The Freechild Project – www.freechild.orgConnecting Young People and Social Change

Get Engaged…

Change The World!

Creativity issues

Economic issues

Education issues

Identity issues

Democracy issues

Rights issues

Social issues

"Our youth are not failing the system; the system is failing our youth. Ironically, the

very youth who are being treated the worst are the young people who are going

to lead us out of this nightmare."

- Rachel Jackson

Creativity issues•Arts•Censorship•Hip hop•Youth media

Economic issues•Commercialism•Globalization•Illegal child labor•Poverty

Education issues•Homeschooling•School reform (offsite)•Sex education •Students rights in schools•Teaching about social change in school•The Ends of Grading•Unschooling

Identity issues•Adults•Gay, bisexual, lesbian, transsexual, transgendered, queer, and questioning youth•Homeless youth•Intergenerational partnerships•Parents•Rural issues•Urban issues

Democracy issues•Community planning involvement•Involvement in decision-making•Foster care involvement•Foundation involvement•Government involvement•Nonprofit involvement•Research representation•School involvement

Rights issues•Adultism•Ephebiphobia •Corporal Punishment•CurfewsJob discrimination•Juvenile Injustice & Incarceration•Lowering the voting age•Youth rights•Youth issues•Youth activism•Youth media•Youth rights

Social issues•Education reform•Funding•Sex education•Anti-war and nonviolence•Education•Politics•Racism•Environment•Sustainable agriculture•Public health

Snapshot of Action:Newsboys Strike1890s100,000 boys, 6-14 years oldGot increased moneyGot fewer hoursInspired millions

Snapshot of Action:American Youth Congress1930sSpoke to CongressRaised awarenessChampioned by Eleanor RooseveltLed to National Youth Administration

Snapshot of Action:Youth Liberation Press1970sCompletely youth-ledPrinted 1000s of youth-focused publicationsSustained by Youth Communications

Snapshot of Action:Youth Involvement1990sYouth ForumsYouth CouncilsYouth/Adult PartnershipsYouth-Led Media

Snapshot of Action:YOU?!?2010s• • •

"Students should not only be trained to live in a democracy when they grow up;

they should have the chance to live in one today."

– Alfie Kohn

Thus the dream becomes not one man’s dream alone,But a community dream.Not my dream alone, but our dream.Not my world alone,But your world and my world,Belonging to all the hands who build.

from “Freedom’s Plow” by Langston Hughes