Students at Brampton College demonstrate they are part of the ‘We’ generation!
Brampton College has always been proud to support its students’ Charity Committee in promoting the needs of those less fortunate than themselves. A recent survey of our students showed our students work in charity shops, whilst others support community groups like the Beavers, Brownies and Scouts. Indeed this week we were proud to celebrate with Katie Freeman her Jack Peachey award for her contribution to her Scout Group.
Some of our students are youth leaders at local youth clubs whilst others are regular visitors to hospices, help run the radio station at Barnet hospital or help with a charity that works with autistic children, taking them out on trips and running play schemes. One of our students led a ‘special needs’ summer camp which was specifically designed to give young people with Down’s Syndrome a good time. We also have those that visit care homes and volunteer with Age UK. Others are concerned with the homeless and help provide food for them.
Our students are concerned about people overseas. One student is involved in helping restore lands used for illegal farming in Malaysia, anther is helping in hospitals in India, and a third is supporting ‘One Family’, a Charity that supports young people caught up in terror attacks in different parts of the world. Others support Water Aid and are keen to help ensure that all people across the world have access to clean water.
On Wednesday a group of students spoke about their experiences being involved with ‘We Act’. The fact that they had signed up to be involved meant they received an invitation to We Day. They told us they had joined a movement that empowers a young people. Tasvee Karanee and Martina Prentice told our AS students that there is a call to bring a generation together to dedicate themselves to becoming agents of change. They can do this by tackling poverty. She explained at every annual international ‘We Day event’ around $2 million is raised by the work of young people.
They shared some startling statistics with the students explaining how many people in the world die of hunger. They explained how many people in the world had no access to clean drinking water and what that meant. They encouraged the other students to be part of the “Me to We” generation. They reflected on the gift of education and how it is easy it is to take for granted but how few people in the world have it. Many of our students identified with that because they have spent time helping teach in schools during their summer holidays. In some cases they have helped build them! Tasvee explained that two thirds of the world’s illiterate adults are women. When a woman has at least a secondary education, her children are twice more likely to survive than children born to less educated mothers. For many people in the world an education means a chance to survive.
Tasvee explained how this year she had taken on one local and one global action and that was how she had become part of the ‘Me to We’ generation. She said she had helped at a care home and the Peace Children’s centre in Watford for her local event and then collected for Save the Children for her Global involvement.
She suggested we could sign up to do something collectively next year as a college. I asked our students whether they wanted to do this. I was thrilled and proud to see this is something that matters to them when they all agreed this is what they wanted to do. In September we will make a final decision when our new AS students join us. Perhaps we will help with a local food bank or volunteer through ‘We Act’? Our Charity Committee will decide what global charity we will support but it is great to know that our students feel this is important and that they are part of a generation that will make a difference.
Many of our students will go to university and then take up positions of responsibility in many different areas of our society. It is good to know that some of our future leaders care about others and will turn their good intentions into actions.
