Session Outline: A session aimed at exploring Fairtrade, where it fits into our Faith and how we can take a step for Fairtrade in our school, shops and churches.

Items needed: inflatable ball, fairtrade materials (you can order these here), YouTube Videos – Fairtrade Foundation 2011 Video, Fairtrade Foundation 2012 Video, Bible Studies

Opening: Ask the group if they know what’s special about the 2 weeks we’re in the middle of?

Explain: We are currently in the first week of Fairtrade fortnight. The biggest 2 weeks of the year for the Fairtrade foundation as they campaign to raise awareness of their label. In the last few years in these weeks Sainsburys have announced all their bananas going Fairtrade and Cadbury announcing the Fairtrade Dairy Milk.

In these weeks people are also encouraged to do something for Fairtrade, perhaps to buy more products.

Game: Have an inflatable ball and invite young people to throw it each time saying an item they know of that you can get that’s Fairtrade.

Ask: Do you know what Fairtrade is? What does it mean?

Video Clip: Use the Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 Show off Your Label Video

Explain: Fairtrade is a logo that we often see on products in shops (far more so now than we used to)….the logo means that the items used in that product are Fairtrade certified. This means:

A minimum price is paid to Fairtrade producers covering their costs of production.

The producers receive an additional Fairtrade premium, an amount of money to invest in their communities on economic, social or environmental projects.

Workers on farms also get rights under Fairtrade like decent wages and they are allowed to join unions

Producers in Fairtrade co-operatives always get a democratic say in decisions – women included.

Fairtrade also means the products are weighed on fair scales not rigged scales and that your chocolate, coffee etc is traceable which means there is no child labour in the production of Fairtrade products.

Ask: Did you know that? Which of that didn’t you know?

Ask: What Fairtrade products do you currently buy?

Ask: Why do you think Christians should buy Fairtrade?

Small Groups: Use the small group bible studies.

Feedback: Get the groups back to feedback what they looked at.

Action

Ask: What Fairtrade products can you buy in your school? or corner shop?

What do you think you can do to get more Fairtrade products?

Video: Fairtrade Foundation 2012 Campaign – Take A Step

Explain: Supporting Fairtrade is a choice we make but it’s also something that as Christians we ought to be supporting. Jesus tells us to treat our neighbour as we’d like to be treated and the bible is crammed with stuff to do with looking after the poor and standing up for injustice and buying fairtrade and requesting products to be Fairtrade is one way we can do this.

The Fairtrade foundation is challenging people to take a Step for Fairtrade and let them know at fairtrade.org.uk/step

It might be to tell more people about fairtrade, it might be to buy more fairtrade or it might be to request more Fairtrade products.

Ask: Are you willing to take a step for Fairtrade? What can you do to get your school or shop to stock more Fairtrade?

Response: Hand out Take a Step postcards and encourage young people to think about if they want to choose to take a Step for Fairtrade. You could also hand out ‘What is Fairtrade’ leaflets and ‘Dear Store Manager’ postcards.

Prayer to Close