Castleisland Community College has been granted the status of a Fair Trade School. The Fair Trade Organisation strives to achieve a better deal for farmers in the developing world.
Transition Year students at the college, as part of their Geography class, along with their teacher, Doreen Killington undertook market research and identified the supermarkets in the town that supply Fair Trade products.
A cost analysis was then undertaken to see if Fair Trade products such as tea, coffee and chocolate had prices comparable to other brands. They established that Fair Trade products are sold at very competitive prices.
The staff of the community college then sampled and voted on the Fair Trade products that they preferred.
Fair Trade tea and coffee is now available to staff and the after-study school programme provides Fair Trade tea for students and the canteen provides Fair Trade chocolate.
“Fair Trade tea and coffee was promoted for the Open Night last December with Transition Year students displaying the various brands available in local shops and the price comparison between local supermarkets. The tea and coffee was available to all, courtesy of Mary O Sullivan in the house keeping department and her transition year helpers.
Mary and her team also spoke to members of the general public regarding questions about what Fair Trade does,” said Ms. Killington.
“Fair Trade is part of the global interdependence section of the Leaving Certificate Geography course. Transition Year students have certainly gained valuable practical experience and knowledge of how the Fair Trade organisation operates. They have also learned how ordinary people can make a positive difference to the lives of farmers in the developing world,” she concluded.
