As well as supporting students in developing countries, ACCESS aims to engage and educate youth in North America about world issues and the current global situation. Speak Up for Change is an initiative from ACCESS that will help us to do so!

About Speak Up for Change

Launched in the fall of 2008, Speak Up for Change is a program that gives both youth and organizations a chance to write about poverty and education-related issues. It provides students with writing experience and online exposure, as well as community service hours and prizes, and provides organizations with exposure.

Topics include social justice, youth activism, global development, poverty, education, political action, and more.

Contributors respond to current events, related quotes, and social justice issues. The forum is moderated by members of the ACCESS Speak Up for Change Team, who both assign and edit the articles. Topics will be posted by the team on a regular basis, inviting responses by youth. Schools are encouraged to become involved in the program, as a the topics and writing assignments easily fit as a component of their curriculum. Guest contributors are welcome and include educators, politicians, local celebrities, members of the non-profit community, and social activists.

It's estimated that globally, 1.5 million new blog entries have appeared in the past week. Through Speak Up for Change, we want you to help ensure that we contribute as many positive, youth-written, change-driven posts as we can.

Calling You to Action

ACCESS is seeking schools, students, and individuals who are interested in participating in the program. This includes blog entries from non-profit organizations, relating to our topics above. Both regular contributors and one-time participants are welcome.

Submissions will be published on the Speak Up for Change website, after being approved by our editors and categorized according to topic and theme. Please consider writing a new blog entry, or sending us existing written content for the blog. Accompanying video and photos are most welcome.

Funding the Program

As a non-profit organization, ACCESS is still accepting sponsors for the Speak Up for Change program. The program is currently supported in part by local organizations.

Prizes to reward participation in the program as well as for promotional campaigns are ideal. Additional funds would be used to promote the program through advertisements online, send information packages to schools, and provide printed resources to participating students.

Visit our Sponsors and Partners page to learn more.

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Speak Up for Change Blog
About Speak Up for Change
Schedule & Writer Guidelines
Disclaimer & Regulations
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Sponsors & Partners

Team Members

Patricia Stavropoulos
Editor

Shakira Abubakar
Promotions and Outreach

Daniel Francavilla
Progam Director

Dylan Robertson
Program Developer and Advisor