Create 4,000 UK Young Leaders from Deprived Areas

With the support of our GlobalGiving donors, we can announce a successful wrap on this academic year! From facilitating workshops to hosting a youth-led PeaceJam Conference at the University of Winchester, youth can be seen to be making a positive change in their lives and the world.

Between the 7th and 11th of May, PeaceJam visited Getaway Girls, The Mount School York, Ackworth School and the CATCH Youth Centre in Harehills, Leeds. Overall PeaceJam ran four workshops and facilitated two discussion groups, impacting approximately 80 students. Since visiting The Mount School York and Ackworth School in February 2024, students presented to the PeaceJam Team seven different social action projects that they are now working on and were able to discuss the impact of taking part in positive social action on themselves as well as their plans to work further with their communities. 

“Thank you so much for coming and for sharing your thoughts, your enthusiasm and your care with my students. I am hugely proud of them and what they are trying to do and your support is integral to their belief that they can do it - thank you so much.”Alistar, Teacher.

On 10 July 2024, PeaceJam delivered a workshop on 'Advanced Skills in Social Action’ for 14 sixth-form students and two teachers from Dixons Academies in Bradford. It was held in the Department of Peace Studies and International Relations at the University of Bradford. It was part of a partnership with Girl Guides UK that PeaceJam student mentors have been supporting in school all term, helping the girls research issue of gender-based discrimination in diverse fields.

During a very busy and interactive day, three academic staff and a student mentor worked intensively with the girls to develop core skills on active listening, story-telling for peace and social action, and how to identify personal and group skills. They analysed the ways in which campaign groups and charities communicate their message and needs by highlighting personal stories - the girls then wrote and presented their own pitch with great passion and effectiveness!

Furthermore, looking to the future, the youth at the CATCH Youth Centre have been leading the discussion for our next PeaceJam event in the autumn. This PeaceJam Slam will take place for the second year at the Centre, and youth, inspired by last year's event, are working with PeaceJam volunteers to suggest themes, create activities and organise a day of positive social action in the community alongside the one-day Slam programme. 

Our most recent event was held at the University of Winchester on the 3rd of July. Through our transformational events, curricular and facilitated youth-led social change projects, young people develop key skills in: critical thinking, intercultural competency, emotional literacy, self-expression, self-esteem, resilience and the ability to problem solve without resorting to violence.

A fourteen-year-old female participant commented that, as a result of the conference, she would “try and influence others to make a change to resolve issues”highlighting the impact of gaining“awareness and showing people what they can do and how easy it is.” 

The Conference, which the Youth Team themed “Our World, Our Way” embodied the empowering community aspect of PeaceJam conferences. It brought together our mentors to run near-peer small family group mentoring sessions with our students, workshops and issue area experts to run round table discussions. Students came away from the day, empowered to create change, having been able to identify their communities and the issues they want to address around them. 

With your support, PeaceJam has also been engaging with the communities in Manchester and Bradford, alongside our work with schools to plan more local PeaceJam events for the next academic year. Watch this space for all the exciting places PeaceJam will be popping up in the UK in the next few months! 

This year could not have been a success or possible without the support of our GlobalGiving donors, thank you for all your support. 

“I will try my best to understand about other people’s and the world's problems, and try my best to make a positive difference.” 13 year old female.