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Activity B: Leadership for change and influence Aim
To recognise what you can do to help make change happen
You need
Some paper, pens, coloured sticky dots and about half an hour
What to do
a) Write the words change and influence on two separate flipcharts. What does each word mean to you? What does it mean to be changing something compared to influencing things? You might, for example, be able to directly change the outcome of stopping a local youth club closing, but can only influence a decision to end poverty throughout the UK. Write on the charts or use post-it notes to put down all your thoughts. Before you move on, quickly look up both these words in a dictionary or online. Do the definitions help? Add any new thoughts to your flipcharts. Get a broad agreement in the group about the difference between the two. b) Take a look at the list of actions the group has been part of from the previous activities. Were you involved in changing something or influencing change? Using the sticky dots mark next to each action what you think you changed in one colour and what you think you influenced in another colour. c) And on a personal note as well as for the group, you might like to remember C-I-A: • Change • Influence • Accept Complete for yourself or in pairs and then as a whole group:
Me
The group
I can change
We can change
I can influence
We can influence
I need to accept for now
We need to accept for now
What do you think?
It can be quite hard when you think about what’s possible for you to change and what you can influence as part of something bigger. Did everyone agree on change vs influence? Was it hard to accept that some things weren’t in your control? Were there things you felt you had to accept and couldn’t really expect to change or influence? Accepting these things can be helpful in bringing focus on the things we can do!
Before next time
Identify a cause you feel passionate about and think of specific actions each person can take. •What can you do with only ten minutes to spare? A poll, petition or electronic sign up on a website perhaps? •What can you do with half an hour? A letter to your local councillor? •What can you do if you have an hour? Both the above and a different version of the letter to other .............. people like your MP or the local newspaper? Or contact one of the local groups you want to link with?