St Ninian’s High School has been awarded Fairtrade School status following a successful initiative on which staff and students worked together.
In order to become a recognised Fairtrade School, St Ninian’s was required to meet five goals.
These include the establishment of a steering group comprising staff and students; a school policy on Fairtrade; a focus to sell and promote Fairtrade products wherever possible; to provide teaching and learning in a minimum of three subject areas on Fairtrade issues; and finally, to ensure that there are three key events throughout the school year.
Currently, the events taking place include a Christmas craft stall, debates and assemblies, as well as a special Fairtrade stall during Fairtrade Fortnight (22nd February - 7th March, 2010) and a workshop for students during Activities Week in the last week of the academic year.
Recognition as a Fairtrade school is gained through an online application process and needs to be completed annually, providing fresh evidence that the school continues to meet these goals.
Andy Fox, Headteacher, comments, "I am happy that our students have shown such an interest in Fairtrade.
"We at St. Ninian's are committed to the ideal that all young people should become good citizens of their local community and the world in general. This initiative has allowed our students to make this aim a reality."
Kristina Crawford, Assistant to the Head of Sixth Form, has led the application process. She says, "This is a great achievement for the school.
"A wide range of pupils and staff have played their part in meeting the five goals and already we are working on plans to develop things further."
"As a school we have to complete an online application annually to demonstrate that we continue to meet the five Fairtrade School goals in order to maintain this status," she adds.
"Being recognised as a Fairtrade School has great benefits, not only for the producers who gain a fair price, but also for our students who develop an understanding of their role as global citizens and the impact they can have on the lives of others through choices they make as consumers."
As the Isle of Man is recognised as a Fairtrade Island, several schools are now working towards gaining Fairtrade School status.
Cheryl Cousins, Co-ordinator of the One World Centre, says, "This is a fantastic achievement by the staff and students of St. Ninian’s High School and offers us an opportunity for sharing experience to help others achieve recognition.
"We believe that Fairtrade awareness should be an integral part of the ethos of all schools.
"By understanding the impact of consumer demands on small scale farmers in the developing world we are equipping students to make informed choices that could make a real difference to the lives of people working in poverty.
"An understanding of the issues behind Fairtrade is closely linked with aspects of the curriculum; the teaching starts at the primary level where students understand that their actions have consequences, they explore issues of fairness and sharing, they make a comparative study of life in a developing country.
"Later on, they become aware that the Fairtrade movement stands for social justice and that as individuals they have the choice to live and act as global citizens."
There is an opportunity for secondary school teachers, educational support staff and students to attend a Fairtrade Forum on Thursday 8th October from 4.30 -5.30pm at The Professional Development centre in Santon Old School, Santon, which will focus on the practicalities of becoming a Fairtrade School.
For information on the forum, contact cheryl@owciom.org
To find out more about becoming a Fairtrade School, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk/schools to find out more about becoming a Fairtrade School.
