Closed for Christmas

Dear Rafi.ki and Kidogo members,

Christmas has finally arrived! The Rafi.ki and Kidogo Team is off on holiday. You will not be able to login to Rafi.ki and communicate with other users from 21st December 2011 to 2nd January 2012. The login system will be resumed on 3rd January 2012 (at 10:00am, UK time). However, you can still read all the resources and lesson plans during the Christmas period.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thank you.

Rafi.ki and Kidogo Team

Image courtesy of HikingArtist.com

 

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HIV360º World AIDS Day 2011 event at the House Of Commons

To support this years World AIDS Day on the 1st December HIV360° team organised a campaign, which allowed students to send in their ‘Calls to Action’ to tell policymakers what should happen next in the fight against HIV and AIDS.  All the Calls to Action were then brought together in a Big Red Ribbon. After votes by young people on Rafi.ki and Mxit s well as the HIV360° team, the 10 best ‘Calls to Action’ were chosen. Some of the winners were given a chance to visit the House of Commons together with the HIV360° team.

All 13 students pose with the the Big Red Ribbon outside the House of Commons 

After many days of preparations it was finally the morning of World AIDS Day and the HIV360° team met up with the students and their teachers in Westminster. As it was a beautiful morning and we had some time before we went to meet the MPs, we decided to have a photo shoot in the park in front of the Houses of Parliament.

Soon it was time to rush to the first event. After very thorough security checks we were able to finally get our first glimpse of the parliamentary building from the inside. During the first event, the young people got a chance to ask questions from Hilary Benn, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Jim Murphy, Shadow Secretary of State for Defence. The discussion topics varied from future careers to what politicians could do more of to help stop the spread of HIV and AIDS. As it was still quite early in the morning, the discussion was more light-hearted, as you can see from our cheery faces.

All the students seemed to have enjoyed the talk and it helped to liven the mood for the whole day. When Jim Murphy and Hilary Benn finished more and more MPs started arriving. All of them were very interested to talk with the students, sign petitions for them, hear about their World AIDS Day campaigns and take photos with them.

Anna, year 10, Acton High, Ealing commented: “It was very interesting talking to the MPs and finding out their views on HIV360°. I hope we persuaded them to take more action”

The discussion with Hilary Benn and Jim Murphy

After meeting all the MPs, we had a free time so we decided to have lunch at the cafe in the House of Commons. After lunch it was time to join everyone for the panel discussion. After a short confusion everyone was able to find a seat or at least a standing place, and the discussion could start. This year’s discussion was titled “The beginning of the End of AIDS”. Pamela Nash (MP), chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on HIV and AIDS, chaired the panel. The four speakers who took part were: Alan Duncan, Minister of State for International Development; Marg Mayne, Chief Executive for VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas); Nonkhosi Khumalo, Chairperson for Treatment Action Campaign South Africa; and Alvaro Bermejo, Executive Director of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. 

Jim Murphy with some of the students

All the four speeches were slightly different but they all agreed that a lot more has to be done, especially in regard to funding various HIV and AIDS projects across the world. With current cutbacks in funding by the Global Fund, there is serious doubt in the viability of some of the HIV and AIDS projects already running and there is also doubt whether without the extra funding there will be any new projects set-up before 2014. At the end of the speeches there was a question and answer session. And this is where all the students realised that they could have once in a lifetime chance to ask a question regarding AIDS and HIV from the four panel members. Issac from Christ’s College, Finchley, was lucky enough to be chosen. You can hear his question and all the four answers here: http://www.v3.rafi.ki/resource/world-aids-day-2011-successes 

 
After very interesting speeches and a Q&A session, the day came to a close.

Matthew Cook, from the International Community School, London commented: “We’re an international school and global issues play a large role in the education of our students, which made Rafi.ki’s HIV360 action project so relevant.  The fight against HIV and AIDs is one of the biggest global health issues there is.  We were particularly honoured to be invited to the House of Commons to voice our opinions and show support for the project, as it emphasises the role education plays in preventing the spread of this epidemic.”

Ivan Lewis, Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, and Pamela Nash (MP) with some of the students from Acton High, London

I think everyone who took part in the event will remember it for years to come and hopefully this will encourage others, who maybe did not have time this year, to take part next year and help to make the event even bigger. A BIG THANK YOU to all the teachers and students from the International Community School (Westminster, London), Upper Shirley High (Southampton, United Kingdom), Acton High (Acton, London), Christ’s College (Finchley, London) and OF COURSE everyone else who sent in their ‘Calls to Action’ but were unable to come to the House of Commons. Everyone else who did something amazing for World AIDS Day with their school, send us your photos or videos, so we can share the fun! 

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Safe to Learn Online?

The purpose of creating social networking websites (e.g. facebook, twitter, etc.) and online chat rooms is to link people from all around the world together and enhance communications (e.g. exchanging ideas, understanding others’ cultures, etc.). However, it seems that a lot of people have forgotten the original usefulness of online medias. Instead, the widespread use of social networking website has encouraged the phenomenon of cyber bullying.

According to the i-SAFE foundation, over 50% of teens have been bullied online and more than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyber threats online. The alarming numbers have triggered debates on whether educators should encourage students’ participation in online learning.

Some people argue that limiting students’ access to the Internet can prevent cyber bullying. However, this is not an effective means to tackle the problem, rather we should be educating young people about the right way to use online platforms. This is because the use of information and communication technologies is inevitable in the 21^st century.

Other than educating students properly using online media, it is also crucial for educators to choose a safe online platform to engaging students in online learning. Here the some tips of choosing a safe online learning platform:

1.     Networking population: it is a must to find out which other groups of people the online platform is open to. Can adults access the whole site? Which adults?

2.     Monitoring content: the online community should moderate the content of the forums regularly, and allow teachers to moderate their own students’ content.

3.     User guidelines: the online learning platform should provide user guidelines and assistance to teachers regarding the rules for using the learning platforms

We are a protected and moderated online learning community. To find out more, follow us on twitter and join our Facebook page.

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How to Establish an Effective Charity-Business Partnership?

Last week, we raised the questions concerning the challenges for charities to set up partnerships with business:

•                Which commercial partners to choose?

•                How to protect our values and brand names?

To establish a charity-business partnership effectively, the foremost important aspect is to consider what commercial partners or business to choose. Charities should not consider a joint venture with companies whose core business is in conflict with their own because the differences in business objectives would harm the charities’ values and brand names.

Once choose a potential partner, it is substantial to ensure from the outset of an agreement and a framework of managing expectations which both charities and business agree on. This could provide charities a means to check and monitor the performance of their partners, in order to prevent companies damaging the reputation of the charities.

We do believe sharing similar values and setting out agreement and monitoring system are the key components of creating a mutually beneficial partnerships. We are therefore actively looking for potential partners to join our Tribes Project, which support the notion of youth empowerment and are willing to contribute to youth education/ e-learning.

If you are interested in what we do, please do not hesitate and contact us.


To find out more, follow us on twitter and join our Facebook page.

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Technology Shapes the Way We Learn

The widespread use of Internet and electronic gadgets has created us a lot of learning opportunities. Living in the age of technology, ICT has brought us to an era to transform the way we teach and learn. As an educator, it is the duty for us to ensure all the students have access to tools that they need to catch up with today’s technology.

Students of the 21^st century are surrounded by technology. In a kindergarten in Provo, the primary learning resources are no longer chalkboards and worksheets, but iPads, laptop computers and smart boards. With the use of Internet, these tools help students to learn and connect with the outside world.   

In addition, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra spotted the increasing importance of technology in education. She planned to give out free tablet computers to all primary school students to help students engage in technology and learning.

With the evidence of transforming our traditional learning resources, we believe Internet and technology are powerful tools for teaching and learning, which can bring positive impact when successfully integrated into the school curriculum.

We are dedicated to provide students an online learning community alongside the provision of the electronic gadgets by schools and governments. We aim to enhance students’ engagement and their critical and creative thinking skills.

We do not intent to replace traditional teaching and learning methodologies. However, we recognized the raising power of technology, which is a useful instructional tool to couple with traditional learning.


To find out more, follow us on twitter and join our Facebook page.

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Education 2.0

Web 2.0 shows us that technology has heralded a step change in what we can do online. In the early 2000s, many people see Internet as an information giving technology. With the rise of Internet users and social networking sites, the pattern of web activity shifted to the era of “web 2.0” from “web 1.0”.

Web 2.0 applications are built in forms of user-driven communication, creation and collaboration. Today, we both receive information online and actively engage in discussions and activities. The concept of web 2.0 not only encourages business and governments, but also educators to adopt new strategies in service delivery/ teaching and learning. That is why we always hear e-banking, e-government, e-learning and e-teaching.

From Generation Y onwards, web 2.0 tools are powerful resources in assisting teaching and learning, particularly online educational platforms for students to discuss and share ideas on issues. Web 2.0 facilitates learners’ experience and their sense of “globalness”, which lead us to the period of education 2.0.

Online discussion platforms support communication and collaboration. Learners are allowed to build a community outside classrooms and create their own materials (e.g. articles, photos, videos, etc.) for publication. They are also allowed to ask questions and learn from online information worldwide.

Education 2.0 is taking learning out of classrooms. It plays an important role of leading to a collaborative and knowledge sharing network in the future.


Our online educational community is inspired by the emergence of education 2.0. To find out more, follow us on twitter and join our Facebook page.

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Business-Charity Partnership: Opportunity or Risk? - From a Charity Perspective

Last week, we mentioned the prevailing CR/ Sustainability business model an opportunity for charity to build potential partnerships with corporate. From a charity perspective, what are the opportunities and risks?

There are 2 significant advantages to successfully partner with business- 1) to raise fund and 2) profile.

Partnerships with corporate can worth a great deal. First, given the lack of funding in most charities, it is seen as a driving need for raising fund. Second, it leverages the benefits of cause-related marketing. That is, to increase the ability to promote the charity’s cause through tapping the financial resources from business. Take us as an example, we will have more resources to invest on marketing of our “Rafi.ki Tribe” Programme with more business partnerships.

However, experience tells us that setting up partnerships with corporate is not easy. We spot 2 risks- 1) incompatible objectives and 2) unequal power relations.

Charities have strong brand name and core values. It has been difficult to align our aims, values and work to business. When comes to negotiating fair deals with commercial partners, charities often comply with the proposals put forward by corporate. An invisible unequal power relation exists in the establishment of business-charity partnerships. Bargaining and decision making power are often overridden by the side with rich resources.

These risks reflect a number of challenges for charities to set up partnerships with business, including:

• Which commercial partners to choose?
• How to protect our values and brand names?
• How to maintain a sustainable partnership?

We are launching a ‘Rafi.ki Tribes’ programme, which is about providing the technology, expertise and network of schools to help other organisations working with educators and/or young people to establish or enhance their online initiatives. We are actively looking for support from corporate, governmental bodies and other non-profit organisations, but at the same time encountering a lot of difficulties in search for partnerships.

Have your charities ever faced any challenges in setting up partnerships with business? Post your comment and share with others.

Next, we will dig deep into the above questions and move to the discussion on how to establish an effective charity-business partnership.


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