Young Stars of India: Children Speak Out - An Educational Curriculum by laurie delgatto

Young Stars

Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Working Children Speak Out

An Educational Resource for Young People Grades 9-12

World Vision United States is grateful to Education and Public Engagement of World Vision Canada for allowing this resource to be adapted for American use. © 2008 by World Vision, Inc., Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716; wvresources@worldvision.org. All rights reserved. No part of this resource may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher (unless otherwise indicated). Printed in the United States of America ISBN 978-0-9817927-0-5 The publishing team included Laurie Delgatto, development editor; Brooke Saron, copyeditor; Creative Solutions, final proofing and preproduction and design coordination. Acknowledgements Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. During the preparation of this resource, all citations, facts, figures, names, addresses, telephone numbers, Internet URLs, and other cited information were verified for accuracy. World Vision Resources has made every attempt to reference current and valid sources, but we cannot guarantee the content of any source and are not responsible for any changes that may have occurred since our verification. If you find an error in, or have a question or concern about, any of the information or sources listed within, please contact World Vision Resources.

| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Contents

Overview

Objectives

Video Synopsis

Suggested Audience

Leader Preparation

Time Required

Activities Synopsis

Activities The Rights Balloon

Children’s Rights Hoopla

Through the video and study guide, participants will: • reflect on the rights, privileges, and responsibilities in their lives

Video—Young Stars: India’s Working Children Speak Out

• understand that young people’s rights are preserved and protected by the UNCRC

Responsible Voice, Responsible Action

• learn about young people who have spoken out and taken action in responsible ways

Where Do We Draw the (Action) Line?

Youth Action in My Community

• assess the impact of various ways in which citizens can voice opinions about, and participate in, civic and global matters

God Calls Us to Lead

• research the contributions young people make to their communities

• learn how God calls young people and other unlikely candidates to lead

Notes Handouts and Resources

Video Synopsis

Handout 1: My Rights

Resource 1: Rights Cards

Handout 2: Types of Rights Chart

Handout 3: Video Activity Sheet

Resource 2: Sample Responses to Video Activity Sheet

Handout 4: Responsible Voice Scenarios

Resource 3: Action Statements

Notes

About World Vision

In Bangalore, India, where thousands of children work in unsafe conditions, an inspiring childrights movement is growing. This video tells the story of Akbar Ameerjhan, a young person who motivates working children in Bangalore to exercise their rights. Although Akbar’s story begins not unlike those of many other child workers, he has now found his passion in the leadership of Bangalore’s children’s union, Yelenakshatra (Young Stars). The video can be viewed or downloaded at www.worldvisionresources.com. Click on the “free resources” icon, then click on “video resources”. Total running time: 23 minutes

| Young Stars Leader’s Guide Suggested Audience The video and study guide are suggested for use with school and ministry classes in grades 9 through 12. The video and post-video activities raise issues related to child labor, providing examples of, and initiating discussion about, responsible action.

India’s Working Children Speak Out

The Rights Balloon

In this activity, the participants consider things that are important in their lives, and whether these are things they are entitled to or things they simply want.

Materials Needed Leader Preparation

• copies of Handout 1, “My Rights” (found on page 27), one for each participant

View the video. Choose which activities you will incorporate into a specific session based on time and objectives. Photocopy relevant pages, prepare newsprint and other relevant materials, and set up viewing space and equipment.

• pens or pencils, one for each participant • a sheet of newsprint • a marker

Time Required 30–40 minutes per activity Activities Synopsis • The Rights Balloon

Activity Steps

Ask the participants to brainstorm things they enjoy doing or having in their lives. Record their answers on the newsprint.

Distribute a copy of Handout 1 and a pen or pencil to each participant. Ask the participants to imagine they are alone in a hot-air balloon floating high above the ground. Tell them they each have 10 “rights” on board with them and that each right weighs a pound. Suddenly the balloon begins to drop. To stop the balloon’s descent, they must throw a right overboard. Once they have tossed out a right, the balloon levels out, but soon it begins to descend again. They must choose another right to throw out. This continues until they have only one right left in the balloon.

• Children’s Rights Hoopla • Video—Young Stars: India’s Working Children Speak Out • Responsible Voice, Responsible Action • Where Do We Draw the (Action) Line? • Youth Action in My Community • God Calls Us to Lead

Note that the participants should choose carefully which rights they are prepared to surrender, and which they want to keep as long as possible. Instruct them to make their decisions, without discussion, by looking at the rights listed in the “Me” column on the handout and writing a 1 beside the first right they would throw overboard, a 2 beside the second, and so on. The last right to remain in the balloon— and the one most important to them—should be numbered 10. Allow a few minutes for the group to complete this task.

Invite the participants to form pairs or groups of three and share their responses. They should discuss one another’s decisions and negotiate a consensus for a new ordering of the rights. They should then record this new order in the “Us” column on the handout. Allow enough time for everyone to complete this task.

| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

The Rights Balloon (cont’d)

Gather the participants back into the large group and pose the following questions for large-group discussion: • How did you feel doing this activity? What was easy? What was difficult? Why?

Children’s Rights Hoopla

Materials Needed • copies of Resource 1, “Rights Cards” (found on pages 28-30), enough to make one set of cards for each group of four

• Which rights could you most easily surrender? • Are there any rights so basic that you would never surrender them? If so, which ones?

• copies of Handout 2, “Types of Rights Chart” (found on page 31), enough for each group of four to have one copy of the chart

• How would you define a basic or universal human right? • What is the difference between a right and a privilege or want? What responsibilities come with each of the rights in the “rights balloon” list? For example, if I have a right to an education, I have the responsibility to come to school and the responsibility not to disrupt the learning of others. This activity is adapted from Graham Pike and David Selby, Global Teacher, Global Learner (London, England: Hodder and Stoughton, 1988). © 1988 by Hodder and Stoughton. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

In this activity, the participants learn about human rights and what is included in the UNCRC.

• six pieces of string (each about 24 inches long) for each group of four • six blank index cards for each group of four • pens or pencils, one for each group of four Activity Steps

Provide some background information on the UNCRC using the following information: • In the early 1920s, England’s Eglantyne Jebb, founder of Save the Children, campaigned for the better protection of the world’s children after the suffering caused by World War I. In 1923 she drafted the first Children’s Charter, considered to be the basis of the present UNCRC. • World War II further highlighted the particular vulnerability of children and the special consideration they deserve. Growing recognition of children’s rights led to the adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1959, and then, 30 years later, to the adoption of the CRC on November 20, 1989. • According to the CRC, a child is a person under 18 years of age. The CRC stipulates that the rights it enshrines apply to all children equally, regardless of race, color, gender, caste, class, language, religion, place of birth, or any other factor. 195 member states of the U.N. are party to the CRC. India became party to the CRC in 1992. This information is adapted from A. Glenn Mowers, The Convention on the Rights of the Child: International Law Support for Children (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997). © 1997 by Greenwood Press. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Children’s Rights Hoopla (cont’d)

4 5

Invite the participants to form small groups of four. Distribute a “rights card” set from Resource 1, a chart from Handout 2, six pieces of string, six blank index cards, and a pen or pencil to each small group. Note that the cards from Resource 1 describe many of the rights listed in the CRC.

Video—Young Stars: In this activity, the participants watch a video that tells the story of working children in Bangalore, India, and then discuss which human India’s Working Children Speak Out rights are being upheld or denied. Materials Needed • copies of Handout 3, “Video Activity Sheet” (found on page 32), one for each participant

Ask the small groups to organize the rights cards according to the categories listed on the chart. They should then, for each category, encircle with a piece of string all the cards belonging to a particular category and write the title of the category on a blank index card. If a rights card appears to fit in more than one category, the groups can make circles or “hoops” that overlap so that the rights card can appear in two or more categories. If a group decides the categories on the chart are not helpful, they can make up their own. Allow enough time for the small groups to complete the assigned tasks. When all the small groups have completed the tasks, invite them to take a few minutes to circulate through the room to review the other groups’ work. Gather the participants into the large group for a discussion about rights cards that were placed in different categories or within two or more categories. The key point is that the rights in any one category help to realize rights in the other categories. For example, the right to meet with other children, principally a participation right, also fosters children’s development. In this sense, rights are indivisible and interconnected: if one is eroded, our ability to enjoy and defend the others is weakened. Consider these questions to facilitate discussion: • Did you find this activity difficult or challenging? Why? • What categories did you use? • Which rights did you place in each category? • Which rights fit in more than one category? • How are rights interconnected or linked? For example, if a child does not have adequate health care, what other rights are affected? Sample answer: If a child is too ill, he or she might not be able to go to school or play with other children, so the right to an education and the right to play are also denied. If the child’s right to adequate health care is upheld, he or she is more likely to be able to go to school and play with other children. When a right is upheld, other rights can be enjoyed also. This activity is adapted from Graham Pike and David Selby, In the Global Classroom 2 (Ontario, Canada: Pippin Publishing Corporation, 2000). © 2000 by Pippin Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

• pens or pencils, one for each participant • the video Young Stars: India’s Working Children Speak Out (World Vision, 2008) • a copy of Resource 2, “Sample Responses to Video Activity Sheet” (found on page 33) • a television and a video player, or a computer with a media player Activity Steps

Invite the participants to gather around the television. Then share the following information with the group: • D espite the existence of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, also known as the UNCRC, and the fact that most countries have signed and ratified the Convention, the rights of many children around the world are not fully upheld. Children in different countries have spoken out and acted to protect their rights and the rights of others. Akbar is a child in South India who has done just that. • T he video addresses each of the four categories of rights from the CRC: survival, development, protection, and participation.

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| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Video—Young Stars: India’s Working Children Speak Out (cont’d)

Distribute a copy of Handout 3 and a pen or pencil to each participant. Invite the participants to complete the activity sheet while, or immediately after, watching the video. While watching the video, the participants should look for an example from each category of rights, note whether the right is being upheld or denied for children, and consider how and why the right is being upheld or denied.

Play the video in its entirety.

Allow a few minutes for the participants to complete their work on the activity sheet. Then gather everyone for a large-group discussion using the following questions and information as your guide: • How did you feel while watching the video? How do you feel now? Some of the participants may feel overwhelmed by the issue of child labor. Encourage them to voice these feelings, and be prepared to discuss them openly. • What questions did the video raise for you? • What rights did you observe in the video? Which were upheld? Which were denied? How? Why? • What rights does Akbar exercise? Akbar exercises his right to voice his opinion, to hold meetings with other children, to act on issues that matter to him and other children, and to have a role in decision-making and policymaking on issues that affect him. • What rights does Akbar defend and demand? Akbar defends and demands children’s rights to work in safe conditions; to obtain a relevant, quality education; to have adequate health care; to have a continued voice and role in policymaking; and so on. • How are the rights linked or interconnected? How does the denial of one affect others? If a child’s right to not be exploited by labor is denied, how might this affect other rights, such as the right to an education or the right to health care or play? Note: If the group is struggling with these questions, you may wish to refer to Resource 2 to help them along.

Video—Young Stars: India’s Working Children Speak Out (cont’d)

Conclude by making the following points: • W orld Vision’s experience working in developing countries among child laborers makes one thing very clear: children will continue to work until there are viable and sustainable alternatives that reach the entire family and community. World Vision advocates a multipronged approach: ° ending the worst forms of child labor quickly ° persuading formal sector employers to improve conditions and shorten hours ° creating income alternatives for families ° improving access to good-quality, appropriate education ° tackling the structural impediments that create and compound poverty • W orld Vision’s study on child labor has confirmed that the underlying causes of child labor are basically structural: widespread poverty, gross inequality of income distribution, and poor or inadequate education.

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| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

Responsible Voice, Responsible Action

India’s Working Children Speak Out

In this activity, the participants explore some of the complexities associated with the issue of child labor and consider some of the consequences—both positive and negative—of voicing opinions about and acting on the issue.

Responsible Voice, Responsible Action (cont’d) • Though positive consequences are possible, it is unlikely that any of these scenarios would have ensured Akbar’s rights to earn a living, to be protected from exploitation, to obtain an education, and to have access to adequate health care. And in some cases, he might have ended up in a worse situation than before.

Materials Needed • copies of Handout 4, “Responsible Voice Scenarios” (found on page 34), one for each group of three or four • pens or pencils, one for each group of three or four

• Child labor, like most issues, is extremely complex. Any action taken in response to any issue can have myriad intended and unintended consequences, both positive and negative. Those of us who want to speak out or take action on an issue have the responsibility to do so thoughtfully, respectfully, and carefully.

Activity Steps

Ask the participants to form small groups of three or four. Distribute to each group a copy of Handout 4 and a pen or pencil. Direct the group members to read aloud the first scenario on the handout and then to discuss the questions that follow. Allow a few minutes for the groups to read and discuss.

• Akbar’s actions were responsible and effective. He understood the issue and the interconnected rights of child laborers to work in safe conditions, to obtain an education, and to have access to health care. He consulted with other child laborers and invited them to join him, he spoke respectfully and in an informed way to the government, and he acted with the children’s best interests at heart.

Gather everyone for a large-group discussion on the first scenario. You may wish to use the sample responses and comments noted here as a basis for the conversation: • Any action has consequences that must be thought through carefully before the action is taken. • If Akbar had done nothing at all, it’s likely his situation would not have changed. • If Akbar had demanded more money, his employer may have beaten him, fired him, or threatened his family. On the other hand, the employer might have increased Akbar’s pay, but he would still be working in unhealthy conditions and not attending school.

Invite the participants to return to their small groups to read and discuss the second scenario on the handout. Allow a few minutes for this.

• If Akbar had run away, he would have been without work and his employer may have tracked him down for the money he owed, possibly threatening to kill him or his family. On the other hand, the employer might have let Akbar go, leaving him with no money and in need of another job but without fear of this employer.

Now gather everyone for a large-group discussion on the second scenario. You may wish to use the sample responses and comments noted here as a basis for the conversation:

• If Akbar lobbied to end all forms of child labor, children may be left without the legal right to work or the legal protection to work in safe conditions. Some may be forced to go “underground” and engage in more harmful activities. On the other hand, if policies ensuring children attend school accompanied the eradication of all child labor, the boy might obtain an education. But his family still might not have enough money.

• Some examples of exploitative child labor exist because of an unequal and interconnected global economy. As Americans we are part of this global economy and our actions can make a difference, in positive or negative ways. To be responsible global citizens we must learn as much as we can about an issue and carefully consider what the consequences of our actions might be before we act. This scenario is intended to make us think about unforeseen impacts of the actions of people who know very little about the complexities of an issue like child labor.

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| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Responsible Voice, Responsible Action (cont’d) • Some potential consequences of Angela’s actions: If the Cool Clothes factories shut down, children working in them would be out of work. Though this would end child labor in this industry, the children would have to find other jobs, some of which might be more harmful.

Where Do We Draw the (Action) Line? Materials Needed

• “action statement” cards from Resource 3, “Action Statements” (found on page 36), one set for every two participants

• Possible alternative actions: Angela could have researched the issue and the children’s situation thoroughly and consulted child laborers and experts on child labor to guide her actions. She could have lobbied for Cool Clothes to improve the children’s working conditions (by decreasing work hours, by making the work environment safe, by prohibiting violence), to provide schooling or vocational training at the work site or alter work hours so the children could attend school, to comply with minimum working age and wage standards, to hire adults at reasonable wages, and to provide health care for children and their families. • With thoughtful, responsible action, positive results are possible!

Conclude the activity by asking the participants to respond to the following question:

• glue sticks, one for every two participants • markers, one for every two participants • long strips of paper, about 17 inches long and 2 inches wide (masking tape is a suitable alternative), one for every two participants • sheets of blank paper, one for each participant (optional) • pens or pencils, one for each participant (optional) Activity Steps

Divide the large group in half. Ask one of the groups to move to the left side of the room and the other to the right side of the room. Then ask the participants on the right side of the room to find a partner and be seated, staying on the right side of the room. Ask those on the left side of the room to find a partner and be seated, staying on the left side of the room.

Provide each pair with a set of the action statement cards you have created and a strip of paper or masking tape. Ask the pairs on the left side of the room to organize their cards on an acceptable-unacceptable continuum, positioning each card on the long strip of paper. Note that the statements do not have to be placed in a straight line or be equally spaced. Partners should then decide at which point along their continuum they would draw a line between actions that are acceptable and unacceptable. If they reach a consensus, they can draw a double line at that point. If they cannot agree on a specific point, each can mark her or his own, drawing a line and initialing it.

• What does it mean to speak and act responsibly? You may wish to offer some examples, such as the ones noted here: Research issues thoroughly, and from different angles, to understand them well. Consult people who know about the issues. Consult the people affected by the issues. Investigate and consider a variety of possible consequences, both positive and negative, to different actions. This will help you decide which actions to take. Involve the people who will be affected by your actions in deciding which actions to take and in taking action. Make sure they want actions taken. Respect the people who will be affected by your actions and make sure you are not furthering stereotypes of them, such as the notion that all child laborers in a country like India are poor, illiterate victims of poverty who need someone to act on their behalf and “save” them. Think about Akbar. Does this stereotype describe him? Build regular assessments into your action plan. Once you start taking action, periodically check with everyone involved about how things are going. Then plan your next steps accordingly.

In this activity, the participants explore and assess different forms of social action.

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| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Where Do We Draw the (Action) Line? (cont’d) Ask the pairs on the right side of the room to organize their cards on an effectiveineffective continuum, positioning each card on the long strip of paper and then drawing a line between actions they deem effective and those they deem ineffective. If they reach a consensus, they can draw a double line at that point. If they cannot agree on a specific point, each can mark her or his own, drawing a line and initialing it. Allow enough time for the pairs to discuss and complete the assigned tasks.

Where Do We Draw the (Action) Line? (cont’d) • How would you make some of the less effective and less responsible actions more effective and more responsible? What would you have done to get your point across?

Conclude the activity by inviting the participants to reflect on the following question: • What does effective, responsible action mean to me?

Ask each of the pairs from the “acceptable-unacceptable” group to join with a pair from the “effective-ineffective” group, and in a foursome, discuss, compare, and contrast their results. Allow ample time for discussion.

Gather all the participants as a large group and lead a discussion of the activity to help everyone clarify individual attitudes toward different forms of social action and to alert them to a range of conflicting viewpoints and perspectives. Note for the group that the action statements cover a wide spectrum of possibilities—from direct action involving damaging property, to nonviolent direct action of varying levels of risk and intensity, to action that employs well-established channels of persuasion within a democratic society. Use the following questions as a basis for the conversation: • Did you find the activity easy or challenging? • Which actions do you think would be most effective? Why? • How do you define effective? • What makes some actions ineffective or less effective? • Does everyone agree? If not, why not? • Which actions do you find acceptable? Which do you find unacceptable? Why? • To what extent does the choice of action depend on the severity of the injustice being responded to? • To what extent is it reasonable to resort to forms of action that might be considered more extreme? • Is direct action involving a threat to a person or property ever justifiable? Is it congruent with the values that motivated the action in the first place? • How might you assess whether an action is effective? Responsible? Reasonable? Acceptable?

Encourage the participants to think back to Akbar and the kinds of actions he took. If you wish, you may distribute a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil to each participant for recording reflections.

Invite participants to share their reflections, if they wish to do so. This activity is adapted from Graham Pike and David Selby, In the Global Classroom 2 (Ontario, Canada: Pippin Publishing Corporation, 2000). © 2000 by Pippin Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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| Young Stars Leader’s Guide Youth Action in My Community

India’s Working Children Speak Out

This activity invites the participants to learn about and discover people in their community who are responsibly and effectively exercising their participation rights and effecting change.

Youth Action in My Community (cont’d)

4 Activity Steps

• conduct an interview in person

Explain to the participants that the objective of this activity is for them to conduct research on a young person (or a group of young people) in their community who has exercised the right to have a voice and participate in society. The participants can work in small groups of three or four to create a display or report to show the results of their research. The participants should draw on and demonstrate what they have learned about rights, responsibilities, and effective action from the previous activities.

• make a phone call • write e-mails or letters • talk about the young person’s actions with someone who knows her or him • read print or electronic sources Discuss appropriate and acceptable ways to get in touch with people, either by phone, via e-mail, or in a letter. Encourage the participants to use these principles of respectful communication:

Review with the participants the characteristics of someone who has a responsible voice and takes responsible action. Then brainstorm some ideas about where to find information about youth participation. Here are some suggestions:

• Introduce yourself clearly, stating who you are and where you are from.

• Look in local, regional, and national newspapers and magazines. • Search the Internet, using search terms like youth action and the name of your city.

• Explain why you are contacting this person and how you heard about her or him.

• Ask at your local town or city hall for examples or names of youth who have participated in and contributed to the community.

• Explain politely and clearly what you would like to ask this person and ask if she or he would agree to answer your questions.

• Ask teachers in your school. They may know and be able to put you in touch with current and previous students who have done things to make a difference. • Check out a local Girl Scout or Boy Scout group or other youth group.

• Ask the person what would be the best way to communicate—by e-mail, by phone, or in person—and when would be a suitable time for her or him to answer your questions.

• Ask at your local house of worship.

• Thank the person for her or his information and time.

• Talk to your school student council and see what its members are doing.

• Find out what youth organizations exist in your community, and talk to the founders or some of the members.

Once the participants have identified a person or group they’d like to research, challenge them to explore as many ways as possible to gather information. For example, they could:

Encourage the participants to think broadly, and remind them that there are many ways people act and many reasons why they act (environmental, social, religious, etc.). Also, actions don’t have to be large. Even actions that appear to be small may have significant impacts.

Brainstorm with the participants some questions they might explore once they make contact. Some examples include: • How has the person or group exercised the right to voice opinions and participate in society? • What contributions has this person or group made? • Why? What motivated or inspired this person or group to do this? • What challenges or obstacles has this person or group faced?

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| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Youth Action in My Community (cont’d)

God Calls Us to Lead

In this activity, the participants learn how God calls young people, and other unlikely people, to lead.

• What factors enabled this person or group to move forward with actions? • What have been the consequences of this person’s or group’s actions? What successes has this person or group had? Have the person’s or group’s actions been effective?

Materials Needed • Bibles, one for each participant • blank sheets of paper, one for each participant

• What has this person or group learned from voicing opinions and taking action? • Does this person or group know about the UNCRC? • What does it mean to this person or group to have a “responsible voice” and to take “responsible action”? • What is your assessment of this person’s or group’s actions?

• colored pencils or crayons, several for each participant Activity Steps

Begin by referring to the previous activities and reminding the participants of the leadership role Akbar played in his community. Tell the participants that the Bible records a number of examples of God’s making an unlikely choice when calling a person for a special task in that person’s community (e.g., Sarah was called to bear a child at the age of 99; many of Jesus’ disciples were poor and illiterate; Saul, who became Paul, was a persecutor of the Church). Tell the participants they are going to look at the story of Samuel—another example of God’s calling someone who is an unlikely candidate. In this narrative, Samuel is an unlikely choice because he is so young.

Distribute a Bible to each participant. As a group, read aloud 1 Samuel 3:1–21 and allow a few moments for silent reflection. Then offer the following comments:

• Can you see yourself exercising your rights to voice your opinions and take action on an issue that matters to you? Why or why not? If yes, how?

Finally, challenge the participants to find a creative way to display and represent the results of their research. They could choose to create a poster, a chart with a sum® mary, an annotated timeline, a written or oral interview, a slide show or PowerPoint presentation, a written report, a model, a role-play, or another creative product. Be sure to designate a time frame for gathering as a larger group for the presentations of this information.

• God calls Samuel to be a prophet of Israel when Samuel is only a boy. In the story of Samuel and Eli, it is significant that God calls the young, inexperienced boy rather than the elderly priest to a leadership role. • Samuel has no social or religious authority in his community, but Eli is a well-respected elder and priest. Because of this, Samuel is an unlikely choice for the task. Yet God sees potential in the youth, innocence, and faithfulness of a young boy. God sees that calling a young person provides an opportunity for newness and change. • The call of Samuel marks a new beginning for Israel. It lays the groundwork for a renewed covenant of faithfulness for the Israelites. God gives Samuel an important role, and Samuel obeys God’s call.

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God Calls Us to Lead (cont’d)

Invite the participants to take part in a large-group discussion using the following questions and comments as a guide:

God Calls Us to Lead (cont’d)

Now ask the participants to think about how others responded to them in those roles. If their friends, parents, siblings, or teachers were unsupportive, they should color the traffic light red. If the response was mixed or lukewarm, they should color the light yellow. If they felt supported and encouraged to take on this responsibility, they should color the traffic light green. Again, allow enough time for the participants to reflect and complete the task.

Finally, ask the participants to add a few images that show how they can listen for God’s call as they travel along their life highways (e.g., symbols of praying, listening, or talking to others).

When everyone has had time to complete their highways, invite a few volunteers to share and explain their drawings to the rest of the group.

Conclude the activity by inviting the group to prayer. Pray that the participants will feel supported when they take on responsibility in their communities. Pray that they will respond positively (be a “green light”) to other young people who strive to do the same. Pray that they will listen carefully for God’s call and respond by saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

• Why doesn’t Eli realize (at first) that the Lord is calling Samuel? Verse 1 tells us the word of the Lord was rare in those days; this is the first time God has spoken to Samuel. Eli may not have expected God to call to a child. • What does Eli tell Samuel to say in response to God? “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9). • When Samuel recounts the Lord’s words to Eli the next morning, how does Eli respond? Eli listens carefully and believes what Samuel tells him; he does not get angry with Samuel after hearing the words of the Lord. • Why do you think the Lord speaks to the young boy and not to the elderly priest? God speaks about punishing Eli and his sons. God wants to bring the Israelites back to a life of faithfulness, and a child embodies the possibility of a fresh start; God is preparing Samuel to become a prophet. • What does this story teach us about young people doing God’s work? Young people can participate in doing God’s work on earth. They should listen for God’s call and respond, and adults should support and encourage young people as they listen for God’s call.

Provide each participant with a blank sheet of paper and some colored pencils or crayons. Ask them to draw a long, winding road with three blank signposts and a traffic light after each signpost. Tell them this is their “life highway.” Ask them to think about three times in their lives when they have been a leader or have taken responsibility (e.g., running a lemonade stand, helping a younger sibling learn to read, or helping to coach a sports team). Tell them to write their ages at the time and a few words about the experience in each of the signposts. Allow ample time for them to complete this task.

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| Young Stars Leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide Notes

Handouts and Resources Handout 1: My Rights

Resource 1: Rights Cards

Handout 2: Types of Rights Chart

Handout 3: Video Activity Sheet

Resource 2: Sample Responses to Video Activity Sheet

Handout 4: Responsible Voice Scenarios

Resource 3: Action Statements

| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Handout 1: My Rights Right

Resource 1: Rights Cards Me

Photocopy and trim to create one 22-card set for each group of four.

Right #1

To an education

Right #2

To adequate health care

The right to express our opinions about things that affect us personally To an allowance

To have a job

Right #3

The right to not be tortured or treated or punished in cruel, unkind, or humiliating ways

Right #4

To watch television

The right, if we belong to a minority group, to have our own culture, practice our own religion, and speak our own language

To my own bedroom To be protected from abuse and exploitation

Right #5

To celebrate holidays every year To voice my opinions and have them heard

The right to be protected from abuse of any kind

The right to meet with other children or teenagers and to join and organize clubs, groups, and associations

Right #6 The right to the best health care available

To play and relax This activity is adapted from Graham Pike and David Selby, Global Teacher, Global Learner (London, England: Hodder and Stoughton, 1988). © 1988 by Hodder and Stoughton. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Right #7

Right #8

The right to benefit from money given by the government to parents and guardians to help them raise children

The right, if disabled, to special care and training that will help us lead dignified, independent, and active lives

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| Young Stars Leader’s Guide

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Resource 1: Rights Cards (cont’d)

Right #9 The right to an identity, name, and nationality

Right #11 The right to access information and ideas from a wide variety of sources but also to be protected from information that could harm us

Right #13 The right, if we are refugees or deprived of our families, to special assistance and protection

Right #15 The right to living standards and conditions that enable us to grow and mature, such as enough food, warm clothing, and good housing

Resource 1: Rights Cards (cont’d)

Right #10 The right to freely communicate our views to others through various media, such as letters, posters, petitions, artwork, and so on

Right #12 The right to not be exploited for purposes of money-making (such as doing dangerous work or working long hours for little pay)

Right #14 The right to an education that considers our real needs and develops all our talents and abilities

Right #16

Right #17

Right #18 The right to have fun, to play, and to join in leisure and cultural activities

The right to life

Right #19

Right #20 The right to our own thoughts and beliefs and, if religious, to practice our faith

The right to be protected from bad treatment by parents and others responsible for us

Right #21

Right #22

The right to live with our parents or, if they are separated, to see both parents regularly unless it is not in our best interest

This resource is adapted from Graham Pike and David Selby, In the Global Classroom 2 (Ontario, Canada: Pippin Publishing Corporation, 2000). © 2000 by Pippin Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Permission to reproduce is granted. © 2008 by World Vision Resources

The right to be protected from drugs

The right to an education in which we learn how to live in a spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality, friendship, and respect for human rights and God’s creation

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| Young Stars Leader’s Guide Handout 2: Types of Rights Chart

India’s Working Children Speak Out

Photocopy and trim to create one four-box chart for each group of four.

Survival Rights that ensure we survive and grow

Protection Rights that protect us from harmful treatment and influences

Development Rights that enable us to develop the varied aspects of ourselves (thinking abilities, ability to distinguish right from wrong, social abilities, play and leisure activities, cultural and religious practices, and so on)

Rights that allow us to express what we think, to have a say about things that affect us, and to play an active part in society

Example

Upheld or denied

Survival Rights

Development Rights

Protection Rights that protect us from harmful treatment and influences