’re on the right track?
    • Take Action
  • Reflect & Share
    • Reflect & Interpret
    • Your Stories
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Guides / Curriculums
    • Ashoka Fellow Youth Programs
    • Well-Being Resources
    • Parent Resources
  • Our Stories

Explore

Our Stories

Archives

  • February 2019
Shanty Bay Change Agents 2018

Change Agent Mikayla

Change Agent Mikayla From Shanty Bay Ps, Oro Medonte, On My name is Mikayla and I am now in grade 6 Last year I organized a run/walk in support...

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Change Agent Maeve

Change Agent Maeve From Shanty Bay Ps, Oro Medonte, On My name is Maeve and I am a grade 5 student at Shanty Bay Public School. I am part...

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Change Agent Holly

Change Agent Holly From Shanty Bay Ps, Oro Medonte, On I am a Change Agent at Shanty Bay Public School. Last year I started a project when I was...

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Change Agent Madison

Change Agent Madison From Shanty Bay Ps, Oro Medonte, On My name is Madison and I am now in Grade 6. I am passionate about the topic Youth Mental...

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Change Agent Nari

Change Agent Nari From Shanty Bay Ps, Oro Medonte, On A Change Agent is someone who makes positive change in global issues. I made a mixed media artwork that...

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Change Agent Noah

Change Agent Noah From Shanty Bay Ps, Oro Medonte, On My Change Agent project in 2017-2018 was on Food Insecurity which is an inadequate or insecure access to food...

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  • The Big Picture
  • About This Website
  • Safe Space
  • What are a Changemaker’s Core Skills?
  • Systems Thinking
  • Facilitation
  • Problems
  • Why empathy as a starting point?
  • How can we apply different thinking?
  • What’s already being done?
  • Solutions
  • How do we start to generate solutions?
  • How do we refine our goals?
  • How do we make sure we’re on the right track?
  • Take Action
  • Sharing
  • Reflect & Interpret
  • Your Stories
  • Our Stories
  • Think Outside the Trash
  • Resources
  • Pathway Resources by room
  • Entire Guides / Curriculums
  • Ashoka Canada Fellow Youth/K-12 Programs.
  • Well-Being Resources
  • Parent Resources

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Strategy and creative direction: Abby Karos & Tim Lockett-Smith

DO

Safe Space

Safe Space

Co-creating a space where people feel that they can speak out in spite of their fears is a vital step in the process of learning how to become a changemaker. Empathy researcher Brene Brown explains that being empathetic requires that we be present and wholly engaged without our ‘protective armour’. People wear armour to try to become invisible or fit in with others to hide what they consider to be defects or embarrassing qualities for fear of being judged, labeled, or bullied. It is difficult to feel empathy for others when you are cut off from yourself.

For this reason, we’re starting the change closest to home. Everyone in the changemaking process needs to feel valued, seen, and heard. Because of the culture we inherited and the way our brains work, all of us carry biases. This isn’t wrong or bad, it’s what we do with them that matters. Being humbled can lead to personal transformation.

The exercises below will help you to:

  • Examine your physical classroom and the environment it creates
  • Co-create a classroom contract
  • Learn how to be a better listener
  • Notice your biases
  • Become aware of diversity in your environment
  • Understand power and privilege

Once the principles of the safe space have been defined and agreed upon by all, they can be used, reinforced, and referred back to as needed throughout the time you share together.

Resources

Design Thinking & the Deskless Classroom(Exercise, Time will vary)
Create a Classroom Contract(30-45 minutes)
Learn how to listen: Are you a good listener? (video 5 min + opportunities for deeper thinking)
Empathy & Equity: From the Stanford D.school, this exercise gives designers to an opportunity to pause and notice their biases(15 min daily over the course of week).
Cross the Line: (30-60 min.) We live in a diverse world. In this exercise we will explore the diversity among us by thinking about our values, our backgrounds, our teachers, and our experiences.
CCDI: Explore Power and Privilege (Toolkit with various exercises)