There's never been a more motivated group of teenagers capable of making a huge change in a fast-evolving world. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) are the international roadmap to make the world a better place by 2030. If you are an ambitious teenager that is ready to go, creating a teen SDGs group could be the ideal means of creating change in your community.
What Are the UN SDGs?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 Goals that were agreed upon by all UN Member States in 2015. The SDGs are global commitments to global problems, issues such as climate change, poverty, inequality, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. The SDGs are interconnected because they are meant to assist everyone but with special consideration to vulnerable groups.
Why Start a Teen SDGs Group?
The world is a canvas of infinite possibilities for children and teens. With an SDG- focused group, you can:
Collaborate with other members to comprehend an issue together and raise awareness about it.
Carry out concrete actions somewhere in your community.
Take part in meaningful action in your community.
Develop leadership, team, and project management experience.
Network with young people from your community as well as a young global audience.
Step 1: Learn and Get Inspired
Before you begin, prepare yourself and your friends with knowledge of the SDGs. SDGs website, managed by the UN, is a nice site to officially begin in. It consists of several useful videos, resources, and stories. The more you're on these goals, the better you will be at explaining their actual relevance and importance, and therefore, you'll be motivating others to care and get involved.
Tip: Watch documentaries. Listen to podcasts and invite guest lecturers to your school.
Step 2: Assemble Your Group
No group can exist without passionate participants. Once you have an idea, try sharing it with your classmates, friends, teachers and see if they are interested. Try to get students with different interests and skills involved, as it can boost how your group works together and help everyone brainstorm
Here's how to recruit:
Hold an SDG awareness event.
Make posters or social media posts.
Speak at school assembly or in a class.
Step 3: Determine Your Mission and Structure
This is what every effective team needs - a shared understanding of the mission. Together, you will want to determine:
What SDGs will you be focusing on?(you can simply start with one or two SDGs that resonate with your group.)
What is your intention (awareness, action, advocacy, or a combination?)
How will you be organized? (president, secretary, a committee model etc..)
Craft a simple mission statement. For example..
“Our aim is to promote SDG 13: Climate Action, focusing on raising awareness in our school and creating chances for environmental projects.”
Step 4: Plan Your First Activities
Start with some small projects to get things going. Think about teaming up with local NGOs or community groups that are already out there.Consider projects that relate to the SDGs your group has developed and that can be completed with the resources you have. Some ideas could be:
Hold a workshop and/or webinar..
To plan in nearby clean-up events or tree planting events.
To make SDG focused art, videos, or social media campaigns.
Team up with other local NGOs and SDG groups.
Tip: As you plan your activities, use SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Step 5: Share Your Work
It's important to be out there! There are plenty of ways for you to share your group and your projects:
Choose a "fun" name and design a logo for your group.
Create social media pages on Instagram, X, or Facebook.
Write articles for your school newsletter or local papers
Post your photos and stories from your projects.
The more people know about your group, the more difference you can make.
Step 6: Reach Out to Others
Remember, you are not on this journey alone! Reach out to:
Other SDG youth groups, both locally and globally.
Teachers, school administrators, and parents for help and/or support.
Local government or community leaders.
NGOs working on similar issues.
When you collaborate, you can access new resources, work with a leader as your mentor, and will likely be working on larger projects
Step 7: Reflect and Improve
At the end of every project, bring your group together to evaluate it:
What went well?
What went less well?
What did we learn?
To celebrate all of the accomplishments no matter how small, to think about how we can use feedback to make improvements on our next project. You should document everything whether through photos, reports, or testimonials to show how much you have impacted your community and to help recruit new members!
Step 8: Sustain and Grow
As your group grows! Think about:
Training new leaders to ensure growth that is sustainable.
Expanding your initiatives to include more SDGs.
Organizing larger events or campaigns.
When applying for grants or entering competitions.
Change takes time. Stay inspired by staying connected to the global SDG movement, and by continually reminding yourself of the impact you are making on the world.
Real World Examples: Teens Taking Action
All over the world, teens are already taking action these days:
Malala Yousafzai was a teen when she began her campaign for girls’ education – and has inspired millions since.
Greta Thunberg was only 15 when she began her remarkable climate strikes, which initiated the now global youth climate movement.
Young people in local SDG groups in India, and Kenya and Brazil, have organized clean-up days, planted 1000’s of trees, and raised awareness in their communities about health and equality.
Now you can be part of this global force for good!
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