Working with young people

Resources, materials and training

A wide range of resources have been produced some of which are available below. For a comprehensive list of resources see Youth & education network resources.

Guide to working with young people (PDF - 119K)
Young people and their teachers, youth leaders and parents are some of the most receptive audiences. This guide gives you ideas about ways to contact and work with them. It contains the basics in how to make contact with schools and youth clubs, how to engage young people and useful education contacts.

Activity pack for kids on summer stalls (PDF)
If you're running stalls over the summer you'll find this activity sheet useful with suggested activities for engaging young people as their parents sign a postcard.

A guide to teaching methods
We've put together a concise guide (PDF) to the different teaching methods which can be used with young people, from debates to role plays.

A template for planning your session (PDF)
Use this template when planning your session for a school or youth club setting. It will give you the basic structure of your session and action points, and the preparation should only take you 20 minutes.

Considerations when designing a worksheet (PDF)
Worksheets are a great way to help people learn, making the whole classroom process more interesting and enjoyable.  We have produced some simple guidelines to help you plan and produce your own.

Mad Abouts
Designed for 6-10 yr olds, these colourful posters provide useful information and suggestions on how to make a difference. And you can now download lesson plans, offering stimulating ideas for bringing these issues to life within the classroom.

Climate assembly plan (PDF)
This assembly plan is aimed at 11-13 year olds. It will give you an ‘off the peg’ plan, with suggestions for further reading and resources.

A guide to the National Curriculum (PDF)
If you are planning to go into a school then it is preferable to choose a subject that you are comfortable with. It is also beneficial to link your session to the National Curriculum. This will make it easier for teachers to accommodate your visit into their schedule and to provide focus to your session. We have compiled a guide to the National Curriculum and with details of suitable activities which fit within the subjects.

Photography consent form
You will need consent if you are planning to take and use any photos of young people in publicity materials. Use this template to record consent. This should be used in conjunction with our image policy statement for guidance on your use of images of young people and children.

Resources produced by local group members

Some of our Youth and Education Network members have produced their own resources for a range of activities, including a Climate Change Quiz, Waste wordsearch and useful resources for making contact with schools and youth clubs. Please have a browse and make use of them.

Presentations and speakers notes

Planning to give a talk or run a session on either an introduction to Friends of the Earth, climate change, food or waste issues? Here are some downloadable powerpoint presentations:

These come with speakers notes and are aimed at secondary school pupils. Please read the guidance notes (PDF 25KB) for important information about using the presentations to suit your situation.

If you are thinking to design a presentation from scratch or alter an exisitng one please bear in mind these presentation design considerations (PDF 49KB). They will help you to feel more confident and make the most of the time you have with the audience.

Training

Regular training events are run for Friends of the Earth local group members and these are advertised on the back page of Change Your World and on our events calendar. You can also look at notes and ideas that have come out of past training events.

Images: © Digital Vision