Community resources
Knowledge and understanding of issues affecting the well-being of individuals in communities. This includes income, living standards, health, crime, housing and transport.
Websites with practical activities
BBC Education 'Get involved' campaign
Website specifically for young people on how they can get involved and make a difference in their school, in their community and even globally. Lots of practical information, activities, advice and ideas on how students can get their projects up and running.
Save the Children: Help Yourselves!
Website encouraging young people and those working with young people to get involved in their communities and speak out on issues that affect them. Lots of information, ideas and helpful support on developing local projects. Includes funding ideas, resources and some great success stories.
School programmes
Eco Schools
Programme with lots of resource materials and ideas to help you make sustainable development a part of the life and ethos of your school. It promotes environmental awareness in a way that links directly to curriculum subjects and comes with a recognised award.
Sustrans: Safe Routes to Schools project
Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, works on practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport. The Safe Routes to School project offers free curriculum resources, ideas and advice to schools, local authorities, pupils, teachers and parents to make the school journey safer and healthier for everyone. Website packed with information on making school travel plans for your school and getting your students involved.
Unipaz UK: peace education
Unipaz-UK run a series of programmes for primary and secondary schools which offer relaxation techniques and aim to increase young people's self-confidence and self-esteem. CPD programmes for teachers are also available. Unipaz-UK aim to contribute to UNESCO's (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) vision for a global culture of peace.
Calendar of events and activities
Count Me In Calendar
Comprehensive, free to use, calendar of charity awareness and fundraising campaigns, UN special observances and religious holidays - updated daily. This useful resource has information on a huge range of events and activities across the UK. It includes sections on 'Education and Learning' and 'Children and Youth'. Great place to get topical ideas.
Software
Learning for Life, Grampian Police
Website offering CD-ROMs with accompanying lesson plans for ages 5-13 which you can purchase for your school. The topics available are bullying, citizenship (focusing on law and order), drugs, safety and vandalism. The site is a bit tricky to navigate but resources may be useful.
National campaigns
Giving Nation
UK campaign to demonstrate to young people how giving can help change our world. It is a partnership between charities and the government aiming to develop the culture of giving in the UK. It fits into the school programme for 11-16s and includes information on G-week in June. Informative and lively site aimed at young people with plenty of opportunities for them to get involved and make their voices heard. Also good section for teachers.
Scottish umbrella organisations for the voluntary sector
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
Provides voluntary organisations with access to practical information, guidance and support.
Volunteer Development Scotland
Works strategically and in partnership to promote, support and develop volunteering in Scotland.
Workwithus.org
Scottish voluntary sector portal packed with news and information to help you tap into opportunities and resources within this sector.
Organisations
Child Poverty Action Group
Promotes action for the relief of poverty among children and families. Campaigns and provides information which seeks to improve benefits and policies for low-income families. Provides latest facts and figures on poverty in the UK, advice on welfare benefits system, training and seminars.
Citizenship Pieces
Details of some really good initiatives taking place in the Tower Hamlets schools. Find out how they planned and implemented projects on playground buddies, road safety and anti-racism amongst others. One section for teachers and another for pupils giving them advice and activities on setting up a school council. Focused on England and Wales curriculum, but with lots of transferable ideas.
Edinburgh Youth Social Inclusion Partnership (EYIP)
Partnership working with organisations and young people in Edinburgh to develop and test solutions for inclusion. Excellent research work, practical toolkits and useful resources offered with relevance beyond the Edinburgh community.
Shelter Scotland
UK campaigning charity for homelessness and badly housed people. Downloadable factsheets on housing and homelessness in the UK and information on housing campaigns and policy in Scotland and the UK.
UK Youth
Works to support and develop high quality work and educational opportunities for all young people. It offers programmes, services and publications to enable young people to develop their personal, social and career development.
We Are What We Do
Movement to inspire action - it's aiming to change the world! Lots of ideas, free images and downloads on small (and big) things you can do to make a difference in the world around you. Fab website with lots of fun stuff, especially for young people.
It must be emphasised that inclusion of these web links does not in any way represent endorsement by Learning and Teaching Scotland, nor are we responsible for the content of external websites.