DESIGN FOR CHANGE Global Movement

Design for Change (DFC) catalysed by founder Kiran’s Bir Sethi’s TED Talk in 2010 cultivates the ‘I CAN’ mindset in every child empowering them to express their own ideas for a better world and put them into action.

It is a winner of numerous education accolades and present in 70 countries. DFC was born out of the conviction that children are not helpless, that change is possible and belief that they can drive it. Through a simple design process of Feel-Imagine-Do-Share ( FIDS for KIDS) children are designing solutions for some of the worlds greatest challenges!

BE THE CHANGE
CONFERENCE

Each year DFC hosts an annual Be The Change (BTC) celebration bringing together youth changemakers from around the world. BTC 2024 is happening in Dubai, from 21st to 24th November 2024.

STUDENT COUNCIL

Last year one of our Art For Change participants, Karma Vyas wrote a song with his group about Cyberbullying and went on to represent Northern Ireland at the annual global DFC celebration which took place in India and was thereafter nominated to join the DFC Student Council.

Design for Change Global's Student Council acts as a platform for children to voice their thoughts and opinions, and allows these viewpoints to be incorporated into the international I CAN movement.

FIDS
Design Thinking Framework

Powered by the principles of design thinking, Design for Change offers a simple 4 step framework FIDS (Feel-Imagine-Do-Share)- to unleash the I CAN superpower in every child.

Using this framework, children are encouraged to 'FEEL' (observe and identify any situation that bothers them), 'IMAGINE' (brainstorm a way to make it better), 'DO' (work in teams to implement their solution) and finally, 'SHARE' (their solution of change with the world) to inspire others to say, 'I CAN'!

ART FOR CHANGE Nurturing Youth Mental Health

Art For Change uses the FIDS framework to enable youth to identify issues affecting their mental health and to take action on the issue through a chosen art medium.

The Art For Change pilot in the summer of 2023 was sponsored by Arts Council Northern Ireland. Here is a story of change that was shared at the I CAN Children’s Global Summit hosted by DFC in India, December 2023.

Northern Ireland Country Partner

Juanita Rea - Founder/CEO/Facilitator

I am a passionate and purpose-driven educator with 24 years of international experience. I am Indian South African and blessed to call South Africa, South Korea, England, the Philippines, India, Sudan and now Northern Ireland - home. I foster empathic connections and authentic relationships with learners, parents and colleagues in a range of diverse cultures and contexts.My response to rising social, political, racial and environmental upheaval, is my specialist focus in social, emotional and mental health, with access for underserved communities. I aspire to make evidence-based, original and relevant contributions to education policy reform that places wellbeing, agency and sustainability at the core of classrooms so that teachers and learners are better prepared for the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world. In the face of systemic racism and global instability, I believe that we can learn how to respond to inner, personal strife and external challenges with compassion and resilience, as we each have the capacity to pause, breathe and heal ourselves, our communities and our planet.

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/juanitarea/

Since the inception of Design for Change in 2009, here is our collective global impact.

DFC GLOBAL
IMPACT

74

COUNTRIES &
REGIONS

40000

SOLUTIONS OF
CHANGE

2

MILLION CHILDREN
PARTICIPATED

30552

SCHOOLS
PARTICIPATED

111897

teachers
PARTICIPATED

DFC GLOBAL AWARDS

DFC GLOBAL PARTNERS