‘This Is Not A Game’ is a recent project conceived and developed by participants in Sonder Youth's Changemaker's Program, an after-school program for 14-17 year olds based on the NSW South Coast. 

The project was created in response to the acute stress and anxiety youth are feeling for the prospect of a rapidly warming climate. They feel it is their generation that has been left to deal with the problem of a changing climate and bear the brunt of its effects. Coupled with the traumatic experience of increasingly extreme weather events like fires and floods, the Nowra Changemakers were anxious to learn how they could make a positive change, and thus regain a sense of personal control over their lives.

These teens knew that they had to take direct action after learning that Australia is the world’s 14th highest carbon emitter, contributing just over one percent of the global carbon emissions, and understanding that the average Australian has a carbon footprint of 15 tonnes (seven times over the two tonnes recommended if we want to keep global warming under two degrees Celsius by 2050). 

This group of ten teens were driven to take direct action to research the carbon footprint of their daily activities. Taking this information one step further into action, the group then ‘gamified’ their findings to challenge each other and the community to reduce their carbon footprint by participating in a month-long carbon reduction challenge - thus ‘This Is Not A Game’ was born.

Betty Coulthart, an 18-year-old participant said, “I was inspired to create and take part in This Is Not A Game because I wanted to spread awareness about climate issues and take action. By taking part in This Is Not A Game, I learned that it can be hard to change some habits that I had but the changes that we did led to positive change.”

Another initiative is the annual Flip Off Challenge, which just concluded. This challenge asked NSW South Coast community participants to give up their smartphones for two weeks in favour of switching to a flip phone. This project was again designed and developed by young people, focusing on the growing concerns around screen time, and social media usage on their own smartphone, and its impact on their mental health.

On 14 September, a group of highly motivated Flippers made the switch and have gone analog for two weeks. This means: no social media, no mobile internet and no instant access to information. Expect to see some highs and lows - some Snake best scores, some deep reflective moments, and some frustrations around texting from a number pad. This will highlight the ways in which we have become dependent on our phones.

The idea took on a life of its own in 2022, and the Flip Off Challenge has now grown to become a state-wide initiative, with ambitions of going national - and even global.

Raphaela Palmer-Humble, a 17-year-old participant said, “Are you addicted to your phone? That's a question that I think most of us, including myself would immediately answer no to. I only use it when I'm bored” or “If I chose to, I could stop easily”. 

She maintains that the truth is “phones have become such an integral part of our lives that the line between addiction and standard are blurred”. 

“I must admit, I started the Flip Off Challenge with an optimistic but slightly wary mindset. I was worried that I would feel isolated or hate it. But now after having completed the two weeks I have realised the true value in taking a break. The interactions I have with people are more meaningful, I’ve started to read more, spend more time with my family and connect with the world around me on a deeper level. Also, picking out ringtones and taking pixelated photos with friends is ridiculously fun. The challenge was definitely not isolating, and it wasn’t as hard as I expected it to be either. I’m eternally grateful to Sonder Youth for giving me the opportunity to participate in something like this and I couldn’t recommend it more highly!”