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 Batool, a student at Jumeirah College, who plans to tackle the issue of low self-confidence and the fear of speaking up among young people. After exploring this challenge through collaboration and reflection, Batool aims to research the psychology behind these barriers and write a short research paper offering practical guidance on building confidence and expressing opinions. Through this work, Batool hopes to reach a global audience and empower others to recognise their worth and create positive change in society.
The Spark
To me the SPARK workshop acted as a catalyst allowing me to gain a perspective on real world problems and how to solve problems to make a difference in society. This workshop boosted my confidence and gave me opportunities I could never imagine. Attending this workshop allowed me to collaborate with like-minded people my age with a burning passion to make a change in the world. During the workshop, an activity that stood out to me was when we were told to plan a brief speech to talk about issues we are passionate about. In my group, we all had the opportunity to create speeches on how we aspire to solve an issue that really mattered to us and got the chance to present to the group and gain insightful feedback. Overall, I not only made lasting memories but gained powerful insights on how to make a long-lasting change in the current cosmopolitan world we call our home.
My SPARK Challenge
An issue I care the most about is people not knowing and embracing their worth and being afraid to voice their opinions on problems that matter to them. The SPARK workshop acted as an opening point for me to act upon this. I have established that to make a difference, I need to find out why people feel this way and how it can alter their brains. My idea has evolved greatly since the start of the workshop. Initially I wanted to host an extra-curricular activity (ECA) guiding students to become the best versions of themselves. I realised I had a better idea that would reach more people all over the world. I am planning to write a short research paper on this topic and provide helpful insights into becoming the best version of you. This will enable me to reach a larger range of people and if it even has a chance to make the smallest difference in society, I will achieve something amazing.
What I’m learning
I have learned things that have surprised me and things that have confused me, but something that broke my heart is that 30-50% of the global population struggles with voicing their opinions. In a class setting, almost 1/3 of children in every classroom struggle to express their opinions. My next step is to research the psychology behind the fear of voicing your opinions. I hope to write an insightful paper on how to become the best and most confident version of yourself as well as how to voice your opinions in a way that can truly change society. I aspire for this to reach the people who need guidance. Remember, just by giving your all today, you can make a better tomorrow.
In One Sentence
Spark taught me that you can make a difference the moment you know that you can rise even after you fall.
We are the generation of the future and the time for us to make change is now!
For further information, email: spark.gsl@future-foundations.co.uk
