On 2 February 2026, Global Social Leaders proudly powered the inaugural SPARK Workshop & Challenge launched as part of SPARK.Dubai 2026, a global education initiative hosted by the Varkey Foundation, at the GEMS School of Research & Innovation (SRI) in Dubai.
We brought together young people from across the GEMS Education network for an inspiring half-day experience of leadership, collaboration and social action.
The SPARK Workshop marked the launch of the SPARK Social Action Challenge, a follow-on challenge inviting students to take forward a small, meaningful action in their own school or community. With light-touch support, resources and check-ins from the Global Social Leaders team, students are now continuing their journey, turning inspiration into action.
STUDENT’S BLOG
Throughout the challenge, we are inviting students to share their journey and progress.
This blog is from Rahel, a student at The Winchester School Jebel Ali, who is working on the power of positive media. Realising how deeply online content shapes mood and mindset, she has committed to producing uplifting posts, quotes, videos and podcasts through her growing digital platforms on Instagram and YouTube. Rahel is using consistency and creativity to inspire others and make positive media a force for change.
The Spark
The Spark workshop gave me a chance to pause and really think about what matters to me. It was during a quiet and pivotal moment, sitting in silence, when I reflected on my values and motivations. That time of stillness made me realize how much power we have to influence the world through small actions. For me, it clicked that sharing positive media could be my way to make a difference. As I thought more about it, I saw how much media shapes our outlook and how easy it is to get caught up in negativity, making me more open-minded about the type of content I consume. But by shifting the focus to positivity, we can change how people feel and think. That moment of reflection was key for me, it opened my mind to the kind of content I want to create and share, helping others to find more light in their lives, one piece of media at a time.
My SPARK Challenge
The issue I care about is the power of positive media. We all spend so much time consuming media, and I’ve come to realize how much it affects our moods and how we see the world. My challenge is to publish, to raise awareness by creating and sharing content that help others focus on the good in their lives. It might be hard to get noticed at first but overtime as my content gets relatable and motivating, I will start inspiring thousands of humans! This could be through inspirational quotes, podcasts, or videos that offer a little bit of hope or encouragement. I’ve started my journey on Instagram on the account “rahel_unfiltered” before the workshop, however since the workshop, I’ve made this a consistent effort by enhancing and trying to share something positive with my audience every chance I get. I’m committed to using the power of media to inspire others and help them feel more motivated and empowered.
What I’m learning
What I’ve learned through this journey is that creating positive media doesn’t just help others – it helps me too. Each video, quote, or podcast I create forces me to pause and think about my own beliefs and how I want to share them with the world. It’s a continuous process of reflection and growth and that’s what I really like about my action plan. But what surprised me was how much consistency matters. When I don’t stay consistent with my content, I notice a drop in engagement and the algorithm doesn’t favor my posts and reels. This challenge of staying on track has made me realize how important it is to keep showing up and putting in the effort. Moving forward, I plan to keep creating content regularly on my insta page and on YouTube. I’m excited to get my school clubs, online communities, friends and family involved in this beautiful journey. Together, we can make positivity go viral.
In One Sentence
“My Spark journey has shown me how powerful positive media can be – not just for others, but also for my own growth and the way I see the world!”
My message to others is: Use the power of positive media to inspire and uplift. Stay consistent, spread the good, and share what brings light to people’s lives. With that, follow “rahel_unfiltered” on Instagram and YouTube!!
For further information, email: spark.gsl@future-foundations.co.uk
