Understanding Poverty and the Impact of Compassionate Giving

This unit allows students to explore the economics behind poverty by understanding economic privilege, poverty, and the ethical considerations surrounding compassionate giving. Across the lessons, students engage in activities that foster critical thinking about economic status and explore actionable solutions to poverty. Students will develop the ability to respond to economic and business issues by identifying potential costs and benefits, fostering a sense of responsibility and empathy towards global challenges.

This unit was created in collaboration with The Life You Can Save. The Life You Can Save conducts research to identify non-profits running highly impactful programs that address the multiple dimensions of poverty. They also help connect people who want to donate money and resources with these non-profits to maximise the impact of their gifts. They aim to create a world where everyone has an opportunity to build a better life and where there’s no suffering or death due to extreme poverty.

Students will be inspired and empowered to help people build better lives by learning about the importance of using one's privileges to make a positive impact on global challenges and will be encouraged to reflect on how they can contribute to social change beyond financial donations.

Throughout the lessons, students analyse the operations of non-profits, evaluating the factors that contribute to their effectiveness. They learn to balance impact and costs, explore the dynamics of running non-profit organisations and gain insights into the diverse ways these organisations operate, generate income, and make a significant impact on a global scale. Students will be inspired to take concrete actions by evaluating their own spending habits, consider effective giving, and reflect on their potential contributions to meaningful social change. 

Peter Singer wrote the first edition of The Life You Can Save to demonstrate why we should care about and help those living in global extreme poverty, and how easy it is to improve and even save lives by giving effectively. To delve more deeply into the themes and ideas in this unit, you can access a free copy of the eBook or listen to the free audiobook narrated by Kristen Bell, Stephen Fry, Paul Simon and more on Spotify.