SESSION 3: JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT 18…

By the end of this lesson you should be able to:

• understand that, although you are not 18 years old, you can be active citizens and take actions that can help make the world a better place to live
• think that you can have fantastic ideas and you should be heard by the people in power
• identify the type of actions you can take below and over 18 years of age
• encourage other people you know to take an active part in society by spreading the message

EXERCISE 1

Just because you are not 18 years old does not mean that you cannot have your say in how things work in your country and in the world. There are lots of ways to make the people with the power listen to your fantastic ideas.

Get in touch with your electorate MP or the major of your city. You can phone, fax, email, write a letter, or go to see him/her in person. Let him/her know what issues are important to you. Let the MP know what you and maybe your friends/classmates think of a particular issue.
You can go to a meeting held about a particular topic in which you are interested.
You can join a march or demonstration if you agree with what the people are protesting about
You can talk about certain issues with anyone who is interested in talking about them
You can sign a petition to Parliament about a particular issue. You can even start a petition yourself

Put a TICK or a CROSS in the boxes to show whether or not someone below the age of 18 is allowed to do the things mentioned:

                                      

• Start a petition to Parliament                        
• Talk about issues                                         
• Join a march or demonstration                    
• Phone your electorate MP                            
• Vote in a general election                             
• Write a letter to an MP                                 
• Fax or email your electorate MP                  
• Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper   
• Go to a public meeting                                 
• Stand for Parliament                                    
• Go to visit your electorate MP                      

For more ways of taking part in society go to http://www.g-nation.co.uk/

EXERCISE 2

Anyway, here you have some more ideas to

Help the environment

Buy organic products that have been produced in a natural way without fertilisers or pesticides.

Choose many foods that do not have many layers of packing. Plastic wrapping is bulky and does not break down easily when buried in landfill sites.

Look out for fair trade products in your local shops and supermarkets.

Give money to organisations that fund projects and campaign to reduce poverty, such as Oxfam, ActionAid or Save the Children

Voluntary work for charities

Changes to our behaviour: Recycle unwanted clothes, Donate clothes to charities, Look in shops for products that have been traded fairly, Increase our poverty awareness

Etc……………………..

Make groups of 4 people and expand the list!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Spread the message!!!!!!!!!!!!:

If the message of change is spread across the whole of society, and reaches those in power, we can have a real influence on decision-making.

By spreading the message we can not only influence the powerful, but also hold them to account in the eyes of the public.

Our pressure can change things.

Enlighten people about the injustices in the world and the possible solutions