Pears Foundation Youth Social Action Programme: Phase 2

Due to the success of the Phase 1 – Pears #iWill Youth Social Action Apprenticeship Programme, the Pears Foundation, in partnership with AoC, are investing in a second phase of the programme. Phase 2 of the programme will not only continue to build on the excellent work from Phase 1 Youth Social Action Apprenticeship programme but will develop two other components to the programme, including mentoring and Youth Social Action Ambassadors:

• Youth Social Action Apprentices – Phase 2 will include five Youth Social Action Apprentices to work across 18 colleges in East, East Midlands, North West, South East and South West regions. The apprentices will study a level 3 Youth Worker apprenticeship and will look to build on the excellent work of Phase 1 - Pears #iWill Fund programme, where five Youth Social Action Apprentices delivered excellent outcomes for their colleges, their students, and their local communities.

• Mentoring – Apprentices from the Phase 1 - Pears #iWill Fund programme will continue to share best practice across the sector by mentoring an Youth Social Action Apprentice and a Youth Social Action Ambassador in the Phase 2 programme. Mentors will continue to embed Youth Social Action within their college and local communities.

• Youth Social Action Ambassadors – Phase 2 will include 25 ambassador colleges in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber, West Midlands and London regions. The ambassador colleges that will support 5 - 8 students to become Youth Social Action Ambassadors to deliver one social action project within their college.

Programme objectives:

• To raise awareness of Youth Social Action (YSA).
• To empower students to take action and address local issues.
• To enable the apprentices to create opportunities to undertake meaningful work experience around social action.
• To upskill the apprentice and mentors.
• To embed YSA into colleges wherever possible.
• Raise the positive profile of the partner colleges through YSA in the local community.
• Link to other National Youth Social Action Programmes.
• Engage with local employers for support and future sustainability.

Youth Social Action Resources Section

The resources below aim to showcase good practice in Youth Social Action and share the learnings from the Apprentices, Mentors, Ambassadors and their colleges from the Pears Youth Social Action Programme Phase 2. We hope the documents can support other colleges undertaking their social action journey in further education.