Supplied with a unique parable, which includes a very mysterious song, the children face a variety of challenges over a number of weeks.The demands of life have clashed with the integrity of their future and they must embrace their fears and learn the lessons that will help them undo the damage to their environment. With the support of teachers, family, friends and community they will use the tools supplied to them during each episode to not only manage their stress and discover the link between personal wellbeing and environmental sustainability, they will focus on the song in the parable and create a dynamic music video that best reflects the entire allegorical message.
For most children environmental pollution and the need for general recycling are a familiar part of existence. However, advances in technology also mean that they are exposed to global crises, be they climatic, financial, geopolitical, etc., before they have the emotional and cognitive maturity to deal with them. Extreme weather events, family and relationship stress, the anxieties caused by separation, divorce and dying, media sexualisation, genocide and widespread rioting can add to their feelings of powerlessness.
It's now accepted that children are not O.K. about things that are troubling them until they are heard, and feel valued. The ability to express themselves effectively sets them up for the rest of their lives. Since globalization and acculturation have changed the world, many decisions made now will have to be dealt with at a grass roots level in years to come and most children don't want their future sold out anymore than they want to see koalas facing extinction.
Some are already asking if they themselves belong to an endangered species.
As individuals, kids won't save the world but as they learn to become our environmental heroes they will make a positive contribution to it.
We're toast if we don't get on a very different path. This is the last chance ... Hansen
To ignore the creativity of our children, their innocence and their very big hearts is to risk a great deal more than we have already lost.
"We are beating out the rhythm of the song to the earth, we are beating back the rhythm of the earth" ... Anuka, from The Parable
