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Ideas for Taking Action

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Pupils can set up an online blog to write about their chosen campaign. They could also upload reports, photos and videos of their own campaigning.

Central Foundation Girls School in Tower Hamlets started a blog with their partner school in Bangladesh to share how climate change was affecting their lives. Teacher, Becky Davidson said “The blog is proving to be a real success. We use it in lessons, for homework and have lots of groups of students who are now busy making films and writing articles to post on it”

  • Pupils can set up an online blog to write about their chosen campaign. They could also upload reports, photos and videos of their own campaigning. Central Foundation Girls School in Tower Hamlets started a blog with their partner school in Bangladesh to share how climate change was affecting their lives. Teacher, Becky Davidson said “The blog is proving to be a real success. We use it in lessons, for homework and have lots of groups of students who are now busy making films and writing articles to post on it”
  • Pupils can make their own art work, presentation or short film highlighting local or global issues. These could be showcased at a special art exhibition or film screening at the school. You could invite parents or even the wider local community. The World in our Hands, Pleckgate High School, Blackburn. This poster highlights the human impact of climate change.
  • Pupils can organise an event for the school or the local community in aid of a particular issue. Some ideas include: an ‘own clothes’ day, a music concert, a fun day, a raffle, a fete, a sports day, a talent competition, a drama performance, an art exhibition, an auction, or a quiz night. The senior youth theatre group from the New Vic Theatre in Stoke created a short performance about the importance of education, which was performed at a local community event in Stafford. They presented stories which showed how young people all over the world have been prevented from getting an education. The show was so powerful that their MP, Jeremy Lefroy invited the group to perform in parliament.
  • Pupils can buy Fair Trade products and encourage their friends and family to do the same. They could also petition their head teacher to use and sell Fair Trade alternatives at school. For more ideas, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk Investigating Fairtrade goods, pupils at St Cedd’s School were surprised to learn that Britvic, a local drinks manufacturer, didn’t use Fairtrade ingredients. So, every Year 5 student wrote to Britvic’s chief executive, who sent members of staff into school to discuss this. The children are now eager to contact other companies to suggest improvements.
  • Pupils can invite their local councillors, MPs, MSPs or AMs to the school to give a talk or to have a discussion with pupils around a certain issue. They might want to prepare questions or even a presentation in advance.Find out which politicians represent your community at www.writetothem.com. Pupils at Kelsall Community Primary School gave former Junior Minister for International Development, Stephen O’Brien, a special lesson on global education and presented him with a petition book. Mr O’Brien said: “I was delighted to meet the children of Kelsall Primary School to find out how they’re supporting the global efforts to get more girls in the developing world into education”
  • Pupils can try to recycle as much as possible and to encourage their friends and family to do the same. This could include recycling old mobile phones, donating possessions to charity shops or reusing unused clothes creatively. Bullers Wood students found a creative way to showcase their fashion talents by setting up a fashion show using clothes lent from the Bromley Oxfam Shop as well as clothing from recycled materials. Assistant Head Teacher Deborah Carter said “The event was an enormous success and raised £790 for Oxfam, a massive achievement for the students. Students then organised themed window displays for the Bromley Oxfam Shop. This featured in the local papers and the clothes sold out within two days!”
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  • Pupils can set up a stall at school events, such as plays, sports matches and school fetes. They could ask people to donate money directly, or raise money creatively. For example, they could organise a raffle or tombola. They could also sell homemade goods, such as cakes, jewellery or Christmas cards. As part Oxfam’s Water Week, pupils from Hill West Primary School, ran a pop-up shop in The Mall in Sutton Coldfield. They sold their own hand-made and sustainable products, and those donated by local businesses, raising £1,600.
  • Pupils can write their own factual articles about an issue they care about, or even a creative short story or poem. These could be published in the school’s newsletter or magazine, or displayed around the school. Through Oxfam’s Message in a Book project, Chelford CE Primary School collected 74 books and each wrote a letter to finish up in the hands of the local book buying public. Head Teacher Alison Scott Explained “ Pupils couldn’t wait to get started on their letters describing what they had learned about climate change and what they wanted adults to do about it”
  • Pupils can make posters or flyers to raise awareness about an issue, perhaps letting other pupils know where they can find more information. As part of Oxfam Water Week, pupils at Elmvale Primary School in Annan, Scotland, made posters to raise awareness of water issues. The school is now taking longer term action by creating new ‘save water ‘ signs, badges, car stickers and posters to display at their local library and supermarket.

Global Citizenship