Give children an opportunity to be seen and heard. The activity encourages children to send out a healthy message through art.

Teaching the activity
Start by reading through the articles ‘What is advocacy?’ and ‘This is how I advocate’ with the children (PDF). Discuss in the classroom what advocacy is and what it takes to be an advocate. Why is advocacy important? Do you have to walk the talk? Let the children discuss whether they can make a difference in the world and how.

Speak Out Through Art encourages children to be advocates for health by depicting healthy messages through painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, video, song or dance.

Imagination is the only limit! With a pen, brush, camera or just their fingers as tools, the children can express their views on health and let their creativity make a difference. They can get inspiration from the three questions below, with the chosen questions forming the basis for their personal artwork.

Set the children’s creativity loose with one of the following questions

• What does your healthy future look like?
• How do you stay healthy?
• What does a world without diabetes look like?

Send your artistic messages to Novo Nordisk
When the children have created their artwork, they are welcome to send photos of their material to Novo Nordisk (schoolchallenge@novo.dk). Sometimes the best way to communicate and express an opinion is not through words. Art is a brilliant example of this, and who better to speak out about the health of future generations than the children of today?

Submitted artwork will be used by Novo Nordisk to communicate about prevention of type 2 diabetes. If the children wish to submit their art to Novo Nordisk, the artwork should meet the following specific requirements for size and format:

• Paintings, drawings and other artwork have to be digitally photographed
• Photos must be digital with the highest resolution possible
• Songs/music, video and dance sequences should be digitally recorded

Send all artwork as digital files to: schoolchallenge@novo.dk

If you have problems transferring your artwork to a digital format, you can contact schoolchallenge@novo.dk – we may be able to help you through one of our regional offices.

Novo Nordisk’s Speak Out Through Art activity offers children all over the world an opportunity to have their voices heard.

Tools

• What is advocacy
• Clare and her mom are diabetes advocates

Educational goals
Speak Out Through Art strengthens children’s artistic skills and encourages them to express their opinions and passion through art. The children will learn what it means to be an advocate for their beliefs through the issue of healthy lifestyle and diabetes.

The activity strengthens the children’s ability to debate in a large group (the class).