EDUCATION NEWS

BY PAULA KITCHING

At the National Memorial Arboretum in June we had over ten students and their teacher attend our service of Remembrance for National Armed Forces Week. The students had a number of special workshops at the site and took part in Remembrance activities. WE will be developing this programme in future years.

Over the last six months we have been visiting schools to talk to young people about what AJEX does and with Veterans providing personal testimony of their experiences. A new pop up exhibition for displays has been developed for schools and community groups and there are new programmes and resources.

The AJEX Ambassador Scheme is a new programme to get young people involved with AJEX. There was a time when many of us had a either served or had a relative that had served in one of the World Wars, now that direct relationship has died out or been lost. That means fewer young people going to the Parade and to AJEX events to march or sit alongside their relatives. However, to ensure that young people continue to take part in Remembrance and understand and appreciate the role of AJEX in the past and the present we need to get them engaged. That is why one of our new programmes works directly with young people to get them involved with AJEX.

We would like young people of all ages to sign up to a programme of activities and talks about AJEX over a year. All the children will get the opportunity to attend workshops on the History of Jewish Military Service, learn how to research about their family and community connections, create Remembrance wreaths and memorials and take part in activities and events. Children in year 10 and above will be offered additional opportunities to develop leadership skills. All the young people who take part will receive a certificate of participation and information that can be used for University Statements and applications.

The programme is to run in schools, synagogues, or community organisations by AJEX but with the support of the host organisation.

Of course the big priority for the next few months is the Remembrance Parade, and while lots of children and young people take part in events at schools and in their local areas we really want to see a strong presence on Whitehall on the 17 November. Very few organisations have been granted the privilege of their own Parade and Service in such an important place – let’s make sure that we demonstrate why that privilege should continue. Schools with existing Rolls of Honour will be encouraged to find out more and march on behalf of those men and women at the Parade. Those schools that have been created since the major