Vocabulary

Accountability is the act required or expected of a person, organization, or institution to justify actions or decisions; to be responsible.
Action is the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim.
Agent of Change is one who is empowered to act for, or represent another, or one that acts or has the power or authority to act.
Education is the process of receiving or giving systemic instruction, especially at a school or university.
Involvement is the fact or condition of being involved with or participating in something.
Plan is a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something; an intention or decision about what one is going to do.

Purpose - 
Play Advocacy

Picture
The 3-Step-Tool guided the child through the process of identifying a cause worth advocating for. Children then analyzed the situation and defined their involvement as an agent of change. In this sub-unit, children put into action their previous steps, analyze their action plan, and assess its outcomes. As a culmination to the play unit, children present how they went from learning about their right to play to advocating for this right for every child.
Child Asks: How can I work with my community as an agent of change to help realize the right to play?
Children's Rights Education enables the child to become involved in a plan of action to help realize the right to play.
Child Answers: Accountability and education can help realize the right to play for all children.

Classroom Learning Activities

1. Act to Realize the Right to Play
Students refer to the 3-Step-Tool to Empowerment to guide them as they put into action their advocacy goal/s to help a community realize the right to play for every child. This includes the following process:
  1. Refer to the goal stated in the previous sub-unit, and determine the plan of action to reach this goal. "How am I going to reach this goal?" or "What do I need to do to reach this goal?" are some questions the children can ask.
  2. Analysis of the Plan: What are the supporting and inhibiting factors in reaching this goal?
  3. Assessment: Children determine how they will know that they have reached their goal. It is important that there be followup to make sure that, indeed, their goal/s have been realized.
  4. Presentation of Advocacy: It is important that children have the opportunity to present their project to others to inspire them to collaborate together to help realize the Convention's rights for every child.
Classroom 3-Step-Tool to Empowerment Material is available for purchase here.
Responsible behaviours guide the child when acting as an agent of change in pursuing the effective realization of the right to play.
Go here to purchase this poster.

Relevant Convention Articles

Article 12
1. States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
2. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of national law.
Article 13
1. The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice.
2. The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary:
(a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; or
(b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals.
Article 14
1. States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
2. States parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents and, when applicable, legal guardians, to provide direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child.
3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
Article 15
1. States Parties recognize the rights of the child to freedom of association and to freedom of peaceful assembly.
2. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of these rights other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
Article 31
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
2. States Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.

Online Resources and References

Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children (2011): Children's Right to Rest, Play, Recreation, Culture, and the Arts
Play = Learning: Yale University Conference on Play by Singer, Dorothy, Golinkoff, Roberta, and Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy