J is for Junior World Changers
What is JWC?
Junior World Changers is part of Free the Children's curriculum for schools. In order to earn tickets to go to WE DAY in cities across Canada, students participate in volunteer efforts and fundraising to help with social and environmental issues across the globe. What is WE DAY?
The most inspiring event you could take your students to. Watch the following video... How does it work in my school?
I meet with the kids every Day 3 at noon hour and we plan/organize our next fundraiser or volunteer efforts. So far, we have held a bake sale, a "hat day", participated in Halloween for Hunger, helped put together Christmas hampers, hosted a barbecue, and we have plans to sell raffiki bracelets for Mother's Day. The WE BAKE FOR CHANGE bake sale was held at our Christmas concert. The kids do ALL of the work themselves, and as teachers we basically supervise their efforts. Our bake sale raised over $500 and the kids decided to dedicate the money to a clean water project in India. The next day, students took the food hamper items they collected to a neighbouring school and built Christmas hampers for families in need. For "hat day" students in the school donated a loonie to wear a hat for the day and the money went to buy goats in the developing world as part of WE CREATE CHANGE. Why is it working?
Our WE DAY club is working because it is engaging. Helping others builds empathy and character in the students. They are engaged by the activities and they want to make a difference. I am able to use the resources provided to teach my students about issues around the world. I like this because it is real world learning and it connects to my curriculum for social studies, English, and Health. I am able to support student's learning in the classroom with what is happening in the world and by helping them actually DO something about it. Having an emotional connection to the material is crucial for middle years students. The WE DAY club also gets students involved that are not interested in other extracurricular activities like sports. It has created a strong sense of community and it has also helped students to take ownership of their own learning. They are more independent than ever because they know that they matter and they can make a difference. |
Where can I get more information?
Free the Children has extensive online information and resources. Visit the following sites:
Free the Children has extensive online information and resources. Visit the following sites: