Universal Children's Day - Local schools and global issues.

On Wednesday 20th November 2013, it was the UN Universal Children’s Day.  This marks the day on which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.

Children on the Edge works to restore the ingredients of a full childhood and the convention on the rights of the child guide our projects throughout the world.

This year, we’ve partnered up with some local schools to raise the profile of our work and to engage local school children in discussion around the global issue of children’s rights.

Beckie has been visiting schools and delivering workshops, assemblies and class activities all designed to spark conversation and introduce our work.

This project started just before the school holidays with a visit to our good friends at Birdham Primary School.  The children there had been raising money for our projects all year with a particular focus on the refugee camp schools in Bangladesh.  We ran various sessions with all the children, encouraging them to think about what life as a refugee might be like.  They also role played as junior reporters,  telling their friends in the UK about the situation in Burma. Overall, they managed to raise an amazing £556 which will support the provision of education in Bangladesh. 

Dorset House School and Oakwood Prep both set aside time to focus on Children on the Edge.  Dorset House did a sponsored walk on the downs and raised over £2000!  Over at Oakwood, the year 5 pupils organised a day of activities designed to reflect some of the challenges children around the world face on a daily basis.  There was an obstacle course where pupils had to carry water without spilling it, a shelter-building activity and a jewellery making ‘sweatshop’.  It was a brilliant day and the children were all fantastic!

So far this term, we’ve been working with West Wittering, Chidham, Funtington and Eastergate Primary Schools. At Chidham Primary, Beckie spent time with the school council who are planning activities they can do with their peers in order to raise money for our work.  At West Wittering, each class gave over a lesson to think about the rights of children all around the world.  Reception class loved discovering all the different objects in the feely bag - each representing a different thing that we need to lead happy and healthy lives.

Over at Eastergate primary, Green class spent an afternoon learning about what we do and our different projects.  They’ve been doing lots of work on the rights of the child and were particularly fascinated with the refugee crisis in Burma. They are now thinking about how they can raise vital funds for our work with Burmese refugees.

We’re so excited to be able to talk to local school children about the rights afforded to all children in all parts of the world - the same for them as it is for a working child in Bangladesh or a refugee from Burma.  What’s been brilliant is seeing their engagement with the topic and how they are so alert to injustice.

This week, on Universal Children’s Day, the children of Funtington Primary took part in a range of activities designed to get them thinking about what rights children all around the world have. They learnt about our projects in Bangladesh and how Children on the Edge is working to make a difference to the lives of refugees living there.

We’ve got a range of different workshops, lessons and assemblies that can be adapted and delivered for any age group.  We’re always pleased to be able to build further partnerships with local schools as well as producing a schools pack with ready-to-use resources for those schools a little further afield.

If your school would like to get involved with learning a bit more about our work and children’s rights, please get in touch!

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