Social issues like climate change, racism, poverty, gender equality, animal rights, gun violence, and may others are so massive, it can feel intimidating or overwhelming to think that you as one person can even do anything. While you can’t solve it single-handedly today, thankfully there is a lot each of us can do that all adds up.

How to be or get started as an activist is unfortunately not something that is taught in most schools, which is a major reason why YEA Camp exists in the first place.

Over more than a decade, we’ve trained more than 1,000 aspiring activists to make a bigger difference on the social justice causes they care about.

Our curriculum focuses on building knowledge, skills, confidence, and community as campers examine their issue, their identity, and their impact.

We have a simple 5 step approach we teach at camp, and we want to teach it to you here too. While YEA Camp is a camp for teens, these steps work for adults too.

How to Get Started an Activist

1.Choose an issue you’re passionate about making a difference on.

At YEA Camp, we call this your IOI, or your Issue of Importance. You most likely care about a lot of different issues, and they are probably very interconnected, but we encourage you to focus on one to get started. You can always change your mind as time goes on, and you can follow this process in the future for another cause as well.

2. Learn more about your issue.

How serious is this problem? What exactly is happening? Why should people care about this? Get specific. Research frequently asked questions and learn the best responses to them. What are the arguments against, and why doesn’t everyone agree with you already? What actions do you want people to take to help?

The more you know, the more confident and effective you’ll be advocating for your cause, and the more skilled you’ll be at deciding what actions to take next.

3. Find organizations working on your cause.

When just starting out, it can help to connect with experts on your cause who have been working on this issue for a long time — or at least longer than you! This can be anything from a small local community group or a school club all the way to large international nonprofits. Check out our list of favorites here. Review their websites and follow them on social media.

As you get to know the organizations working on your cause, you’ll probably find some groups you love and others you don’t resonate with or that you even disagree with. Seeing examples of organizations with different approaches is a great way for you to decide for yourself where you want to focus your time. Hopefully you’ll meet some great like-minded people and learn a lot along the way, too.

4. Take the actions they recommend, or that make sense to you.

Most organizations will have identified key actions they want people to take to support their work or cause. Look for sections on their website called Take Action, Get Involved, or Action Alerts. What are they promoting on their social media? Some examples might be:

• calling your legislators
• boycotting a company
• signing an online petition
• sharing information on social media
• attending a protest
• making a donation

Some of these actions may seem intimidating if you’ve never done them before, but you have to start somewhere! Each action you take will make it easier for you to take that same action again or to do something else next time! Even better, see if you can get a friend to join you! You’ll be more likely to follow through and have fun too. Don’t worry about doing it “perfectly,” and if you start wondering about how other people might perceive you, try focusing on cultivating a strong opinion of yourself and taking actions that you’re proud of.

5. Keep going! 

This might not seem like much, but it might be the hardest step. Changing the world can take a while, so please don’t give up because you don’t see huge changes right away.

One phone call to your elected officials is a great start! Unfortunately, that one call is not going to solve the massive issue you’re working towards all by itself. Thankfully, all of our collective actions add up over time. Critically important is to keep going and not give up before we see the fruits of our labor! Appreciate yourself for taking action and make sure to celebrate small victories. You are awesome for caring so much!

The Beginner’s Guide to Changing the World

We hope this helps you get started as an activist on a cause you care about!

Want to learn way more about how to get started or get serious about making a difference?

Check out our free ebook, The Beginner’s Guide to Changing the World for many more resources to help you along your changemaking path.

Want even more than an ebook? Join us this summer!

YEA Camp has in-person and virtual sessions for youth ages 10-17. If you’re a little (or way) too old to be a camper, we’re also hiring for summer!

Thanks for all you do to make the world a better place! Please let us know how it goes!

The post How to Get Started as an Activist — Follow these 5 Steps appeared first on YEA Camp.

Activism is more fun with friends!

From honors classes to soccer practices and everything in between, the lives of most students can be incredibly busy. With school responsibilities like getting good grades, getting into a good college (if that’s one’s plan) and responsibilities at home, like chores or babysitting siblings, or even an after-school job, activism often gets lost in the shuffle. However, just as we owe it to our family and to ourselves to complete the responsibilities I listed above, we owe it to our world to do activism. The fact of the matter is that the world has problems, and they will not be fixed by sitting on the sidelines. Just as your room won’t clean itself or your homework won’t do itself, neither will the world become a better place by itself.

This isn’t to say that you should drop everything and commit yourself to activism for every waking hour of your life. As nice as it would be if possible, school and family responsibilities do come first. Fortunately, our responsibilities to ourselves and our families are not as exclusive as they might seem. So, without further ado, I present to you activism on a (time) budget.

Tip 1: Self-Care

In order to make the world a better place, you can start first by making sure that you are in a good place yourself. This includes, but is not limited to the following things: eating a healthy diet, making sure you get proper rest, taking any needed medication, doing what you need to do to get into a good headspace, surrounding yourself with positive people, and making sure that you have an outlet to remove negative energy. This could mean writing in a journal, making the time to do things you enjoy, exercise, or speaking to a school counselor or mental health professional about any struggles you may be dealing with.

Once you’ve established a foundation of your own self-care and have your own needs met, you’re ready for Tip 2!

Tip 2: Self-Education Is Activism

This is something Pierce Delahunt, an amazing YEA Camp counselor, taught me at my latest session of YEA Camp, and it completely changed my life. As teenagers, we face a world the scale of which is often beyond our comprehension. Real-world issues are complex, and they often take knowledgable people to solve. Thus, educating yourself is absolutely a form of activism. Even staying abreast of current events or learning a new vocabulary word (especially if said word replaces a problematic word or phrase) can be a form of activism. This isn’t to say that learning about integrals and derivatives will help save the world (side note: if anyone can tell me how to use calculus in activism, I will be forever indebted to you for making calculus less useless to me), but the studies of history, language, art, and science can fashion extraordinary tools for activism!

As you learn more about the causes you care about, you will be more confident and effective in taking action to help. You can start by learning from organizations working on causes you care about. Check out this list on YEA Camp’s website. Follow groups on social media to learn more and get updates on current events and action alerts.

Tip 3: Keep a Calendar

A great way to manage your time and make room for activism is to keep a calendar of events and major due dates. This allows you to plan out your week, or even month, ahead of time so that you can clear certain dates where important events are occurring. For example, say there’s a protest on a certain day, but you know a paper is due the next day. A calendar allows you to see that more clearly and you can plan accordingly and get the essay done earlier. If you are part of a school club or are working on a bigger project or campaign, creating a list of actions to take (like talking to your principal or passing out flyers) and assigning due dates to them (even if they aren’t exactly “due” on any given day) can help you keep track of everything and make sure your plans actually happen.

Tip 4: Incorporate Activism Into Your Everyday Life

Activism, according to YEA Camp’s definition, is simply taking action for the betterment of our world with an eye for the big picture. However, just because the picture is big doesn’t mean small actions don’t add up to a big impact. Something as simple as talking to your friends can bring valuable allies to your cause. Additionally, if you have a project to do or paper to write, you can try to find ways to work in activist topics (e.g. an essay on The Scarlet Letter or Jane Eyre could easily take a feminist angle). You can share your views in class discussions, or wear activist t-shirts and spread your message that way. Writing for the school paper is another great way to spread your message, as journalism is about giving a voice to the voiceless.

Tip 5: Prioritize

Obviously, homework and chores are important, but so is activism. Prioritization is a great way to manage your responsibilities to yourself, your family, and the world. So, if an important math test is coming up, that might take priority one day. If a relative is coming to visit and you need to help with housework, then that would take priority. Especially when you’re busy, daily actions through your diet, purchasing choices, or speaking up for people can be more of your focus. Even a few minutes of sharing something important on social media or signing online petitions can be a great quick thing you can do. On days where there’s no school work, activism can take priority. Another way to show priority is to do activism in different spheres of your life. For example, if you’re planning to hang out with friends, suggest you do activism together! I’ve gone to marches with my best friends. Activism with friends is a great way to help the world and strengthen your bond!

So, if you’re an AP freak like me or a theater kid or a jock, just remember to uphold your responsibility to the world! Time management can be hard, but the payoff is well worth it.

Know when you will have time to devote to activism? In the summer — when you can join us at YEA Camp and take your activism to new heights! We even have a session for adults! 

Aine Pierre has been involved in activism from a very young age on behalf of animals, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. Her latest project is advocating for student press freedoms in her state, working alongside the former director of the Student Press Law Center. Aine lives at home on the east coast with her three wonderful furry siblings and is a stressed AP-taking junior at her high school.

The post Student Activism On a (Time) Budget appeared first on YEA Camp.

We are so excited to share Noor’s journey with you and hope it inspires you as much as she continues to inspire us!

Noor marching for social justice and supporting intersectional causes in front of the Los Angeles Times headquarters

YEA Camp: Hey, Noor! Tell us about the activism you’ve been doing.

Noor: My biggest focus and current activism had been mainly centered around mental health awareness, although within the past few months I’ve also been able to involve myself with many other issues. I’ve created activism-related videos on my YouTube channel, have written articles for my personal blog and HS Insider (a youth journalism program), and have also founded the Education Emotion Project (EEP!) through an international leadership organization. EEP! is a project centered around providing mental health information and resources to youth who need and/or want to spread awareness throughout their communities. I’m also currently working on creating the first ever Mental Health Week at my school, where we will encourage students and teachers to engage in discussions about mental health while providing education as to how to be proactively aware of the many issues and stigmas surrounding these subjects.

YEA: Incredible! How did you get involved with activism and what you’re currently working on?

NA: YEA Camp exposed me to so many movements I wasn’t aware of before, and I’m forever thankful for them for being able to broaden the activism I’ve been able to be a part of lately. I can also honestly thank a large majority of the current activism I’m a part of to the internet, as well as the many nonprofits centered around issues I am passionate and care about. Without these resources I don’t think I ever would have known where to start in terms of these issues, and they were a vital starting point to everything I’ve been able to be a part of.

YEA: What challenges have you faced as an activist and how have you dealt with them?

NA: There are many challenges that you can face once you begin your activism journey, whether it be backlash from others or your own personal struggles. At first I felt as though the world was against me and my activism, but over time I realized that that was not really what was holding me back. Not everyone will agree with what you are doing, and that is okay. As long as you’re able to stay true to what you believe, but also know that nothing is set in stone, I think being able to pursue action becomes that much easier.

I think my biggest challenges have truly been personal ones; I tend to think that everything I do is not enough, and for a while I let that hinder me from actually trying to achieve my goals. But over time I’ve realized that there is absolutely nothing to lose and that doing nothing will never result in any change. Getting over listening to that voice in my head has made the biggest difference in what I’ve been able to do, and as a result has also positively impacted how I communicate with others.

YEA: What advice do you have for new activists just getting involved?

NA: Just do it. I think we all have at least one thing in the world that we are incredibly passionate about — or affects us personally — that we want to change. But that change will not happen on its own! You do have the power to spark a change in your community, and I feel like even though we’re all taught to try and “change the world”, no one truly encourages us to take action. Small actions are a great place to start. Find an issue you care about; do as much research and obtain as much knowledge and resources that you can; and from there, decide what the best mode of action would be. Is that creating an awareness week at school? Creating a club? Joining a nonprofit? Volunteering? The possibilities are endless, and you can never predict how big of an impact a seemingly small action can have.

YEA: How did YEA Camp help you in your activism, if it did?

Check out this amazing video Noor made about her experience at YEA Camp!

NA: I think YEA Camp was kind of the spark to my flame in terms of my activism journey. I’d always felt passionately about many issues, and wasn’t afraid of expressing my opinion regarding them, but I never knew how to turn that into palpable action. Being able to be in an environment that cultivated change and constant encouragement amongst its campers and staff made me realize why I started getting into activism in the first place. It’s not just to yell and scream or to complain about the things that we don’t like, but rather to push for action in order to ensure that we have a better future.

YEA: Aw! We’re so glad YEA Camp helped you find your voice and sparked your passion. What activist goals do you have in the future?

NA: I know that this may sound far-fetched, but my ultimate goals in terms of activism would be to spark as much positive change in as many communities that I can. I hope to continue to pursue action that I’m passionate about and that can help or inspire others. Personally, I would love to work with a mental health related nonprofit in the future. Currently, I work with NEDA (the National Eating Disorders Association) and volunteer with a few other organizations! Ultimately, I want to always be open to hearing about others stories and learning from them, and in addition to that be able to be a part of as many movements that cultivate positive change as possible.

Noor’s natural habitat is with her camera in tow to document her activist journey!

YEA: Are there any organizations you’ve been working with?

NA: This year I’ve been able to work more closely with NEDA, as well as volunteer for AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). I hope to get involved with even more organizations that are centered around a variety of issues, but as of right now this is where I’m at!

YEA: Anything else you want to tell us?

NA: I just hope that no matter what, you know that you can do whatever you set your mind to. Sometimes even the people who you thought would support you the most are hesitant to encourage your actions, but if you know that what your doing is for the greater good, don’t let that stop you. Have faith in yourself, homies!

Noor is 16 years old and a junior in high school. She lives in Torrance, California and attended the 2017 Massachusetts session of YEA Camp. And she made this awesome video about her experience at YEA Camp!

If you or someone you know can relate to Noor and wants to make a bigger difference in the world, come to YEA Camp this summer! We now have a camp for adults too!

The post YEA Camper Activist Profile: Noor Aldayeh Reaches Thousands Through Social Media appeared first on YEA Camp.

When I first attended YEA Camp New York 2015, my passion for social justice, particularly climate justice, was ignited. Since then, I have worked with lots of groups on social issues, and have discovered a passion in climate justice. Recently, I have been getting connected with other student activists interested in this issue.

It was through these connections that I learned about the Climate Legacy Time Capsule Project and decided to organize an action with this group at my local high school at the end of 2017. This national action is centered around young people across the country gathering together to dedicate time capsules with items that represent why we as young people are fighting for climate change and letters to the future.

The Environmental Action Club writing letters for their time capsule

With the help of a few friends, I reached out to my high school’s newly formed Environmental Action Club, and we planned a time capsule letter-writing activity. We gathered materials, put together a meeting agenda, and wrote letters of our own. When it came to the action, we spoke on the background of the action, how climate change will impact us, and what these letters are going to do. Beforehand, I was unsure as to whether everyone present at our meeting for the letter writing would understand the action, or even want to participate, but all my worries were eased once I heard people’s ideas and saw them write their letters. Everyone genuinely shared an appreciation for nature and our world’s beauty, as well as hope for a future that is safe, clean, and beautiful for future generations. Just like I felt when I first heard about the action, they were really intrigued by the time capsules and excited to be a part of it!

The time capsules we made served as a way to send a message to our world leaders, who were at at the Bonn UN Climate Conference in November 2017. The capsules will be opened in 50 years, 2068, thus giving myself and other student activists a chance to reflect on our hopes and visions for the future world in the context of climate change. The biggest question being asked, to ourselves, to each other, and to our politicians and decision-makers was: How will we be remembered by future generations?

Some of the letters written at Ananya’s school by teen activists

Personally, it is my greatest and most sincere hope that they will look back and see us as the people who really stood up and came together to take action against climate change. At the same time, the very serious and looming threats of global crisis create the potential for a much more bleak and dangerous future world. I am certainly fearful for that future, but I know that I’m not alone in these feelings. So many incredible students and young people have been taking action and really mobilizing to fight these impacts of climate change, and call on our leaders to create change as well! I really wanted to share this message and commit to taking action in my own community– this action came across as a really creative and inspiring way to begin!

One of the letters written for the time capsule project.

At the end, I collected 40 letters and sent them to the time capsule in Philadelphia. Our action wasn’t anything elaborate or locally impactful, but our voices are now a part of the larger movement, and we got to connect with each other as people that really care about climate change and have a foundation for future actions!

Of course, this was not a singular effort! I got a lot of support from the Sierra Student Coalition’s Climate Justice League, where I learned so much about climate justice and community organizing! Three of my friends have also been learning and working with me. Also, through this action, I’ve gotten the chance to work with imatter youth, and connect with other amazing student activists and find even more community and support! I am planning to go forward with all this support that I have found at my area, and continue to organize for climate change.

Ananya Singh is a sophomore at Morris County School of Technology, in New Jersey, where she studies visual and performing arts. She is an activist for environmental and social justice, and attended YEA Camp New York 2015, Massachusetts 2017, and is a YEA Camp Blog Manager!

Do you care about making a difference in the world, like Ananya does, or know someone who might? YEA Camp is for youth 12-17 who want help getting more involved, and we are now offering a summer camp for adults too! Come join us or let us know if you have questions!

The post The Future of Climate Change (Literally!) appeared first on YEA Camp.

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Endearing, right? How can you not be moved by this kid’s passion for the environment?

At YEA Camp, we know that as a loving parent it warms your heart to see your kid display such enthusiasm for an important cause. We also know that it can be upsetting to see your child feel so helpless over wishing they knew how to make a difference.

Don’t fret, loving parents, at YEA Camp we specialize in empowering children and teenagers to make the world a better place. That’s why we’ve devised a helpful list so you can nurture your courageous kid’s activism.

1. Make It Fun

Look Ma, activism is a blast!

The cause itself may be super serious, but your kid’s fight for the cause doesn’t have to be.

Did someone say delicious vegan cupcakes? How about assisting your child in holding a bake sale to raise money for their cause?

I’ll have three, please! Okay, let’s make that four!

Tapping into their artistic or creative talents, using social media, or getting friends involved are other great ways to make activism fun. Your kid’s much more likely to stick with their activism if they have a good time doing it.

2. Connect With Organizations

Now that your child is inspired to care about a particular cause, it’s important that he or she understands that cause and sees how others are tackling the issue.

The best way to learn is by introducing them to respected organizations that are leading the way on their respective issue.

Don’t have time to do all that research? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a helpful cheat sheet of amazing organizations that are fighting for the environment, LGBT rights, human rights, animal rights and more.

3. Listen To Your Kids… Really Listen

Children are full of wisdom if parents take the time to listen to them, and we’ve got two epic examples of parents who do just that.

In this first video, a young child in Nepal finds out that his parents are taking his beloved goat to be slaughtered, so he does everything in his power to get his parents to spare the animal’s life. His tenacity and kindness are an inspiration to behold. Imagine the trauma if his parents had ignored his pleas.

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In this second viral video, a toddler in Brazil has a heartfelt debate with his mother at the dinner table about the ethics of killing and eating other animals. His points are both innocent and poignant, as only a child can articulate.

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These videos aren’t depicting children throwing bratty tantrums. These kids are sensitive souls who realize that the adults around them are harming animals, and it upsets them. The parents are respectful enough to listen to their children’s merciful pleas and agree not to harm the animals. These are beautiful moments of compassion caught on camera.

Whatever issues inspire your kids to express their passion, your support empowers them to think for themselves and to pursue their compassionate nature to be a caring person.

4. Introduce Them To A Mentor

Say hi to Shelby!

A great way to learn about a subject is to seek guidance from someone who specializes in that field. Help your child find an expert who’s willing to advise them on their journey of discovery.

This is an area in which we really pride ourselves at YEA Camp. Our talented staff is comprised of highly qualified professionals with teaching credentials and expertise in youth development, as well as accomplished former campers like Shelby, with much wisdom to impart. We give each camper the counseling they need to get their activism off to the right start.

5. Join Them!

Joyce & her mother Mildred on their way to the People’s Climate March. What an inspiring team!

What better way to encourage your budding activist than to join them in their activism? Not only can this make it more fun (see #1) and double their impact, but it also creates a supportive family culture, where it’s understood that people care about others and stand up for what they believe in. Plus, you’ll definitely have more to talk about at the dinner table than what they learned (or didn’t learn) in school.

6. Well, Join Them… Within Reason

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No kid wants their parent hanging out with them all the time. Give them space to follow their passion independently as well. Sometimes that could mean just giving them a ride somewhere, helping them manage their schedule, or asking if they need any help.

7. Say, “Yes, You Can,” Not “No, You Can’t”

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See all those demoralizing insults Simon Cowell spewed at aspiring singers on “American Idol”? As a parent, do the opposite.

If your kid tells you that he or she wants to reduce homelessness in your town, don’t discourage them with details about how difficult it’s going to be. Celebrate that they care about such a crucial cause, and help them set goals for bringing about that change. Twelve-year-old Megan has raised thousands of dollars with her school club for homeless people in Boston.

Kids need someone to tell them to dream big, and to help them strive for their goals, not set low expectations.

8. Help Them Believe In Themselves

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All too often our worst enemy is ourselves. Kids can be really hard on themselves, shooting down their own great plans before they’ve even given them a try, because they’re afraid they’re not up to the task. As their parent, you can give them the confidence they need to tackle any undertaking, no matter how impossible it may seem.

Providing a safe and loving home environment, encouragement in their endeavors, as well as support, perspective and understanding when things don’t go as planned.

9. Set A Positive Example

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Be the type of person who rescues a baby elephant who is stuck in a mud hole. Your kids will be better people with a role model like that. Whether it’s rescuing an animal (have you noticed we like animals at YEA Camp?), donating money to a nonprofit or candidate, volunteering, or conserving, the lessons your kids learn from watching you will last a lifetime.

10. Teach Intersectionality

This one’s a Level 5 on the empowerment scale, but it’s important to note that oppressive institutions—racism, sexism and so on—are interconnected and you’ll expand your child’s understanding of the world by helping them make those connections.

Does your child care about the environment? Great! Teach him or her the ways in which pollution disproportionately affects poor people and people of color, or how the environment is negatively impacted by the meat industry.

Does your child want to stop bullying? Fantastic! Teach him or her about how LGBT youth are nearly twice as likely to be bullied than their non-LGBT peers.

We need the next generation of advocates to be aware of the interconnection of the many different issues we face and to be allies for these different causes.

Best Parent Of The Year!

Thank you for being your kid’s greatest champion! We need more brave young change-makers in this world, and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!

You’ve raised a compassionate kid who wants to make a difference. It would be our great honor at YEA Camp to meet your wonderful young activist (the camp is open to kids ages 12-17) and guide him or her to follow their dreams. At YEA Camp, they’ll be surrounded by like-minded peers and adults who want to help them, and they’ll develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to take action on what really matters to them.

Follow the above tips (and send your kids to YEA Camp or nominate someone who you know would love it!), and they’ll be well on their way to achieving great things, because any parent should support a kid who’d really rather visit a broccoli farm than support animal abuse at the circus.

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The post 10 Ways Parents Can Empower Their Courageous Child Activist appeared first on YEA Camp.