PLEASE NOTE WE WILL SHORTLY OPEN BOOKINGS FOR 2023 – REGISTER INTEREST TO BE FIRST TO HEAR  

Join us for the return of the COBIS GSL Leadership Weekend, taking place from the 10th – 12th November 2023!

We are excited to share that this year’s weekend will once again include two strands:

  • COBIS GSL Catalyst – For students who are starting their journey as a social leader.
  • COBIS GSL Accelerator – For graduates of previous Catalyst programmes who are looking to further develop their social action skills.

By taking part students will develop leadership skills, learn about local and global issues, explore their passions, build confidence, connect with other students from COBIS schools around the world, and become part of a global movement.

REGISTER INTEREST

We invite schools, parents and young people, to register interest. You will then be first to hear when we open registration for 2023.

  • AGE ELIGIBILITY | 11-17-years-old
  • DATES | 10th – 12th November 2023
  • DURATION | 3 days of live interactive virtual sessions followed by 30-days (Catalyst) or 60-days (Accelerator) of independent action
  • GRADUATION | TBA January 2024
  • COST FOR INDIVIDUAL BOOKINGS | Early bird £185, or £220 if booked after 9th October (member school students access 20% discounted rates)
  • COST FOR SCHOOL BOOKINGS (groups of 10+ students) |  Early bird £165, or £200 if booked after 9th October
  • EARLY BIRD BOOKING DEADLINE | 9th October 2023
  • FINAL BOOKING DEADLINE | 31st October 2023

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL GRADUATES OF THE COBIS GSL WORLD CATALYST 2021

COURSE JOURNEY

3 DAY VIRTUAL COURSE

Begin your GSL transformation by discovering the leader in you on our three day interactive Catalyst or Accelerator virtual course. Find out more about what students enjoyed most about the course by clicking here.

INDEPENDENT CHALLENGE

The 30 day or 60 day period of action (depending if you are taking part in the Catalyst or Accelerator course) will be an opportunity for you to make positive change for issues you care about. Find out more and be inspired by other Global Social Leaders who have completed their own challenge by clicking here.

CELEBRATION & CERTIFICATES

Celebrate what you have achieved at your graduation and receive certificates of participation and for your challenge! Find out more by watching the graduation event from last year by clicking here.

I will always remember the feeling of being part of the bigger picture aimed at change; the GSL World Catalyst is a magical, unique experience full of motivation and life lessons.
CeciliaGSL COBIS Catalyst 2021
What the GSL World Catalyst has shown me, is that anything is possible if one really wants to achieve it. For example, I thought there was no way I was going to persuade people to not waste food, but here I am, with people at my school not wasting as much food as before.
JonášGSL COBIS Catalyst 2021
GSL was very inclusive and we got to know each other really well. I met people from all over the world and I got to learn new things and hear other people’s opinions on situation/issues going on in today’s world.
Ella-MaeGSL COBIS Catalyst 2021

CATALYST

The GSL Catalyst has been designed for students who are starting their journey as a social leader.

The course will enable them to form meaningful connections with other COBIS students around the world and empower them to develop their own social action projects which will tackle the issues they care about most.

It is for students aged 11 – 18 who want to:

    • Develop leadership skills
    • Explore their passions and purpose
    • Build confidence and resilience
    • Understand how to improve their wellbeing
    • Learn how to design a social action project that addresses the Global Goals
REGISTER INTEREST

We invite schools, parents and young people, to register interest. You will then be first to hear when we open registration for 2023.

ACCELERATOR

The GSL Accelerator is designed for graduates of the GSL Catalyst to take the next step to elevate the impact of their social action projects.

The course provides a space for students to connect with other COBIS students around the world, be inspired by the change that they can make, and take action to support people and planet. It encourages them to combine their knowledge, understanding and skills to create solutions with their community.

It is for Catalyst graduate students aged 11 – 18 who want to:

    • Further develop leadership and teamwork skills
    • Explore social issues in more depth
    • Understand the importance of reflection and how to improve their wellbeing
    • Exchange thoughts, messages, and information effectively
    • Analyse and evaluate issues and ideas
REGISTER INTEREST

We invite schools, parents and young people, to register interest. You will then be first to hear when we open registration for 2023.

Download the information pack below to find out more and view the course timetable.

CATALYST INFORMATION PACK

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Download the information pack below to find out more and view the course timetable.

ACCELERATOR INFORMATION PACK

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

LEARNING MODULES

  • Wellbeing & Resilience

  • Reflection

  • global & local issues

  • Leading yourself & Others

  • Pursuing your passions

  • DEEPENING YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE 17 UN GLOBAL GOALS

  • Communicating Your Message

  • TOOLKIT FOR ACTION

STUDENT FEEDBACK

Every year we have received a lot of amazing feedback from our participants. You can hear from some of them in the short video called ‘What did you enjoy most about the COBIS GSL Catalyst?‘ You can also watch the student panel from the COBIS conference called ‘How to support your students to be leaders in their lives and communities’.

Just click on one of the images below to access the videos. We have also included a variety of quotes at the bottom of this section to showcase the impact of the programme.

The programme let us interact with people our own age, it taught us all about being GREAT leaders helped to shape the next generation of socially conscious leaders, it was so well organised and easy to access online. The whole structure of the timetable worked really well and all the facilitators were FANTASTIC!!!!”

HibahGSL Summer Catalyst @Home, July 2020

“This course has been an inspiring journey and an amazing start to a bright future.”

AshnaGSL Summer Catalyst @Home, July 2020

“I felt so much love and interaction during the program that I felt connected even when we were miles away from each other.”​

SnehaGSL World Catalyst @Home, February 2021

“I learnt that there are so many parts to wellbeing and it is really important to look after yourself because it not only brings out your full potential but will also impact others.”

LeoCOBIS GSL World Catalyst, November 2020

“I learned that exchanging ideas with people from different nationalities, cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds helps you to think in a different way, and to get other perspectives of the world.”​

OsmanGSL World Catalyst @Home, February 2021

“I learnt how a passion for a topic or a talent could be the driving factor behind a massive and constructive change in your community.”

JadesolaCOBIS GSL World Catalyst, November 2020

“I learned that leadership does not just come from how you treat/act around others, nor just from the action you take, but also from how you treat yourself.”​

CarolineGSL World Catalyst @Home, February 2021

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

  • COURSE TIMINGS & DURATION

When you register, you need to select which time you will attend the live online sessions for the course. There are two time zone options: 

08:00 to 11:45 UK Time 

or

15:00 to 18:45 UK Time

Below is a rough example of times – do check the time where you live in the world before applying! Click here to download an online time zone converter.

London, UK  Vancouver, Canada Rio de Janeiro, BrazilIstanbul, TurkeyAbu Dhabi, UAE Delhi, IndiaKuala Lumpur, MalaysiaSydney, Australia 
08:00 00:00 04:00 10:00 11:00 12:30 15:00 17:00 
15:00 07:00 11:00 17:00 18:00 19:30 22:00 00:00 

Below is a rough example of times – do check the time where you live in the world before applying! Click here to download an online time zone converter.

London, UK08:0015:00
Vancouver, Canada00:0007:00
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil04:0011:00
Istanbul, Turkey10:0017:00
Abu Dhabi, UAE11:0018:00
Delhi, India12:3019:30
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia15:0022:00
Sydney, Australia17:0000:00

  • ONLINE SAFETY

We take your safety seriously and we want to ensure you have a great experience on the course.

All participants will need to sign a Code of Conduct before we start. We want all young people to be able to engage in a safe and respectful space.

Please be aware that we will be using Zoom for the live virtual sessions on this course.

  • COURSE CONTENT IN ENGLISH

The programme is all in English, and we do not provide translations of the materials.

We do not ask you to do a test to show your level, so please be sure you are happy with your English language! We suggest a CEFR level (Common European Framework of Reference) of B2 or above (C1/ C2) to join this course.

If you are concerned about this, please get in touch with our team before you register. There are some free online tests if you want to check your level.

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT BOOKING

If you are a student who would like to book an individual place on the COBIS GSL World Catalyst please read this section. If you are a student attending as part of a School Group please contact your teacher for instructions.

To secure your place on the course follow the below steps:

  • Step 1: Pay for your place (you will need parental permission to do so). Please note that to benefit from the early bird price you must complete payment by the 9th October. Please use the button below to make your payment.
  • Step 2: Complete the Student Registration & Parental Consent form to register for the course. You will receive a link to the form via email after payment is received. We strongly encourage you to complete this form as early as possible.

After the completion of these steps, you will receive confirmation of your place and will be contacted with next steps and joining instructions.

The price of the course is £220 (incl. VAT) for an individual student booking. This includes the interactive three day leadership weekend, ongoing support through the 30 day challenge, the graduation event, and certificates for completion of the course.

To take advantage of the early bird price of £185 (incl. VAT) your booking will need to be made before 9th October 2023.

Member school students an access 20% discounted rates. Click here to find out more about the GSL Membership.

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT BOOKING - BOOKING OPENS SOON

Once payment is completed you will receive an email with a link to the student registration & parental consent form (Booking is closed)

REGISTER INTEREST

We invite schools, parents and young people, to register interest. You will then be first to hear when we open registration for 2023.

SCHOOL ENQUIRIES

If you are a teacher that would like your students to benefit from this opportunity, please read this section.

Our team is committed to making this process as easy as possible for you and will support you every step of the way. We are always available for you via email, our website chat and can arrange a virtual meeting to discuss the details of your booking.

Once we receive your School Registration form, we will share a recruitment toolkit to help you promote this opportunity with your students. The toolkit includes all the necessary materials such as posters, email templates, letter to parents and more. We will keep you up to date with your student’s involvement in the course and invite you to the graduation event.

The price of the course is £200 (incl. VAT) per student for school groups of a minimum of 10 students. This includes the interactive three day leadership weekend, ongoing support through the 30 day challenge, the graduation event, and certificates for completion of the course.

To take advantage of the early bird price of £165 (incl. VAT) per student, your booking will need to be made before 9th October 2023.

SCHOOL REGISTRATION FORM - BOOKING WILL OPEN SOON

Once school registration is complete you will receive the recruitment toolkit and further instructions via email (Bookings for 2023 will open soon). Please register interest to be the first to hear.

AIMS AND OUTCOMES

  • Make Meaningful Global Connections

The COBIS GSL Leadership Weekend will provide you with the opportunity to make friends and learn from other young people from a diverse range of backgrounds. You will have the time to connect, share and learn about the world from their perspectives.  Discover what they are passionate about and explore how you can collaborate and support each other to make the world a brighter more sustainable place for all.

“It was eye opening to be in a Zoom call with people from around the world who came from different, highly varied walks of life. It was inspiring to hear many of them share their ideas and feelings and truly made me feel as though I were a part of a global community.”

Atyantika, 15

  • Wellbeing & Resilience

We are in unprecedented times. Now more than ever we need to learn to navigate ourselves to changing contexts and adapt in ways that ensure wellbeing. There will be dedicated sessions on wellbeing and resilience where you will learn and develop a practical toolkit for supporting you being well now and in the future. We believe it is important to give time and space to develop good mental health and wellbeing. The COBIS GSL Leadership Weekend will give you the space that you need to reflect and grow in the ways you want to.

“I always put too much pressure on myself, not forgiving myself for the little mistakes I make and leading me to become anxious, but the course helped me to think that I should be more aware of my wellbeing because it’s something very important.”

Kyeong-Min, 15

  • Future World of Work Skills: The Four Cs of 21st century learning

The future employment landscape is always changing, and there are lots of choices facing young people around education, jobs and their future!  We want to support you to build these skills on our courses by focusing on The Four C’s. 

“If today’s students want to compete in this global society, they must be proficient communicators, creators, critical thinkers, and collaborators (the “Four Cs”). Students need to master additional subject areas, including foreign languages, the arts, geography, science, and social studies.  Educators must complement all of those subjects with the “Four Cs” to prepare young people for the global workforce.”

[The above text is an extract from research carried out by the National Education Association.]

  • Transformative competencies

The OECD highlight the need to acquire three transformative competencies to help shape the future we want: creating new value, reconciling tensions and dilemmas, and taking responsibility. When young people “create new value, they ask questions, collaborate with others and try to think “outside the box” in order to find innovative solutions. This blends a sense of purpose with critical thinking and creativity”

Young people “need to be able to balance contradictory or seemingly incompatible logics and demands, and become comfortable with complexity and ambiguity. This requires empathy and respect.” 

Young people “who have the capacity to take responsibility for their actions have a strong moral compass that allows for considered reflection, working with others and respecting the planet.” 

[OECD Learning Compass 2030]

We have shaped our programme based on this Learning Compass which has focused on what knowledge, skills, attitudes and values students’ need today to thrive in and shape their world. 

The GSL Catalyst is shaped to focus on building knowledge, skills attitudes and values through independent learning as well as live sessions connecting young people.  We believe in building the right attitude and values in young people as the foundation for GSL programmes. 

Reflection is a key component to any GSL programme, as part of the learning process; encouraging young people to reflect on their experience throughout the programme, their own individual learning and building their insight. “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” [Dewey (1933:78)] 

The Learning Compass highlights the need for “students to learn to navigate by themselves through unfamiliar contexts” [OECD Learning Compass 2030]. 

Through GSL students will learn to be the Captain of their own ship!

  • Social Action and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The COBIS GSL Leadership Weekend will challenge students to THINK GLOBAL and ACT LOCAL, examining the issues behind the Global Goals and understanding the part they can play by joining the biggest attempt in the history of the human race to make the world a better place.

We also feel that connecting young people from different countries and backgrounds will help shape meaningful discussions on issues as well as creating collaborative solutions as Global Citizens.

Many young people are already running their own projects in their school or community, and the aim of the programme is to build and develop knowledge around the SDGs.  You will be supported to take on a real world 30 Day Challenge, where you will take action to address a local or global issue you feel passionate about. Check out our Challengers and get inspired by clicking here!

What’s included in the price?

  • INDIVIDUAL BOOKING FULL PRICE

  • 12 Live Online Sessions
  • All programme session materials
  • Access to content post-programme
  • Access to independent challenges with support of our team
  • 30 Day Challenge
  • Invitation to join GSL Fellowship
  • Participation in Global Goals Competition
  • Certificate of completion
    Certificate of completion of Individual Challenges (Evidence required)
  • Online Graduation
  • £220
  • per student (price includes VAT)
  • REGISTER TODAY

  • SCHOOL GROUP BOOKING PRICE PER STUDENT

    6+ STUDENTS

  • 12 Live Online Sessions
  • All programme session materials
  • Access to content post-programme
  • Access to independent challenges with support of our team
  • 30 Day Challenge
  • Invitation to join GSL Fellowship
  • Participation in Global Goals Competition
  • Certificate of completion
    Certificate of completion of Individual Challenges (Evidence required)
  • Online Graduation
  • £195
  • per student (price includes VAT).
  • REGISTER TODAY

It’s important that you know what you are signing up to take part in!  This programme involves live online sessions with a GSL Coach and independent challenges. There are no tests to complete the programme (phew!)

  • Live online sessions

The most exciting part of the programme are the Live Online Sessions. Your GSL Coach will lead an international group of participants through all learning modules.

  • Independent Challenges

Our programmes are about taking action. You will be invited to take on an independent challenge in your own time. This will be a great opportunity to put the learning in practice and a chance to gain additional certificates.

  • Online Safety

We take your safety seriously, and we want to ensure you have a great experience on the programme.
 
All participants will need to sign a Code of Conduct before we start. We want all young people to be able to engage in a safe and respectful space. 
 
Please be aware that we will be using Zoom for Live Online Sessions.

  • Course Content in English

The programme is all in English, and we do not provide translations of the materials. 
 
We do not ask you to do a test to show your level, so please be sure you are happy with your English language!  We suggest a CEFR level (Common European Framework of Reference) of B2 or above (C1/ C2) to join this programme.
 
If you are concerned about this, please get in touch with our team before you register. There are some free online tests if you want to check your level. 

  • Time Zones

When you register, you need to select which time you will attend the Live Online Sessions for the programme.  There are two time zone options: 

08:00 to 11:45 UK Time 

or

15:00 to 18:45 UK Time

Below is a rough example of times – do check the time where you live in the world before signing up! 

London, UK  Vancouver, Canada Rio de Janeiro, BrazilIstanbul, TurkeyAbu Dhabi, UAE Delhi, IndiaKuala Lumpur, MalaysiaSydney, Australia 
08:00 00:00 04:00 10:00 11:00 12:30 15:00 17:00 
15:00 07:00 11:00 17:00 18:00 19:30 22:00 00:00 
REGISTER INTEREST

We are excited to confirm we will be holding this event for the second year, on the 12th to 14th November 2021

Last year, 191 students from 31 COBIS schools in 19 countries took part.

Registration for schools will be opening soon.

To register interest in your school taking part, please click the button below and complete the form or email our team using the following email address with the subject line COBIS GSL World Catalyst:

gslcatalyst@future-foundations.co.uk

Once registration opens, we will contact you to invite your school to register and confirm your participation.

Last year the Student Leadership Weekend organised annually by COBIS in Madrid could not take place due to COVID-19. In response, COBIS and Future Foundations developed an exciting online opportunity.  

The programme was a real success with 191 young people from 31 COBIS schools taking part.  At a time when students could not travel, this programme provided the opportunity for a global community of COBIS students to connect.  Whilst we are disappointed that restrictions remain and with travel uncertainty likely to continue throughout 2021, we are delighted to be able to be able to offer this programme for a second year.

REGISTER INTEREST

Watch last year’s Graduation Event

Watch last year’s Afternoon Graduation event

Watch a student panel at the COBIS annual conference, with students speaking about the impact of the programme

“The three most important things that I have learned is to be myself, be confident, and to always value others opinions.”

“I loved meeting new people, hearing their voices and interacting with people from across the world. It helped me gain even more confidence as I have never met so many people at once.”

“I enjoyed it because I got to increase my confidence and I got to talk to new people.”

“I learnt I should always be open minded to new opportunities and experiences otherwise I won’t be able to properly succeed.”

“I enjoyed talking to people and building my confidence on how to be a leader. GSL has helped me understand myself A LOT more.”

“The ability to cope with uncertainty, develop new attitudes and values, and act productively and meaningfully, even when goals shift, remains, for the moment, a uniquely human skill”

Laukonnen, Biddel and Gallagher, 2018

Aims and Outcomes

  • Future World of Work Skills: The Four Cs of 21st century learning

The future employment landscape is always changing, and there are lots of choices facing young people around education, jobs and their future!  We want to support you to build these skills on our courses by focusing on The Four C’s. 

“If today’s students want to compete in this global society, they must be proficient communicators, creators, critical thinkers, and collaborators (the “Four Cs”). Students need to master additional subject areas, including foreign languages, the arts, geography, science, and social studies.  Educators must complement all of those subjects with the “Four Cs” to prepare young people for the global workforce”

[Extract from research carried out by the National Education Association]. 

  • OECD Learning Compass

We have shaped our programme based on The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Learning Compass which has focused on what knowledge, skills, attitudes and values students’ need today to thrive in and shape their world. 

The COBIS GSL World Catalyst is shaped to focus on building knowledge, skills attitudes and values through independent learning as well as live sessions connecting young people.  We believe in building the right attitude and values in young people as the foundation for GSL programmes. 

Reflection is a key component to any GSL programme, as part of the learning process; encouraging young people to reflect on their experience throughout the programme, their own individual learning and building their insight. “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” [Dewey (1933:78)] 

The Learning Compass highlights the need for “students to learn to navigate by themselves through unfamiliar contexts” [OECD Learning Compass 2030]. 

  • Transformative competencies

The OECD highlight the need to acquire three transformative competencies to help shape the future we want: creating new value, reconciling tensions and dilemmas, and taking responsibility. 

When young people “create new value, they ask questions, collaborate with others and try to think “outside the box” in order to find innovative solutions. This blends a sense of purpose with critical thinking and creativity” 

Young people “need to be able to balance contradictory or seemingly incompatible logics and demands, and become comfortable with complexity and ambiguity. This requires empathy and respect.” 

Young people “who have the capacity to take responsibility for their actions have a strong moral compass that allows for considered reflection, working with others and respecting the planet.” 

[OECD Learning Compass 2030] 

  • Wellbeing

We are in unprecedented times. Now more than ever we need to learn to navigate ourselves to changing contexts and adapt in ways that ensure wellbeing. The COBIS GSL World Catalyst is an opportunity to learn new skills, develop the right mindset and prepare for the future we want. 

We believe it is important to give time and space to develop good mental health and wellbeing.  We will work with the young people on the programme to develop their own toolkit they can open anytime in the future when they need it. 

  • Social Action and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

In September 2015, world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs). If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030. 

The COBIS GSL World Catalyst will challenge students to THINK GLOBAL and ACT LOCAL, examining the issues behind the Goals and understanding the part they can play by joining the biggest attempt in the history of the human race to make the world a better place.  

We also feel that connecting young people from different countries and backgrounds will help shape meaningful discussions on issues as well creating collaborative solutions as Global Citizens. 

Many young people are already running their own projects in their school or community, and the aim of the programme is to build and develop knowledge around the SDGs.  We will help you to either improve existing projects or start new ones.  We will focus on areas such as understanding the users, measuring impact and how to make a project more sustainable. 

AFTER THE PROGRAMME

PARTICIPANTS ARE INVITED TO ENTER A GLOBAL COMPETITION

After the programme, you will be challenged to start your own social action project working in a team of 3 to 7 students which will make tangible changes within school and the community (local, national or global).

You will be invited to enter the GSL Global Goals Competition.

FIND OUT MORE

Registration for schools will be opening soon.

To register interest in your school taking part, please click on the button below and complete the form or email our team using the following email address with the subject line COBIS GSL World Catalyst:

gslcatalyst@future-foundations.co.uk

Once registration opens, we will contact you to invite your school to register and confirm your participation.

REGISTER INTEREST
5000+

young leaders around the world

1100+

reported social action projects

600+

schools involved in GSL programmes

100+

countries

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