Vegan Visitor Service from the Vegan Society an educational charity established in 1944

1. Vegan Visitor Service from the Vegan Society an educational charity established in 1944 Rob Jackson – Education Officer youth@vegansociety.com – 0121 523 1738 www.vegansociety.com/teach_and_learn

2. Veganism is a way of living which avoids the use of animal products. This is a subject that young people find fascinating and they usually have lots of questions. Veganism as a topic is very broad and lends itself to the exploration of a number of key issues, such as: healthy eating and nutrition the environment and global issues respect, compassion and living a thoughtful life how you can take an active part in society Please see our Youth Guide to Veganism for more details – this is the main handout we use when visiting groups. What is veganism? Why talk about it?

3. Suitable for subjects such as Citizenship/PSHE Food Technology Science Geography Religious Education as well as personal development goals (spiritual, moral, social, cultural) key skills (communication, working with others) thinking skills (reasoning, enquiry, creative thinking, evaluation) and education for sustainable development What is veganism? Why talk about it?

4. You can invite a local representative of the Vegan Society to your school, class or group to lead sessions about veganism and various related issues. We can run sessions consisting of: cookery demonstrations or workshops various activities looking at attitudes towards food, animals or the planet a short film with discussion or we can run a stand or stall at a larger event. We are well suited to take part in focus days or alternative curriculum days, which have proved extremely popular. See ‘Format of Visits’ for further information. What is the Vegan Visitor Service?

5. Our aims To raise awareness of veganism; to explain what vegan means and why people choose it. To give students the chance to discuss something which may be very different for them, enhancing their communication skills. To open students’ minds to consideration and respect for other ways of living and how their own actions have an effect on the wider world. To be of value to teachers and group leaders and help to meet existing teaching and learning objectives. What is the Vegan Visitor Service?

6. It opens their minds to new ideas. It encourages their personal development and respect for other ways of life. They find the subject easy to relate to because most of them like animals and have pets they are close to. Some of them may be thinking about the issues but don’t know how to express themselves. Hands-on and interactive. A treat, variety and excitement for participants. Why is this good for young people?

7. An easy lesson for the teacher or group leader. Helps towards completion of learning objectives, such as healthy eating, environmental concerns, energy use, respect and being an active citizen. A topic which never fails to stimulate the whole group and will really get them thinking. We welcome input from the people we work with so that we can tailor our service to your requirements. We can cover anything from 5 minutes to a couple of hours. There is no fee for this service. Why is this good for leaders?

8. If you would like to arrange a session please use the Visitor Request Form. If you need any more details please get in touch. We also provide free classroom materials through our website and an interactive CD-ROM which is free on request. Please forward this to any colleagues you think may be interested.  I look forward to working with you soon. Rob Jackson – Education Officer youth@vegansociety.com – 0121 523 1738 www.vegansociety.com/teach_and_learn Further information and links