If you'd like to get involved in SCM campaigns at a local or national level, please email campaigns@movement.org.uk.

Close the Gap

After our conference in February 2011 voted strongly in support of campaigning on poverty and homelessness in the UK we are partnering with Church Action on Poverty on their Close the Gap campaign.

Church Action on Poverty is a national ecumenical Christian social justice charity, committed to tackling poverty in the UK. They work in partnership with churches and with people in poverty themselves to find solutions to poverty, locally, nationally and globally.

How can I get involved? We want members of SCM to pledge to:

• PRAY regularly for the campaign
• ACT by joining in e-actions once a month
• and, if possible to GIVE regularly to the work of the campaign

You can join the Close the Gap prayer community on facebook, and share your own prayers.

The gap between rich and poor is a huge issue that affects everyone in the UK. We can only Close the Gap if thousands of people speak out about the injustice, and act for a fairer society.

Water Justice

"Let justice roll down like a river, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream" - Amos 5: 24
This is a campaign supported by SCMs worldwide through the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF), and was launched on World Water Day 2011.

Why Water Justice?

As stewards of creation, water reminds us to connect to most basic elemental level. We recognise that water is a real, universal need and that connects all of God’s world.

As Christians, we know that water is a powerful symbol of our thirst for justice, of the power of the Holy Spirit, and of the Wellspring of life in Jesus Christ.

As student activists, we see that due to human action, water scarcity, water pollution and water commercialisation and privatisation are serious threats to our fellow people of Earth – the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized, with whom we are called to walk in solidarity.

How can I get involved?

1. Use the prayer material on Water Justice, published by WSCF in partnership with the Ecumenical Water Network. It was created for World Water Day (22 March 2011) but you are welcome to use and adapt it for your own services and prayers throughout the year. The liturgy is available to download below.

2. Stage a “flash mob freeze” on your local campus to highlight the issue of water justice. Sample slogans for banners:

   • WATER is a Human Right (to highlight water as fundamental need and human right)
   • We Thirst for JUSTICE! Water is a Right! (to stress scarcity of water/privatisation)
   • Giant DAMs = Environment DAMage (to connect on dam/water privatisation, environment degradation and displacement of people)
   • Peoples/Public Control NOT Corporate Control on Water!

3. Hold a speaker session, discussion or workshop on the issue of Water Justice to raise awareness among students.

4. The global Water Justice Taskforce is open to volunteers, please contact: wscf.watertaskforce@gmail.com

5. You can read up on grassroots action on water justice here:

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/activities/ewn-home.html
http://www.communitywatercenter.org
http://www.waterjustice.org