Climate change, war, natural disasters, Fairtrade, trade justice - international development issues feature highly amongst the concerns of young people.
These are issues that many young people are passionate about, but sometimes lack the facts and often feel powerless to do anything. The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to the promotion of these issues through Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship (ESDGC, also known as Global Youth Work). Christian Aid is here to help.
A wide range of resources are available to help young people learn about development issues. From one-off sessions to simulation games and school assemblies, each is designed to help you think about life in a developing country and how we can all make a difference.
The mpower series offers youth leaders the chance to get their teeth into topics such as HIV/AIDS and climate change. The latest in the series is one on disasters, Eyes on the Storm. The Instant sessions range covers anything from mobile phones to football or refugees.
Our popular simulation games can be used in a variety of settings. Learn how young children in India miss school to earn money for their families through making and selling bags from old newspapers in The Paper Bag Game. Watch tempers flare in The Trading Game as poor countries struggle to trade on an equal footing, holding back their development potential. The Poverty Challenge explores the everyday realities faced by poor communities through their relentless battle to feed their families.
For schools, we have ready-made assemblies and classroom ideas for both primary and secondary ages. Much of the material is there for you to download and use instantly, including PowerPoint presentations, photo galleries, case studies and worksheets.
Most of these resources are free and some are available in Welsh. They can all be viewed at our special website for teachers and youth workers. Christian Aid volunteers may also be available to help deliver sessions or assemblies.
For more information, or to become a Christian Aid volunteer teacher or youth worker, email our schools or youth teams, or telephone 029 2084 4646.
For the ultimate lesson in international development, why not consider Platform2! Platform2 offers young people aged 18-25 the opportunity to volunteer in a developing country for free.
These 10-week long community led projects will give a flavour of what life really is like for some poor communities in countries such as Ghana, India, South Africa and Peru. For more information, visit the Platform2 website.