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Fair Trade Resource for Upper Primary and Secondary Schools Teacher Background:

Fairer trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. Too often over recent decades international trading rules have been unfair to the poorest.

As consumers we have purchasing power. We can choose to buy products that are made more ethically, pay and treat producers fairly and improve the natural environment. There are several systems or certifications that help us make these choices, such as Fairtrade, UTZ certified and Rainforest Alliance.

Learning about fair trade issues is a powerful way for students to find out about global trade and our interconnectedness.

This resource includes:

Brief background on fair trade certifications.

Lesson ideas.

Links to other useful resources.

Tips for becoming a fair trade School.

Activities for Fairtrade Fortnight - or any time. of the year!

Caritas Australia and Fairtrade: Caritas Australia does not currently fund any Fairtrade certified projects, however we work in Australia to raise awareness about the global issues that are at the root of global poverty and the interdependence of poverty and affluence. We work to equip people to learn about the choices we can make everyday to engage in positive actions for a more just and fair world. In communities experiencing poverty, our work is grounded in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, and promotes the dignity of the human person and the common good of all people in the community.

Agriculture is the main source of income and employment for the 70 percent of the world's poor who live in rural areas. Source

“Many farmers in developing countries, despite their hard work, live in poverty. When agricultural products are sold at low prices, farmers earn very little profit and can become stuck in a cycle of poverty, or poverty trap. Unlike farmers in the developed world, there are no government or social safety nets to help them when market prices drop below production costs. Agricultural workers face similar challenges: low wages and difficult working conditions can lead to a cycle of poverty.” Source: Fairtrade International

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Fair trade: Curriculum links Curriculum Links: General Capabilities and Cross Curricular Priorities:

Geography Economics and Business

Year 4 : The use and management of natural resources and waste, and the different views on how to do this sustainably (ACHASSK090).

Year 9: The ways that places and people are interconnected with other places through trade in goods and services, at all scales (ACHGK067).

The effects of the production and consumption of goods on places and environments throughout the world and including a country from North-East Asia (ACHGK068).

Year 5: Influences on consumer choices and methods that can be used to help make informed personal consumer and financial choices (ACHASSK121). The effect that consumer and financial decisions can have on the individual, the broader community and the environment (ACHASSK150). Year 9: Why and how participants in the global economy are dependent on each other (ACHEK039).

Civics and Citizenship

Year 6

The obligations citizens may consider they have beyond their own national borders as active and informed global citizens (ACHASSK148).

Ethical Understanding (By the end of..) Sustainability

Year 4 Understanding ethical concepts and issues :

identify ethical concepts, such as equality, respect and connectedness, and describe some of their attributes.

explain what constitutes an ethically better or worse outcome and how it might be accomplished.

Systems:

OI.3 Sustainable patterns of living rely on the interdependence of healthy social, economic and ecological systems.

Year 6 Reasoning in decision making and actions:

explore the reasons behind there being a variety of ethical positions on a social issue.

Understanding ethical concepts and issues:

explain what constitutes an ethically better or worse outcome and how it might be accomplished explain what constitutes an ethically better or worse outcome and how it might be accomplished.

World Views:

OI.4 World views that recognise the dependence of living things on healthy ecosystems, and value diversity and social justice, are essential for achieving sustainability.

Year 8 Exploring values, rights and responsibilities:

analyse rights and responsibilities in relation to the duties of a responsible citizen.

Futures:

OI. 6 The sustainability of ecological, social and economic systems is achieved through informed individual and community action that values local and global equity and fairness across generations into the future.

OI.7 Actions for a more sustainable future reflect values of care, respect and responsibility, and require us to explore and understand environments.

Year 10 Exploring values, rights and responsibilities:

evaluate the merits of conflicting rights and responsibilities in global contexts.

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Fairtrade Certification What is Fairtrade?

Fairtrade Australia & New Zealand is a not-for-profit company.

Fairtrade advocates for decent working conditions, fair prices for farmers, sustainable practices, environmental protection and the empowerment of farmers and workers in developing countries. As Fairtrade requires businesses to pay a fair price to farmers for their crop (acting as a safety net ensuring that farmers never receive less than the cost it took to produce their crop in a sustainable manner). Find out more at www.fairtrade.com.au

Watch this film clip ’What is Fairtrade?’ by Fairtrade Canada. (4 mins, best for Secondary students)

Watch ‘Foncho’s story - a Fairtrade producer’s story, at the Fairtrade Foundation YouTube channel.

The Fairtrade Label

The green and blue Fairtrade Mark is a registered trademark owned by Fairtrade International. It signifies fairer trade conditions so that producers can combat poverty and take more control of their community’s future.

The label is a guarantee to producers (and to us) that they will get a fair and steady price for their products, protecting them from changing prices on the world market. It also means that producers have met environmental and social standards, for example, that child labour is not being used. With the additional money in the Fairtrade price, producers can invest in their local community’s development eg. to build educational or medical facilities.

As consumers we have purchasing power.

By buying products that carry the Fairtrade label and asking our supermarket to stock them, we are showing companies that there is a better way to do business; that you can treat workers with respect and still make a profit. When we buy Fairtrade products we show that we really care for others – no matter how far away they live!

What can you buy that is Fairtrade?

The Fairtrade mark is most often seen on coffee, chocolate and tea products. But you can also find cotton, vanilla, and some clothing items that have been certified Fairtrade.

Illustration: James Foley

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Fair trade fun activities! Religious Education

‘Ask students to think about what they have learnt about fair trade and to write a prayer or reflection that small-scale producers may receive a fair share.

Consider the cartoon on page 7. What do you see, what do you think, what do you wonder? Discuss.

Use the Solidarity Learning Experience for Years 5-6 or Secondary Students (from Caritas Australia’s Catholic Social Teaching toolkit).

Numeracy, Literacy, ICT

Brainstorm the names of all the different chocolates they know. How many are Fairtrade?

Ask students to bring in the wrapper from their favourite chocolate bar. Use the wrappers to make a giant bar chart of different brands. This will help students to focus in on the class/school’s favourite top two brands. (Use data-handling software or spreadsheets for recording results to add an ICT element).

Students can write persuasive letters to the companies that produce their favourite chocolates to explain why the company should go Fairtrade or the students will go elsewhere!

Students can find out more about Fairtrade by visiting these websites:

www.fairtrade.com.au

https://www.cadbury.com.au/About-Cadbury/Sustainable-Cocoa.aspx

www.fairtraders.org.au

Use your knowledge to create your very own ‘Fairtrade A to Z Factbook’.

(Caritas Australia is not responsible for the content of external websites)

Senior students can research and debate some of the tricky issues around fair trade, eg. the benefits of Fairtrade versus the negative impacts of food kilometres.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Make a display of Fairtrade producers from around the world that supply Australia. Research their proportion of the market here.

Play the trade simulation game “Trading Trainers” to experience the impacts of the world market on small producers (allow 2 hours): www.cafod.org.uk/secondary/fairtrade

Art, PDHPE

Print Fairtrade cotton t-shirts as your school sports kit. Run a competition to find a winning design. Launch the new kit with a goal-shooting contest using Fairtrade balls. Australian company Etiko sell Fairtrade clothing items such as shoes, t-shirts and underwear!

Invite the local community

Hold a Fairtrade coffee morning for parents. Serve Fairtrade tea and coffee with Fairtrade cakes that students have baked. Set up a taste test between Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade chocolate. Which tastes better?

Adapt and perform the skit Fantastic Fairtrade Fred to the audience.

Fair trade learning tasks

“Businesses have a duty to ensure dignified working conditions and adequate salaries for their employees, but they must also be vigilant that forms of subjugation or human trafficking do not find their way into the distribution chain. Together with the social responsibility of businesses, there is also the social responsibility of consumers. Every person ought to have the awareness that “purchasing is always a moral – and not simply an economic – act”. Pope Francis, World Day of Peace address, 2015. How does Pope Francis’ message challenge you?

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Fair trade: Religious Education Links Reflect individually on the following questions, then discuss with a partner.

What influences your choices when you buy a product? E.g. Packaging, price, style.

Do you ever think about who made the product, where it was made and what were the conditions for the workers?

What have you heard about workers rights or slave labour?

Why should we consider the impact our choices make on workers who we may never meet?

How does church teaching help us understand fair trade and making just decisions as consumers?

Read the following suggested text excerpts and discuss as a class.

Catholic Social Teaching Human Dignity: We believe that every person is created in God’s image and that all human life is sacred. We believe in the dignity of each person. Common Good: We believe in working towards the common good and looking beyond our own personal interests. Economic Justice: We believe that everyone has the right to access the means to support themselves and their family. Solidarity: We believe we are one human family and have a responsibility to help each person achieve their full potential. How do these principles guide us to make just decisions as consumers?

Scripture Read the following passages of scripture: Proverbs 31:8-9, Matthew 6:19-21 and 6:24 , John 2:13-16, James 5:1-5. What stands out to you from these passages?

“Businesses have a duty to ensure dignified working conditions and adequate salaries for their employees, but they must also be vigilant that forms of subjugation or human trafficking do not find their way into the distribution chain. Together with the social responsibility of businesses, there is also the social responsibility of consumers. Every person ought to have the awareness that “purchasing is always a moral – and not simply an economic – act”. Pope Francis, World Day of Peace address, 2015. How does Pope Francis’ message challenge you?

“You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor person, but you are giving them back what is theirs.” Saint Ambrose What did St Ambrose mean when he said this?

For a brief introduction to Catholic Social Teaching, you can view this clip 'CST in 3 minutes'. Find out more about Catholic Social Teaching with our ‘CST Toolkit’ for schools.

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Discuss the cartoon below. What do you see? What do you think about it? What questions do you have?

Illustration: James Foley

CARITAS.ORG.AU/SCHOOLS

Becoming a fair trade school Becoming a fair trade School Fair trade isn’t just for Fairtrade Fortnight, it’s for life! Here’s the essential guide on how to get your whole school on board and enthusiastic about becoming a fair trade School.

Get talking

First, set up a steering group with representatives from around the school; include students, parents, teaching and support staff. This will be the real driving force in becoming a fair trade School and ensuring you stay true to your ideals.

Make it official

Write and present a whole-school fair trade policy to the governing body for discussion and inclusion in the school development plan. To become a fair trade School, you must promote fair trade and use at least two Fairtrade Certified products throughout the school; but go the extra mile and explore ways of using and selling Fairtrade products whenever possible!

Take the first step: Make the Swap! Switch coffee, tea and chocolate items at school to Fairtrade brands. Use this film clip to raise awareness.

Find out more

Educate the whole school community about fair trade issues using curriculum-based lessons and wider learning activities. Discuss fair trade as part of RE and SOSE/HSIE, encouraging critical thinking around issues. Get creative with assemblies, drama

workshops and Fairtrade displays: a great way to share your students’ work and a brilliant tool for educating visitors to your school.

Shout about it!

When your application has been approved, spread the news to your local community. Encourage your local shops to stock Fairtrade, celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight – and remember fair trade is more than choosing a different brand of coffee; it's about people's lives.

Go Further:

Other certifications: You might also see UTZ certified and Rainforest Alliance logos on chocolate or coffee. These also indicate a commitment to workers rights and sustainability. Find out more here.

ACRATH (Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans) encourage people to buy ‘slavery free’ chocolate by buying products with certification marks.

Secondary Schools: Learn more about Human Trafficking with ACRATH’s resource.

You could also investigate what other items your school uses (e.g tissues, toilet paper, uniforms, paper etc.) for which there might be a more environmentally sustainable or ethically produced option.

Read abut how students at St.Monica’s in Epping Victoria learnt about ethical fashion for their ‘Year 9 Slow Fashion Show’ in 2016.