tuning in to social change

Change a Mind and Change the World

Oki Gardner

Middle School Leader (Acting) 

Head of Learning - Humanities 

Late in Term 2,  our Year 9 students were fortunate enough to enjoy a presentation about Social Change.  This event was  presented by three dynamic and motivated  women, all of whom have extensive experience in the area of enacting social change at both  domestic and international levels.  The issues for discussion included 

Presenters and students discussed varied issues from human rights to the environmental crisis,  leaving students with much food for thought around the politics and logistics of enacting change, as well as the role that they can play in the positive, or negative,  outcomes.

• Diana Baker, an International Development Specialist, discussed her work with United Nations on a Behavioural-Change project that targets hand-washing for health promotion.
• Phoebe Rountree from Australian Conservation Foundation talked about the Stop Adanicampaign in the lead up to the 2018 Federal election.
• Angela Costi talked about her experience with anti-racism initiatives in the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Right Commission. 

Our students were enthralled by these speakers and during the Q & A session the quality of the students' questions showed the level of engagement our young people have with local and global issues facing the contemporary world. 

We look forward to seeing our students own social change projects on show at the Social Change Expo on August 15th.  At this event, the community will be asked to vote for one project which they would like to see taken up by the Year 9 Home Groups as part of the community project focus in Term 4.