WEDG runs a number of projects to promote awareness of global citizenship and sustainability. Read below about our current, forthcoming and past projects with schools, nursuries and universities.

Funded by the Department for International Development, "My Dad Says..." is a three year project with Secondary schools in East Kent.

 The project, now in its final year, has aimed to raise levels of empathy and critical thinking, and encouraged young people to think for themselves around the topic of immigration and poverty. This is a thorny topic that teachers can find tough to tackle, so we have worked to raise awareness and confidence among teachers in challenging the myths and stereotypes that some young people believe about immigrants.

WEDG has worked alongside Citizenship teachers to develop stimulating and challenging schemes of work. Research to establish the effectiveness of this intervention is being carried out by our partners at the University of Kent. In 2012 WEDG and the University of Kent will publish the results of the evaluation and make the lesson resource materials available for other educationalists to use.

On 27 January 2012, WEDG is holding the 'My Dad says...' competition final and conference at the University of Kent. If you would be interested in finding out more about the conference or the project please get in touch click here.

This three year project  worked with Early Years settings on including cultural diversity into everyday practice. It was developed out of the pilot project using Persona Dolls called Dolls Defying Discrimination. The project identified how existing practice at 3 settings could be adapted to put in place the values and attitudes that need to be nurtured for successful Global Citizens of the future.  

A training programme based on best practice from this project and including the use of Persona Dolls is available. 

This is a pilot Early Years project working with six nurseries in Margate to test a new resource being developed around diversity.

For more project information click here.

School Request Form

WEDG has recently introduced this new service, to link up international students studying in Kent, with local schools. The volunteer ‘Global Classroom Visitors’ are available to visit your class, to share their childhood, school and homelife in their home country. These encounters will provide a memorable and lasting experience for your children, as they will have the first-hand opportunity to listen and ask questions about another country and culture. We have found that meeting a ‘real’ person can have a huge impact compared to just hearing about another place.

Why have a visitor?

• Help children to make connections between their lives and those of people from other countries.
• Add an international/global element to your classroom.
• Provide positive, young role model for children
• Raise self-esteem of minority ethnic group children
• Reflect the wider local East Kent community
• Demonstrate that you are an outward looking school
• Ask for a particular country if it fits with your curriculum

One school's experience of two Japanese visitors:

'Could you pass on to Mika and Marie how well they did and how much Class 1 and Class 3 enjoyed their visit. Both class teachers came to see me to tell me personally how much they enjoyed the sessions. The Powerpoint and conversation was fascinating. Thank you so much and we send them our best wishes.'

Teacher, Monkton Primary School

If you would be interested in Global Classroom Visitors, please complete the School Request Form and email or fax this to WEDG now to express your interest. We will contact you to arrange a suitable visitor.

Cost:

• WEDG members £10/visitor
• non members £75/visitor

Information for students:

Become a Global Classroom Visitor – a very English experience

• Visit a school  singly or in pairs
• Experience England beyond city and campus
• One off volunteering (5 hours)
• Have something different to talk about at interviews
• Travel expenses paid

What happens:

• You contact WEDG and sign up to become a Global Classroom Visitor
• WEDG arranges visit to school agreeing date and time with you
• Meet with WEDG co-ordinator to discuss content of your visit
• Create a power point (10 -15 slides), to illustrate where you are from and what growing up for you was like. (e.g. School, food, family )
• Visit school
• Record  your volunteering
• Evaluate your experience and post a message on Facebook page

An after school club exploring food and cultures.

The aims of Bon Appetit are to show children the connections and similarities they have with people from different cultural backgrounds through food; how basic, everyday, nutritional foods can be grown or obtained locally; and to model how shared learning and eating can contribute to building healthy communities. Every participant will have a World Cookbook which they add to each week as they investigate food ingredients and dishes from different cultures within their community. There will be an emphasis on family and community bonds through the production, preparation and consumption of food together.  This project runs until March 2011.

If you would be interested in taking part or finding out more about this project please click here.

Bon Appetit! project profile on Local Food.

This after school club  for primary schools tested in 9 schools fun and interesting activities on global themes. Each week the Globetrotters Club ‘visited’ a country and investigated a global theme such as Fairtrade, energy or water. WEDG was one of three centres trialing activities  the best of which are available in a Resource book.  WEDG can also customise and deliver a Globetrotters Club for your school/setting.

Find out about the schools that took part in the WEDG Fairtrade garden competition in 2007-2008 here.

WEDG provides workshops and assemblies on Fairtrade issues.

Call 01227 766552 for more information.

For further local information on Fairtrade see:

www.canterburyfairtradenetwork.org.uk

www.thanetfairtrade.org.uk

Life stories of young people who have made Kent their home.

This book, compiled and edited by Tasos Papadimitriouis, is built around the stories of young people who live in Kent, but have roots in and connections with other parts of the world.  The book (with accompanying teaching ideas) is available to purchase from WEDG.