Assembly: leader s notes Learning objectives By the end of this assembly young people will: understand why climate change is a serious threat to reducing poverty across the world. have been given an opportunity to reflect and pray on climate change and justice. know how to take action in the One Climate, One World campaign. Target age 11-16 Time 10 minutes Curriculum links See page 7 of One Climate, One World Action guide for young people. Note One Climate, One World OCOW There are suggestions to adapt the assembly and follow up activities at the end of these notes. You will need: readers OCOW Assembly PowerPoint OCOW Animation for young people (optional). Slide 1: Welcome Leader: Good morning everyone, it s great to be with you today. Slide 2: Indoor rainstorm Leader: [Begin by setting the scene, such as:] Did anyone see the weather forecast this morning? What did it say? [Hands up for those who saw it, gather a couple of answers] Did you hear that there is going to be rainstorm? A rainstorm inside this room?! We re going to be working together to make the sound of a rainstorm. [Next invite the group to follow your movements. Follow this sequence:
Rub your hands together quietly Rub hands together loudly Clap lightly Clap loudly Pat hands on thighs Add in stamping feet Then reverse this process You may wish to adapt the actions, or instruct different groups to start the sequence at different times.] Leader: Come back to a place of calm and quiet. Reflect quietly on this question: How did it feel to be part of the rain storm? [Give a few moments for the students to reflect. Then, you may like to ask students if they wish to share, or just move on.] EITHER show the One Climate, One World animation for young people OR use slides 3-10: Slide 3-5: Our changing climate Reader: There is something happening to our world. Weather is becoming more extreme, like tropical storms and floods. Seasons are being unreliable, like rain not coming when it is expected. Reader: There are frequent storms in Martin s area, but a few years ago, there was a huge storm that everyone remembers. Cyclone Nargis ripped through his jungle village. Martin says: I felt very scared. All I could hear was the howling voice of the wind and rain. After 14 hours the storm was over. When we went outside, I could see everything was crushed. It looked like all our houses and roads had never been there. I went to find my possessions but there was nothing left. Reader: There has been less rain in Veronica s area recently. This means that there are water shortages and the crops are suffering. She says: There is less to eat than there used to be. In 2011-12 there was a conflict in her area because people began fighting over getting enough water for themselves, their animals and crops. Her school became a shelter for people forced from their homes, so there was no learning for almost a year. Reader: While we can t definitely say any one event is caused by climate change, we do know that changing temperatures are making natural disasters more frequent and intense.
Reader: Hundreds of leading scientists have said with 95 per cent certainty that humans are the main cause of climate change. Power and transport are currently responsible for over 60 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Slides 6-9: It s not fair Reader: Climate change is hitting the poorest people the hardest. The president of the World Bank has said If we don t confront climate change, we won t end poverty. Reader: 44 per cent of the people most vulnerable to climate change are already living on less than 77p a day. Reader: 90 per cent of people who die in natural disasters live in the poorest countries. Reader: With a two to three degrees Celsius temperature rise over the next 20 years, an extra 200 million people will be at risk of hunger. This is more than three times the population of the UK. Slide 10: Why do we care? Reader: This huge impact on our most vulnerable sisters and brothers around the world is not fair. That s why we must do something to tackle it. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught that we should love our neighbours. This means acting with generosity and compassion to all, especially those who need it most, even if we do not know them.
Slides 11-13: Together we have the power to tackle climate change Reader: We re not the only ones who want to do something to stop climate change. A global movement is building fast. Worldwide, millions of people are seeing the effects of climate change and are committed to stopping it. Just like with the clapping rainstorm we made earlier, when we join our voices together, we make a much louder noise. Here are two ways you can join the campaign. Reader: First, we can all make changes in our own lives to live more simply and sustainably. For example, saving power at home, cutting out trips in the car or cutting out buying new clothes and valuing vintage. You could even add a meat-free day to your week so you consume less energy and water. Reader: Second, you can send a message to politicians to work together to prevent climate change pushing people deeper into poverty. Write your climate pledge or message for politicians on a little heart to add to our big heart poster. You can do this [add day, time and place]. We re going to take a picture and send it to [add name], our local MP, to show we want her/him to work for a global agreement on climate change. [Find instructions for the Hearts group activity on page 5 of the OCOW Action guide for young people.] Reader: There are plenty of ways to campaign on climate change. Find lots of ideas at cafod.org.uk/greatgeneration, or come up with some of your own! Slide 13: Prayer Reader: Let s pray together. Please join in and say Open our eyes, Lord Reader: God of all, you made the earth and saw that it was good, but like robbers we have stripped it of its treasure. Reader: Now the earth cries out and your people hunger and thirst. Reader: Open our eyes to see the pain of your creation and move us with compassion for your world.
Reader: Lead us to act as neighbours, who do not pass by on the other side. Reader: So that together we may care for all that you have made and with all creation sing your praise. Amen. Leader: Let s finish our assembly with the sign of the cross. [In the name of the Father ] Many thanks, have a good day. Want to make it more practical? Small groups could act out the stories of Martin and Veronica (OCOW Action guide for young people, page 2-3). Do a demonstration of the statistics with real people. For example, show percentages with a group of ten people. Find more statistics from our OCOW Infographic. What shall we do next? Explore the OCOW Action guide for young people to read more about Martin and Veronica and for more ways to take action. There are many other free downloadable education resources to engage your group with CAFOD s One Climate, One World campaign at Young people should visit cafod.org.uk/greatgeneration December 2014.