Topic

You don’t know what topic you want to work on? Choosing the right topic can be challenging. But it is not enough to take a topic just because the public and the media says it is important. Successful activism comes from really burning for the cause. This category will support you to find your topic. We share tips where to start the search and practical examples of topics that the Ambassadors from the Generation Europe network worked on. Those are topics you can consider for your own activism and that might point you in the direction of what you are passionate about.

Finding the one in an endless sea of topics

Local-Global Context

When choosing a topic the motto of the Schottish pedagogue Patrick Geddes “think globally, act locally” is a perfect guideline. Looking at the world’s problems in a global context and seeing how this affects you in your context and reality.

As people who want to become activists it’s essential to look at the world’s problems and global context, and see what applies to our context and reality, in order to understand, practically, what we can do in our local community. For example, sustainability is a global concern, but at a local level, sometimes we are not able to take big action right away.

However, we can always start with small steps. For instance, we can work on the “plastic free oceans” topic and organise a beach cleanup – if the beaches in our community are poorly preserved. Or we can fight for the implementation of a recycling system in our area – if excess garbage on the streets is an issue.

What big, global topic are you interested in? How do you experience it in your community?

Research

Sometimes, we need to figure out what to search for. Here, you will find some clues. How about focusing on why, when and what questions to start?

Google it! Sometimes we don’t know what to search for. First, let’s gather the main information and news about the topic we want to work on. Then, what about understanding why this is an issue or a relevant topic to you, your group and/or community. When has it started to be an issue or to be important and what are the legal frames associated with it? Gathering ideas of what has already been done and what you can still do and finding information on potential supporters, stakeholders, opponents are other research aims. And who is your target group? Let’s find out!

Define who you want to reach by researching your target group. This can also help you to decide which specific topic to work on, how to work on it and how to develop the concrete idea. Further, research will help you to get to the next step: taking action.

Here you can find a simple research checklist in order to start:

What to research for?
Is the topic a current issue?
Is it important?
What has been done so far?
New ideas?
Who are the supporters (who are the people, media, volunteers, and decision makers that can help us)?
Who are the opponents (are they other decision makers, brand owners, police…)?
Who are part of the target group?

Imagine, we want to search about (1) mental health because (2) it’s an issue nowadays, and it’s (3) important for people’s health and also it has gained more and more importance amongst youngsters, since Covid-19. (4) A lot of workshops, awareness campaigns, and speeches have been done. However, to promote mental health in schools can be a hard task. It takes time, and sometimes money, for resources and for psychologists. So it can happen that whoever is in charge of finances can pick a cheaper option and maybe think that psychologists are not a priority. This can be a way to (7) delay the progress of your goal. Still you can find (6) support in psychologists, doctors, media, people who are interested in the topic, schools, professors… You can decide to focus on youngsters as your (8) target group, since it’s an important topic for them, and make them also the promoters of mental health, because sometimes it’s easier to listen to our peers who go through the same things we are also facing. This can be a (5) new approach to the topic: youngsters talking to other youngsters.

Problems you might face during your research – And solutions, yeah!

Do you feel overwhelmed by too much or conflicting information about your topic? Don’t expect too much. When you start to learn piano you will not begin by playing Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” but by trying with a simple song. It’s the same with research: Just start – and the more you dive into your topic, the more you will understand.
Or do you have the feeling that somehow there are so many different perspectives and you don’t know which is the right one? Sometimes it helps to watch a debate, because when you hear experts of opposite opinions discussing with each other, you can build your own opinion – especially if you discuss it, additionally, with your group, friends or family.

Where to Get Information From?

Left or right? I’m lost! Sources of information can be peers, teachers and experts, researches, books and articles, newspapers, academic journals, the internet and so on. But here we need to be careful.

We shouldn’t adopt something without criticism just because a Professor Dr. Fake said something in a YouTube video. It’s very important not to take for granted any information and to be aware of fake news. Fake news is disinformation content, with the intention of spreading lies or unverified content to validate an idea or to earn money. Spreading fake news can undermine our credibility and that of our project. So how to identify them? By cross-referencing information with other reliable means and by verifying the source. That means knowing who is the author, who is behind the platform, who are the interested parties, who owns the newspaper, what is the main target group of the source. To get valuable information, we always need to be critical and impartial. This is hard, as our existing knowledge and our beliefs might be challenged by new information. But, that’s how we grow! And we are not left alone with that, fact checking platforms such as factcheck.org are there to assist.

Be critical of statistics as well. There is a joke in the science community: I only trust the statistics that I falsified by myself. Numbers are not always undeniable facts as long as we don’t know what exactly they are about. For example, if the air pollution in the city centre is measured as “acceptable” then it’s important to check who made this classification, how this classification is defined, how exactly the air pollution is measured, and if there are other voices such as scientists who think differently about the classification.

And now – to make everything even more exciting: Things are developing fast.

Have you updated your information already?

Experts and Professionals

Are you drowning in articles and information from your research? Guess, who worked their way already through this jungle? Experts and professionals are a great source of information.

To get information on your topic in an interactive way, you can consider inviting an expert to your group meeting. Research on google who is engaged with this topic in your community. Don’t be shy to ask them for support. A polite request from young people can open a lot of doors. You don’t have anything to lose and everything to win, right?

Expert experience on a subject is important because it can be a guiding light, an incentive, and a way to obtain information, gain knowledge, and become aware of the same subject.

Anastasia from Greece used the knowledge of an expert to save the seagulls that were appearing dead in her school garden:

“[A teacher] announced her idea to build bins with a lid, so the birds cannot open them, and to start separating the trash [and] the kinds of food, to make sure the birds will not eat anything harmful to them. A group of volunteers was created, by teachers and students, and made this idea a reality. After all that, I honestly don’t remember seeing another dead bird outside my school until I graduated. This action was successful, in my opinion, because the teacher, who had the original idea, possessed a good knowledge about animals and what’s good and bad for them”.

“The expert of anything was once a beginner.”
Helen Hayes, US-american actress

That is always something we should keep in mind, once we, activists, who are just starting out, can also become experts in something. Because it is evident that activism and expertise are often correlated. No surprise, as activists are passionate about and therefore interested in their topic. Additionally, they invest a lot in gaining more information to really address the root of a problem, to defend their actions against critics, and to convince others to join.

Feelings: Is This Topic Really “the One”?

“Can’t stop the feeling!” When choosing a topic, have you thought about how you feel about it? If it’s a topic that motivates you, makes you sad, or even annoys you?

Well, when we choose a topic to work on, we need to want to work on it so badly that we can move forward and handle the whole process, in case some challenges or obstacles arise. In addition, we, as little-big activists, only move for a cause or a topic that really interests us. That’s why “how we feel about a topic” is important.

Sometimes, it helps to look back and reflect on what triggers feelings in us. This can be a personal experience of discrimination, anger when about peoples’ behaviour, strong empathy with a story on the news. Or positively, the gratitude when something was different than usual. Like that one time you were at a restaurant with unisex bathrooms and not confronted with a binary gender decision.

Once you start activism, you quickly become absorbed by the many tasks. From time to time, however, it is important for motivation to check whether the topic is really “the one”. How many of these points can you check off?

It’s easy to work on this topic.
I like this topic and I think it’s relevant.
I will be happy to be working on this topic.
I’m enjoying the process.
I’m feeling motivated and interested.
I’m also engaged with the cause/topic.
I feel that I’m constantly learning something and that I’m acquiring new competences/skills.
I feel that I’m helping other people.
I feel that I can grow as a person.
I feel that I’m filling a need in the local community.
I feel that I’m making a difference, even in a small sphere.
I believe in this topic.

The 3D’s!

Three elements can significantly help us find the ideal topic. But we thought you’d better complete the little riddle we bring you to find out more.

Fill in the blanks with the 3D’s below:
(Democratic Process, Different perspectives and Dynamics)

When we are about to choose a topic, going through a ______________ is a fundamental aspect, as it leads us to discussing ideas and listening to the other, with respect. In this way, we can make decisions based on democracy. Committing ourselves to them is decided by the majority, and obviously taking into account all the ______________ within the group we work with. Different perspectives can enrich the group itself, but also our approach to the topic. However, opinions, circumstances, and reality change, and new obstacles arise, so we need to be prepared to adapt our topic to unforeseen circumstances. That’s why ______________ matter. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, we had to adjust to a new reality. If we wanted to hold a debate on human rights, we had to adapt to the circumstances and maybe do it online, but we still managed to do it, right?!

What topics in your daily life trigger feelings in you?

Continuation

It’s about finding a way to keep doing activism despite the obstacles. It’s about persevering over time!

Continuation is about finding a way to keep doing activism, despite setbacks. The situation is not getting better and we keep doing even small actions for a long-term period. When fighting for the LGBTQI+ community rights in your school, for example, you might start with a graffiti banner that is put down, and then continue with a petition. If it doesn’t work you don’t give up, just find a new angle and keep trying!

Find another way to continue, as Angelika from Poland did:

“I decided to visit our principal’s office and talked with her for about an hour about the situation. We found a solution together and decided to make new graffiti on the other side of the old one”. Activism is a process that always requires continuation and from us to be constantly active.

Topic Examples

Here are some topics examples which can serve as an inspiration for you!

The EU Youth Goals are the outcome of the Youth Dialogue process with over 50.000 young people. They represent views of young people from all over Europe about what is especially important and are part of the EU Youth Strategy 2019-2027. Maybe their topics are a great inspiration for you. Another source of inspiration could be human rights. Read carefully through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and see if one of these articles strikes a chord in you. Here you can find a list of the topics and stories from the Ambassadors on how they took action.

Mental health: “Achieve better mental wellbeing and end stigmatisation of mental health issues, thus promoting social inclusion of all young people” (EU Youth Goals). Mental health is a topic that has been gaining more and more space on the public agenda and that has captured the attention of young people, creating awareness. It is an issue that affects the youth as well.

Penelope from Greece shared a personal story about how she dealt with mental health issues:

“I created a small artistic video project called “alteralunae project” which in Latin means “The other side of the moon” […] The project is basically 3 minute videos of everyday life images and a text in the description box that includes my real/raw feelings and thoughts, in a situation where I have felt misunderstood (something like a video diary). For me it is really important to understand that it is ok to be vulnerable, to speak out, to practise active listening, and not to be close-minded towards your own opinion. By the time I shared the first video I got really nice feedback and text responses that turned into a dialogue about the importance of empathy.”

Sustainability: “Achieve a society in which all young people are environmentally active, educated and able to make a difference in their everyday lives” (EU Youth Goals). It’s about trying to preserve what’s left for us and for the next generations, and about trying to fix what can be fixed and change what is wrong. It’s about making better choices, and about helping all living beings by helping the planet! It’s about the world we want to live in for the next generations. It’s never too late to give something to the planet that gives us so much, that gives us life! If everyone is doing their part, then we all are doing something.

Mariam from Germany has already started with very important* small* steps:

“I reduced plastic waste in my household and started supporting more ‘green’ companies and avoiding exploiting brands. Other people in my household weren’t really interested in all that, so I started taking responsibility, for example when grocery shopping. Another thing is that I bought and still look out for bamboo and metal straws or other reusable items to share with my friends and family.”

Inclusive societies: “Many do not have access to their social rights. Many continue to face multiple discrimination, experience prejudice, and hate crimes” (EU Youth Goals). But we are all in this together! Here are some examples of subjects you can concretely work on: Racism, Xenophobia, discrimination against disabled people, bullying, body shaming, refugees, homeless, orphanages. It’s also important to have spaces where all young people (but not only) can express themselves and spaces to support their personal, cultural, and political development and democratic participation. If your community doesn’t have a safe space for discussion and participation for all, it’s never too late to think and act!

Sadik from Germany, together with his mates, did something against racism:

“Cologne is normally known for its tolerant and open people and culture, but there is this one racist club in the city, that doesn’t let people enter that don’t look like a typical German […] We started a conversation in front of the club and explained to them that the club was racist and how they rejected people and they couldn’t believe it. This action was definitely successful, because we could clarify this issue to some people and have been the first that started to approach this topic, so it may be easier for others after us to tackle this topic, because someone did it before.”

Equality of all genders: Gender-based discrimination still affects many people, and it is essential to fight for equality between men and women, for the inclusion of transgender people, non-binary and LGBTQI+. “Equal opportunities and access to rights need to be ensured” (EU Youth Goals) for all, no matter if they are men or women, transgender, non-binary, LGBTQI+ community… We must stand for equality and for the right to be who we want to be!

Like Angelika from Poland did:

“This year in our school a guy, who has a conservative, strict vision, decided to go on with a petition about putting down from a wall a LGBTQI+ banner. He used really strong, politically inappropriate [words], claiming homosexuality is an ideology. He said that the graffiti makes other people [feel] uncomfortable. Our principal decided to put it down, which concerned many students. The LGBTQI+ community was worried and didn’t feel comfortable and safe in their own school, so I decided to write my own petition, where I wrote about freedom of art and freedom of choices. I asked friends for help and about 90% of our student’s community signed up for that petition.”

Human rights: For centuries, people have fought for freedom and, in fact, this is a constant and recurring struggle in different parts of the world: Human Rights. Whether the right of expression, of the press, of circulation, of religion… or just to be a free country from other countries’ oppression, freedom is a right that everyone should be able to experience, and that at any moment can be threatened. So, our rights shouldn’t be taken for granted. We must be vigilant and active in protecting this right! Don’t be silent, protect what is rightfully yours!

That was what Sofiia from Ukraine did, when the war against Ukraine started:

Being in Germany, “I wanted to do something and I’ve never been to a protest, so I decided to go to one with my friend, who was an activist. We were standing there, listening to this non-sensitive german speaches. So, my friend told me to do a speech, too. She assured me that the value of just the fact that I’m Ukrainian is so big that it will [reach the people]. so I went there [and] people heard me. I understood my power and felt that I could change something”.

Did one of these topic examples spark a feeling in you?

Methods and Platforms

Spread the word! You already have a chosen topic and have done some research?

Well, then you are already a bit more expert in our subject and can jump to the next step. Can you think of some methods and platforms to use to spread your message? How can you reach your target audience? This is something that takes us directly to the Take Action section.

But first, how about doing this alphabet soup game to find some suggestions of platforms you can use?!