If I ruled the world…

I’m sure none of us have been able to escape the news of the upcoming US election.

I’ve found it’s made me think more about my views, why I hold them and how my choices affect others. 

A great start for all age groups the simple statement ‘if I ruled the world’ (or school, church, town, village…whatever) can be completed by the children or young people in your charge.

Some things to think about which can be included
- using video of news report, website,  or newspaper articles to illustrate different points
- using websites such as tearfund, fairtrade foundation or oxfam to see issues in developing countries
- having the session as a simple ‘runaround’ style game, but then asking each answer group to back up their choice
- getting young people to write a manifesto
- presenting statements and creating a debate scenario
- nominating a few people to ‘stand’ to be in charge, allowing them time to create a campaign and then having a vote
- inviting local councillors so that students can ask them questions (there is an annual event ‘I’m a councillor…get me out of here which is a great online version of this which has just finished…details here… www.bigvote.org.uk ..why not think about getting involved for next year)
- inviting in policy changers
- starting a campaign group (maybe joining with World Development Movement, Amnesty International, NSPCC, Cancer Research or anything else that young people are passionate about), you’re never too young to initiate change.

Have fun with it and remember ‘with great power comes great responsibility’.

TAGS: justice, election, power, control, injustice, order, american election