Since November, the Second years in the R.M.E department have been exploring the issues of Human Rights. We have been discovering the different opinions on the importance and uses of Human Rights and investigating if they are put into place to ensure everyone on the Planet has them.

Through a different range of tasks, we have been looking at the different efforts that Organisations and Groups have been making to try and improve the rights that people may or may not be receiving. We had visits from our local youth worker, Nicola Bruce and three of our communities’ ministers, Rev Dr Robin Hill, Rev Jamie Griggs and Rev Robert Simpson who ran group-work sessions highlighting the work of Christian views to human rights.  From this session, students also learned about lots of different Christian based Human Rights Organisations such as World Vision and Oxfam and the work they do to improve the conditions of people in our country as well as the rest of the world.

Students have also been investigating other large initiatives aimed to improve the living and working conditions of some of the Worlds poorest people and concentrated a large portion of time looking at Fair-Trade. To try and raise awareness of the different groups and organisations, there is a massively vibrant and colourful display  in the RME corridor that not only catches the eye, but contains lots of information that aims to inform. These posters were voted for by the Students themselves as the best and most informative pieces of work.

The Second Year have demonstrated throughout this course of work that they have the confidence to question there own pre-conceptions, having been asked and asking themselves about the things in life they truly value. They have successfully been able to take their values and beliefs and apply them to different settings. They have developed the tools to contribute their thoughts and opinions in a valuable and effective way. And above all they have learned about the responsibilities that they have as a Global Citizen to be aware of the issues

The RME department have been extremely fortunate this week in welcoming Dawa into the department to talk to us about her country, Bhutan.

Firstly, Dawa spent a period on Tuesday afternoon with the Higher RMPS class discussing how cultural Buddhism embodies the philosophical principles of traditional Buddhism. This was an extremely valuable exercise for those who participated as they came away with an understanding of Buddhism that might only have been better achieved by a trip to Asia itself, the home of Buddhism.

On Wednesday morning Dawa was back again; this time talking to the second years about the nature of rights and the nature of happiness. The second year was captivated by Dawa’s pride filled description of Bhutan’s sophisticated policies on Gross National Happiness. Dawa answered question after question tirelessly from the intrigued second years who marvelled at the idea of measuring a countries progress by happiness instead of economic growth. In particular a cohort of pupils who demonstrated beautifully the skills necessary to become responsible citizens and confident individuals; Siobhan Sharp, Connor Woods, Ian Crawford, Michael King, Craig Cunningham and Melissa Burns.