Amnesty International Australia Victorian Youth Social Change Lab (2022)

Asialink and the Asia Education Foundation worked alongside Amnesty International Australia in to host the Youth Social Change Lab. The forum was designed to empower and equip young people to take action to improve society. Students from years 9 and 10 came together at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus to: 

• Expand students’ knowledge of human rights and the role of activists around the world. 
• Build student’s skills in debate, public speaking, problem solving, analytical thinking and reflecting. 
• Strongly link to the Victorian Curriculum’s General Capabilities of Critical and Creative Thinking, Ethical Understanding, Intercultural Understanding and Personal and Social capabilities. 
• Provide students with ‘deep-dive’ sessions on Indigenous rights, LGBT+ rights, and other student-identified human rights issues. 
• Empower students, through capacity building workshops, with the tools and confidence to become activists themselves. 

The event featured a half day of capacity building workshops and talks starting from, followed by deep dive sessions on Indigenous rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, and environmental advocacy.  These deep dive sessions were run by activists in their respective fields, who shared their experiences, tools, and lessons with participants and answered student's questions. 

A tailored Teacher Professional Development session was also held to build teacher’s capabilities in promoting student voice, advocacy, agency, and leadership.