CHANGEMAKER PROJECTS

In our programs, young people from across the South Coast have been creating Change Projects to tackle issues in their community.

Check out the 30+ epic projects our Changemaker teams have created…

Ripples

The music video

At our 2024 Changemakers camp our participants wrote a song about their feelings on climate change. This song was then collectively produced and recorded by the legends in The Piper’s Son and has since been release on all streaming platforms.

When we have conversations about climate change, it is common for us to feel defeated, helpless, angry, sad or any range of emotions thinking about a future dominated by the climate crisis. Writing and producing this song was an opportunity for our young people to have their voices heard and to feel less alone.

Support them by giving their song a listen on Spotify.

POV: Youth Perspectives on the Social Media Ban

Social Media usage is a contentious issue in society. We are collectively grappling with how to approach smartphone use, and while this has always been a topic of concern, both for adults and young people themselves, in Australia this issue has recently become highly politicised, leading to a social media ban for young people under the age of 16.

While this issue has dominated the national discussion for much of 2024, there are a group of voices that are being consistently overlooked: the young people to whom this issue is most concerned.

Young people have started a conversation

Sonder Youth spent a weekend with young people at the 2024 South Coast Changemakers Forum, actively seeking to engage with them and gather their important contributions to the national (and global!) conversation around the Social Media Ban.

This conversation has been developed into a documentary film, where young people share their perspectives on how this ban will affect them.

**Kindness Kupcakes**

**Bowral High School - Term 2, 2024**
Kicking off our first ever Changemakers Program in the Southern Highlands, our Bowral Highschool Changemakers were able to quickly identify that they would focus their project on connection within the school community. This ambition led to them creating a project called ‘Kindness Kupcakes.’
The idea behind *Kindness* *Kupcakes* was to demonstrate how many connections already exist within the school community, and to show students that they are cared for. The Changemakers group set up an ordering station, where students were able to order a *Kindness Kupcake* for their friends, and write a nice message to accompany it.
Then, with over 100 orders, the team got to work baking and decorating cupcakes to put into individual boxes for delivery to the students. Inside each box, the Changemakers team added a lollipop, encouraging recipients to gift their lollipop to someone else in the school community, further enhancing the ripple effect of the project.

**Out of the Box**

**Ulladulla High School, Term 2 2024**
The Ulladulla High School Changemakers wanted to focus on increasing the kindness within their school community. Noticing the impact the new no-phone policy was having in the school, the Changemakers decided to design an original project called ‘*Out of the Box’* which aimed to forge new connections within the school by reminding students that they weren't alone. This project came to life in two ways - through a Games Library that gave students something fun and engaging to do during breaks, and with a positive mural for the girls’ bathroom, aimed at brightening students’ days.
The Games Library was housed in a little blue locker that the Changemakers provided to the school community. The locker was hand decorated by the Changemakers and filled with games that the school community could access and use in lunch breaks. This concept gave people something productive, fun and engaging to do in their lunch breaks, which had been an issue identified by the Changemakers group early in the program that they felt was contributing to a divided community lacking in kindness. Using board games, where students are encouraged to have fun and forge connections with other members of the school community, the Changemakers were able to foster an inclusive and united community.
The second element of *Out of the Box* was a beautiful mural which was mounted in the girls bathroom. The mural is an ocean scene, with positive affirmations written throughout it, reminding students that they are worthy. The team worked hard designing and painting a beautiful and unique mural that will be a part of the school for many years to come. This way, the Changemakers will be able to have a lasting impact in their school community.

Youth Yarn

Ulladulla Changemakers - Term 1, 2024

‘Youth Yarn’ was created in 2024 by our Ulladulla Changemakers with the aim of uniting young individuals in the community. At the outset of their program, the changemakers observed a lack of connectivity among young people in the local Ulladulla area.

There were two components to their project, a free event that young people could come along to to meet other young people and build connections. Each attendee received a unique color of yarn, symbolising the connections made during conversations. The hope was that by the end of the night, participants would have a multitude of different color yarn on their wrists. Over 30 young people attended the event, and it was enjoyed by all.

Following the success of the Youth Yarn event, the changemakers took initiative to extend the ripple effect by creating small cards. Each card featured a question and was decorated with five pieces of yarn. Every participant at the event received cards and was tasked with posing the questions to individuals in the local community. After asking the question, they would offer a piece of yarn and pass on the card, allowing the recipient to continue the cycle by posing the question to someone else.

4 Me 4 You

Nowra Changemakers - Term 1, 2024

In 2024, our Nowra changemakers created a project called ‘4 Me 4 You’. The Changemakers wanted to create a project focusing on youth mental wellbeing, one of the things they identified as a group was that supporting a friend through a hard time can be tough. They came up with a way to support both friends as they navigate the challenges of mental health together.

They created care packages that can be a pick-me-up for your friend who is struggling, and for you as well. There was a wide range of things included in the ‘4 Me 4 You’ packs including information for helplines, wreck it journal, drink bottle, movie ticket, self care items, lollies and other small goodies!

This project was a huge success having a direct impact on over 20 young people in the local Shoalhaven community. ‘4 Me 4 You’ is all about providing support for not only your friends who might be having a tough time, but also yourself! Being there for your friends and having those conversations is super important, but carrying the burden of someone else’s struggles isn’t easy.

This is not a game

Nowra Changemakers - Term 2, 2023

"This is not a game" was developed with the primary objective of raising awareness about individual carbon footprints and offering practical solutions to mitigate the impact on the environment.

To engage and empower the community, the changemakers came up with a unique approach - a bingo card. This card consisted of 12 eco-friendly tasks that participants were encouraged to complete over the course of a month. Through this interactive game, individuals were motivated to adopt sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprints.

Throughout the month-long challenge, each participant documented their experiences, sharing their progress as they ticked off their bingo cards. This documentation served two purposes: to track the personal journey of each participant and to inspire others by showcasing the positive impact of small changes in everyday habits.

Check out some of their videos here.

The project was important to the Nowra changemakers as they all deeply care about preserving the local environment. It provided an opportunity for young people and community members to collectively make a meaningful contribution by making simple yet effective changes in their daily lives. By emphasising that these seemingly small changes, when implemented on a larger scale, can create positive impacts, the initiative rallied individuals to take responsibility for their carbon footprints and become champions of sustainability.

Since the start of the project, two separate groups have participated in the challenge, totaling 20 enthusiastic individuals who embraced the bingo challenge, completing over 200 tasks to help our environment. This growing participation demonstrates the success of ‘this is not a game’, as it continues to inspire more people to engage actively in reducing their carbon footprints and creating a healthier, more sustainable future.

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.

**SonderTalks**

**Alumni Project, 2023**
SonderTalks, a podcast by Sonder Youth, is created by and for young people, addressing issues that matter.
The first SonderTalks series was launched towards the end of 2023, focusing on climate anxiety. SonderTalks is the passion project of beloved Sonder Youth team member and program leader extraordinaire, Takesa Frank, who also acts as the podcast’s host. We interviewed 6 guests with some pretty amazing environmental credentials who volunteered to share their unique perspectives on climate anxiety, climate change and how young people can take positive action within their own lives to manage feelings of climate distress.
The guests included the passionate environmentalist and indie music sensation, Jack River, Dr. Sally Gillespie from Climate Psychology Australia, local media personality Wombat, Shoalhaven mayor Amanda Findley, and environmental activist Bob Brown. By engaging with such influential voices, SonderTalks aimed to provide a valuable resource for young people grappling with climate-related concerns.
Be on the lookout for upcoming podcast series in 2024! 🎙️

Check out our podcast episode with
Bob Brown!

**New Year’s Day Documentary**

**Alumni and Community Project, 2020**
‘New Year’s Day’ is a short documentary made about young people’s experiences during the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20. It brought attention to the stories of young people when so much of the media at the time was from adults and leaders - but this experience shaped how young people see their futures.
In 2020, Sonder Youth collaborated with Headspace Nowra and BC Films to create this film. Over a span of four months, local young people were interviewed to convey their personal experiences during the bushfires. Additionally, they were encouraged to write a letter to their future selves, reflecting on how the experience shaped them and sharing the sources of courage and hope they discovered. This allowed them to express their thoughts and reflect on the impact 12 months on.
This project was important to the young people involved as it provided an opportunity for young people to connect and reflect on their experiences after such a significant event - loss of flora and fauna, homes, sense of safety, community
To introduce the documentary, Sonder organized a screening titled "New Year's Day" on the one-year anniversary of the Black Summer Bushfires. The event featured performances by local young musicians, market stalls operated by young people, and food stalls. This initiative served as an opportunity for hope and connection for young individuals on the South Coast in the aftermath of the disasters.

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 50 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.

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.

Mile for a smile

Nowra Changemakers - Term 2, 2023

During Mental Health May 2023, Sonder Youth’s Nowra Changemakers created a region-wide scavenger hunt for 10 red boxes. The boxes included positive affirmation stickers, reflective wellbeing questions, and encouraged the finder to leave a positive not for others.

In order for the participant to find the code for the box and get a sticker they had to answer a question from the QR code on the box, the questions include;

What are you proud of yourself for?

What act of kindness from a stranger will you never forget?

What do you do for yourself to make yourself feel better?

All questions were aimed to get the participants to reflect on the positive aspects of their wellbeing. Hundreds of people took part throughout the month!

This project was important to the changemakers because they wanted to encourage young people to improve their wellbeing by getting their friends and community outside.

Since 2023, Mile 4 a Smile has been run four separate times by different changemaker groups with over 800 people engaging in the project so far!

BU Walkathon

Ulladulla Changemakers - Term 4, 2023

Our Ulladulla Changemakers created the Bu Walkathon project after discussing they wanted to do something about mental health awareness and bringing the community closer together.

Throughout the month of November, participants and community members had a challenge to see who could walk the most and engage in thought-provoking conversations. Walking was tracked through Strava and a Facebook group where participants could share updates.

This initiative has not only encouraged physical exercise but also facilitated vital discussions on mental health in the community. During the walkathon, a daily question was posed to participants to ignite new conversations and also to deepen connections within the community, fostering a sense of togetherness.

The competition aspect, with rewards for those who walk the most kilometers, added a layer of fun and excitement, encouraging greater participation from individuals. The support from local businesses in the form of donated gift vouchers for prizes was heartening. It demonstrates the power of community involvement and collaboration in addressing important issues.

This project was important to our Ulladulla Changemakers as they identified the importance of raising awareness about mental wellbeing and removing the stigma around it amongst young people. They also noticed a lack of community connection since COVID-19 which was why they added the daily question aspect into the challenge.

The Bu Walkathon was an amazing project that showcased the difference that can be made through collective action and compassion towards mental health awareness and support.