Today is your last chance to apply to join the Oxfam Youth Board Oxfam is looking for 6 fun, creative, committed 16-25 year olds to join its Youth Board. The Board is a group of 16 young people from all different backgrounds in the UK. Some are high-level activists in their region or university, while others do great work in their own communities or schools. Find out more (and apply today) >> posted at 4:22 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Novartis threatens access to medicines for millions India is the pharmacy of the developing world. It provides affordable, generic medicines to millions of poor people. Pharmaceutical company Novartis is challenging India's patent law. If Novartis wins, it will limit India's ability to produce and export cheaper drugs to other developing countries. Use your voice - tell Novartis to stop the case. E-mail Novartis now >> Spread the word, too. Watch this video, send it to your mates, and rank it on YouTube... posted at 8:21 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Do you like buying ethical stuff? If you do, we'd be more pleased than a very pleased punch if you could fill in our ever-so-quick ethical shopping survey. You might even win a lovely hamper of fairtrade goodies. What more could you possibly want on a Friday? Hmmm? posted at 10:32 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Watch these cool Oxjam gig vids on MTV Remember Oxjam? It was that awesome month of gigs, club nights, concerts and all kinds of musical happenings that took place across the UK in October, all to raise money for Oxfam's work around the world. Well, now you can see loads of really nice little mini-videos of Oxjam nights on the MTV get seen get heard website. They're part of a competition, with the best vid being played on MTV. Voting has finished now - but watch this space for details of the winning video. posted at 1:36 PM | Permalink 0 comments

Love writing? Care about the planet? ...why not enter the People and Planet and openDemocracy.net feature competition? This is your chance to get your words of wisdom published on openDemocracy.net, one of the leading independent websites on global issues. The engaging site, which promotes open debate and discussion, has teamed up with the fab student campaigning group People & Planet to get students and young people involved. All you need to do is write a feature (between 1,000 and 2,000 words in length) that answers these kinds of questions: "What does being a global citizen mean? How can engaged global citizens help develop their ideas, amplify their voices and take action? How should engaged global citizens reach out to national governments, and to each other, to help address today's global issues?" Think you could do it? The essays will be evaluated by an expert panel, including acclaimed journalist and editor of openDemocracy.net Isabel Hilton. But hurry, the deadline is next Wednesday 31 January. Find out more and enter the competition >> posted at 10:02 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Use your voice in Europe: email German Chancellor Angela Merkel Right now, the European Union (EU) is putting pressure on 75 countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific to accept trade agreements that are unfair. Send a message now to German Chancellor Angela Merkel who will be meeting other EU leaders during Germany's EU Presidency, which has just started. Tell her to listen to the concerns of poor nations and to use her enormous influence to make sure that EU trade policy is based on fair rules which help to lift people out of poverty. Find out more and take action now >> posted at 10:13 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Trailwalker 2007 - now taking applications. Trailwalker is a 100-kilometre trek for teams of four – over 30 hours of tough conditions. It’s about teamwork and self-respect. Mainly, the route follows the South Downs Way from Petersfield to Brighton with stunning views across to the Channel. Trailwalker tests a range of skills: stamina, endurance, navigation, and self-discipline. It offers you the chance to make new friends, to get out, get fit, and to raise money for two great causes. Trailwalker UK is organised by Oxfam and the Queen’s Gurkha Signals – the beneficiaries being Oxfam and the Gurkha Welfare Trust. Every year thousands of people congregate on the South Downs to take on this amazing challenge. In 2007 Trailwalker takes place on 14 - 15 July - will you be there? Find out more >> posted at 4:36 PM | Permalink 0 comments

An Inconvenient Truth: campaign and win Unless you’ve been hiding in a hole for a few months, you will have heard about Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth. It’s a must-see and a great motivation to campaign about climate change. So we’ve had an idea… Get your hands on a copy of the DVD, invite some friends over, put some fair trade tea on to brew, and voila, you have an interesting and above all useful social gathering. Oxfam are asking as many people as possible to hold a viewing of this brilliant film and help make 2007 the year that everyone wakes up to climate change. You can register your details online to get some free downloads that will help make your screening as effective as possible. You’ll also be in with a chance of winning a free copy of the film. Register now >> posted at 11:40 AM | Permalink 0 comments

Personal shopping at Oxfam First it was Christmas presents, now it’s sale bargains - the thirst for shopping is relentless. For many of us, the Generation Why team included, this is an absolute nightmare. All you want is a pair of jeans but you have piles of over-sized sale items and bargain-hunters to battle with first. Well, an Oxfam shop in Lincoln has the answer - a personal shopper service. Ooh ah, a little up-market isn’t it? Well, really it’s quite simple – customers register for the free service by providing their contact details and requirements, and then the personal shopper sets aside clothes matching the criteria for the customer to try on later. Sounds like a dream come true for weary shoppers like us, and it’s been a huge success with over £1,775 being raised in the first month. So, if you live anywhere Lincoln get your details registered now at the Oxfam shop on Sincil Street, and the rest of us can just hope that this stroke of genius is extended to the rest of the country soon. posted at 9:24 AM | Permalink 2 comments

Sign the Dubble Chocolate Challenge Manifesto Our friends at Dubble Chocolate are asking people to sign the 'Dubble Chocolate Challenge Manifesto'. WHY? The chocolate industry in the UK makes huge profits from selling the millions of chocolate bars we eat every year, yet most cocoa farmers don't get a fair price and are living in poverty. Dubble want to change this and secure them a fair deal. HOW? You have the chance to make a difference to the lives of millions of cocoa farmers - all you have to do is sign the Dubble Chocolate Challenge Manifesto. A signature is all they need - it's that simple. In 2006 young people across the UK and Ghana came together to make their own Chocolate Challenge Manifesto film and have their say. Dubble put this Manifesto online so you can join them in signing up to it. They want to get 100,000 signatures by Fairtrade Fortnight which starts 26th February 2007. Dubble will present the manifesto and all these signatures to key figures in the chocolate industry, politicians and decision makers during Fairtrade Fortnight, urging them to listen to chocolate lovers all over the UK and play their part in securing a fair deal for cocoa farmers. CLICK. SIGN. SWEET! posted at 9:01 AM | Permalink 1 comments

Looking forward to 2007 Glastonbury is back in 2007! Let's hope for better weather than the 2005 welly-fest. We take a look at what’s going on in 2007. Goodbye 2006, bring on 2007. It’s time to make those resolutions and make a difference. Last year was good but this year’s bound to be better – we have lucky number seven on our side and Glastonbury is back – woo hoo! Most importantly, we hope it’ll be a year when awareness will grow and success will be achieved in the global fight against poverty. In 2006 we had success for the Control Arms campaign, and this year we want to spread that success even further. We need you to make this happen. So, what will you do? Well there are endless possibilities that you can find on Generation Why. Maybe you’ll add fair trade to your shopping list or spread the word by campaigning at the year’s best gigs. And of course you wouldn’t want to miss out on the summer festivals – V, Reading, Lovebox and the all-important big one, Glasto. What better way to attend the festivals than as a campaigner – great music, muddy fun and a warm fuzzy feeling to top it all off – we can’t wait. During Fairtrade Fortnight you’ll have to spread the fair trade gospel and forsake your big brand shop and hope it forms a habit. And then there’s student volunteering week to kick-start your good intentions into action. There’s really no excuse when the weeks have been given a label– makes it compulsory innit? So, the message is clear – whatever you do this year make sure it’s with Generation Why, and then maybe we’ll see the powers that be change their attitudes and take action at June’s G8 Summit. Key dates for 2007 26 February – 11 March - Fair Trade Fortnight 26 February – 4 March - Student Volunteering week 8 March - International Women’s Day 6 June – 8 June - G8 2007 in Heligendamm, Germany 22 June – 24 June – Glastonbury Festival 12 August – International Youth Day October – Oxjam 2007 1 December – World AIDS Day One to watch in 2007 Win the Scott Matthews CD Described as the “link between Jeff Buckley and Led Zeppelin”, we reckon Scott Matthews is the one to watch in 2007. And to celebrate we are giving a copy of his album away. Win Scott Matthews’ Passing Stranger >> posted at 11:16 AM | Permalink 1 comments

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