Scoil Mhuire students in campaign with Concern

Four students from Scoil Mhuire in Trim recently took part in the Concern Campaigning Academy which aimed to highlight the issue of child labour in the developing world. Rebecca Doran, Cathy Gormley and Aisling McQuaid, all transition year students and fifth-year student Laura Murphy were among 28 students from around the country chosen to take part in the Concern Campaigning Academy 08-09. The Trim girls attended four workshops and learned the basic skills of efficient campaigning, the the harsh reality of child labour, but more importantly, how the youth can make a difference. The workshops took place all over the country so the students not only got a chance to learn new skills but they also got to see parts of our native country and make new life-long friends, whom they may never have got a chance to meet otherwise. Scoil Mhuire"s four students first met with their fellow campaigners back in October 2008. The students" teacher, Ms Caffrey, consulted the students last September and offered them a place on the Concern Campaigning team. For some, the experience was life changing. After learning about the children in developing countries who are being deprived of a childhood due to child labour, the students felt it 'makes you realise how lucky you are and encourages you to help people in need'. This was the first year the academy was set up, and due to the great positive response from both students and teachers alike, it looks set to continue. Approximately, 218 million children in the world today are forced to work in full-time employment to sustain their families. These children must forgo even the most basic education, depriving them of their chance of a brighter future for both themselves and their nations as a whole. Concern provided the students with not only an overview of the issue of child labour itself but also with detailed training workshops on campaigning, lobbying and press relations. The students also met with experienced representatives from Concern, SpunOut.ie and Irish Aid, as well as Brain McDonald of the Irish Independent, Nick Grisewood of "Scream" and Conall O"Caoímh of the recently founded NGO; "Value Added in Africa". At the conclusion of their time together, the students compiled their views on the issue and the solutions for individuals, NGOs and governments in a "European Youth Against Child Labour" declaration. They worked on it in collaboration with similarly concerned youth from around Europe including students from the Czech Republic, Denmark and Germany. The students hope to carry on the "Concern Campaigning Academy" but this time they are the chief organisers of what goes on in the workshops. They now have to use their own initiative to plan out activities, guest speakers, and to organise meeting up to take part in local campaigns. The students have agreed to stay in touch through e-mail, texts and the Scoil Mhuire students hope that their graduation from the "Concern Campaigning Academy" on Friday the 27th of March, was just the beginning of a long 'career' in campaigning.