By Temisan Boyo

It’s September and you’re back in class. Unfortunately, many other children and youth are not. Start this school year right by joining the movement to end poverty and injustice. Here are some creative ways to engage your school and tips on having a life while you do it.

1. Bake Sales: These are usually successful fundraisers but try adding a fun twist, like baking world issues facts into fortune cookies. Instead of treats and sweets, Youth Ambassador Anna Fricker opted to sell small bowls of rice at her school. “The event raised money as well as awareness of what a meal might look like for a person living in poverty.”
   
   
2. Presentations: Contact your World Vision regional office and invite a representative to give a presentation on global issues at your school or place of worship. You could also seek permission to give a presentation yourself or with a group!
   
   
3. Get active for change: Youth Ambassador Jeff Torres raised over $10,000 by completing the Ironman Triathlon, a grueling 226 km endurance race. Why not organize a marathon or walk-a-thon for your school or sign up with a group to climb the CN Tower?
   
   
4. Global Facts: Get permission to announce a global issues fact on your school PA every morning or in your homeroom class. Your school and class will appreciate it and you might learn something too!
   
   
5. Famine: World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine is not until April. But you can gather a team now and build a plan that will impress everyone and raise lots for the cause.

Striving for social justice can be difficult and demanding, especially for a student. Here are some tips to make your task a little bit easier:

1. Seek support from your school principal and/or relevant teachers before starting your project. Find friends and family members who will support you and encourage you in challenging times.
   
   
2. Set goals at the beginning. Do you want to raise a specific amount of funds? Raise awareness about a certain issue? Or motivate others to take action? Have a plan and establish your priorities.
   
   
3. Start a group “dedicated to raising awareness about poverty and education in developing countries,” like Youth Ambassador Anna Fricker. This will allow you to organize all of your fundraisers and presentations under one umbrella.
   
   
4. Practice time management. Balancing school and extracurricular activities with your social justice work can be extremely stressful without advance preparation.
   
   
5. Contact the World Vision reps in your area for any materials and tools you need, such as posters, brochures and information. Check worldvision.ca/youth regularly for updates on our programs.

Got any good ideas or advice that was not listed here? Let us know! Send us ShiftMail (youth@worldvision.ca). Your response may even be included in the next issue of Shift.