Educational Programming

Fair Trade Education

When INTO’s founders decided to establish the organization in 2003, they continually meditated on Proverbs 31:9:  “Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”  Through education about fair trade and personal accounts of INTO’s partner artisans INTO staff would be happy to be a guest at your event or in your community.  You might be pastor or lay leader striving to educate your congregation, a teacher studying indigenous groups in Latin America, a science teacher working on a rainforest project, a campus minister desiring to open the eyes of your college students to different career opportunities or a program director for an international exchange program. INTO will tailor a workshop, presentation, discussion group or sermon for your groups’ particular content and needs.  INTO staff have experience speaking to 1- 20,000 people anywhere from five minutes to an hour and half.  Please read below for more information on what topics INTO staff regularly touch on and where we have spoken!

Fair Trade 101

When a lot of people hear fair trade they either get confused with free trade or they talk about coffee.  Fair Trade 101 provides individuals with an orientation to Fair Trade on a national and global level.  Individuals will learn about principles of fair trade, the spectrum of fair trade products, what fair trade labels are out there, why fair trade is necessary and the impact it has throughout different industries.

How Fair Trade Impacts at the Ground Level

Most individuals are impacted through personal stories.  Through sharing about how INTO actually operates on a daily basis we are able to give concrete and personal accounts of fair trade’s impact in the lives of INTO’s partner artisans.  This discussion/presentation focuses on INTO with a backdrop on fair trade’s global movement.

A Biblical Approach to Fair Trade

Did you know that the bible actually talks about how you should do business?  The Fair Trade movement traces its roots here in the United States to many different churches.  Fair Trade’s principles are very much in line with biblical teaching.  This presentation/workshop draws connections between scriptures and how fair trade operates in the lives of producers and consumers throughout the world.

Past Educational Outreach

Classroom/School programming

  • Classroom discussions/presentations to Spanish Language Class and Social Studies classes @ Nonnewaug High School; Woodbury, CT
  • Fifth grade science class slide presentation @ William Barr Elementary School; Sheffield Village, OH
  • Presentation to Humanitarian Aid Society @ Lake Ridge Academy; North Ridgeville, OH
  • Classroom discussions and presentations for Global Studies Class, Independence Movements in Latin America and All School Meeting presentation @ the Watkinson School; Hartford, CT

Colleges/Campus Ministry Programming

  • Presentation to John Carroll University students explaining impact of fair trade in women’s lives
  • Presentation to InterVarsity Fellowship Group @ Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland, OH
  • Presentation to InterVarsity Fellowship Group @ Carnegie Mellon University; Pittsburgh, PA
  • Presentation to InterVarsity Fellowship Group @ Ohio State University; Columbus, OH
  • Presentation Proyecto Latino @ College of Wooster; Wooster, OH
  • “Lordship in one’s academic life” workshop @ CROSSculture ’05, InterVarsity’s Ohio Valley Regional conference; Richfield, OH
  • Discussion groups and presentation to Sustainability focused Residence hall residents and directors @ Syracuse University; Syracuse, NY
  • Personal testimony @ Urbana Missions Conference General Convocation; Urbana, IL

Church programming

  • Fellowship hour presentation @ Christ the Redeemer; Lorain, OH
  • Sermon delivered @ Franklin Circle Church; Cleveland, OH
  • Sermon delivered @ St. Paul’s Congregational Church; Cleveland, OH
  • Workshop @ Region 8 Global Missions Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Camp Hill, PA
  • Presentation @ House of Healing Outreach International Ministries in Elyria, OH
  • Presentation @ Regional women’s conference of the Disciples of Christ Christian Church, Columbus, OH

Fair Trade events/organizations programming

  • Keynote Address at benefit luncheon for Heartbeats; Rocky River, OH
  • Presentation and workshop @ Ohio Fair Trade Expo 2006 & 2008, 2009, Cleveland and Oberlin, OH