Youth Social Action Resource Hub

This YSA starter pack contains the key resources needed to plan and deliver YSA in your setting.

Chester Zoo, together with other young changemakers, have created a Conservation Changemakers' Toolkit for aspiring young changemakers. The toolkit has been developed to empower and enable young people to take action in their own lives for a more sustainable future.

This guide can help users maximise the impact of working in partnership with the local community. Community and stakeholder engagement in a youth social action programme involves young people working with other interested individuals or organisations to deliver action and change. The engagement can help increase access to students' learning opportunities, boost student retention, promote optimism among teachers, and improve children's school attendance rates.

This guide's main aim is to help you understand the importance of teamwork when young people are working together on a group project. It gives you an overview of the different departments in organisations and the various roles young people can play in these departments. It explores the different stages of teamwork, such as forming, storming, morning, performing, and adjourning, and applies these to the five steps of Youth Social Action.

This guide is to give you advice on teaching young people about Mental Health and Wellbeing as part of a Youth Social Action programme. They will learn how to recognise and talk about their emotions, self-care techniques, how to seek support, and more...

This guide is to give you advice on teaching young people about Mental Health and Wellbeing as part of a Youth Social Action programme. They will learn how to recognise and talk about their emotions, self-care techniques, how to seek support, and more...

This project was sponsored by the Ormiston Trust to promote performing arts within Birmingham, enabling them to access specialist teaching and resources utilising the facilities at Birmingham Ormiston Academy. In 2022/23, BOA's Super Saturday School ran for six weeks, and BOA aimed to improve the programme to be eight weeks in 2023/24. The outreach scheme caters for school children from ages 4 to 16. The children who attend the weekend provision journey from all areas of Birmingham and represent over 40 schools from various backgrounds and cultures.

The main aim of this guide is to give you advice on: Youth Social Action project ideas (based on projects run by other young people) How to Turn Ideas into Youth Social Action Projects How to raise money How to raise other goods (hygiene products/food for the food bank) How to spread the word

The main aim of this guide is to give you advice on: Youth Social Action project ideas (based on projects run by other young people) How to Turn Ideas into Youth Social Action Projects How to raise money How to raise other goods (hygiene products/food for the food bank) How to spread the word

Young Enterprise help teachers to widen opportunities for young people.

SuperKind is an award-winning, free platform for schools to bring active citizenship and philanthropy into the classroom.

This Mental Health Toolkit was funded by The Mayor of London to support young people’s mental health. The toolkit was co-designed by Volunteering Matters and Young People who champion positive mental health.

This YSA starter pack contains the key resources needed to plan and deliver YSA in your setting.

This #WeWill project case study focuses on raising awareness of dementia through community outreach and training.

A series of #WeWill project case studies from Christ Church Secondary Academy.

The Ormiston #WeWill youth social action campaign aimed to empower young people across the Ormiston network and non-Ormiston schools to build relationships and share best practices. Our overall aim was to ensure that young people would drive and determine action and staff would ensure young people were given the skills to succeed, and the chance to engage with other young people to share and develop practice across the country.

The Ormiston #WeWill youth social action campaign aimed to empower young people across the Ormiston network and non-Ormiston schools to build relationships and share best practices. Our overall aim was to ensure that young people would drive and determine action and staff would ensure young people were given the skills to succeed, and the chance to engage with other young people to share and develop practice across the country.

The Ormiston #WeWill youth social action campaign aimed to empower young people across the Ormiston network and non-Ormiston schools to build relationships and share best practices. Our overall aim was to ensure that young people would drive and determine action and staff would ensure young people were given the skills to succeed, and the chance to engage with other young people to share and develop practice across the country.

EtonX offers courses to help students hone their academic, communication, and leadership skills, as well as prepare themselves for university and career success.

Earth Cubs is award-winning content about the environment, sustainability and climate change for 3-11 year olds.

This Grantee 24-25 Resource Pack contains the key resources grantees need to plan and deliver YSA.

This overview provides background knowledge for staff to understand the topic of Inclusion and Diversity and how it can be delivered at Key Stage 1.

Diversity and inclusion help children learn to empathise with people who are different from them. It makes all young people better learners, allowing them to understand various subjects from multiple points of view. By having access to educational content, each child is able to fully participate in their own learning, which provides them with the skills and resources for later life. At each key stage, we have used the National Curriculum, providing links and examples of how inclusion and diversity can be delivered through a range of subjects or as bespoke lessons as part of the inspire and inform steps of Youth Social Action.

On this resource page, you will find the following lessons and guide: Overview of Teaching Lesson 1: Understand the meaning of Inclusion and Diversity Lesson 2: Focusing on discrimination and prejudice and how we are all treated differently Lesson 3 - 5: Understanding Diversity

This resource has the following Guides: Teaching Inclusion and Diversity through Citizenship Teaching Inclusion and Diversity through English Teaching Inclusion and Diversity through History Teaching Inclusion and Diversity through Religious Education Teaching Inclusion and Diversity through Geography Teaching Inclusion and Diversity through Art and Drama Teaching Inclusion and Diversity through Physical Education  

This section focuses on why teaching young people on the subject of Inclusion and Diversity is important from a young person's, school's, and Ofsted's perspective.

This overview provides background knowledge for staff to understand the topic of Inclusion and Diversity and how it can be delivered at Key Stage 3 & 4.

This resource comprises a guide for exploring the 5-step process through questioning and a guide for applying the 5-step process

The Inclusion and Diversity guide will allow the young people to explore diversity and express their understanding of the topic.

On this resource page, you will find the following lessons and guide: Teaching Youth Social Action Guide Lesson 1: How is our planet's geography diverse? Lesson 2: What makes people unique? Lesson 3: How can we celebrate our diversity? Lesson 4: How can sporting events connect us together? Lesson 5: How can inclusion promote diversity? Lesson 6: How can we be inclusive towards others?

The curriculum integration map provides opportunities to deliver the teaching of Inclusion and Diversity through different subject areas. It can be read to obtain an overview of the connections made with the National Curriculum. It can also inform the planning of activities that will teach social action skills or inform future social action planning.

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

This guide provides an overview of how social action projects can be delivered.

Social action teaching in the primary classroom

This resource comprises a guide for exploring the 5-step process through questioning and a guide for applying the 5-step process

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

The Inclusion and Diversity guide will allow the young people to explore diversity and express their understanding of the topic.

On this resource page, you will find the following lessons and guide: Teaching Youth Social Action Guide Lesson 1: What diversity is found in us? Lesson 2: What diversity can we see outside? Lesson 3: How can we celebrate diversity?  

This overview provides background knowledge for staff to understand the topic of Inclusion and Diversity and how it can be delivered at Key Stage 1.

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

The curriculum integration map provides opportunities to deliver the teaching of Inclusion and Diversity through different subject areas. It can be read to obtain an overview of the connections made with the National Curriculum. It can also inform the planning of activities that will teach social action skills or inform future social action planning.

This resource comprises a guide for exploring the 5-step process through questioning and a guide for applying the 5-step process

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

The Inclusion and Diversity guide will allow the young people to explore diversity and express their understanding of the topic.

Schools have a responsibility to tackle poverty and promote equality of opportunities. Teaching young people about poverty can empower them to understand the subject and its impact, motivating them to act within a school, community, or city. Using the National Curriculum, we have linked as many opportunities as possible to deliver poverty through a range of different subject areas. These opportunities can be used to either deliver the topic as a stand-alone or through cross-curricular planning with a number of different subject areas, depending on the focus of the school.

This resource provides information on why young people should focus on poverty and its causes.

On this resource page, you will find the following lessons and guide: Lesson 1: Understand the meaning of Poverty Lesson 2: Understanding the impact of Poverty Lessons 3 and 4: Debate: Ending poverty everywhere Lesson 5: Why does poverty exist? Lesson 6: Why is Marcus Rashford a role model? Lesson 7: Evaluate the letter written by Marcus Rashford

This overview provides background knowledge for staff to understand the context of poverty and how it affects pupils. The second part guides the approach of social action teaching on poverty.

This resource comprises the following teaching guides to teach Poverty: Delivering Poverty through Art Delivering Poverty through DT Delivering Poverty through Geography Delivering Poverty through History Delivering Poverty through IT Delivering Poverty through Music Delivering Poverty through PE Delivering Poverty through RE Delivering Poverty through- Science  

Schools have a responsibility to tackle poverty and promote equality of opportunity. Teaching young people about poverty can empower them to understand the subject and its impact, motivating them to act within a school, community, or city. At each key stage, we have used the National Curriculum, providing links and examples of how poverty and its impact can be delivered through a range of subjects or as bespoke lessons as part of the inspire and explore steps of Youth Social Action

On this resource page, you will find the following lessons and guide: Overview of Lessons Lesson 1: What is poverty? Lesson 2: What are the different forms of poverty? Lesson 3: How does poverty affect young people in school? Lesson 4: How can you tackle poverty at your school?

Delivering Youth Social Action

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

This curriculum map provides links to integrate the topic of Poverty within the National Curriculum at Key Stage 2.   It can be read to obtain an overview of the connections made with the National Curriculum. It can also inform the planning of activities that will teach social action skills or inform future social action planning.

This overview provides background knowledge for staff to understand the context of poverty and how it affects pupils. The second part guides the approach of social action teaching on poverty.

This resource comprises a guide for exploring the 5-step process through questioning and a guide for applying the 5-step process

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

Schools have a responsibility to tackle poverty and promote equality of opportunity. Teaching young people about poverty can empower them to understand the subject and its impact, motivating them to act within a school, community, or city. At each key stage, we have used the National Curriculum, providing links and examples of how poverty and its impact can be delivered through a range of subjects or as bespoke lessons as part of the inspire and explore steps of Youth Social Action

On this resource page, you will find the following lessons and guide: Overview of Lessons Lesson 1: What does it mean to be poor? Lesson 2: What can a poor person need? Lesson 3: How can we make children in need feel welcomed in our school?

This curriculum map provides links to integrate the topic of Poverty within the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1.   It can be read to obtain an overview of the connections made with the National Curriculum. It can also inform the planning of activities that will teach social action skills or inform future social action planning.

Exploring the 5 step process through questioning

This overview provides background knowledge for staff to understand the context of poverty and how it affects pupils. The second part guides the approach of social action teaching on poverty.

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

Delivering Youth Social Action

Schools have a responsibility to tackle poverty and promote equality of opportunity. Teaching young people about poverty can empower them to understand the subject and its impact, motivating them to act within a school, community, or city. At each key stage, we have used the National Curriculum, providing links and examples of how poverty and its impact can be delivered through a range of subjects or as bespoke lessons as part of the inspire and explore steps of Youth Social Action.

This resource contains the following lessons: Lesson 1: Understanding the Meaning of Sustainability Young people to understand the meaning of sustainability and the skills and knowledge needed to make changes. Lesson 2: How does what we eat impact the environment? Young people to understand the impact our eating habits can have on the environment. Lesson 3: What is Biodiversity? The key objective of this lesson is to learn about biodiversity and importance Lesson 4: What do young people think about Climate Change? What do young people think about Climate Crisis? What are they doing about it? Let's meet some young people. Lesson 5: The role of the UN in supporting young people with change? The role of the UN in supporting young people to support change.

Background reading to support the effective teaching of climate change and green living

A list of organisations and groups that can provide support, advice and guidance with the teaching of Climate Change

This resource comprises the following teaching guides: Why teach Climate Change?
Teaching CC through SMSC
Teaching CC through Maths
Teaching CC through History
Teaching CC through Geography
Teaching CC through Science - Physics
Teaching CC through Science - Biology
Teaching CC through Music
Teaching CC through Art
Teaching CC through Design Technology
Teaching CC through Physical Education
Teaching CC through Religious Education

Exploring the 5 step process through questioning

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

This curriculum map provides links to integrate the topic of Climate Change within the National Curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4. It can be read to obtain an overview of how Climate Change can be taught through the National Curriculum subjects, the skills needed by young people to deliver social action.

This resource contains the following lessons: Delivering Youth Social Action Lesson 1: The main purpose of this lesson is to be able to describe the biodiversity found in Antarctica and allow the young people to learn about different elements regulating the climate as well as the role of biodiversity in sustaining health and life. Lesson 2: The aim of the session is for young people to understand the role of the glaciers in the greenhouse effect and how greater CO2 emissions through the impact of human activities Lesson 3: In this session, young people will look at the effects that the melting of glaciers has on the Antarctic food web.
Lesson 4: The aim of this session is to develop the skills to present an argument for the protection of Antarctica.

This guide provides an overview of how social action projects can be delivered.

The passport supports the reflection process of #WeWill projects. Passports have been developed as a medium for pupils to record their journey through the social action process. It gives pupils tasks to be completed in class or as part of their home learning process. The passport allows pupils to record what they have learnt, learn more skills, and solve riddles through the use of their problem-solving skills.

This Overview provides background knowledge for staff to understand the context of climate change and how it affects pupils. The second part guides the approach of social action teaching on Climate Change.

This curriculum map provides links to integrate the topic of Climate Change within the National Curriculum at Key Stage 2. It can:
be read to obtain an overview of the connections made with the National Curriculum.
also inform the planning of activities that will teach social action skills or inform future social action planning.
 

This curriculum map provides links to integrate the topic of Climate Change within the National Curriculum at Key Stages 2. It can be read to obtain an overview of how Climate Change can be taught through the National Curriculum subjects, the skills needed by young people to deliver social action.

Overview of KS1 Teaching Activities Lesson 1: Exploring nature and being able to name different elements: Young people will learn how to explore nature in a local area that is familiar to them. They can name some elements of it and explain why they like it. Lesson 2: How the wind helps plants to grow: This task will enable the young people to talk about the interrelationship between a flower, the wind, and the soil. Lesson 3: How can I plant a garden? This lesson explores how young people could plant gardens regardless of space. Lesson 4: How can I write instructions to grow and look after plants?
This task will enable the young people to write a set of instructions on how to look after plants.

The following overview provides background knowledge for staff to understand climate change and how it affects pupils. It also guides the approach of social action teaching on climate change.

Exploring the 5 step process through questionning

An overview of all the resources available from the toolkit

This curriculum map provides links to integrate the topic of Climate Change within the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1. It can be read to obtain an overview of the connections made with the National Curriculum. It can also inform the planning of activities that will teach social action skills or inform future social action planning.

This curriculum map provides links to integrate the topic of Climate Change within the National Curriculum at Key Stage 1.
It can be read to obtain an overview of how Climate Change can be taught through the National Curriculum subjects and the skills needed by young people to deliver social action.  

Teaching young people about developing and sustaining healthy habits is important as it can help by preventing health conditions such as obesity and diabetes to improve mental health, increased confidence, better social skills, resilience, and a more positive outlook. A healthy lifestyle will give the young people a strong foundation of physical and mental benefits. This will set them up for the rest of their lives.

Guidance on how to plan Youth Social Action projects using the steps process 1- Teacher Resource: Teaching HH: - The resources below support the teaching of the skills needed so pupils can carry out their social action projects on health: 2- Lesson 1: What is a healthy system? (PowerPoint and PDF) - To understand how health systems function and define what health is. 3- Lesson 2: When is food giving me energy? (PowerPoint and PDF) - To explain the role of physical activity and nutrition in physical and emotional health. - To create a charter on health. 4- Lesson 3: Lesson 3: How can I take action about my health? (PowerPoint and PDF) - To plan the skeleton of a social action project that could improve health in my school/local area/somewhere in the world. 5- Lesson 4: Lesson 4: Taking action (PowerPoint and PDF)

Teaching young people about mental health and well-being in schools is essential, as it promotes awareness and understanding, reduces stigma, helps with prevention, supports early intervention, and encourages positive habits.

Why focus on MH? This documents explores the benefits in exploring Mental Health in schools and why it is important to deliver it within the curriculum

Background reading to support the effective teaching of mental health and wellbeing including facts and figures, definitions, and links to other organisations that can support the delivery of Youth Social Action.

Lesson 1: Understanding and recognising mental health wellbeing in yourself and others. Lesson 2: Enable young people to understand factors which can contribute to mental health with strategies on how they can start to take care of themselves. Lesson 3: Understand daily factors which can have an impact on us mentally. Lesson 4: Learning about simple self-care techniques, including being physically active. As well as developing emotional literacy and resilience in young people to understand feelings. Lesson 5: Continuing the focus on emotional literacy and resilience to help young people understand how they are feeling and what they can do when things do not feel right. With a particular focus on Art and Music.

This resource on mental health focuses on the importance of mental health and well-being. It maps opportunities as to when mental health can be delivered across the national curriculum with suggested activities.

US-based Earth Force uses Environmental Action Civics. Students share power with adults, practice democratic decision-making, and address local environmental problems using civics.

The Green Influencers Scheme’s mission is to help young people connect with the natural environment. By taking part in youth-led projects, they learn and develop new skills, open up progression routes and help inspire their local communities to take meaningful action. In total 81 Green Influencers have taken part across Norfolk and 88 in Southampton, each Influencer spending an average of almost 10 hours connecting with nature and leading on climate action. Some projects: The Green Influencer newspaper; Team GreenPhone: The Polygon School’s repair shop for electronic devices; a traditional orchard; an allotment for young people without gardens at home.

We Are Patrick is delivered by young men. Young men have designed a toolkit, which male volunteers use in 90-minute sessions in schools across Suffolk. The toolkit presents a series of difficult scenarios based on the life of fictional character, Patrick. It uses film, spoken verse, imagery and flashcards created by volunteers to journey young people though decision-making scenarios based on fictional characters. The project aims to educate peers on the issues of sexual exploitation, domestic abuse, honor-based violence and gang grooming, while lobbying for changes to social policy and practice on these issues and promoting young people’s voices.

This group of young women was united by their passion to make their public spaces safer for the whole community of Stratford (London). They were fed-up with having to avoid particular places because of the fear of experiencing violence, harassment and unwanted attention. Others had experienced the same behavior's in their neighborhoods and on their way to school. Designed by young people, Pop Path creates joyful murals and informative campaigns that bring a sense of community. It also equips members of the community with the information and practical tools to deal with the negative impact of harassment.

Did you know that it takes 10–20 years for a plastic bag to break down and 450 years for a plastic bottle to do so?
  Project Pristine is a youth-led litter picking scheme in which volunteers travel to beaches and collect litter in rubbish bags. There are three core aims: to protect marine life, clean beaches, and explore the ocean, as well as raise awareness about the issue. Other key partners were involved who helped with publicity and schemes like ‘Adopt a Spot’ where Project Pristine adopted and committed to regularly cleaning a beach with one of the worst litter problems.  

Keeping it Wild is a programmed bringing together the youth and conservation sectors to provide opportunities for young people to engage with and protect the capital’s wild spaces, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. London Youth is part of a consortium of organizations led by London Wildlife Trust delivering a three-year programmer, encouraging young people to reflect on natural spaces, learn about protecting wildlife and then take part in developing and delivering a project or creative campaign to raise awareness and encourage practical conservation in local communities. This is a tried-and-tested methodology and there are some case study videos.

The Ukrainian-Russian war has led people all over the world to take action to support Ukrainian refugees who are in need. These young people have all done their bit too and shown how everyone can help make a difference. Eight year old Will donated a teddy to comfort another Ukrainian child, brothers Joseph and Theo from Dundee busked in the city Centre, while Ava-Rose, aged eight, cycled back and forth the Humber Bridge ten times in total!

This was London-based Skyway’s very own Come Dine with Me mini-series. Over a period of three weeks, a group of young people and workers planned, filmed, cooked and edited to create two Come Dine With Me episodes.
 The young people created a menu, budgeted and bought ingredients, then cooked a main course and dessert for the opposing team to judge. These are all useful life skills to combat food poverty and promote resilience during the cost-of-living crisis. Take a look at the video to see them in action!  

Young Food Ambassadors came together to launch their very own Right2Food Charter, calling on the Government to listen to their stories and those of millions of other young people across the UK who were living with increased levels of hunger and food poverty. They delivered their Right2Food Charter to 10 Downing Street with Dame Emma Thompson who is also supporting their advocacy. Since then, they have joined forces with Marcus Rashford’s #EndChildFoodPoverty campaign to make sure no child in the UK goes hungry.

Girls across Britain were having to skip school when on their periods because they couldn't afford menstrual products — with many using wads of tissue, newspaper, or even socks and old clothes instead.
So, Amika George launched her #FreePeriods campaign to tackle period poverty. A joint legal campaign was launched with the Red Box Project, urging the U.K. Government to comply with its legal obligations to ensure equal access to education for all children, irrespective of their sex. The Government committed funding for free period products in schools in England, mirroring similar commitments already made in Scotland and Wales.  

Teaching young people about mental health and well-being is essential, as it promotes awareness and understanding. At each key stage, we have used the National Curriculum, providing links and examples of how mental health can be delivered through a range of subjects. Each key stage has 3-5 bespoke lesson plans through which the topic of mental health can be delivered as part of the inspire and inform steps of Youth Social Action. Providing the young people with a strong basis for them to link these to Social Action projects at either a local or national level.

Two schools collaborated - Marsden Heights Community College and Park High School Colne – for the students to discuss the issues which were important to them and the wider community. The project took the students on a journey to learn about the school, local, national and international matters. They learnt and expressed how they felt about things and what their peers thought too. They engaged with local councilors, community workers and the general public on current matters. They then worked with a local poet to create a message to go back to the school and the community about their experience.

The Advocacy Academy is an activist youth movement of young leaders fighting for justice and equality. They serve as the political home for grassroots youth organizing and the catalyst for collective action. The power of movement building is not about feeling ‘confident’ or ‘courageous’. Power is the ability to act; this is important when 88% of young people feel that their voices are completely unheard in society. They run immersive programmed to train young leaders who then continue their journey with The Advocacy Academy. Currently, there are 122 alumni.

11 young Traveler peer researchers were trained in basic qualitative research skills and assisted in creating a questionnaire. The peer researchers interviewed 44 x 15 - 25-year-old Travelers in London about the barriers they have faced around education, both in school and at home. They were also asked for their recommendations for improvements to the education system. The research found that the experience of bullying in school is more of a norm than an exception for young Travelers in London.

KIDS, a UK national charity supporting young people with Special Education Needs & Disabilities (SEND), co-created a secret shopper initiative in North London with some SEND young people. As well as choosing a range of local venues to be evaluated against disability-friendly, accessibility and inclusiveness criteria, the project tackled loneliness for this group. The project addressed disability awareness across community organizations in Islington, raised the profile of disabled young people in the area, and made the community more inclusive, benefitting all local disabled people. 32 young people participated.