Have you ever wondered why your school’s student government spends more time debating what theme to pick for Homecoming than directly addressing the growing concerns about student mental health, as more and more teens speak out about the overwhelming stress they face? Maybe that's too niche of an example, but it highlights a bigger issue: student governments, which are meant to represent the entire student body, often seem disconnected from the real issues affecting their peers.

As someone who has transferred high schools multiple times, I’ve come to realize that, more often than not, student government is just a popularity contest as people vie for votes with no initiatives to incite change at school.

Having said this, I do want to recognize the difficulty in inciting change. Who do you go to? What do you say?

Will anyone take you seriously? That's why I've put together a step-by-step guide for you to follow in order to take charge of issues at school and advocate for improved conditions.

1. Identify Problems Affecting The Student Body

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Before you can create change, it’s important to first identify what needs to be addressed.

You can start small by having conversations with friends or classmates if you're feeling nervous or unsure about talking to people you don’t know. If you notice recurring themes or concerns, jot them down as potential issues affecting the student body.

If you're feeling more confident, consider creating a survey with Google Forms or another platform, then share it with your friends and encourage them to pass it along.

Once you’ve collected a few issues (you can always add more later), focus on narrowing down the list to the ones you most want to tackle. Whether it's the lack of mental health resources or the presence of hate speech in the hallways, it can be tempting to address every issue, but focusing on a few will allow you to be more specific, personal, and impactful in your efforts!

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2. Gather Other Peers Who Care!

One of the key elements to a successful initiative is having others involved! Once you’ve decided on the issues you want to address, start sharing your ideas with friends to see if any of them are interested in joining you.

It might feel intimidating at first, especially if you’re not used to reaching out about these topics, but don’t worry – you've got this! You don’t need a huge group to get started; having a few dedicated people can be enough to delegate tasks and keep things manageable. Consider setting up a Discord or group chat to make communication easier and create a space for others to join as the initiative grows.

3. Make an Organized Plan

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Now that you have identified the problem and gathered a group of passionate people, it's time to move into the planning stage. This step is crucial because it allows you to put everything into action. Here’s how you can go about it:

a. Set Clear Goals

Before jumping into action, make sure you know exactly what you want to achieve. Define your end goal clearly, so your whole group can stay focused. Some examples of goals could be:

• Raise awareness about the lack of mental health resources (e.g., organizing information sessions or spreading flyers).
• Reduce hate speech in hallways by creating awareness campaigns and student-led discussions.

b. Break Down Goals into Tasks

Now that you know your goals, break them down into smaller, manageable tasks. This will help you organize and assign tasks to group members more easily. For example:

• Reducing Hate Speech:
  • Host a student-led forum where people can discuss experiences and ideas for creating a more inclusive environment
  • Organize workshops on respect and inclusion
• Promoting Sustainable Living
  • Create and distribute posters that have tips for sustainable living
  • Plan out a website with colorful graphics and images that allow someone to see how sustainable they are or what unsustainable living does to the planet

c. Assign Roles and Responsibilities

Once you've broken down the tasks, it's time to delegate. Keep in mind that everyone has different strengths, so try to assign tasks based on people’s skills or interests, for example:

• Someone who is creative might help design posters and digital content.
• Someone who is organized might take on setting up meetings or managing communication.
• If someone is confident and outgoing, they can be the one to present at events or hold discussions.

Make sure to keep track of who is doing what to ensure everyone gets their part done!

d. Set Deadlines

Timelines will keep everyone on track. Set realistic deadlines for each task. If you're planning an event, ensure you leave enough time for promotion and final touches. For example:

• Awareness Campaign:
  • Research and planning: 1 week
  • Poster design and printing: 2 weeks
  • Social media content creation: 1 week
  • Hosting the first event or meeting: 1 month from now

Make sure to also set deadlines for checking in with each other to ensure everyone is on the same page.

e. Creating a Budget

If your initiative requires any materials (like flyers, snacks for an event, or a venue), make sure to create a budget and think about how to gather the resources. You might ask for donations, fundraise through bake sales, or partner with a school organization to get funding or resources.

f. Create a Timeline or Action Plan Document

Having a visual timeline or document for your action plan can be really helpful. You can either use Google Docs or Google Sheets to keep everything organized or use project management tools like Notion. This will allow you and your team to track progress, and mark off completed tasks.

4. Communicate with Administrators/Teachers

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Once your plan is in place, it’s time to communicate with school administrators and/or teachers. You can reach out by email or talk to them before or after school. Here’s some reasons why you might want to contact them:

• Reserve a venue if your initiative requires a physical space.
• Ask for access to equipment like microphones or projectors.
• Request visibility in the school newspaper or on the morning announcements.
• Get official approval for your event or project.

5. Set Up Your First Event

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After everything’s been planned, it’s time to launch your first event. Refer back to your timeline to ensure you have everything ready, whether it’s a meeting, a protest, or some other type of gathering.

Most importantly, have fun and continue working toward creating change in your community!