What is the Youth Social Action?

Youth Social Action is a youth led activity that takes place which positively impacts an individual, group of people or a particular environment.

What is the Youth Social Action Programme - Phase 2?

Due to the success of the Phase 1 – Pears #iWill Youth Social Action Apprenticeship Programme, the Pears Foundation, in partnership with AoC, are investing in a second phase of the programme. Phase 2 of the programme will not only continue to build on the excellent work from Phase 1 Youth Social Action Apprenticeship Programme but will develop two other components to the programme, including Mentoring and Youth Social Action Ambassadors:

• Youth Social Action Apprentices – Phase 2 will include five Youth Social Action Apprentices to work across 18 colleges in the East, East Midlands, North West, South East and South West regions. The apprentices will study a Level 3 Youth Support Worker Apprenticeship facilitated by Bolton College.

• Mentoring – Apprentices from the Phase 1 of the programme will continue to share best practice across the sector by mentoring a Youth Social Action Apprentice and 5-10 Youth Social Action Ambassador Colleges in Phase 2 of the programme. Mentors will continue to embed Youth Social Action within their college and local communities.

• Youth Social Action Ambassadors – Phase 2 will include 25 ambassador colleges per year in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber, West Midlands and London regions. The ambassador colleges that will support 5 - 8 students to become Youth Social Action Ambassadors to deliver one social action project within their college.

Programme objectives

The programme aims to:

• To raise awareness of Youth Social Action in Further Education.
• To empower students to take action and address local issues.
• To enable the apprentices, ambassadors and mentors to create opportunities to undertake meaningful work experience around social action.
• To upskill the ambassadors, apprentices and mentors.
• To embed Youth Social Action into colleges wherever possible.
• Raise the positive profile of colleges through Youth Social Action in the local community.
• Link to National Youth Social Action Programmes and other relevant partners.
• Engage with local employers for support and future sustainability.
• To create a sustainable model for delivery of Youth Social Action in colleges.

Youth Social Action Resources Section

The links to case studies and resources below aim to showcase good practice in Youth Social Action and share the learnings from the Apprentices, Mentors, Ambassadors and their colleges from the Pears Youth Social Action Programme Phase 2. We hope the documents can support other colleges undertaking their Social Action journey in Further Education.