How to embed true youth social action in your college

In the present world where technology circulates global news quickly, and global challenges can seem overwhelming due to fake news and social media, youth social action provides a way for young people to make positive visible change to the people around them, and as further education (FE) staff we have the ability to empower young people to do this.

I headed into my second year of being a youth social action apprentice with the knowledge of how important social action projects are for colleges, the community, and ultimately the young people who lead them. I have watched students grow in confidence, improve their skills and find their identity by taking part in a project that they are invested in. Youth social action projects show young people that they are capable of making a difference.

To help others get started on their youth social action journey, here are my top tips for getting projects set up in FE settings.

• Start small, think big
  Ambition starts somewhere, and giving it a go is the best way to get started. Small projects and awareness stands have just as much power as large scale projects and can be the gateway into lasting partnerships with external organisations, and bigger projects for the same cause in the future. Students using their voice to make change can inspire others to do the same and embed a culture of youth social action into student life. At Bournemouth and Poole College, I set up a stall for students to interact with local council representatives and give their opinion on a new transport plan, in which 56 students took part. This led to almost double the number of students feeling confident and empowered to engage with mock polling stations for the local Police Crime Commissioner Election and the general election later in the year.

• Be creative
  Young people have the passion, creativity and energy to make social change possible. Starting the conversation can be hard, so find unique ways to find out what they are passionate about with games and interactive activities. I ran a stall at freshers fairs in two of my colleges to get students thinking about their wider communities by challenging them to make a model out of clay to represent something they want to change. Use activities like debates, art and sport to tailor each activity to the group of students you are engaging with.

• Don’t underestimate your students
  Young people bring a fresh perspective to the topic of social change. If there’s a barrier to overcome in order to complete a project or an idea needs fine-tuning, ask them to problem-solve and see what negotiations and work arounds they come up with. Communication is key, and decisions shouldn’t be made without the students being a part of the conversation.

• Be flexible
  A youth social action project is student-led and built from a variety of ideas, skills and interests. It won’t always go to plan, but being able to adapt to different circumstances means any project is worthwhile and has a benefit to a community and the students involved. I worked with the NEETs group at Weymouth College and was so proud of how the students played to their strengths and worked together to complete their fundraisers. In this group, eight out of 11 students said they had improved their communication skills and six out of 11 said they had developed their teamwork skills.

• Network
  You’ll hear of amazing opportunities for youth social action by making connections with other departments and external organisations. Take time to visit local volunteer fairs or charity events to look for project opportunities and talk to organisations about how a project can work.
  
  

Youth social action is an incredible initiative for students to campaign, volunteer, fundraise and fight for causes that matter, while developing new skills and connecting with others. Students can discover the power and the influence they have by speaking out about what they would like to see changed in their local community.

Phoebe McMullen is the Youth Social Action Apprentice at Bournemouth and Poole College