Full board (see information below) and accommodation at Wellington College between 11th to 22nd August 2021;
A sightseeing trip to London
A cultural trip to Oxford University;
Outdoor adventure day at Horseshoe Lake;
Formal gala dinner celebration;
Daily timetable of interactive workshops, inspiring guest speakers, experiential team tasks, personalised coaching outdoor activities, and evening entertainment;
Access to the facilities and amenities at Wellington College;
A full staff team with a range of academic and professional coaching background;
All materials produced for students on GSL (e.g. handbook, etc.)
A GSL t-shirt**If you would like to pre-order a GSL jumper (hoody) for £25 please let us know before coming to Wellington College. You will also be able to buy them on programme for £35 (limited size and stock)
What’s not included:
Travel to and from the programme (see Welcome and Departure Package below)
Travel Insurance, please ensure you are covered for travel insurance
Any personal expenses (e.g. souvenirs)
Welcome and Departure Package
Meet and greet at London Heathrow Airport on 12th August
Transport to Wellington College
Transport to London Heathrow Airport on the last day of GSL World Summit
If you haven’t yet booked your Welcome & Departure package, there is still time to do so. It will take the hassle out of planning your accommodation and food after your arrival. All you need to do is arrive at Heathrow airport and we’ll take care of the rest!
Please wear casual, comfortable, appropriate clothing, bearing in mind that we will be doing some physical activity:
Casual clothes for 12 days (e.g. t-shirts, jeans, etc.)
Formal/Smart wear for a Gala Dinner/BBQ (in previous years participants have worn suits/dresses or traditional dress from their country)
Sports clothing for free time and outdoor activities
Sport or comfortable shoes
Warm clothes for the evening and colder days
Pyjamas/nightwear
Underwear/socks
Waterproof jacket – there will be outdoor activity!
Suitable swimming gear – You will have a day of outdoor activities at a Lake. So you MUST bring swimwear that is suitable for water based activities, maybe bring an old t-shirt you can wear as well if its sunny and we are not wearing wetsuits
Alternative pair of sturdy shoes for water activities (trainers that can get wet or sandals (not flip flops)
Bring a re-usable water bottle if you have one (you will receive a GSL bottle if you forget yours)
Please bring plug adapters. We will NOT have these on site so please bring your own to fit UK plugs (see photo)
Toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothbrush, deodorant)
A large towel
A plastic bag for dirty clothes
A padlock (if you wish to lock up any valuables)
Please note that these are only suggestions. We will be posting any additional specific information on this page and will keep it updated!
Optional
Your special talent
A musical instrument (if you play one)
An object you can’t live without (which can be easily packed)
What NOT to bring:
Unnecessary valuables. There are no locks on the bedroom doors. Valuables are brought at your own risk.
Alcohol, drugs, weapons or any other illegal or dangerous weapons are forbidden on the programme
Pre-order a GSL jumper (hoodie) for only £25 today and collect it at Wellington College during the GSL World Summit. The regular price on programme is £35 so you will save ten pounds!
You will get a chance to see your coaches introductory videos to learn about the incredible staff who will make the GSL World Summit an unforgettable experience!
May
Travel Information
We will email you more information so you and your parents/guardians know exactly what to expect come August.
May/June
Participant login information
You will receive instructions to log into the participant space where you will meet the participants from all over the world who will be part of this journey.
June
Pre-programme preparation
You will be required to complete some fun exercises to give other participants more information about what makes you YOU!
June/July
Engage and Collaborate!
You will get the opportunity to book a slot with other GSL participants as well as chat to one of our staff members using our online platform. We will be answering questions on the programme, and make sure you are ready for your GSL experience at Wellington College!
June/July
Global Goals Competiton
We are excited to invite you to participate in the GSL Global Goals competition focused on the United Nations Global Goals for sustainable development,
Can you reflect how you felt at the start of the program versus the end?
At the start of the program I was really nervous about meeting new people and if I had to get up and speak in front of everyone. I didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself and I thought I wouldn’t be able to really connect with all these amazing people from all over the world because I felt like my confidence was so low compared to everyone else in the program. However at the end of the program I was so glad that all those feelings I had at the start were almost non-existent. At the end of the program I could feel a significant difference in my confidence and I was more open to speaking in front of people without feel so self-conscious all the time, and I was more aware about other issues in the world. The atmosphere throughout was always amazing everyone was so friendly and all the coaches made everyone feel so welcome. At the end of the program I loved how I had made so many friends from so many different parts of the world, I now have so many different friendships with people in different countries, I still keep in touch with them and I plan on treasuring those friendships for many years to come.
Could you briefly describe a typical day at World Summit?
Firstly we would all meet in our common room for registration and then head down to an amazing breakfast were we’d sit and chat to each other. Then we would have a morning plenary every morning and each morning the plenary would have a different theme for example two themes we got were: authenticity and mindfulness. Then we would usually split up into our teams that we were put in at the start of the summit. Here we would be in classrooms and we would talk about different worldwide issues, what we would like to change, we did a lot of team building exercises and we discussed a lot about the different sustainable development goals. Then would go for our lunch in the dinning hall which was always pretty good. The afternoons were also usually spent in our teams and then later in we’d go into the dining hall for dinner. In the evenings we would normally do different activities or have free time were we could all come together and do fun activities like different sports, play music and just talk with different people and have a good time. Then we would head back into our boarding houses and we’d chill out there sometimes with hot cocoa and biscuits until it was time for lights out.
What would you say to friend who is considering attending the GSL world summit?
I would tell them about how amazing the experience was. All the people are so incredibly friendly and welcoming from the start. I’d tell them about the amazing opportunity you have to make amazing friends from all over the world and form friendships that will last for years and years to come. You have a lot of opportunities to speak in public and develop that skill. You get to get involved with a lot of different and interesting discussions about different world issues and what you would like to see change in the world. You get to do really fun team building activities with amazing people. Overall it is an amazing and unforgettable experience and you should definitely consider going because you’ll have memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
I’m sure you had a moment or memory that stood out to you during the programme. Please describe it?
One evening we had a GSL talent show; it was such a fun night with great people. Each team had to perform a skit that they had prepared based on a sustainable development goal they were given, a place the skit had to be set in and a theme. Also people could display an individual talent they had. Also the coaches did a skit as well which was so fun to watch. Siting in the audience and taking in part in this with amazing friends was what made this such a fun experience. There was an amazing atmosphere, everyone was supporting each other and having fun. Some of things performed were really funny and really fun to participate in. Overall this stood out to me because all of us came together and had such an enjoyable night- I didn’t want the night to end!
Can you reflect how you felt at the start of the program versus the end?
At the beginning, I was quite nervous as I was not confident with myself. I was new to the UK and my English was not as good as it is now, and personally felt like I could not express how much I wanted to help my community and my school. This is because my school was greatly affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy during that year and I could see that something had to be done to help the younger pupils. On the first day, I realised that I was not the only one who was feeling that they had to start something to help their communities; each of us had different reasons, some were concerned about the wellbeing of women in India others about the education of refugees. It was the best feeling, seeing that I was not the only one who wanted to make some change and that I wanted to put some action in board. The coaches were reassuring, giving us all their knowledge about how we had to plan our projects and how to deliver them in the most successful way. I would say that after the first, I felt that I was part of a big family who cared about general issues even though all of us came from all the corners in the world.
Could you briefly describe a typical day at World Summit?
I remember that every day early in the morning we used to have sessions of Yoga or Football. I remember that me and my friends used to go the Yoga sessions because it was a way to start the day with a lot more motivation and happiness. After, we used to have sessions which helped us understand what was leadership and the different types of leadership that we could use. Later in the evening, we had some free time in which we could play games together or watch films. It was the best summer of my life and I would love to be part of it one more time.
What would you say to friend who is considering attending the GSL world summit?
I would say that the programme allows us, young people to form a network around the world as well as making friendships for a lifetime. It helps us to get out of our comfort zone by recognising global issues and coming up with social action projects.
I’m sure you had a moment or memory that stood out to you during the programme. Please describe it?
One of the many memories I have of GSL was when I decided to step out and tell everyone my personal experience of being an immigrant. This was an emotional moment that I had as I never had the chance to tell everyone my own personal experience throughout my life as an immigrant. I remember that after this, so many of my new friends understood a bit better the life of an immigrant and that made me feel great because I saw some changes in their view of an ‘immigrant’. This was clearly a highlight of my journey in GSL because I was a quite shy person, which never had the courage to step out and speak in public without being terrified of people’s reaction. It made me so confident that I started being more active in public discussions and enjoying debate competitions.
We ask for dietary information and food preferences on the teacher registration form, so please let us know.
All meals are provided on-site at the programme, and it may be food you are not used to. All you need to do is let us know if you are unhappy with food options and we can try and help.
Yes please do! We would love you to be involved in what your students are learning and be part of this journey. There are teacher sessions which are separate to your students sessions, so during these sessions you will not be able to attend the student sessions.
If they need to see a doctor this can be arranged. We would ask you to attend to help with any translation. A member of staff will also go with you, and we will provide transport.
The closest hospital is Wellington College – Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading which is a 30 minute car journey from the college
We have a limited number of rooms with private bathrooms. If these are not available, then you will have a shared bathroom with other staff. These are all cubicles and not open area showers.
Please discuss this with the Course Director. We would like you to feel involved in the programme, but appreciate you also need some free time. Please let us know your plans.
We would be able to advise on travel, but cannot provide this for you if you leave site.
The staff to student ratio is 1:10 while on site and at night
On excursions the ratio is 1:15 which includes any teachers who come with their own group of students
Night time supervision consists of staff being placed around the student accommodation (with own bathroom facilities) to ensure they can assist in the event of a fire or a student needs help in the night
On excursions, students will be allowed free time, where they must always be in groups of 3. They will be given the emergency phone number and a meeting point. A member of staff will always be at this meeting point during free time
All of our residential accommodation is accessed by a key code which is held only by staff, and not students
This ensures that no one is able to access the accommodation except at appropriate times
We have Pastoral staff who are in the accommodation to ensure a point of contact during the night
We have an emergency number which students can call 24 hours a day
College Security patrols Wellington College during the day and night
All staff and students wear lanyards at all times to ensure that visitors are easily recognisable
Students are not allowed to leave the programme venue on their own. Wellington College is away from the town centre which discourages students to walk off college grounds
Students will have a curfew to be in the accommodation
We run a full Fire Drill on the first day to ensure that all students know how to get to safety in the case of a fire
As part of the welcome package, students will be met at the airport on arrival
Students will be grouped together and put into a taxi with a driver who has been DBS checked and is from a recognised taxi company
On arrival, they may wait for students arriving on a later flight. The staff will stay with them at all times
On departure students will be grouped together by departure times and will be taken to the airport by taxi
A member of staff will help them to check in and will see they go through security.
We will ensure that students have plenty of time to get to their flight, for international flights this is recommended to be 3 hours before the flight time to ensure they get through security as at major UK airports this can take some time.
To come to the UK for study, you will need to check if you must have a Visa to enter the country.
They best way to check if you need a visa, and what visa type you need is to use this online tool on the UK Visas and Immigration website: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
Please ensure that you seek advice and check online for the type of visa you need to apply for, the documents required and the time they take to process. The following is an indication and not a comprehensive guide, with information taken from the UKVI website.
If a participant is unable to obtain a visa for the programme and has to cancel their place, the participant must provide a copy of the visa refusal letter to enter the UK. Where this has been provided only then will a refund be made of fees paid, minus the non-refundable deposit.
It is the participants responsibility to ensure that they apply for the correct visa, within an appropriate amount of time for it to be granted, and that they are responsible for providing the additional information required for the visa, such as bank statement
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. UKVI say that you should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks, however some may take longer.
Please check this guide to find out how long getting a visa might take in the country you’re applying from the following website: guide processing times
Unaccompanied Minors –a child traveling without an adult
Each Airline has a different policy on ‘Unaccompanied Minors’.
A ‘Minor’ is typically a young person under the age of 16. Most Airlines will allow a young person aged between 12 and 16 to fly alone. Others may stipulate that they must use their escort services which will be charged.
If the child has an escort, this means that they will be met at the Registration Desk and looked after until they are met by a Future Foundations Representative in the UK (and the same for the return journey).
If the child is allowed to travel to the UK without an adult (someone over the age of 18) by the airline, they will be treated as an ‘unaccompanied minor’ or a ‘UM’.
The parent or guardian will need to provide some or all of the following to the airline:
their written consent for travel to the UK;
their full contact details;
evidence that suitable living arrangements have been made for the stay in the UK;
the name and date of birth of the intended carer (a Future Foundations Representative);
address where they will be living;
authority from parent(s) or legal guardian allowing Future Foundations to care for you during your stay in the UK; and
A letter from Future Foundations to include details of the programme.
We understand there are circumstances that prevent projects from fulfilling their journey. Please write to us on social.leaders@future-foundations.co.uk and let us know if your team decides not to continue with their project and we will pick up the conversation with them and keeping you (the teacher) in loop.
There are a set number of modules to achieve each week via the online learning platform. Once you complete new modules, you will unlock additional modules to access and complete.
In the online platform, the three course will have suggested timelines and milestones to complete before you can gain access to subsequent courses.
It is highly recommended to complete the courses within the set timelines to give you a highest chance of achieving the outcomes and aims. You can complete the three courses earlier than the time suggested or take more time if you need. We want you to take control over the learning process and will support you along the way. We also believe it will help keep you motivated to launch and develop your community projects within the recommended timescale.
All participants will have access to a Pastoral Manager who will check in with you and is available to support throughout the programme.
We do know that sometimes this can be hard to do, and you will have a Pastoral Manager you can contact if you are finding it difficult to complete work, or anything else you need support with.
Yes. Upon your arrival at Heathrow Airport you will be given the chance to buy a sim card for your mobile phone. Please note it is important to notify the team you meet at the airport if you wish you buy a sim card as they will not be available at Wellington College.
Future Foundations is looking forward to the opportunity of working with all young people who take part in the GSL programme. We will have one member of staff to every 12 young people on the programme so that we will offer a safe and motivating space for you to make the most of the support and mentoring throughout GSL.
Team coaches are experienced and trained facilitators specialised in personal development for adults and young people through key life stages. Biographies will be uploaded on the website. There is also a Pastoral Team and an Operations Team to make sure you have a great time!
We will usually go by coach to different locations after breakfast and return before dinner.
On arrival, we will typically do a walking tour, some excursions will include entrance into a local attraction. You will also get some ‘free time’ to go shopping or explore. You will be told to always be in groups of 3 and given an emergency phone number, and a meeting point.
If you get lost, we will try and contact you on your phones. A member of staff will always wait for you, and we would never leave anyone behind!
We will supply all specialist equipment. You can also refer to the list of items under ‘Kit List’ on this page of things you should bring, but any questions just get in touch!
Please speak to the Course Director about this and let them know why. We will typically not move students to be with friends on programme, as the aim is for students to be in a mixed group of peers and to make new friends for life.
The programme is inclusive of all meals, but you may want to bring money for snacks, or for gifts. There will be the opportunity to buy gifts on the excursion days. We do not advise bringing a lot of cash!
We are not able to insure personal belongings brought onto the programme. For this reason, we do not recommend that you bring any expensive pieces of equipment or unnecessary valuables with you (e.g. jewellery, iPads and/or other expensive electronic equipment). Participants do so at their own risk and Future Foundations will not be held liable in the event that any item or money goes missing.
The programme will be held at Wellington College in Berkshire, which is an amazing boarding school with incredible grounds and historic background. Google it!
You will be staying in the Wellington College boarding houses for the duration of the programme. Boys and girls will stay in separate, single-sex accommodation. Pastoral staff will be on duty at night times to help you if needed.
We ask for dietary information on the Participant registration form, so please let us know.
If you have food preferences, please let us know.
All meals are provided on-site at the programme, and it may be food you are not used to. All you need to do is let us know if you are unhappy with food options and we can try and help.
Wellington College provide a variety of healthy meals, dietary meals such as coeliac, gluten and dairy free. We may not be able to provide Halal options. Please make sure you provide your food preferences in the Parent/guardian form.
Please let us know in the Medical Form of any conditions and the medication that you take.
If your parents are happy for you to self-medicate, and you are used to managing your illness, we ask that your parents confirm this on the Medical Form.
We are also able to keep hold of medicines in a safe and secure place.
There is no test! This programme is about your learning and development. Bring your spirit, your thinking hat and be prepared to challenge yourself with participants from all over the world in making a difference.
Yes you will receive a certificate from Future Foundations at the end of programme
After the programme, you will be challenged to start your own social action projects with the skills they have developed during the GSL programme. You will be invited to join our Global Goals Competition programme that is a movement of students around the world undertaking social action under the GSL banner. More information can be found on our website: www.globalsocialleaders.co./ggcompetition
You will also be invited to gain a Certificate in Applied Leadership – you will receive more information about this on the programme
Usually, you will have a room that you share with one other person, or you might have a single room. We will let you know which room you are in when you arrive, but do let us know if you wish to share with someone specifically!
In each boarding house which offers single-sex accommodation (boys and girls will be in separate houses at Wellington College), there are shared bathroom facilities with cubicles for bathrooms.
We would need to have signed letter from your parents to give permission. This must detail the person you will meet, their relationship to you and details of where they will meet.
A member of staff will not accompany you.
If this is on a day of programme, you cannot make up the time lost.
If they are to travel alone to meet this person, we would not cover this cost, and we would put in a procedure to ensure you arrive safely. However, the letter must state that permission is given of the child to travel alone and travel arrangements must be made by the parents.
If the meeting is in a place we are visiting on an excursion, staff would facilitate the meeting. However, the child must the return at the appointed time to return by coach, or the above is true if they will return at a different time.
All our venues are smoke free. However, we have negotiated for there to be a designated smoking area away from the main buildings. You will be shown this area if you let us know you smoke.
If you smoke inside, this is against the Code of Conduct and is a fire risk. Should this happen, you would be given a warning, if you repeat this then you will be sent home from programme (any new flights would have to be paid for by your parents and no programme fees would be returned).
Students are not allowed to leave site on their own and are expected to stay onsite at all times, other than when attended an escorted excursion offsite.
As part of the programme, you will have live online sessions lead by a GSL facilitator, and with other participants joining from different countries. Please be aware that we will be using Zoom for live online sessions.
You will have been allocated one of the below session times for the three-days:
10.00 – 13.45 (CET) / 09.00 -12.45 (BST).
Please make sure you attend the full slot we have allocated – just in case we have to change the start slightly.
It’s important that you know what you are signing up to take part in!
This programme involves live online interactive sessions lead by a GSL coach (this is the Catalyst course). You will be able to use your camera and microphone to engage with your coach and students.
The course is followed by an independent social challenge of your choice. You will be supported to complete your challenge over a period of 30-days.
There are no tests to complete the programme (phew!) or to participate in the programme. You will through have all the content in English.
In order to gain the most of your online learning experience, we recommend you participate in the discussions. Please if possible have your camera and microphone switched on when you go to breakout rooms. Our facilitators will tell you when to get ready for discussions. Please note, some of the sessions will be focused on how to launch and develop successful projects; gaining greater impact in your community; and topical debates which will help with your communication and persuasive skills. There will be other topics of discussion based on the requests we receive, for example an informal forum may be set up to for participants to connect with their global peers and exchange shared interests around similar SDG goals and community projects they are currently involved with.
The programme is all in English, and we do not provide translations of the materials. Hopefully in the future we will be able to release a programme that is suitable for a variety of levels of English.
We would suggest that you need to have a CEFR level (Common European Framework of Reference) of B2 or above (C1/ C2) to join this programme.
We do not ask you to do a test to show your level, so please be aware that this is important you are sure you are happy! 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.
We will not record sessions as a default as the live sessions are made to be interactive and involve all participants. In exceptional circumstances, we can discuss the possibility of recording a live session depending on the content and gaining additional consent from parents. Please note, we will need adequate notice if you need to miss an online session.
All materials will be accessible on the online learning platform. As such, you will need access to the internet as well as a webcam for live sessions. Please note, these materials must not be shared with your friends, classmates and teachers.
You can take part in the GSL Global Goals Competition by completing the Team Registration only, but we encourage each team member to also complete an individual Student Registration and Parental Consent so that we can communicate with each student directly. Team members will each receive an email with links inviting participants to complete the Student Registration Form and Parental Consent once the Team Registration is completed.
This is a student led competition and we want to empower YOU to lead with teacher support. Throughout the year there are many opportunities such as COP26 that you can get involved in, as well as useful resources we would like to share, but we can only contact you about these if we have your individual details.
This year we are only asking teams to choose a Team Name when registering. You can of course also choose to have a project name, but we do not need to know this until you are ready to submit your final submission for judging in April/May 2022. All we need from you at registration is your Team Name.
We will provide you with a link to download a Project Update Report template. This is similar to the Project Report used in previous years by teams for the purposes of getting feedback from the GSL team, but has been updated for this years competition.
The new Project Update Report template is designed to encourage teams to use it as a workbook throughout your project journey – inputting information on a regular basis. You can then submit the latest version of your Project Update Report in January 2022 to get feedback from the GSL team on your progress to date. Once you have received feedback, we suggest you continue to use the Project Update Report to help you with your project journey, incorporating any helpful feedback.
We are aware that due to school closures you may not be able to make the progress you would have liked with your projects. This is entirely understandable and under the circumstances we expect most Global Goals teams will be affected in some way.
We want you to know that we value your health above all else. We ask that you follow the advice of the WHO and local authorities and do not put yourselves or others at risk. Please seek official advice before going ahead with planned events or team meetings relating to your project.
If you are able, we strongly encourage you to continue your efforts in whatever way you can. If you cannot make progress at this time then rather than withdraw from the competition we suggest you place your project in ‘hibernation’ for the time being. Either way you should submit a final report by 1st May, regardless of the stage your project has reached. This is the only way your team members will receive recognition for the efforts you have made this year and a named certificate.
Please note that we do not expect your social action to have concluded by the point of final submission and will be asking our judges to take into consideration these extraordinary mitigating circumstances. This programme is as much about your personal development and learning journey as it is the impact your social action delivers and we want to celebrate each and every one of you for the incredible work you have done in this competition!
Yes! We understand that over the course of an extended project such as this, team members may come and go. It is our intention to recognise all students who have made a contribution to the team, regardless of the stage at which they have joined the programme. Up to seven team members can be listed on the final submission form and all will receive a named certificate. The names on the final submission form do not need to match the team registration or Phase 1 submission.
We understand that school closures and social distancing have presented specific challenges to teams, one of which is producing a digital report. We are still asking teams to upload a digital element to their final submission, even if this is not in the format you had originally planned. Digital submissions can be in the form of a video or visual presentation such as Prezi or PowerPoint, once which should suit your situation regardless of whether you have collected footage, photos etc along the way.
The 3 minute digital submission enables GSL judges to see in more detail what you have envisioned and achieved through your projects. We are interested to see how you can communicate your creativity and learning journey through a format other than the written report.
If you are stuck for ideas and would like to see some examples of previous team’s efforts for inspiration you can take a look at the Projects page of the GSL website here.
Due to the current situation we are all facing, with over half the world’s student population (over 850 million young people) subjected to school closures, many of this years’ Global Goal Competition teams have been working remotely and in isolation, a number will have been forced to put their project on hold temporarily. We expect that the majority of final submissions we receive will have been created before major planned actions or events have taken place. Impact will therefore be much harder to evidence for many of our teams.
In light of this, the weighting of the three components of the judging criteria in the Global Goals Competition has been adjusted for the 2021-22 cohort. This year we are affording a greater importance to section 1 (The team’s learning and knowledge gained) and section 3 (special recognition) than section 2 (impact).
All teams are invited to enter next years’ competition, and we actively encourage you to do so regardless of the stage your project has reached this year. For those whose project plans have been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic it’s important that you deliver the project you had planned and make a positive impact on your community.
Every team entering the 2021-22 competition will receive bespoke feedback, a named certificate and the chance to win!
In these uncertain times the world needs socially conscious leaders like you now more than ever. Below are some practical tips to get you started:
Practice Global Citizenship: Educate yourself about COVID-19 and how to stay healthy. Follow guidelines issued by your local authorities and spread the world on social media about the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 health advice.
Foodbanks: Food banks are a critical source of stability for any community facing a crisis — whether it’s a tropical storm, economic recession, or pandemic. As the pandemic worsens, food banks around the world will face increased demand and fewer volunteers. You can donate to local food banks in your area to help families in need and, if you’re fully able to, you can volunteer at them to help sort and deliver supplies.
Engage with others: Social distancing is necessary to curb the pandemic. It’s also going to be isolating and emotionally draining for people worldwide who will be cut off from regular companionship. You can help ease people’s isolation by checking in on friends and family members, and joining online communities to provide companionship to people who are alone. Remember the elderly and vulnerable are less likely to have access to smart phones or the internet so consider letter writing, bake cakes or do a letterbox drop to let people know you are thinking of them, create positive and hopeful messages or art in your community to inspire hope and remind people they are not forgotten.
Delivering Goods and Medicine: People who have COVID-19 or who are highly vulnerable to complications from it are advised to stay away from crowded areas. That presents an obvious dilemma: how are they going to get food and medical supplies? You can help by delivering supplies to elderly or vulnerable people in your life, or by supporting groups that are providing this service — look online and on social media to find out about groups in your community.
Donate: The World Health Organisation have launched the COVID -19 Solidarity Response Fund [https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/donate] to support WHO and their partners in a massive effort to help countries prevent, detect, and manage the novel coronavirus – particularly those where the needs are the greatest.
Share your ideas: Global Social Leaders is a movement to which thousands of young people worldwide belong, share your innovative ideas and any actions by blogging or posting on social media using the hashtag #globalgoals
If your team has been affected by school closures, or these are a possibility in the near future we would like to share some general advice to keep your Global Goals project going and help you maximise your impact during any periods of self-isolation:
GET ON THE SAME PAGE
If your team’s school has been temporarily closed you may feel thrown off course and lose sight of your objectives. Without a regular face to face meeting it’s more important than ever that your team share a common goal and understand the specific outcome you want from your project.
Make sure you can explain in plain, simple writing why your project exists and what it is trying to accomplish and make sure everyone is in agreement. From there, develop a step by step plan to achieve your goals and objectives that can be carried out from home. When team members share a vision that they can rally behind as a group, alignment becomes easier even if you are not seeing one another face to face
Ensure your goal (or goals!) is specific and measurable, relevant and time based – SMART and that you assign responsibility for each step to a member of the team. You can read more about SMART goal setting here and we challenge you to set your very own 5 SMART goals for your project – https://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart-goals.php Having clear, SMART objectives will help you to track the impact you are creating throughout the project and recognise when you are being thrown off course.
KEEP TALKING
Communication becomes even more important when you’re in self isolation and if you plan to continue your social action project during this time it’s important everyone in the team stays in touch and supports one another. Share regular updates of your progress and ensure you understand what others in the group are doing to stay on track. You may already be using digital tools to facilitate communication but if not now is the time to set up that Whats App or We Chat group, create a team email address which every member of the team can either view or be copied into, set up google hangouts or video conferences so that you can continue to meet as a team and support one another.
BUILD YOUR SUPPORT BASE
Although it can feel lonely, remember that you’re not the only ones stuck at home looking for distraction or entertainment online! With isolation comes a heavier reliance on social media to stay connected to your community so this could be the best time to launch a social media campaign to build support for your cause.
BUILD PARTNERSHIPS
Another constructive use of your time during this period is to focus on developing partnerships. A well-selected project partner can be a valuable source of advice, resources and even funding. Consider contacting organisations, NGOs or private companies in your country or local area that already do similar work to yours. These organisations are likely to have valuable expertise in your chosen field and may be receptive to working with those with complementary aims. They may share their knowledge with you and tell you what has worked well for them and could provide ideas for your own project.
So, be bold, make approaches and remember you have nothing to lose and potentially everything to gain!
SHARE YOUR STORY
We would love to know how your team is overcoming the obstacles that this global pandemic has placed in your way. You belong to a worldwide movement of socially conscious young leaders and many others will be in the same boat so if you have any personal experiences or success stories to share about this time, please submit a blog which we can share with other young people!
From 1st April – 1st May we will be inviting teams to submit your final project report. You may want to use this time to start thinking about creative ways you can communicate your project in written and digital formats. The Projects Library on our website is the perfect place to find inspiration. It is a collection of previous year’s projects that were either highly commended or reached the finals of the competition. You can learn a lot from looking at similar projects to your own, try searching by the Global Goals you have selected to focus on and see if there are any ideas you could borrow!
