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Spark the Change: From Idea to Action
Becoming a changemaker
As university students, we are constantly taking in new information and knowledge. Yet we are rarely given the chance to apply it by putting it into practice.
Building upon the RISE Together for Change workshop, we designed a workshop for university students called “Spark the Change: From Idea to Action.” We conducted this workshop in June and July for students at Sophia University and Reitaku University. In our workshops, participants had opportunities to utilize design thinking mindsets and methods, and to apply their creativity and individual knowledge towards collectively solving challenges they face in their university lives.
1. Gain confidence for taking action towards positive change
2. Identify skills and resources already at hand
3. Clarify the steps they can take towards meaningful change
4. Nurture a sense of belonging to their community by working and collaborating together in changemaking
Goals for Workshop Participants
In every challenge,
there's a chance for change
In our workshops, we encouraged participants to shift their mindsets. Students tend to view the problems they face on campus and in their surrounding communities in negative ways. We urged them, instead, to think of these problems as "challenges" that allow them to grow. By reframing problems as "challenges," students can find new opportunities to bring about the changes they want to see in the world.
"Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can, with who you can."
Through our 90-minute workshops, participants were able to identify and define a problem, find opportunities for change, identify the skills and resources they can use to solve the problem, brainstorm solutions, test their solutions by creating prototypes, and share their inspiring ideas at the end with everyone else.
