Carlisle One World Centre's Youth Year means that we are doing more this year (June 2011 to May 2012) to get young people and the organisations they attend - schools, university, clubs etc. - involved in some of our "Think Global Act Local" campaigns and initiatives.

Our main campaign at COWC continues to be Fairtrade. Buying Fairtrade goods ensures that small farmers in the developing world get a fair price for their produce. Carlisle is a Fairtrade City - this means that many of our shops, cafes and businesses are selling and using products which have been certified by The Fairtrade Foundation and which will bear the Fairtrade logo. Visit the main Carlisle Fairtrade website www.carlislefairtrade.org.uk for more information on how to get involved.

We also campaign on climate change, human rights and other causes of poverty around the world, working closely with Sustainable Carlisle, Amnesty International, Christian Aid, CAFOD and other local and national campaigning organisations such as the Stop Climate Chaos coalition. Our food voucher scheme here in Carlisle supports local homeless and other vulnerable young people.

Working with Schools and Youth Clubs

St. Margaret Mary's Primary School is Carlisle's first fully certified Fairtrade School and we hope to support many more with this worthwhile campaign. We were delighted to attend the celebration of St. Margaret Mary's Fairtrade Status in June along with a Fairtrade Flower producer from Kenya (left with the school's Eco Warrior Group and their teacher), The Mayor of Carlisle and Joe Human MBE from the Cumbria Fairtrade Network. We are looking forward to see at least one more Fairtrade School in the next few months and we are working with Cumbria Development Education Centre (CDEC) to support a cluster of local schools working towards this status.

We can also help schools with organising Fairtrade tuck shops, talks or workshops and bigger events such as fashion shows. Visit the Carlisle Fairtrade website or contact our Fairtrade Co-ordinator info@carlislefairtrade.org.uk for further information. Our main event over the next year will be the Carlisle and North Cumbria Fairtrade Schools Conference on Thursday 1st March 2012 at James Rennie School, Carlisle. This conference, the highlight of Fairtrade Fortnight, will feature a Fairtrade producer from Malawi and we will be inviting all schools to send student members of their Fairtrade Steering Groups or councils along.

We also support the Carlisle Eco-Schools Network Group under Sustainable Carlisle. Contact bruna@sustainablecarlisle.org for more information about this group.

We are also working with Carlisle Youth Zone this year and have run a Fairtrade Walking Tour around Carlisle with some of its young members. We hope to do more activities together in the new year.

Working with the University of Cumbria

We recently held several events at the university as part of the Freshers Week activities We had a "Campaigning in Carlisle" stall at this year's Freshers' Fayre at the Fusehill St. Campus of the University in September. We invited students to a Wild Food Walk and a Fairtrade Walking Tour the same week and, the following Friday we hosted a very successful Sustainability Debate on The Big Green Issues with the MP for Carlisle, John Stevenson, the Green Party candidate, John Reardon and Sonny Khan from the South Lakes Action on Climate Change campaign.

We are supporting the Student Union at the University with working towards becoming a Fairtrade University and we are hoping to set up a Carlisle People and Planet group this year. Get in touch if you would like to be involved in this group through the contact details below.

We will organise a talk on volunteering overseas on Thursday 19th January at The University of Cumbria 's Learning Gateway on Fusehill St. This event will be aimed at students but all are welcome to come along.

For more information about any of the above or to get involved in the Youth Year's activities contact COWC by email development@cowc.co.uk or
phone 01228 546287 (Tuesdays 10-1 or Thursday 11-2) or 07881488566
www.cowc.co.uk