Provide Urgent Covid-19 Relief for 3,000 UK Youth

With the support of our GlobalGiving donors, we can announce a successful wrap on this academic year! From implementing Generation Change sessions 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 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 the 21st and 22nd of May PeaceJam ran Generation Change with the Year 7 cohort at The Romsey School, focusing on conflict resolution. These tailored workshops assisted in introducing students to different issue areas and difficult topics of discussion before they were introduced to the PeaceJam ‘Compassion in Action’ Curriculum in school. The Romsey School delivers ‘Compassion in Action’ in Religious Studies during the second half of the half term, creating more resilient, inclusive and cohesive communities. PeaceJam also ran a Generation Change social action planning session with a Year 9 class at the school, after which students were invited to attend our PeaceJam Conference on the 3rd of July. 

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 neer-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:

“I will help my school to recycle as there are no recycling bins outside.” 14-Year-Old Female.

An important aspect of our Generation Change programme is that young people can discuss their concerns in a brave and safe space and develop skills to cope with change and make positive changes. This is why, with your support, we work closely with Robin Graham, a Laughter consultant who has an MA in Health and Happiness Awareness and runs Feelgood Communities CIC. Robin worked with us throughout the event, as well as running a workshop for everybody to explore “Is it okay to laugh in times of war?”. Our feedback indicates that this was one of the highest-rated workshops and our youth expressed that working with Robin was going to have long-lasting effects for them.

“I will try to laugh more.”14-year-old male.

This Summer Term 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.

Links:

• Feelgood Communities CIC