Skip to Main Content

Students Taking Action Today: Taking Action + Creating Advocacy

Action + Advocacy (2 to 4 weeks)

You will...

  • Lead students through developing a message for advocacy an campaign and selecting action they can do and/or encourage others to do.
  • Lead students in action as a group or in documenting actions completed at home or plan for group action that will include larger community involvement.
  • Lead students through creating an advocacy campaign and planning for its distribution.

Students will...

  • Propose and vote on action(s), and pitch advocacy messages and formats.
  • Complete action and/or encourage action through an advocacy campaign.
  • Create advocacy campaign materials.

How to Make a PSA from the Girl Scouts

Share this video with your students. How to Make a PSA from the Girl Scouts.

Planning and Creating a PSA

Use the PSA analysis and planning materials from our in-person session with The Paley Center for Media for your students' advocacy campaign development.

Use the PSA creation station directions shared by Dr. Mary Ann Cappiello to guide your students through making a PSA.

Digital Poster Tools

Animation/Video Tools

Podcast Tools

PSA Resources

Also check out Google Sites for easy website creation.

Additional PSA Resources

Considerations for Action

Considerations for Action 

  • What are your students’ ideas? Is there something they can feasibly do TODAY?
  • Is there an action students can take at home/individually that could impact/support the issue?
  • As a group, can students call on someone who can do something about the issue (stakeholder) and suggest a possible action, based on their research?

Developing Advocacy Materials

  • Analyze an exemplar for ideas on content and design.
  • Create mock-ups, storyboards, drafts, etc. 

First, ACTION!

Action

  • Individual or group effort
  • One time or ongoing
  • Uses commonly available materials 
  • Establish a new habit or mindset
  • Has the potential to spread!

Then, ADVOCACY!

Advocacy

  • Targets specific group
  • Message includes call to action: “I did this and so can you” or “Join us!”
  • Shares learning and resources to learn more
  • Uses technology to amplify

Identifying Stakeholders

Who Cares? Defining an Audience for Advocacy

In considering a target audience for advocacy and who students can reach out to make an impact on the issue, help students think about who has a stake in the issue. Who cares about this issue because…

  • It directly affects them?
  • It could affect them or someone they know now or in the future?
  • It’s their job to help out with this issue?
  • They are able to help, which will make them feel good?

Sample Advocacy Materials

Explore examples of advocacy campaigns, both professional and homemade, to analyze different forms, messaging, target audiences, and calls to action to plan for your advocacy campaign. Check out these two examples.

  • Cat Song: A jingle (recognize the tune?) from our partner Katherine at the Animal Care Center of NYC to educate young children on animal behavior.
  • Trash It, Don't Flush It: PSA campaign from NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on keeping harmful products out of our sewer system.

Youth Advocacy

Materials to help students formulate their advocacy campaign and find their voices! 

Young People Changing the World: Are You Next? Text set from Newsela (log-in required) on youth activists that can launch discussions of how to take action.

10 Steps to Advocacy: Identify which steps your students have already taken and which are important to do before creating advocacy materials.