Green Influencers Scheme
Green Influencers are environmental ambassadors. The scheme aids young people in forming profound, enduring connections with the natural environment.
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.
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.
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.
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?