The National-Lottery funded Good Life Schools Programme encourages young people to think critically and live differently, taking their school communities with them on a journey of change.
Good Life Schools Community Engagement Lead Sian Buckley visited Ellesmere College, a large SEND school in Leicester, to spend time with a post-16 group who are taking part in the Good Life Schools programme with their teacher Sally.
Sian says: “The session began with the Good Life group examining adverts. The students were engaged in a discussion about how these adverts try to get us to buy things we don’t need and that we often receive messages that buying more will make us happier — false messages that often lead to unnecessary spending."
Sally introduced the idea that celebrations such as Valentine’s Day and Lunar New Year are now an opportunity to be sold more things we don’t need which then end up in landfill.
With holidays often linked to consumer spending, especially on things like cards and gifts, we discussed alternative ways to show someone we love them without spending £5 on a card.
One child’s response really stood out to me: “You can show someone you love them by making them a cup of tea.”
It was lovely to see the session become hands-on and creative as the group explored other things we can do or make to celebrate events, without extra spending or the negative impact on the planet.
The group then chose from making salt dough snakes, wooden-beaded keyrings or paper lanterns as decorations and gifts, and alternatives to buying plastic.
The school also borrowed a large Chinese Dragon that students used for dressing up, reducing the waste that would be caused by buying single use costumes.
Sally reiterated that students making their own crafts also helps them to feel happier because they are connecting with others whilst making together and learning a new skill, which are two of the way to wellbeing that are highlighted in the Good Life Schools Programme.
The activities allowed the young people to express their creativity, while also showing them that homemade gifts and decorations can be just as meaningful—if not more so—than store-bought items, and I left feeling optimistic and excited for my return!”
Find out more about how the Good Life Schools Programme is supporting young changemakers to apply their curiosity and creativity to how we could live and learn differently, in ways that benefit people and planet.
Thanks to National Lottery players, Global Action Plan received over £1.1m from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, supporting the Good Life Schools project.
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