With the start of a new academic year, there are lots of things to think about…Getting involved in social justice as a student might not be your top priority, but at the Christian Aid Collective, we think it’s a pretty big deal. Beth, who works for Christian Aid, shares her 5 top tips!
Join a society
It’s all too easy to walk past those charity stalls at Freshers’ Fair and straight towards the free food! Joining the Christian Aid Society was one of the best things I did at university- it connected me to people who were as passionate as I was about ending poverty and inspired me to do more.
If there isn’t a society for the issue that interests you most, set one up! Universities are usually quite supportive- find out whether they can offer you a place you can meet, or help in any other way.
Campaign
As students, you have the power to let your university know exactly what you think of them!
Universities are big: they have lots of money and people, so any changes they make to be more ethical can have massive consequences. Student-run campaigns are a great way to make this happen!
Check out Christian Aid’s ‘Sourced’ campaign for inspiration: www.christianaidcollective.org/sourced .
Live it!
But social justice is about far more than this. It’s about changing attitudes and behaviours. It’s about realising how the choices we make every day can affect those around the world.
Maybe you could swap your coffee-between-lectures for one that’s Fairtrade? Or maybe you could be the ‘eco-warrior’ and recycling expert in your house? Be inspiring!
Get your church involved
Considering that our God is a God of justice, at my university house group justice issues were never really mentioned.
Talk to the people running your churches/CUs/small groups. Could you run a Bible study about the importance of social justice Christians? Have a look at www.christianaidcollective.org/resources/justice-thread to get some ideas.
Talk
Finally… talk to people! Be passionate about the issues that anger you, and let the people around you know. Get inspired, get involved and get going! Good luck!
The Christian Aid Collective is a movement of people desperate to create a different world. We're keen to wrestle with the big issues surrounding global poverty; driven to inspire mutual learning, collective passion and joint action in solidarity with the world's poor.
Find out more at www.christianaidcollective.org
