High Resolves (or the High Resolves Initiative) is an International non-governmental organization for young people.[1] The aim of High Resolves programs are to educate high-school aged students in the meaning of being a global citizen.[2][clarification needed] High Resolves programs emerged from simulations developed by co-founder Mehrdad Baghai and Nobel Laureate Thomas Schelling at Harvard University.[3]

High Resolves
Founded2005; 19 years ago (2005)
Australia
TypeNonprofit
INGO
HeadquartersSydney,
Australia
Location
ServicesYouth empowerment
Co founders
Mehrdad Baghai, Roya Baghai
Website[1] HighResolves.org

History edit

High Resolves was founded in 2005 by Mehrdad Baghai author of The Alchemy of Growth[4] and his wife Roya.[3] High Resolves started as an experiment in Baghai's son's school in Sydney, Australia, and had expanded to at least 350 Australian schools by 2018,[3] having engaged more than 200,000 Australian students since its inception.[5]

In 2014 the Australian Council for Educational Research conducted an independent evaluation of the programs and found:[1] "High Resolves is meeting its intended purposes, namely it is effectively engaging and helping to empower young Australians to take part and be active in their communities".

Program edit

Collective Action: a series of High Resolves programs for students, which teach personal decision-making skills and encourage critical thinking about social change.[6]

Collective Identity: an investigation of cosmopolitanism.[7][8]

Justice: an exploration of fairness, especially in the distribution of wealth and poverty.[7]

Awards and honours edit

Author and venture capital entrepreneur Mehrdad Baghai, a member of the Initiative, was short-listed as a finalist for the first Aspen Institute, John P. McNulty Prize in 2008,[9] and ultimately was the winner of the award in 2018, the prize's eleventh year, citing extraordinary leadership.[3][5][10]

High Resolves won the 2015 Patrons Prize in the national Good Design Awards.[11]

Videos for Change Challenge edit

High Resolves created Videos for Change in 2015[12] to help students to take action and feel empowered to create change in the world.[13]

The challenge is for young people from high school years 7 to 12 to create a one-minute video on a social issue they feel passionate about. Past participants have covered issues such as social inclusion, racism, domestic violence, gender equality, LGBTQI rights, and bullying.[14]

Charity status edit

High Resolves has the charity status of Deductible Gift Recipients (DGR) in Australia[15] and High Resolves America has 501(c)(3) status in the US[16] which allows for US federal tax exemption of nonprofit organizations, specifically those that are considered public charities.

References edit

  1. ^ a b "High Resolves". Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  2. ^ Tavangar, Homa Sabet (2009). Growing Up Global: Raising Children to Be At Home in the World. New York: Random House (Ballantine Books). pp. 69–70. ISBN 9780345517005.
  3. ^ a b c d "McNulty Foundation". Impact. McNulty Foundation. Retrieved 17 November 2018. As intolerance and extremism increase, High Resolves teaches high schoolers to rise above.
  4. ^ Baghai, Mehrdad, et al. (2000). The Alchemy of Growth. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-7382-0309-2
  5. ^ a b "McNulty Foundation". Ideas. McNulty Foundation. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2018. High Resolves and Mehrdad Baghai win the 2018 McNulty Prize
  6. ^ "Collective Action". International Grammar School Sydney. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  7. ^ a b "High Resolves - The Forest High School". theforest-h.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  8. ^ "Gleneagles Secondary College » Year 8 High Resolves Program (13-15/3)". www.gleneagles.vic.edu.au. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  9. ^ "McNulty Prize Finalist: Mehrdad Baghai, High Resolves Initiative, Australia". The Aspen Institute. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  10. ^ "McNulty Foundation". globenewswire.com. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Good Design Awards 2015 Patrons Prize 2015". good-design.org. 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Videos for Change Challenge". Videos for Change. High Resolves. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  13. ^ "How a one-minute video changed Platypus Shoes". www.ragtrader.com.au. Rag Trader. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  14. ^ "Videos for Change Challenge". videosforchange.org. High Resolves. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  15. ^ "Appendix A: Policy decisions taken since the 2018-19 Budget" (PDF). p. 127.
  16. ^ "501c3 letter". IRS.

External links edit

Further reading edit

  • Representation of High Resolves activities at one high school — "High Resolves". Chatswood High School P&C (Parents & Citizens) Association. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  • Forrest High School, NSW "High Resolves".
  • Generic Youth Development Framework, "A Discussion Document" (PDF).