Toybox seeks Young Global Education Ambassadors

Christian charity Toybox have just launched a national competition to find the Young Global Education Ambassadors for 2011.

Winners of the competition will have the opportunity to visit Bolivia in February 2011 with the Christian charity Toybox and the Global Campaign for Education.

Fourteen and 15-year–olds in the UK (year 10 in 2010-11) are invited to apply through their school for the Steve Sinnott Award. This competition will give two committed individuals, and their teacher, the amazing opportunity to travel out to Bolivia and investigate the barriers to education that street children face.

The competition aims to raise awareness of the need to provide every child with a full primary education by the year 2015. This is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals that world leaders agreed back in the year 2000. Since that time, some progress has been made, but there are still 72 million children around the world who are missing out on an education.

The winners will meet street-living and street-working children and hear from them about the challenges to a full education that they are facing. Children from Toybox-supported projects will give the children a unique insight into the lives of young people the same age. The students will also meet with community leaders and politicians, to hear about progress on education for all in Bolivia.

On their return to the UK the young campaigners will help ‘spread the word’ by speaking at union conferences and to the media. They will also feature in a short film, which will form the centerpiece for next year’s Send My Friend to School Campaign, organized by the Global Campaign for Education, to inspire schools across the country to help get free, quality primary education worldwide by 2015. This year 1 million pupils in over 9,000 schools are taking part in the campaign.

Steve Sinott was a passionate advocate for Education for All. During his time as General Secretary of the NUT, Steve was a committed member of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), which believes that education is the best route out of poverty. The Steve Sinnott Award was set up shortly after his untimely death in 2008. As a result of donations in memory of Steve, this exciting award scheme was created to further the skills of young education campaigners.

Michelle Rhodes, Deputy Head at Stantonbury School, Milton Keynes, who accompanied James and Beth (the first Young Ambassadors) to Tanzania in 2009, said, "Winning the Steve Sinnott Award gave James and Beth an opportunity that few students of their age could ever hope to have.

"Their memorable trip to Tanzania was the start of an amazing journey of personal challenges and opportunities that developed their self confidence, their awareness of important global issues and their ability to be leaders of change.

"As Young Ambassadors they lobbied politicians, wrote for and spoke to a range of audiences, engaged with the media and learned to respect and critically evaluate the views and opinions of many different people. They had a wonderful experience, throughout which they were superbly well supported. I know they would do it all again if they had the chance."

Toybox can only accept entries from children with the full support of a school, as a teacher must accompany the students on the trip. The students will be asked to produce a joint presentation in any medium (powerpoint, film, audio etc) which should show why they will make great campaigners.

For further information on how to apply please contact David Westwood on david.westwood@toybox.org, ring Toybox on 0845 4660010 or visit www.toybox.org.uk/campaigning/steve_sinnott_award.html to download the details. The closing date for entries is 10th November 2010.