Courageous Advocacy
What is a courageous advocate?
A courageous advocate is someone who supports, champions and speaks up for a cause that is important and meaningful to them. Courage is needed to persevere and stand up for something or someone you believe in, to make a difference.
At Hornby ST Margaret’s Church of England Primary School we want to support and encourage our children to become courageous advocates, not just locally but nationally and globally.
At some point in life we will all face challenges and need support to help us overcome these barriers. We teach our children that is important to help others regardless of where they come from or what their challenges are. We teach this in many ways; through our work on values, by links to the Bible, other faiths and world views as well as learning about other courageous advocates. We want our children to have confidence to discuss and debate big ideas, to challenge injustice and engage in activities that can bring about change on some level.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
(Proverbs 31: 8-9)
It is important for our children to appreciate their role as part of a community; to take responsibility, to be able to look after themselves and foster an understanding of their importance, impact and influence in the world.
In recent years as a school and as individuals we have carried out activities and / or fundraising to raise awareness of issues and support those working for change, including:
- local foodbank
- Annapurna Indian Dance project
- Little Princess Trust
- St John’s Church, Arkholme Peace Garden
This year, our chosen charity is St John’s Hospice.
In December, a representative from St John’s Hospice came in to school and led an assembly telling us all about the valuable work that St John’s Hospice does for people in and around our community. This is a charity keen to our hearts. We have since completed the Reindeer Rush and the retiring collection at the end of the Nativity performances raised money and awareness for the charity.