North Lanarkshire Council is encouraging all schools in the local area to help create a better world by becoming Fairtrade schools – and helping Scotland become a Fairtrade nation.

 

Currently only two schools – St Brendan's Primary in Wishaw and St Brigid's Primary in New Stevenston – have achieved Fairtrade status, and a dedicated working group is developing support materials to help more and more schools link to the Fair Trade message and achieve Fairtrade status in the near future.

 

Fair Trade is a response to unjust trading rules and practices that make the poor poorer and the rich richer and central to the idea of Fair Trade is the principle of justice resulting in a better world, with workers enjoying a decent working environment and a wage that will relieve abject poverty. And North Lanarkshire Council is committed to getting that message out to as many pupils as possible.

 

A number of North Lanarkshire's schools regularly undertake Fair Trade activities, giving young people the opportunity to explore issues about diversity, inequality, human rights, poverty and sustainable developments. These activities also raise awareness of the consequences of the individual choices we make and action we take.

 

Christine Pollock, Executive Director of Learning & Leisure Services, said: "A Curriculum for Excellence requires us to develop the capacity in our young people to be responsible citizens and Fair Trade is a terrific way to deliver this. It brings the global dimension into the classroom and helps young people to make the links between our own communities and those of the developing world. It also encourages young people – as part of their learning – to challenge their own values and beliefs and I hope to see more and more of our schools get involved in Fair Trade."

 

To encourage head teachers to get their schools involved, a launch event was held recently in the New Town Hall, Cumbernauld showing how easy it is to make the curricular links to the Fair Trade message.

 

The event opened with a dramatic demonstration of African drum music from the students of Our Lady's High School, Motherwell and included participation from the audience in the form of a sing-a-long with the chorus of Whitelees Primary's Fair Trade song, 'Fair Trade is the Answer', which was launched last week.

 

Guests then chatted with the schools and other organisations displaying their work and selling Fairtrade products, including St Mary's Primary, Coatbridge; Rosehall High, Coatbridge; St Brendan's Primary, Motherwell; St Brigid's Primary, Wishaw; Our Lady's High School, Cumbernauld; St Margaret's High/Drumpark School in partnership; SCIAF (Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund); Co-operative Educational Trust; International Development Education; and businesses, One World and Green City.

 

Mrs Pollock continued: "This event was a great opportunity to share ideas, build up a network of contacts and take Fair Trade forward in North Lanarkshire's schools. I was very impressed with the work of the schools taking part in the event to promote Fair Trade and I'm sure they will serve as an example of just how things can be done."

 

Councillor Jim Logue, Convener of the Learning & Leisure Services Committee, said: "The work going on in our schools – particularly in our two Fairtrade schools, St Brendan's and St Brigid's – is nothing short of exemplary and these pupils should all be very proud of themselves. These young people truly are the global citizens of tomorrow and I have no doubt that they will make a tremendous difference out in the world."

 

Councillor Michael Ross – who is North Lanarkshire Council's Fair Trade 'champion' and attended the head teachers' launch event, said: "I am delighted that North Lanarkshire Council is working to promote Fair Trade throughout all its schools. Supporting the Fair Trade message is a very worthwhile way to make a major difference to communities across the globe and supporting the Fair Trade message is as easy as picking up a different jar of coffee while doing your weekly shopping.

 

"North Lanarkshire Council fully supports Fair Trade and I applaud the move to establish all schools as Fairtrade schools."

 

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