Youth Social Action Starter Pack
This YSA starter pack contains the key resources needed to plan and deliver YSA in your setting.
This YSA starter pack contains the key resources needed to plan and deliver YSA in your setting.
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
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.
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.
Refers to activities that young people do to make a positive difference to others while developing key skills and attributes and having fun. YSA can take place in various contexts (i.e. at home, schools, youth clubs etc) and can include volunteering, fundraising, campaigning or supporting peers. We believe social action can play an essential role: in young lives, the success of a school, the local community or more.
Our Resource Hub aims to act as a Youth Social Action search engine, offering tailored results to inspire and guide. The hub hosts a wide variety of resources, including our own Youth Social Action Toolkit, case studies, research reports, and helpful resources from other reputable organisations in the sector.
Our Resource Hub aims to act as a Youth Social Action search engine, offering tailored results to inspire and guide. The hub hosts a wide variety of resources, including our own Youth Social Action Toolkit, case studies, research reports, and helpful resources from other reputable organisations in the sector.
To find appropriate resources, use the filter feature to select the relevant options. You can filter by key stage (1-5), YSA theme (e.g. poverty), or a particular skill (e.g. communication). You can also filter by resource owner (Ormiston Trust or external organisation) and resource type, such as lesson plans. If you know what you are looking for, you can use the search bar.
To save or download resources, please sign up for a free account. In your user area, you can organise your saved items for quick and easy access. On the resource results page, you can save or download multiple resource quickly by using the tickbox feature.
Our Youth Social Action Toolkit has been carefully developed by industry professionals with input from young people to guide school leaders, support staff, and young people through a Youth Social Action project. Our curriculum guides clearly outline how YSA can be integrated into the curriculum of schools with limited time.
We don’t gatekeep – by sharing our sector knowledge and resources, we aim to enrich the lives of all young people by fostering skills development, improving agency and wellbeing, and promoting active citizenship.
The first step of the YSA process is to be inspired by an issue you care about! Check out our inspirational case studies on what you could do!
The second step of the YSA process is to explore your options! You‘ll need to research the issue that inspired you to take action to understand how you can help.
Ready to start planning your project? Access our Youth Social Action Toolkit here.
The third step of the YSA process is to plan your project! Lucky for you, we have a Project Planning Template for that.
The fourth step of the YSA process is to carry out your plan! This is when the physical activities involved like fundraising, campaigning, and volunteering kick off.
The fifth and final step of the YSA process is to reflect! Looking back at your plan, did you achieve your aims? What went well and what didn’t go so well? Can you sustain your project? Or did you take steps to ensure further projects aren’t needed?