Scottish schools are being urged to ‘get connected’ and build stronger relationships with the people they support in poor countries.
Scotland’s leading international aid agency SCIAF has just launched an exciting new initiative called Project Connect which will give schools in Scotland a greater focus for fundraising and global citizenship. Project Connect allows pupils to find out more about SCIAF’s work in Burundi, India and Nicaragua by using a new interactive online resource before deciding which country and even which project their school would like to focus on.
SCIAF will provide schools with a range of downloadable materials to support their activities on their chosen country, including teacher’s notes with suggestions for classroom activities and interdisciplinary tasks, PowerPoint presentations, and videos.
Importantly, schools will also receive two updates per year from their chosen country informing them of new developments, thanking them for their support, and letting them know how the projects they are supporting are helping people.
Schools will also be given the opportunity to meet people from their focus country and project when they visit Scotland.
SCIAF Chairman Cardinal Keith O’Brien is fully supporting the new initiative and said:
“As you know, SCIAF is the official international aid and development agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland. As a Catholic school, this means that SCIAF is, in a special way, your aid agency.
“Project Connect has been developed in response to the feedback from teachers over the last few years that schools would like to feel more closely connected to SCIAF’s work around the world. It is an opportunity for schools to choose which country and even which project in that country they would like to focus upon and support.
“In recent years I have had the opportunity to see for myself the life-changing work of SCIAF and I am delighted that Project Connect will help our Catholic schools become more deeply involved in SCIAF’s vital work.”
Signing up
Signing up to Project Connect is easy. Just visit www.sciafyouth.org.uk/youth/connect and decide which country the school would like to focus on, and then register your school. SCIAF will then provide you with everything you need to get up and running.