Videos for Good, Digital Technology for Social Change

A group of students from ARTHUR PHILLIP High School (APHS) were awarded the Founders Award for Indigenous Youth Voices as part of the national Videos for Change Film Festival 2018.

The students were participants of the CMRC Young Storyteller Project’s digital storytelling workshops, which skill young people to use digital photography and film to tell stories and advocate for issues they are passionate about.

As part of the workshops, students from APHS produced pieces that they submitted to the national Videos for Change film festival, an initiative of High Resolves, which encourages young people to engage socially and politically with their communities by raising awareness about social justice related issues.

The film festival was sponsored by Network 10 and Platypus, with finalists invited to Telstra Headquarters in Sydney for the awards ceremony. Student pieces covered social justice issues related to racism, domestic violence, sex, gender, disability and homelessness. Finalists and winners videos can be viewed on the following link: Videos for Change 2018 Film Festival Finalists and Winners.

The piece produced by APHS students centered on racism and bullying among young people, specifically how it manifests itself digitally.

Young Storyteller project coordinator Bahram Mia said, “it’s important for the development of young people to allow them a platform from which to engage with their communities socio-politically. Using a language that they speak, namely that of digital technology, is one of the most powerful ways to do this. We encourage students to turn the camera from themselves, from selfies, to the world in front of them, to listen and then express themselves.

We’re proud of this particular cohort, who in year 8 have shown a passion and maturity beyond their years, and we hope to continue to work with students in the future to continue to engage and express themselves creatively and meaningfully.”