This weekend, us Campaign Champions travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon to partake in the training required for our roles. We were introduced to our fellow champions, spending the days establishing goals and educating ourselves on the cause we have dedicated ourselves to. The goals we will focus on in this coming year include: reversing the aid cuts, having more people and organisations involved in our fight, crafting our confidence and coming up with effective ways to raise awareness, especially amongst young people. We completed many teamwork activities, that encouraged us to communicate and work with people who we hadn’t previously met as well as familiarising ourselves with the origins of the Send My Friend To School coalition and what they stand for.

Campaign Champions defining the ideal Campaign Champion by writing all the key qualities together.

Our knowledge of politics and how parliament operates were put to the test in a quiz on the subject, in which the winning team, conveniently named ‘The Winners’ were awarded ‘gold medals’. The Saturday revolved around understanding what solidarity truly is and how we can incorporate it into our work. We considered how we can send a message, observing the connotations that certain phrases and images have and how they can fuel harmful stereotypes. We are committed to portraying those in need as dignified, civilised people like ourselves, dismantling the idea of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Later, we studied our MPs before writing a letter to them, presenting our passions, propositions and encouraging them to advocate alongside us. From the evening to this morning, we thought about different ways we could campaign, through creative means as well as conventional, before presenting our ideas to the team. Alongside learning and presenting, we have spent much time socialising with one another, forming comradery and playing many games of pool, a source of great jubilation.

Campaign Champions presenting at the Residentials training weekend.

We cannot wait for what this year will bring,

Your Campaign Champions.