Campaign Academy 2010

Exploring issues

Students from ten schools took part in a series of four workshops over the course of the year. They explored issues such as child labour, fairtrade and world hunger.

Campaigning tools

As part of the training they found out about some of the countries Concern works in such as Niger and Haiti. During the workshops they learned how to plan campaigns, work with the media and lobby the government.

The students also developed some useful  life-skills. Karen and Bronagh both said that now they are more confident speaking in public. According to Sinead and Eilish from Our Lady of Mercy Drimnagh, they all learned more when they got to do the work themselves, for example when writing press releases or planning campaign strategies. 

Changing behaviour

Attending the academy has changed their attitudes. Jack from St. Peter’s Dunboyne says he now checks whether things are fairtrade or not before he buys them.

I’m sure that in their future careers as teachers, lawyers and musicians that they will remain interested in development issues. Campaigning is clearly something they are passionate about. Some of the students told us they have some local issues they’d like to sort out too, so watch out Ireland!

Schools involved

The students that attended the academy were from Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School, Mourne Road; St. Peter’s College, Dunboyne; Presentation Secondary School, Milltown; St. Dominic’s High School, Santa Sabina, Sutton; The Institute of Education, Dublin; St. Aidan’s Community School, Tallaght; St. Joseph’s Secondary School , Rochfortbridge and St. Killian’s Community School, Bray.