AgriKids, the farm safety educational platform, is looking for aspiring agri writers to be their guest bloggers.
Children can forward their submissions to: [email protected] where every month one blog will be chosen and its creator awarded the title of “AgriKid of the month”.
Bloggers
AgriKids founder Alma Jordan explained the thinking behind the bloggers initiative:
“The idea was inspired after a young girl in Co. Leitrim, Cadhlá O’Rourke, aged seven, sent me a video of her top farm safety tips which she had made for a class project. It was brilliant.
“Her mother explained to me how passionate her daughter was on the topic of farm safety and said that she even has a blog of her own,” said Alma.
“I have met so many children like Cadhlá who are passionate about both farming and safety and I feel, if I can hand them a platform to showcase their knowledge and awareness on the topic, they too may inspire others to sit up and listen.
“There is nothing more powerful or impactful as a young child speaking on a serious topic.
“They are both vulnerable and an uninhibited by social parameters that constrain our own conditionings on the subject,” she said.
Empower Children
Continuing, the AgriKids founder said: “My ethos has always been to engage, educate and empower children to be our farm safety ambassadors, to encourage them to be the vehicles of change we need to help alter the culture around safety behaviours.
“I am always astounded by the children I meet during my events and workshops.
“They are so capable and I want to do more initiatives that not only align with my ethos but also that allow us to champion our children and equip them with key life skills,” said Alma.
The bloggers initiative is supported by Flogas and published blogs will receive a certificate and an array of Flogas goodies to acknowledge their achievement.
Children can choose from an array of topics and subjects – but there must be a safety link. “I ask that pictures and/or videos support each submission but I do call on parents and guardians to be mindful of these visuals and to ensure that they do promote safety and wellbeing,” said Alma.
Social media
“Anything in breach of this will not be considered,” she warned.
All too often I am sent pictures and see videos on social media of children – and adults – carrying dangerous and hazardous activities on farms.
“What’s more concerning is many of these are posted by parents who are of the impression they are impressive and entertaining clips, when in reality they are anything but,” she said.
“I do not want to be handing an opportunity where such scenarios can take place.
“With AgriKids, I want to be continually more innovative in how we roll out farm safety education and awareness strategies. This idea, I believe, does just that.”
Further information is on agrikids.ie