Global Issues

Awareness & Understanding

You live in Salt Lake City, but what happens in a village in Bangladesh or a city in Nigeria can ripple all the way here. Start by getting curious about the world's biggest challenges — poverty, climate change, conflict, food insecurity, and more. Watch one video a day on the YouTube channel "Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell" or browse the UN's Sustainable Development Goals site at sdgs.un.org. The subreddit r/worldnews is another good window into global events. Don't try to learn everything — just pick one issue that genuinely bothers you and follow your curiosity. You're ready for the next step when you can name one global issue, explain what causes it, and describe who it affects most.

Research & Investigation

Now go deeper on the issue you chose. Use Google Scholar, the BBC News website, or the free database at your Salt Lake City Public Library (slcpl.org) to find facts beyond the headlines. Look for nonprofits already working on your issue — organizations like Oxfam, CARE, or locally, the International Rescue Committee's Salt Lake office (rescue.org/united-states/salt-lake-city-ut). Write down the key statistics: How many people are affected? Where? What solutions are already being tried? The subreddit r/geopolitics can help you see multiple angles. You're ready for the next step when you can explain your chosen issue using at least three specific facts and name two organizations already working on it.

Planning & Preparation

Time to stop reading and start doing. Pick one concrete action you can actually take — organizing a school presentation, starting a fundraiser, writing letters to local leaders, or creating social media content. Map out your plan: What do you need? Who can help? What's your timeline over the next few weeks? Use a free tool like Canva (canva.com) to draft posters or slides, or Google Docs to outline your project. Talk to a teacher, parent, or community leader for feedback. In Utah, organizations like the World Affairs Council of Utah (utahworldaffairs.org) sometimes mentor young advocates. You're ready for the next step when you have a written one-page action plan with specific tasks, deadlines, and at least one person who has agreed to help you.

Taking Action

Execute your plan. If you planned a presentation, give it. If you're fundraising, launch it. If you're writing letters, send them. Don't wait for it to be perfect — getting it out into the world is the goal. Document what you do: take photos, save emails, keep a simple journal. Share your work in at least one public or semi-public way — a classroom, a community meeting, a social media post, or a letter to the editor of the Salt Lake Tribune. Real action feels different from planning, and the bumps you hit will teach you more than any article. You're ready for the next step when you have completed at least one action and have documentation showing what you did and how people responded.

Leadership & Expansion

You've taken action — now help others do the same. Recruit a friend, sibling, or classmate to work on this issue with you. Teach them what you know. Reach out to a local club, school group, or faith community to see if they want to get involved. Look into youth leadership programs like Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (hoby.org) or Utah's own Governor's Honors Academy. Start a simple social media account or blog to share updates on your issue and your work. You're ready for the next step when you have engaged at least two other people in your cause and can describe what each of them is doing to help.

Impact & Reflection

Look back at everything you've done over these weeks. What actually changed? Write a reflection: What did you learn about the global issue? What did you learn about yourself as an advocate? Share your story — submit a piece to your school paper, post on a youth advocacy platform like DoSomething.org, or present at a local community event. Celebrate the wins, even the small ones. Then look ahead: What would you do differently? What's the next step for this cause? In Utah, consider submitting your project to the Utah State Board of Education's student recognition programs. You're ready for the next step when you can tell someone else the story of your project from start to finish, including what you'd change next time.