Junior changemakers call for a more sustainable world 

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Paula Galvin teaches third class at Our Lady Queen of the Apostles NS, Clondalkin. She loves to quote this line to her pupils: ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’.

So it’s no surprise the Changemakers Programme – the brainchild of humanitarian aid agency GOAL – is a perfect fit for Ms Galvin’s interest in social justice issues and for her desire to teach her students about global citizenship.

Changemakers aims to inspire primary school children to take action to create a more sustainable, fairer world. Last year, Ms Galvin’s 22 third class pupils participated and – with the 2020 Changemakers Programme launching recently – she’s set to have 33 students involved this year.

The programme invites students, who’ve returned to the classroom after months at home due to Covid-19, to learn about the 17 UN Global Goals agreed by world leaders to end poverty, fight inequality, stop climate change and protect our oceans, flora and fauna by 2030. Last year, 70 classes in schools around Ireland took part.

In Ms Galvin’s experience, children really believe they can effect change. In 2019, her class focused on doing something about all the plastic that came with the daily lunch provided to them. “They were very conscious of the amount of plastic used – plastic cutlery, plastic water bottles. So they wrote to the lunch providers, asking them to reduce this plastic, and since then the company has used bamboo forks, spoons and knives. It’s a victory for us, and very empowering for the children to see.”

Her pupils also wrote their own rap, which includes the words: “Our Planet is in danger/The crisis is major/Our seas are drowning in plastic/We need to do something drastic/Stop the global warming/Stop the planet harming/Stop the lawn mowing/Keep the wildflowers growing. (See: exa.mn/ChangeMakers)

Ms Galvin says some people see social justice issues as not suitable for children to explore but she heartily disagrees. “In fact, if you engage children in real-world issues and projects, it empowers them.”

GOAL global citizenship manager Nina Sachau points out that people worldwide are currently living through the COVID-19 pandemic and that is adding to the challenges of climate change, poverty and global injustice. “Children can be overwhelmed, and we have to ensure they are resilient and active actors in the shaping of their future. It’s heartening that this generation of conscientious and active young people and educators are taking so many actions to bring about a fair and sustainable world.”

More information:

• Changemakers is an education package to inspire children to take action around the environment and global poverty. It’s inspired by UN sustainable development goals.
• The programme is suitable for primary school students from first to sixth classes.
• GOAL offers the following support: curriculum-linked resources and step-by-step webinars for teachers; five-minute video – young Changemakers talking about undertaking actions in their communities.
• Every participating class will receive a certificate of recognition and a world map for their classroom

See: www.goalglobal.org/changemakers