International guidelines for Changemaker

Accepting the different contexts existing in the world and the need to have a common global approach to global injustice, Changemaker groups from Finland, Norway, Iceland, Hungary, Kenya, the Netherlands and Pakistan have reached consensus through several meetings on the principles and guidelines for the movement.

1 About Changemaker

1.1 Changemaker

Changemaker is a non-governmental youth movement. Changemaker works to promote global justice through focusing on development issues. Changemaker aims to approach the fundamental causes of the unequal distribution of resources between the rich and poor and between the North and the South, to construct and promote solutions to these.

1.2 Changemaker International

The cooperation between the different national Changemaker groups is referred to as Changemaker International. Changemaker International is a network, and shall never be an overnational organization. Activities on national, regional and local level are the core foundation of Changemaker International.

1.2.1 Representatives of Changemaker International meet once a year, at the international meeting. The annual meeting should be hosted in different countries every year.

1.2.2 Each national network has two international contact persons. Group of these contact persons is referred to as International Coordination Team. This team is responsible for;

a) communication and information sharing within Changemaker International
b) coordination the international annual meeting

1.2.3 Events and campaigns

a) Changemaker International will not develop common political campaigns.
b) A Changemaker campaign should always be national based.
c) When suitable, Changemaker International will participate in national campaigns by mobilizing internationally or contributing in other ways.
d) Every year we strive to come up with a common activity, addressing a global challenge.

1.2.4 Affiliation to the International Changemaker network

a) Affiliation is open for already organized national groups.
b) A new group must conform to the “International guidelines for Changemaker”.
c) A separate application form must be sent a member of the changemaker network at least 3 months before the international meeting.

1.2.5 Procedures within the network when application is recieved:

a) International Coordination Team is responsible for distributing the application to all member organizations within seven days upon receipt.
b) All the applications will be discussed in the Changemaker international meeting and decision is made with consensus.
c) When a group is accepted it is immediately equal to the other members of the network.
d) If a group is rejected the Coordination team is obliged to give an explanation.
e) If there is an existing Changemaker group in an applicant’s country the applicant will be referred to the already existing group.

2 Guidelines

2.1 Changemaker’s aim

Changemaker works to promote global justice through focusing on development issues on a national level. Changemaker aims to approach the fundamental causes of the unequal distribution of resources between the rich and poor, the North and the South and to develop and promote solutions to these issues.

Changemaker seeks to engage young people in acting on global issues and to raise awareness about the injustice in the world.

2.2 Changemaker’s principles

a) Changemaker groups are politically independent, democratic and built on voluntary work.
b) Changemaker groups respect human rights, are non-violent and non-discriminative.
c) Changemaker groups respect national and international laws.

2.3 Changemaker’s working methods

The bottom line of Changemaker’s working methods should be to identify a development problem and coming up with a constructive solution to solve it, from the perspective of each member organization.

Changemaker’s working methods are campaigning, collecting signatures, lobbying, mobilizing youth, educating and raising awareness of global issues.

Within the framework of the guidelines, each Changemaker group is free to work in different ways, depending on different conditions.

2.4 Changemaker’s economy and funding

Each Changemaker group is responsible for their own financing. Changemaker groups can be funded by several donors, provided they do not influence or interfere with the independence or the values of the group.

Changemaker groups can support each other when possible and necessary (for example travelling to other Changemaker countries), but strive to avoid creating a dependency relationship between the different countries based on economy.

2.5 Changemaker’s relationship to other organizations

Changemaker groups can belong to or work in partnership with church aid groups, other organisations or be organisationally independent.

2.6 Changemaker’s name and logo

Changemaker does not take patent on its name and logo, but would like that the groups who want to be a part of our Changemaker International network should agree and adopt our guidelines and principles. Changemaker International uses the Changemaker logo and name but national groups are free to use it or not.

3 Endnote

This document can be revised at the annual meetings of Changemaker International if needed.