Trash Talks
Kiama Changemakers - Term 1, 2023
"Trash Talks" was initiated by the Kiama changemakers in 2023. They had concerns about the increasing amount of waste found on local beaches. After doing some research they found out how big this problem was; six million tonnes of debris enters the world's oceans every year.
The changemakers hired a minibus and organised a Trash Talk Tour. The tour included clean ups at three local beaches around the Kiama area. Around 20 people went on the trash talk tour and after cleaning up the beaches it ended with a waste free BBQ.
The tour was guided by Wombat, a local environmental advocate that utilises his social media platform to effectively showcase to mainstream audiences the importance of embracing sustainability in their daily lives. During the trash talks tour he shared insights about waste management while cleaning up the beaches.
To amplify their impact, the changemakers also created a short video documenting the project, aiming to educate other young people and the broader community about the significance of protecting our local environment.
A total of 10kg of trash was picked up during the tour. By blending practical clean-up efforts with knowledge sharing, the project emphasised the importance of waste reduction and environmental protection in the local community.
Flip Off Challenge
Nowra Changemakers - Term 1, 2022
In 2022, 10 Changemakers decided to give up their smartphones and replace them with a flip phone for two weeks to raise awareness about the unhealthy impact smartphones, social media and constant access have on our mental health. In doing so, they ran a fundraising campaign and made a short film.
This project was important to our changemakers as they were noticing the effects social media was having on themselves and the people around them. In Australia, teens spend an average of 14.4 hours a week online. Research has shown a negative correlation between time spent on social media and the health of young people's mental and physical well being.
Since the first flip off challenge, we have had over 20 people participate in the challenge. Everyone that has participated in the challenge noticed positive benefits of being off their smartphones for two weeks and continuing some of the habits that were created during the time into the future. Some of those things included putting time limits on how much time they are allowed to spend on social media, deleting some social media apps completely and generally forming a healthier relationship with how they interact with their phones, and social media.
This year we are running the flip off challenge monthly. Head over to the Flip Off page if you want to find out more about it or sign up.
Basketball Court
Kiama Changemakers - Term 3, 2022
One of the issues our Kiama Changemakers identified was the lack of a basketball court in the central Kiama area. Whilst Sonder couldn’t create a basketball court our changemakers came up with some ideas about promoting the need of a basketball court.
The first thing they did was start a petition addressed to the Kiama political leaders to show them the need and want from the community for a basketball court.
Our changemakers also got the chance to speak with a local Kiama councillor to pitch the importance of a basketball court and what it would do for the local young people. The councillor offered advice about the petition and took the pitch back to council and shared it with others.
The project was important to the Kiama changemakers because young people want a place where they can be active outside and hang with friends. The changemakers did some research and found been outside is great for individuals physical and mental wellbeing which was another issue that wanted to address
Whilst Kiama hasn’t got a basketball court yet, we know it’s a conversation that’s continuing to happen and hopefully in the next couple of years we will see a plan and hopefully a basketball court in the central Kiama area.
You can help keep this project alive by signing the petition here.