We have a saying at YACSA – ‘how we frame issues determines how we frame solutions’.
What that means is, it’s really important to define what the issue is, so that we can work towards the best outcomes possible.
So have a solid think about ‘what is the issue’? What is wrong, unjust or unfair? What’s the thing that is happening (or isn’t happening) that, if changed, would make people’s lives better?
Questions to consider:
Is the issue a:
law?
policy?
decision?
system?
process?
event?
idea?
use of certain words or langauge?
something else?
Why is it an issue?
Think about
What is the consequence of the issue?
What impact is it having on people?
Does it affect people differently due to gender, ethnicity, race, poverty, age etc?
Are there stats, stories or research that you can use?
Example
This is from a submission we wrote in defence of young people’s right to exist in public space:
“The use of public space by young people is the subject of almost perpetual debate. With active citizenship and the use of public space being increasingly linked to consumption and financial participation, young people are being progressively excluded from public and commercial spaces and are subjected to increased surveillance, regulation and stigmatisation.”
