Challenge

You can make change in the world. Your Voice has power. San Diego is challenging you to identify an issue that is meaningful to you, your family, and or your community, learn how to mobilize local government and advocate for specific change.

Brainstorm & Identify the Issue

What issues are important to you? What is broken in your community? Start a list, talk to your friends and family.

Imagine a crack in the sidewalk that your elderly neighbor is constantly tripping on, or a food bank that keeps running out of food.

You might be passionate about policies that regulate the development of affordable housing, funding for homeless youth, police conduct, or racial profiling.

Maybe the light outside is keeping you up at night or never turns on. There are people in government that will listen to you if you know who to contact.

This challenge is all about figuring out who you can work with to make the change you want to see a reality. No goal is too big or too small. You, at any age, can influence and make change now.

List of possible topics

Explore

Student successful in this challenge will learn about, and engage with local government, institutions, elected officials, etc. share the issue impacting them and work with them to make change.

Change might be big or small, perhaps you bring awareness that what you are sharing is an issue, perhaps you make physical change in our community or influence policy for years to come.

Investigate

Dig deeper. Talk to people impacted by this issue. Record their thoughts and feelings. How exactly does this issue impact them? Ask them how this issue makes them feel. What change would they like to see?

What is local Government and who is can support you in developing solutions for this issue?

Which branch of government might you need to learn more about to accomplish your goal?

Plan

• Who will you influence to make change? Who needs to be made aware of this issue?

• Why should they care? How can you make this issue real to them?

• What can they do? What is their influence? Perhaps this office or individual can connect you to the next office or individual you need to make change.

• What do you want them to do? Be specific. What is your call to action for that person, organization, or office?

• How will you reach out? Email, letter, social media? Is it as simple as filling out form on a specific website?

Time & Place

Elections are right around the corner. How can you involve other students in this effort? How might the change you want to see help others accomplish their goals?

Do

Action Step 1 (30-60 minutes)

• Identify the issue

• What are the different sides or perspectives?

Action Step 2 (60-120 minutes)

• Really get to know the issue. What is causing it? Who is it impacting? How exactly?

Action Step 3 (60-120 minutes)

• Get to know your local government. Who can help you make this change a reality? How will you contact them? Email, phone call, in person visit? All of the above?

Action Step 4 (60-120 minutes)

• Reach out. How will you help them hear your point of view, understand the issue, and support this effort? Do you have a solution to this issue or do you want them to be aware if it and work to develop their own solution?

Action Step 5 (60 minutes)

• If at first you don't succeed, try again

Share

(15 minutes)

Did you get a response? Are you continuing to reach out? Share your outreach and responses here. You can submit a google doc, a short video, pictures, etc.

Please share your efforts here