Youth forum to focus on social justice

Dec 08, 2005

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

The forum, to be opened by Minister for the Illawarra, Mr David Campbell at 9am, will provide 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 will contain 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 will also participate in the creation of a colourful banner, which will depict a collage of articles and pictures related to issues of social justice.

Throughout the day each student will be contributing to the banner by identifying, cutting and pasting articles of relevance. The final result will be completed by 2.15pm.

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

Aletia will be speaking about the trafficking of women and children in Asia and her presentation will involve a video and quiz for the students.

When: Friday 9 December, 9am-3.30pm

Where: Kemira Room 3, UniCentre (Bldg 11)

For further information contact: Lakshal ‘Lucky' Perera on 0412 532 243.

**Media please note: The forum will be opened by Minister for the Illawarra, Mr David Campbell, at 9am. The social justice banner will also be an ideal creation for photo/filming opportunities. It will be finished by 2.15pm on Friday and handed over to Wollongong City Council.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128