Jubilee debt campaigning conference Were you inspired by Make Poverty History in campaigning to drop the debt? Huge steps foward were made last year in cancelling poor country debt. But, is it enough? Can we really address poverty and debt without addressing power imbalances? How can you work for an end to debt domination? Head to the Jubilee Debt conference 2006 and find out how you can answer these questions. It's on Saturday 8 April 2006 from 11.00 till 17.00 at South Camden Community School, London. Featuring Susan George, author of 'A Fate Worse Than Debt' and 'Another World is Possible If...' , and free! Book now - email events@jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk What's happening at the moment? The big issue for the Jubilee Debt campaign right now is to put pressure on the UK government to re-pay the £1.7 billion debt payment they are about to recieve from Nigeria. You can act now by writing a letter to Gordon Brown. What would you do if you were him? Tell us what you think below. posted at 9:28 AM | Permalink 4 comments

Spot the ball for Fairtrade Fortnight (and win a signed football!) To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight, we're giving you the chance to win your very own Fairtrade football, signed by a well-known sports star. All you need to do is play our awesome spot the ball game (and try to beat our high score of 124 points) and then enter the draw to win. Then tell all your mates and see if they can beat your score. Fabulous Friday fun, don't you think? posted at 12:19 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Did you buy an Oxfam Rakhi band last year? Just a quickie - we wanted to find out whether any of you bought one of our special Make Poverty History bands (as worn here by Raghav) for Rakhi Day last year? We are looking for young people to help advise us on how we could develop the project this year, and get their feedback on last year's Rakhi band. We'd love you to help - if you can, just pop us an e-mail to generationwhy@oxfam.org.uk, with the subject header 'Rakhi band', and we'll get back to you asap. posted at 2:00 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Join our festivals management team this summer We're looking for an out-going, hardworking and reliable person to join our festivals management team this summer, and help us organise our campaigning at festivals like V, WOMAD and Leeds. This is a really fantastic opportunity for someone who wants to gain experience of organising events, and working for a charity like Oxfam. You'll also meet loads of amazing people, and most probably have the summer of your life. Find out more about our work at festivals, and then apply for the role on the main Oxfam website. The deadline for applications is now Friday 3 March. Oh, and stay tuned for exciting opportunities to campaign with us at festivals this summer - sign up to our monthly e-mail e-Xtra. posted at 4:18 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Jo Whiley says "I'm In" Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley gave her support to Oxfam's work and said "I'm In" when she volunteered at an Oxfam music shop recently. After working for two hours, and sifting through the Abba and Human League records, she said: "Last year was fantastic seeing so many people in the UK getting behind the fight against poverty. I genuinely do give a damn about wanting to see an end to extreme poverty. Oxfam works everyday towards this goal and by volunteering in the Oxfam music shop it is my as my way of saying 'I'm In'." Nice one Jo. Have you said "I'm In"? posted at 10:08 AM | Permalink 3 comments

Fancy volunteering for Generation Why? What are you doing this summer? Are you interested in working for Generation Why - editing, writing and marketing the website to young people? We're looking for a motivated and enthusiastic young writer to help us develop exciting content ideas for Generation Why, as part of a six month internship in the Oxfam Youth Team. You'll be based at Oxfam House in Oxford, and be available to start around April (though we can be flexible). The deadline has been extended to THIS FRIDAY 24 February, so get your applications in. For more information about the post, and to apply, have a look at the internships section of the main Oxfam site and click on 'Youth Team Editorial Assistant'. posted at 11:42 AM | Permalink 1 comments

10 ways to support Fairtrade Fortnight Everybody's favourite celebration of all things Fairtrade - Fairtrade Fortnight - is upon us (Monday 6 to Sunday 19 March), so we thought it was high time we got involved. The theme this year is to 'Make Fairtrade Your Habit' and include Fairtrade products in your everyday shop. Buying Fairtrade will help to ensure that poor farmers get a fair price for their goods, and will help to lift them out of poverty. So, we thought we'd give you 10 quick'n'easy ways to support Fairtrade Fortnight... 1. Buy more Fairtrade stuff! Make sure you fill your trolley with Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar, and remember that there are 1,300 certified Fairtrade products out there to choose from. Have a look on the Fairtrade Foundation website for some ideas. 2. Cook a Fair Feast with your mates Help to raise awareness of Fairtrade (and show your friends that Fairtrade = tasty) with a special dinner. You could come up with all sorts, including Fairtrade avocado salad, curry with Fairtrade rice and Fairtrade chocolate mousse for pudding, all washed down with Fairtrade wine and fruit juice. 3. Swap your mid-morning choccie bar for Dubble You might know by now that we think Dubble is the just about the best chocolate bar in the universe. It's crunchy, chunky and perfect with your mid-morning cuppa. What's more, it's totally Fairtrade and is made by the first farmer-owned chocolate company in the UK. Brilliant! 4. Have a Fairtrade 'coffee morning' Help to raise awareness about Fairtrade at work, college or in your university halls with a 'coffee morning' (or maybe 'taster session' cos it sounds a bit less WI). You get people to sample Fairtrade coffee (for example, from café direct), tea and homemade Fairtrade cakes, and they get tasty grub. Simple. 5. Spread the word about Fairtrade Tell the world about Fairtrade (or at least your mum and dad). Send one of our Make Trade Fair campaign e-cards. 6. Sign the Big Noise petition to Make Trade Fair As well as buying Fairtrade products, we need to put pressure on world leaders to change trade rules to lift millions of people out of poverty. You can help by adding your name to the Big Noise petition - and join the 18 million people worldwide who want to Make Trade Fair. 7. Spot the ball and play Fairtrade footie If you like your football, play our magnificent spot the ball competition, and be in with a chance of winning a Fairtrade football signed by a sports star. You could also organise your own game of Fairtrade 6-a-side using balls from www.fairdealtrading.com. 8. Dress Fairtrade Fairtrade cotton is the very latest in high street fashion - get your Fairtrade t-shirts from Generation Why and from all kinds of online shops. You can also make your bed with Fairtrade certified cotton sheets. 9. Buy something Fairtrade from an Oxfam shop Your local Oxfam shop will stock all kinds of Fairtrade gubbins - from wooden toys to Peruvian handicrafts, and from delicious honey to fabulous new jewellery. Find your local store and have a look around... 10. Go to a Fairtrade event near you There are loads of events going on around the country, and most of them involve gobbling lovely Fairtrade grub - have a look at the Fairtrade Foundation website for what's going on near you. So there we have it - let us know how you're supporting Fairtrade Fortnight below... posted at 1:23 PM | Permalink 10 comments

Run 10K for Oxfam! There are still places available to run the British 10k for Oxfam on 2 July. It's one of the UK's most popular runs and goes right through central London, so you get to sight see, raise money, get fit and wear those short shorts you've been longing to get out of the cupboard. What's more, they're looking for younger people to take part: runners need to be aged 15 and upwards on race day. To run the race for Oxfam, we're asking for people to raise at least £150 (to support our work around the world) and there's a £30 entry fee. Oxfam will support you every step of the way, with tips for training and fundraising, your very own beautiful green Oxfam running vest, and a mob of supporters to cheer you over the finishing line. What are you waiting for? Get your applications in now, before 31 May. posted at 1:43 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Why we should all care about Control Arms... Just to say there's a great new article on the site, from our Your Say writer Amy Merone - about why we should all care about Control Arms, and what we can do to show our support. As she puts it: "We can give countries and people aid and we can campaign for trade justice, but if we don't try to stop human rights abuses, indiscriminate killings and torture, violence towards and rape of women - all influenced by an unregulated arms trade - then we can't stop poverty and suffering." Read Amy's article now >> posted at 3:26 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Icons Here's a great idea. Juno at Juno's Icons has created a set of icons, each containing an article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Free for anyone to use on websites, blogs, and community profiles these little squares pack a real ethical punch and can be used wherever and whenever you choose. Like this... The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) asserts the rights that are part of the "foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world". Eleanor Roosevelt called it "a Magna Carta for all mankind". There are 30 articles in all but the major principles are usually considered to be: The right to life, liberty and security. The right to an education. The right to participate fully in cultural life. Freedom from torture or cruel, inhumane treatment or punishment. Freedom of thought and religion. What do you think about all this, will you be using these icons? posted at 2:23 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Happy Valentine's Day! Just a quickie to wish you all a lovely Valentine's Day. You may think it's all a bit silly - or just consumerist nonsense - but you can't deny that it's nice to receive a message from a secret admirer. So, if you want to send a Valentine's - why not send one of ours (which we've shamelessly plastered all over our homepage)? In true charity style, these are the cards that give twice - with a message of love, and a message about Oxfam's campaigns. Beautiful, baby. Whilst you're at it, you should also check the Fairtrade Love Day run by student campaigning types People & Planet. They're organising an unfair speed dating game (to highlight the imblance of global trade), a Fairtrade chocolate delivery service and much more besides. Have a look on the People & Planet website for more details. posted at 12:58 PM | Permalink 2 comments

Next week: National Honey Week! It's National Honey Week next week so we thought we'd give you a bit of Friday afternoon inspiration to get down and sticky with our favourite spreadable treat. Honey deserves it's own special week because you can: 1. Go Fairtrade: buy your Fairtrade honey online, in some Oxfam shops and in most supermarkets. 2. Make your own: invest in a bee farm, or visit a local one and watch it being made - you'll never fear a bee again. 3. Make it better: honey can help to heal cuts and bruises, promote general health and soothe your cold. 4. Go medieval: host your own mead (honey wine) night, prepare a feast and get your tankards ready. 5. Treat your "honey": cooking with honey might get a bit sticky, but with Valentine's Day around the corner you can get stuck in with these honey recipes. posted at 12:20 PM | Permalink 4 comments

Generation Why in the news... Morning! Just a quickie to tell you about this news story in The Guardian about the survey we ran recently. As I think we've said on this site somewhere, the survey results showed that young people have been inspired to get more involved by the Make Poverty History campaign. What's more, our very own Liz Leaver is quoted: "More young people than ever want to take action, and are now looking for the best way to get involved. It is now up to charities like us to help translate that desire into positive action. Oxfam is committed to keeping young people engaged." Read the news story >> posted at 9:05 AM | Permalink 1 comments

Make Poverty History: will the campaign bubble burst? Just read this really interesting piece in today's Guardian, talking about the impact of Make Poverty History and attempts to maintain the momentum it generated. It talks in places about the need to "draw people into politics through their lives as comsumers", through things such as Fairtrade products or big pop concerts and events. It also talks about how the initial excitement generated by Make Poverty History may die down, but Africa may now be a more important political issue than ever before. The article comes as Make Poverty History supporters are urged to keep campaigning in 2006, reflected in changes made to the campaign website. So, what do you think? Read the article (and the two others in its special report: 'Does aid really help ordinary people' and 'A steady first step forward') and let us know how you feel about campaigning in 2006... posted at 1:09 PM | Permalink 2 comments

Who could end poverty? Vote now! Bob Geldof? Nelson Mandela? Chantelle Houghton? Vote now for the one person who you think can do the most to end poverty, in the I'm In - People's Poll. It could be absolutely anyone in the world, even your Mum. Perhaps. Closing date for nominations is 25 March, when Oxfam will announce the all-time top 5. So vote now, and tell your friends to vote too. posted at 12:04 PM | Permalink 25 comments

Internships in the Oxfam Youth Team Hey there, just a quickie for people looking for some experience to set them up for a career in an NGO like Oxfam. We've got three volunteer internships coming up in the Oxfam Youth Team (the people behind this fabulous website). One is for an editorial assistant on Generation Why, to help with writing, editing and commissioning work for the website, and one is for a festivals assistant, to help with the planning, logistics and campaigning at the summer festivals. The other is for a project assistant, working on our events, research and campaigning materials. It's a great opportunity to work in a really creative, youth-focused team, and to get experience which will really help your career. The deadline for applications is Friday 17 February - more details, job descriptions and application info is on the internship section of the main Oxfam website... posted at 12:15 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Control Arms at Synergy, London - Friday night Celebrate the start of Feburary - and support the Control Arms campaign - with some Synergy celebratory energy. Oxfam campaigners will be gathering support for Control Arms at a great club night in London run by the community-based Synergy Project. The project has been running for three years and aims to inspire a challenge to many aspects of mainstream materialist lifestyles. The project is renowned for it's feel good, energetic nights and collaboration with NGOs and campaign groups. The Synergy club night will host a mix of uplifting trance, political films, conscious hip-hop, fairy performances, décor art, conscious photo exhibitions, live folk bands, ambient grooves and so much more. Oxfam volunteers will be there amongst the madness, collecting photos and self portraits for the Control Arms Million Faces petition. There'll be an Oxfam stall there too, with info about the campaign. Synergy is taking place on Friday 3 February, at the 'under the bridge' - SeOne Club, near London Bridge, from 10.00 pm to 8.00 am. Get your tickets here. posted at 3:09 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Campaigner's guide to the web Another great read - this time John Preece's guide to using the web to help you campaign. It's got everything the budding campaigner needs to know about campaigning online, and getting the most out of the internet. There are loads of great tips, plus suggestions of sites which you can use for research and comment, as well as for the more technical side of things... PS. Have you seen this nifty campaigning-community type site called www.pledgebank.com? Basically, people post pledges on there which they'll fulfil if a set number of people agree to do them as well (sample pledge: "Joy Howell will Pledge £20 to build a block of 3 classrooms and a dormitory for Bwindi Orphans' Nursery and Primary School in North West Uganda but only if 10 other local people will too") - hence spreading the word about the campaign and increasing the impact, too. Not a bad idea, eh? posted at 1:43 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Are gap years "selfishly motivated time-fillers"? What do you think about gap years? Are they worthwhile? Are they just an excuse to build your CV? Well, a couple of really interesting pieces have gone up on Your Say today, debating the pros and cons of gap years. Katie Dunn argues that "the money it costs to fund gap years should go straight to groups like Oxfam", but Rachel Holloway disagrees: "there are many small steps that can be taken to cure the world's problems. Gap years, for me, are one of those steps". So what do you think? Read the articles and have your say... posted at 10:51 AM | Permalink 0 comments

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