Youth Voice: Enhancing Enrichment Opportunities in Schools
We are excited to share the progress of our Enrichment Partnership Project (EPP), funded by the National Citizen’s Service (NCS) Trust, in collaboration with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE). Enrichment activities are a vital part of young people’s personal, social, and educational development, helping to discover interests, develop talents and build skills that prepare students for future success. This initiative is supporting secondary schools in under-represented communities to improve access to inclusive and high-quality enrichment opportunities for young people.
In our project, we are empowering young people to take the lead in shaping their school’s enrichment offer, designing and delivering their own activities. Our aim is that will develop relevant, accessible, and impactful enrichment activities that are embedded into schools in the long-term and shaped by the young people they aim to benefit.
In May we carried out focus groups with over 80 students from Years 7 to 10 across six schools in the East of England, providing a platform for students to share their thoughts on the existing enrichment opportunities available to them. Their feedback guided our project, highlighting the need for not only motivating students but also developing student voice and student-led initiatives.
Since September, we have delivered six assemblies to over 1,000 young people, all led by guest speakers who highlight how their hobbies and extracurricular interests have shaped their personal and professional lives. The sessions have helped to get students thinking about their passions and interests, and the enrichment opportunities they might like to lead or take part in. We follow up these talks with collaborative workshops where students can work together to develop ideas for their school’s enrichment offer.
Pete from Cam Skate We were delighted to welcome Pete from Cam Skate to speak during our assemblies at Coleridge Community College and Swavesey Village College. Pete shared his inspiring journey, from discovering his love for woodworking and building skate ramps as a child, to completing a joinery apprenticeship, studying boat building, and now creating Cambridge’s first indoor skatepark. Pete’s diverse experiences have equipped him with the skills to turn his childhood passion into a reality. And the students had lots of questions for Pete, including his favourite materials to work with, the number of boats he’s built, and whether he feels he has mastered his craft. Pete shared: “I don’t know that you ever master these skills, but I now have the capacity to figure out the solutions I need. When you connect with something you care about it’s so much easier to learn more.” |
Participating schools will each appoint ‘Involve Champions’, up to 10 students who will take on the challenge of developing and delivering their own enrichment initiatives. In doing so, they will not only create opportunities tailored to their peers' interests but also encourage wider participation among students who may currently feel disconnected from extracurricular activities.
The benefits extend far beyond the enrichment activities themselves. Students gain critical skills such as communication, leadership, project management and confidence. Additionally, the Involve Champions will form student representative groups to ensure ongoing dialogue with school leadership about enrichment. This feedback loop will help sustain enrichment activities even after the project ends.
We are proud to partner with schools, NCS Trust and DofE to champion enrichment for all. Together, we’re making strides toward creating a school environment where every student feels inspired, involved, and empowered to pursue their passions.
Stay tuned for updates as we continue with this exciting project!
Our Impact
