Children Making a Difference (MAD) came into fruition when a young boy and his mum brainstormed one Friday afternoon about what they could do to make the world a better place. We wanted to create a group where like minded children can come together, share their passions and learn about being good stewards of the Earth and in their local community. We aim to meet at least once a school term and from there decide what key interests and goals might be for the term; either undertaken individually or in large or small groups. Developmentally appropriate and fun activities will help children learn how they can make a difference and share their passion with others in a peaceful way.
What we are NOT:
We are not about forcing or coercing a child to represent a cause that he or she does not believe in or understand.We do not believe in using children as "billboards," so to speak, so parents can advertise their own personal views. Any event or call to action that a child participates in should be because the child has an interest and passion about that cause. Passion to protect the earth and help those in need (e.g. cleaning up the beach or participating in a food drive) should develop naturally and become an intrinsic factor within the child, not something that occurs because of pressure or bribery.
Our goals and philosophy:
- to educate children about important global issues regarding the environment and sustainability, conservation, animal welfare and poverty.
- to demonstrate advocacy and calls of action in a peaceful manner.
- to support children who have a passion and guide them on their journey as they try to obtain their goal.
- to help children express their thoughts and feelings in peaceful, non-aggressive ways.
- to ensure that every child's thoughts, feelings and views are heard and respected.
- to encourage independent and divergent thinking while respecting the views of others.
- to instill a sense of connectedness to nature and the world around them.
- to teach children to be good steward's of the Earth.
We believe that all children should be treated with respect and dignity and be seen as valuable members of society. It is our hope that parents who participate in our initiative will take home what they learn and apply it to their daily lives, leading by example.
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