Resources, Tools and Training for Facilitators and Institutions

This section is an excerpt from the book YES! Youth-led Changemaking and it is all about supporting the role of the teacher or focal person in supporting young people to become Changemakers. The benefits of Youth-led Changemaking are maximized when teachers facilitate students effectively.

Teacher / Focal person support is seen as the most vital component for unlocking the Changemaking potential of students. The major responsibility of a teacher or focal person is to bring out the best in young people.

Many young people don't know about their Changemaking potential because nobody believed in them. It is amazing to see what can be accomplished when we believe in young people. Many young people have a limited vision due to their environment. When we change their environment, we help young people change their vision. The Changemaking Competition provides a great opportunity for young people to expand their vision.

In the resources below, we share the role and responsibilities of a teacher / focal person, based on how YES Network Pakistan is running youth-led changemaking competitions as they have vast experience, having engaged more than 20.000 young people as changemakers. That said, some of the steps or processes might not make sense in the context you are working in. Don't worry. Youth-led Changemaking can still be practiced in your specific environment. Make changes to the process as you see fit.

The most important part is that Youth-led Changemaking is Youth-led, there are no 'pre-conditions' to young people participating, except a desire to become changemakers and that the most important role of the teacher and focal person is to TRUST young people and encourage them.

Watch this video in which Ali shares the 4 BASIC INGREDIENTS FOR LAUNCHING A YOUTH-LED CHANGEMAKING INITIATIVE.

Watching the video will help you stay focused. After watching the video, you can go through the steps below without getting overwhelmed. Revert to the video at any point in time to refocus.

With that said, let's jump into the nitty gritty...

Role and Responsibilities of the Teacher / Focal Person

The role and responsibilities of the teacher / focal person is divided into three parts: