Hello! Welcome to Lead Community Change.
Lead Community Change is a dynamic two-cycle journey that harnesses the transformative power of storytelling to drive social impact. Mentees in this initiative will unleash their creativity to develop innovative projects that make a meaningful difference in their local communities, all while being supported by Girls Write Now’s rich storytelling resources.
This journey is designed for aspiring young leaders and activists who are eager to create and implement impactful community-based social activism projects. With a personalized approach, we tailor our support to meet the unique needs of each initiative, empowering participants to bring their visions to life and inspire change in their communities.
Learning Objectives
- Understand how inequities, power, and privilege shape social institutions
- Explore the power of storytelling in regards to inspiring change
- Synthesize and apply diverse theoretical concepts to real-world situations to bring about practical social change
- Develop a realizable proposal/action plan that serves a certain cause or community
- Learn the value of collective action in facilitating sustainable change
Requirements
Cycle 1
- 2 pair session per month
- Attend Lead live sessions (sometimes live workshops will be in place of live sessions – this will be announced)
- Complete all lessons provided in the courses Lead: Developing a Social Activism Community Project
- Submit a personal essay see instructions in the assignment lesson in the course
- Write a social activism action plan by following the lessons in this course
Cycle 2
- 2 pair session per month
- Attend Lead live sessions (sometimes live workshops will be in place of live sessions – this will be announced)
- Complete all lessons provided in the courses Lead: Media Implementation and Resources (available March 2025)
- Plan and execute an event in the spring cycle that supports your cause (e.g.: this could be a fundraiser event, a clean up, a food kitchen event, an educational event, whatever fits your cause best!)
- Implement at least one digital medium to promote your cause (e.g. video, podcast, website, blog, etc.)
- Create an end of journey presentation showing the development of your social activism project including the media you utilized
Asynchronous Coursework
Complete each lesson in the the following course. As you progress through each lesson, make sure to press complete before moving on to the next.
- Lead: Developing a Social Activism Community Project
This course guides you through the process of planning and executing a community-focused social activism project. You’ll learn how to identify community needs, set project goals, and develop an actionable plan (You are currently viewing this course).
Courses that will become available in cycle 2- March 2025 :
- Lead: Media Implementation and Resources
This course offers practical strategies for integrating media into your social activism efforts. You’ll gain hands-on knowledge of how to effectively use various media platforms and resources to enhance your advocacy, engage your audience, and amplify your message.
Live Events
Lead Community Change Orientation: Wednesday, 10/9/2024, 7 pm
Lead Community Change live virtual meeting dates for the 2024/25 year below. Live virtual journey sessions are Saturdays, 3-5 pm ET. Please mark these on your calendar!
- November: Saturday, 11/16, 3 pm ET
- December: Saturday, 12/14, 3 pm ET
- January: Saturday, 1/18, 3 pm ET
- March: Saturday, 3/15, 3 pm ET
- April: Saturday, 4/19, 3 pm ET
- May: Saturday, 5/17, 3 pm ET
Lead Community Change participants are also required to attend 1 studio of choice per month. Additional dates for suggested workshops and career chats will be announced!
Submissions
Please see submission instruction for assignments in the course sections.
