New edition of the “Commerce and Schools” activities for the 2017-2018 school year

Everything is ready to go for the “Commerce and Schools” activities programme for the 2017-2018 school year. New and more guided tours to the city’s shops, a game – geocaching – with renovated rules and participation from iconic commercial establishments, as well as practical workshops aiming to highlight the value of responsible purchasing. These are just a few of the new features at this edition where schools still have time to sign up for the planned activities. The registration deadline ends on 16 October. 

The “Commerce and Schools” programme is made up of 4 main activities involving Barcelona's school students and commercial establishments, some of which are shops regarded as “iconic”: guided tours to shops, workshops on responsible consumption, Bookmarks prizes and “geocaching” games.

Guided visits

A total of 62 guided tours of shops have been organised for this new school year -12 more than in the previous year - involving businesses with deep roots in the very neighbourhood where the students will be making contact with local commerce and trades. This is an activity aimed at children aged 3 and over (infants, primary, compulsory and post-compulsory secondary schools). The maximum number of students per visit is one from each class group. The tours will take place in November 2017 and in January, February, March and April in 2018. 

The aim is for students to discover the diversity of the city's commerce and retailers and their trades and products, together with their preparation. This the idea behind the practical workshops being held for discovering activities in shops, warehouses [PC1] and workshops. For example, this year’s edition will see participation from a 3D-printer business (Boloberry) which will be telling students how technological innovation has enabled a radical transformation in printing objects, with practical experience included. During the presentation of the activities, Bartolomé Criado, the Chair of the Turó Park Retailers’ Association, underscored how guided tours represent a great opportunity for young people to find out about commercial establishments and appreciate their importance for maintaining not just the commercial fabric but also the economic wealth of the city. 

Workshops on responsible consumption

The aim behind this activity is for students to discover general issues on commerce and consumption at first hand and reflect on the need of the goods acquired. It represents an invitation to take part in sustainable, solidarity and local consumption. The workshops will be held over the months of November and December 2017. They will be open to 6th-form primary and compulsory and post-compulsory secondary school students. Four workshops have been organised for this school year:

1 - Do I need what I buy? The aim is for students to learn about aspects through games, such as compulsive purchasing compared to reflective purchasing; a fictitious budget is presented which the young students will have to manage for making their purchases.

2.- How to buy better with responsible criteria? There is a new consumer today who is more technological, committed and expert. The workshops will deal with the consumer habits of today’s society and simulate the creation of a product that has to satisfy the needs of present-day consumers.

3.- Local, responsible and sustainable food sovereignty. Can our agricultural biodiversity be reclaimed in a world where the food system, based on production and with a larger dependence on the global market, puts uniformity before quality? Raising awareness and a practical activity with proposals for reclaiming horticultural products. 

4.- Labelling and seals on food. Students will learn about the codes included on product labels and the symbols that accompany them. A way to get a close-up on local, ecological and quality identifiers. Students will create product labels based on the information they are provided with. 

Bookmarks prize

Shops in Barcelona’s commercial hubs are to be filled with bookmarks designed by school kids of all ages and handed out to the public, to mark St George's Day 2018, with schools and retailers taking part.

The central theme of the sketches is local commerce, explained through plastic language. All the proposals submitted will be looked at by a jury, who will then choose a selection and publish as many bookmarks as sketches awarded. 

Geocaching (Geoemblematics)

This is a game where children discover iconic shops, their products and the retailers who attend to them with the aid of technology. Using GPS is important for searching for the hidden treasures hidden around the city, close to Barcelona’s iconic shops. Designed for higher-level primary education and first-year compulsory secondary-school students. An app for mobile devices as can be seen in the photos acts as a guide and leads participants to their goal.

This is an activity that is worked on first in the classroom and later in the city’s public spaces. Research will have to be carried out, for example, on historical, architectural and landscape content. And if, up to now, they were the students tasked with hiding a small capsule or “geocaché” containing information on an iconic Barcelona shop which another person (or group) has to discover, the young people this school year will be adopting the role of detective as it will be them who will have to discover where the capsules are hidden. A way to awaken the imagination, creativity and enthusiasm for learning through participation in a game that has thousands of followers worldwide. Experience highlights the value that iconic shops represent for a city, since they are a distinguishing feature of the city and convey a unique culture that cannot be found anywhere else.

You will find further information and registration access on the Commerce and Schools website.