We Are What We Do Announces Results of Year 1 of The Young Speaker’s Programme
06 April 2009 00:00:00
We Are What We Do, the social change organisation behind the bestselling book,
Change the World for a Fiver and the iconic “
I’m not a plastic bag” project proudly announced details of the impact of the first year of its Young Speakers Programme today.
In Year 1 of the Programme, which is jointly funded by the Aldridge Foundation and v,
200 young people aged between 16 and 19 from schools in London and the North West of England gave a total of
593 presentations in schools and community groups inspiring more than
50,000 children to use simple everyday actions to make a difference to social and environmental problems affecting their local and global communities.
Nick Stanhope, We Are What We Do’s Head of education said today: “
This is a fantastic result and we are excited about working with our funding partners and schools and colleges to build on this fantastic beginning in year 2. It is clear that the young people who participated in the programme got a huge amount from the experience and have really taken on board our ethos of small actions done by lots of people changing the world and have found some really imaginative and creative ways of bringing this vision to life in a style which is relevant and highly engaging for their peers.”
Speaking about her experience as a Young Speaker, 17 year old Rebecca of Blackburn College said: “
The Young Speaker’s Programme has made me think a lot more about the small things I do everyday and how I can make a real difference with very little effort. It has also given me the opportunity to pass this on to others, which makes me feel like I’m making a real difference to the world”.
Paul Jackson, Head Teacher of Gallions Primary School in East London at which a number of Young Speakers made presentations said today: “
On the estate where the majority of our pupils live, there is limited access to positive role models. The Young Speakers programme gives our pupils access to excellent, positive role models from similar backgrounds, while delivering an extremely powerful message about the difference individual children can make to the world around them.”
Rodney Aldridge OBE said, “
I have been impressed by We Are What We Do’s innovative approach to creating social change. No other organisation has tackled the need for a change in attitude in such a way - the concept of “small actions x lots of people means big change” empowers us all with the ability to make a difference. Through the Young Speakers Programme, We Are What Do is demonstrating that even a young child has the power to effect change.”
This year, We Are What We Do will be recruiting a further 200 Young Speakers from schools and colleges in the North West, the Midlands, Bristol and London
Additionally, a group of existing Young Speakers will become Ambassadors to help recruit and support new Young Speakers develop and run the trainings and advise on the programme. The 2-day residential trainings will take place this summer.
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For further information, please contact Nicole van den Eijnde at We Are What We Do on +44 (0) 2073967463.
Editors’ notes
About the Young Speaker’s Programme
The Young Speakers Programme equips 16-19 year olds from 6th from schools and colleges to inspire their peers and younger children to use simple everyday actions to address social and environmental problems. The Young Speakers deliver presentations in schools based on content form We Are What We Do’s books including last year’s
Teach Your Granny to Text as well as running creative campaigns in their own schools based on actions, and running workshops in local primary schools.
About We Are What We Do
We Are What We Do is a global social change movement that aims to inspire people to use simple everyday actions to make a difference to problems which affect us all - climate change, poverty, social exclusion, crime and inequality. We believe that it is not just politicians and business leaders who change the world but that each of us, through the hundreds of small actions we take every day, plays a significant part in creating the public mood to which businesses and governments respond. We bring our vision to life by creating products, campaigns and initiatives which make these problems and their solutions accessible and engaging. Further information can be found at
www.wearewhatwedo.orgAbout the Aldridge Foundation
Rod Aldridge OBE, is an entrepreneur who founded and was then the Chairman of the Capita Group plc. Since retiring from Capita in 2006, Rod has established the Aldridge Foundation which is committed to supporting and working with projects and initiatives which tackle social exclusion, and promote entrepreneurship and public service reform. Rod is sponsor of an Academy school in Darwen, Blackburn, specialising in entrepreneurship, which will open in September 2008. He is also the Chairman of v, the charity promoting youth volunteering and of the Lowry, in Salford. See
www.aldridgefoundation.comAbout v
v is an independent charity set up in 2006 to champion youth volunteering. Its aim is to inspire a new generation of young people aged 16-25 to volunteer. To do this v is working to increase the quantity, quality and diversity of volunteering opportunities available to young people. It is supported by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office.
www.vinspired.com