The Commons Social Change Library - an online treasure trove for changemakers
The Commons Social Change Library is an Australian based online facility which includes over 1200 resources for progressives, all of which are free to access and use.
The collection features a plethora of materials specifically designed for educators helping students understand social justice movements and collective empowerment.
Holly Hammond, Director of the Library, says “people can visit the Commons and go on their own self-directed learning journey, or educators can explore the Commons to find teaching aids”.
“The Commons Library is staffed by librarians, educators and activists who are always considering the learning needs of our visitors and ways to make information as accessible as possible. When we realised that so many teachers were using Commons materials in their classes we intentionally gathered a number of resources from our site and others, into Social Justice Resources for Teachers and The Power to be a Changemaker: Resources for Teachers and Students.”
Holly says many educators have found historical campaign case studies held by the Commons especially useful.
“Using a case study in a class could involve screening a short video, reading quotes from the people involved, or presenting a timeline, to prompt discussion and insights.
“We also have many frameworks and tools that can be included in lesson plans, whether for workshops run by grassroots activists or teachers in the classroom. Our templates, worksheets and checklists can be used as they are or adapted, to be completed by students individually or in small groups.”
Social Justice Resources for Teachers: Topic Guide
This list of 115 teaching and learning resources has been meticulously curated for teachers to help students learn all about social justice, advocacy and activism. Under each resource, where information was available, is a list of the applicable subjects and/or Australian Curriculum code and year/grade level. The 14 topic areas include Democracy and Authoritarianism, Indigenous/First Nations Justice/Civil Rights, Diversity and Justice, Poverty/Housing, and Environmental Justice.
The Power to be a Changemaker: Resources for Teachers and Students
The Commons Librarians have collected resources for teachers and students about the power of change and being a changemaker. The list includes toolkits, videos and worksheets for primary and secondary students from external and internal resources from the Commons Library. It includes more than 85 resources grouped into areas such as The Power of Telling Your Story, The Power to Take Action, The Power of Writing, and The Power of Self Care and Caring for Others.
Easy Read Guides for Social Change
With support from State Trustees Victoria and the Council for Intellectual Disability, the Commons Library has produced several Easy Read documents for people with disability, people with English as an additional language, and people with lower literacy levels. These and other Easy Read Resources about Advocacy and Campaigning and Easy Read Resources About Particular Campaigns and Social Issues are suitable for classroom use.
Great reads about protest, reform, resistance and progress
Apart from all the materials which can help you frame classes on important topics, the Commons Social Change Library contains reams of eye-opening and inspiring articles on everything from gay liberation, unions and the left in the 1970s to the fight against conscription into the army in the 1960s and Zelda D’Aprano’s now famous act of chaining herself to the Commonwealth Building to demand equal pay for women