Youth forum focuses on social justice

Dec 13, 2005

Aid, poverty, fair trade and globalisation were just some of the issues up for discussion last week (Friday 9 December) when the University of Wollongong Oxfam Club hosted the inaugural Oxfam Youth Forum for high-school students.

The forum, which was opened by Minister for the Illawarra, Mr David Campbell, provided students with exposure to community service, discuss opportunities for leadership and empowerment and build confidence and awareness.

The UOW Oxfam Club is affiliated with Oxfam Australia – an independent, not-for-profit, secular, community-based aid and development organisation that assists communities in over 30 countries.

The Oxfam Youth Forum contained six 30-minute workshops to give students a chance to brainstorm about what roles and activities they can undertake to make a difference in Australia and throughout the world.

Students also participated in the creation of a colourful banner, which depicted a collage of articles and pictures related to issues of social justice.

Throughout the day each student contributed to the banner by identifying, cutting and pasting articles of relevance.

Keynote speaker for the event was Aletia Dundas, a school campaigner from the ‘Simply Sharing Week’ aid project of National Council of Churches, Australia.

Aletia spoke about the trafficking of women and children in Asia and her presentation involved a video and quiz for the students.