Advocacy empowers people to voice their concerns, to influence decision makers and to drive positive change in their communities. In this lesson, students learn about advocacy and how to use their voice to create change while taking care of their wellbeing.

Year level

9-10

Duration

30 minutes

Type

In class activity

SEL Competencies

Self-awareness

Self-management

Social awareness

Relationship skills

Responsible decision-making

Learning intention

Students will understand the basics of advocacy and build skills to create a simple advocacy campaign, all while recognising the importance of self-care in activism.

Key outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  • identify issues in their school or community that require change

  • develop an advocacy campaign

  • understand the importance of self-care in advocacy work and identify strategies to maintain wellbeing.

Materials needed

  • Textas, pens, pencils 

  • Students’ devices or workbooks

  • Whiteboard 

  • Whiteboard markers

  • Interactive whiteboard/projector to play video

Mapped to

Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Propose and justify strategies to enhance health, safety and wellbeing of individuals, communities and environments (AC9HP10P03)

  • Plan, implement and critique strategies to enhance the health and wellbeing of their communities (AC9HP10P04)

Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities

  • Critical and Creative Thinking:

    • Generating ideas, possibilities and actions

    • Analysing, synthesizing, and evaluating information

  • Personal and Social Capability:

    • Self-awareness 

    • Social awareness

    • Social management

  • Ethical Understanding:

    • Exploring values, rights and responsibilities

NSW PDHPE Syllabus

  • Critiques contextual factors, attitudes and behaviours to effectively promote health, safety, wellbeing and participation in physical activity (PD5-6)

  • Assesses and applies self-management skills to effectively manage complex situations (PD5-9)

Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Plan, implement and critique strategies to enhance the health, safety and wellbeing of their communities (VCHPEP149)

  • Critique behaviours and contextual factors that influence the health and wellbeing of their communities (VCHPEP151)

Show details

Activity 1

Think/pair/share: What is advocacy?

10 minutes

  1. Students answer the following questions in their workbook:

    • What is an issue in your school or community that you think needs to be changed?

    • Who has the power to make that change happen?

    • How could you convince those people to take action on this issue?

  2. Students talk about their answers with a partner. 

  3. Students share their answers in a small group.

Activity 2

Advocacy simulation

10 minutes

  1. Each group selects one of the issues they identified in the activity above.

  2. Students create a mini advocacy campaign, including:

    • a slogan or hashtag 

    • a brief speech or elevator pitch 

    • a simple visual aid (poster, social media post mockup, etc.).

  3. Students share their mini campaign with the class.

Activity 3

What is advocacy fatigue?

10 minutes

  1. Watch the ReachOut Video Understanding advocacy fatigue.

  2. Discuss with students the impact advocacy can have on personal wellbeing.

  3. Students create an exit ticket sharing four dot points noting ways to look after themselves when advocating for something they care about.

Print

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              Aboriginal flagTorres Strait islander flagRainbow flagAustralian flag

              We acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present. We recognise connection to Country as integral to health and wellbeing.

              We acknowledge people with lived experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who have been carers, families, or supporters.

              ReachOut values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.

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