We used to think that school was for teaching the ‘3 Rs’ but not so. For a long time now, fair trade has been an integral part of the teaching curriculum. Claire Arnott, the Senior Education Campaigns Officer at the Fairtrade Foundation notes that teaching about fair trade has proven a sound and engaging way to get children to think about global issues.
Fairtrade in Schools is now firmly established.
In 2014 there was just one ‘fair trade school’ in the UK but now there are 800 who are engaged at the basic level called ‘fair aware’ using lessons and assemblies to raise awareness and help children understand how trade in familiar things like tea, coffee, bananas etc really works!
“Thinking and teaching about Fair Trade raises global issues about justice in the world,” said Wendy Sprattling, Fairtrade Group leader in Sidmouth and herself a retired primary school teacher. “The fact is that people living and working in the global south often are suffering for us, consumers in the developed countries. Now producers are experiencing the direct effects of climate change for which our emissions in the north are responsible. There is a lot for us to act upon.”
A well coordinated national effort produced a ‘Tree of Promises' from young people for world leaders around climate change for the COP meeting in Glasgow.
And, over the years, trade justice and fair trade action has been integrated into other educational settings with a Fairtrade University and College Award System in place too.
Sidmouth as a Fairtrade Town
Sidmouth became a Fairtrade town officially in 2016 and has done its fair share to interact with and stimulate learning about fair and green issues in local schools.
Even Covid and lockdowns didn’t stop the Sidmouth Fairtrade Group from working with local schools and parents at home with their children to enter an Art, Poetry and Rap n’ Rhyme competition in 2021.
Education is forever: The work doesn’t stop.
In March 2022, the Sidmouth Fairtrade Group is collaborating with the DDE Devon Development Education on a School Conference at St Teresa’s Hall for local primary schoolchildren in year 5 which will be led by Sue Errington and Alison Derrick. The DDE works at county level. Devon is a Fairtrade county and always has a packed schedule of fascinating talks and events, plus loads of educational resources on the Global Centre Devon website.
If you want to know more and check out the amazing books, posters, colouring sheets and videos check out the Schools section of the Fairtrade website.
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