How to run a 5th Birthday Party

Below are some ideas on how to run a SURVIVE PAST FIVE 5th Birthday Party, but you might come up with more creative ideas; the sky's the limit!

Click here to download a PDF guide to running a 5th Birthday Party
(Note: You can also order the party planning guide in hardcopy as part of the new
Micah Challenge Action Toolkit which also includes a new DVD).

1. Plan early
- Register your 5th birthday party using the online party registration form or by emailing info@micahchallenge.org.au.
- Get a team together to organise the party and brainstorm ideas together.
- Talk to your church leaders/ school teachers to get their support for the event.
- Plan a date for your 5th Birthday Party well in advance to fit in with your church/school calendar and your MP's schedule. Do your best to make it happen before the 2010 Federal Election (it is likely to be anytime after mid-2010)
- Contact your MP to ask them to be involved and find a date when they are available.
- Tell your church, school or community about the party early.
- Optional extra: Use the Micah Challenge 40 Day Fast with your whole church or small groups to learn, reflect and act on poverty in the lead up to the 5th Birthday Party.The 5th Birthday Party could be a way of breaking the fast.

2. Get creative!
Brainstorm creative ideas about how your party can make the most impacton your community and your MP. Here are some ideas to think about:
- Hold a cake baking/cake decorating competition. Advertise thecompetition at your church, your youth group- or go wider - get local schools, mothers' groups and other community groups involved too. Possible criteria for the winning cake could be the cake using the mostfair trade ingredients or low food miles, or the cake that communicates something about MDG 4 (Reduce Child Mortality).
- Organise kid's party activities that educate people about MDG 4 and include your MP -for example, play "Pin the baby on the mother" to reunite children with their mothers.
- Give out lolly bags at the end of the party with five facts about child health in them.
- Blow up balloons to decorate the room and write facts on them about MDG 4 and campaign achievements. Ask people to find these and read them out to celebrate progress to reducing poverty so far.
- Ask party guests to light candles on the cake as a prayer for children around the world.

3. Involve your MP
- Click here to find out who the Federal MP is who represents the area your church, school or group is located and find their contact details. Read about their background at www.aph.gov.au.
- Email and then phone your MP to invite them to come to your 5th Birthday Party well in advance. You may need to negotiate the date of your party to fit your MP's schedule.
- Ask your MP to speak at the event about why they care about global poverty and where their Political Party stands on the issue. You may like to give people the chance to ask your politician some questions or incorporate a MDG forum as part of your event.
- Give your MP some symbolic things to do at the party, e.g. lighting five candles on the cake or reading out five facts about child health.
- Ask your MP to make a speech in Parliament about MDG 4 and to mention your 5th Birthday Party - contact info@micahchallenge.org.au if you would like speech notes for your MP.

4. Show your MP how many people care
- Present signed 5th Birthday Cards to your MP at the party to show support to reduce the number of deaths of children under five who die from preventable causes. The more signatures from your electorate your MP receives about this, the easier it will be for them to speak up in Parliament in support of the campaign. Order 5th Birthday cards from info@micahchallenge.org.au.
- Or make your own 5th Birthday cards at the party, using the text provided here and have a card decorating table with craft materials or coloured pencils/ textas.
- Ask community groups, churches, schools, doctors' surgeries etc in your electorate to get on board with asking people to sign cards.
- Ask your MP to deliver your cards in person to Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs.

5. Spread the word
- Write an article for your local paper or denominational publication/website. Click here to download a 5th Birthday sample media article.The Micah Challenge Action Toolkit also includes a guide to engaging your local media with tips on how to garner media attention.
- Make sure you take lots of photos of your event! Try to include your MP, party-goers and something visually interesting in your photo.
- Ask your MP to provide a quote you can use in your article.
- Send a photo of your event to info@micahchallenge.org.au to be part of a collage of 5th Birthday Party photos that will be presented toStephen Smith, the Foreign Minister.
- Register your party using the online registration form here.

6. And a little child will lead them…
- Make sure you include children (and people of all ages) where possible in the event. Give them a chance to present something to theMP or read out prayers or facts. Make sure they feel valued and an important part of the event.

7. After the party
- Send your MP an email to thank them and follow up on anything you asked them to do!
- Tell us how your party went so we can encourage others with your story and include your story in the feedback section of our website. Email info@micahchallenge.org.au.
- Send a photo and article of your event to your local paper. Click here to download a guide to engaging with your local media. Also send your stories and pictures to info@micahchallenge.org.au.

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