Be The Change was founded in 2010 by a group of students who wanted to make a difference and bring about change both in the local area and internationally. We've already got exciting projects for students to get involved in and have won the Students' Guild 2012 ‘Best Campaigning and Volunteering Society’, 2013 ‘Best Campaign’, 2014 ‘Community Impact Award’, and 2016 ‘Campaign of the Year’!
We work in a project-based approach and have 3 ongoing at the moment:
1] Project Sustainability: (previously Project Big Rubbish) promoting environmental sustainablity (e.g. waste reduction, transport carbon-footprint, consumerism behaviour) through campaigns, panel talks, and workshops.
2] Project Refugee: sharing knowledge on global and regional refugee situations (via campaigns, talks, collaboration with other organisations) and volunteering (e.g. RAFT warehouse in Taunton) to facilitate positive aid.
3] Project TBC: Calling All Members - have Your say!
Some previous projects include:
Project Habitat: volunteering with the homeless in Exeter.
Project Fairtrade: raising awareness of Fairtrade values and products.
Project Congo: raising awarness of the devasting conflict and the link to blood minerals used in all our electronics.
Project Cocoa: promoting fair trade chocolate on campus, both in the campus shops and vending machines around campus; raising awareness about the use of child labour in the cocoa industry.
Project Thika: seeking to create change in the lives and futures of vulnerable and affected children in Thika, Kenya, working directly with partner Action for Children in Conflict through volunteering in School Holiday Clubs based in Thika, which give disadvantaged children and youths informal educational opportunities.
Project Jenin: (took place over the summer in Jenin, Palestine) renovating Al-Noor Blind school's play area and creating a specialised sensory garden for children to enjoy; teaching beginners, advanced, and intermediate English lessons with Partners for Sustainable Development, and running various workshops including music, photography, art and drama to provide fun extra-curricular activities and learning opportunities for all participants.
And remember, if you have something, local or global, you'd like to see change, then we can also help to set up your own project to make this happen!
For anyone looking to get involved in a society where you can make a sustainable difference Be The Change is the place to be!
Check out www.facebook.com/btcexeter and our website bethechangeexeter.weebly.com for more information!
You can also find us @bethechange.exeter on Instagram and @BeTheChangeUoE on Twitter.