Change Makers Speak Out challenge – still time to get involved

We are inviting young people to use their creativity to design an ideal day of learning. Please join us and submit artwork and responses by the 1st of March 2023. There is still time to get involved!



Sign up to the Change Makers Challenge


To support this challenge we have made a free resource to support educators in encouraging young people to get involved in shaping the future of education. Young people’s voices matter and they must be heard on the issues that impact their lives, their communities and their world.


Change Makers Resource


This resource encourages discussion on many topics. Asking young people education is, what makes it fair, accessible, fun, and useful, asking questions on a global scale, will generate exciting discussions to open up the possibilities for the future.

 

Our last edition of Engage focused on this question: “Globally are our current education systems and curricula best suited for life in tomorrow’s world?”. Education must transform in order to overcome the barriers to education that we are facing worldwide. The resource points to a range of current discussions about how education can change.

 

All of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals hinge on education to drive their success. Education is at the heart of tackling climate change, poverty, gender equality, equity and inclusion. Our resource offers an introduction to the SDGs, a simple way to introduce these to your students, and why we believe SDG4 is so important.

 

Equity in education is providing the right support for each person, taking into account their needs and circumstances. This depends on fairness, that personal circumstances should not interfere with a person’s potential for achievement. It also depends on inclusion, a standard that applies to everyone in an educational system. Fairness and inclusion are both needed for an education system to work.

 

We have several resources that will help you explore issues that affect equity in education, now and in the future.


  • SSF Human Rights resource: The world I want to live in - This resource serves as a mini-guide to classroom activities which seek to promote human rights education for children and young people in the classroom and to provide a platform for their voices on this issue. Human rights education is one contribution towards a broader human rights project of achieving greater justice and peace in the world.


  • SSF Climate Change resource: 5 ways to make my world better - The fight against climate change begins in the classroom. The effects of climate change is having a growing effect on large numbers of people and their ability to access education. This resource can help you to start discussions in school about climate change and how we can all have a positive impact.


  • SSF Inclusive Learning Environments resource - A curated collection of webinars and resources that are designed to enable a safe and inclusive learning environment for young people. To offer equity in education, the learning environment needs to address issues arising from safety, health and wellness, socioeconomic standing, race, gender, and disability.



You can find all our free resources here: https://www.stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk/resources

 

If you want some inspiration on what young people made in our previous creative challenge on understanding human rights, have a look here.



We also have a free resource to help and inspire you with some creative ideas.

 

After the success of the human rights competition last year we are looking forward to the creative responses from young people to this years creative challenge.


Steve Sinnott • February 4, 2023

Empowering Student Voices: Young Ambassadors Champion Inclusive Education for All

By Ann Beatty • October 13, 2025
In our continued commitment to ensuring quality and inclusive education for every child, we’ve taken our advocacy to a new level by empowering the next generation to lead the conversation. In partnership with The Gambia Teachers Union, we recently convened the Foundation’s Young Ambassadors for a vibrant day of engagement dedicated to promoting the right to education for all. The event brought together passionate students from selected senior secondary schools across Region One, including St. John’s School for the Deaf, to explore what it truly means to make education inclusive, equitable, and accessible to every learner. 

Seeds of Hope 2025: Young People Planting Peace and Sustainability Around the World

By Ann Beatty • October 3, 2025
The Steve Sinnott Foundation is proud to celebrate the inspirational winners of the 2025 Seeds of Hope for a Better Future competition, a global initiative supported by UNESCO that brings together creativity, community, and a shared commitment to peace and sustainability. This unique project invited schools across the world from nursery and primary through to secondary and high school to explore the values of peace, cultural understanding, and care for the planet. In the face of climate change, young people were asked to tell their stories through art, performance, and digital creativity, highlighting how small seeds of action can grow into powerful movements for hope. The results have been extraordinary. Schools in France, the UK, Gambia, Haiti, and Kenya have been recognised for their outstanding contributions, with projects ranging from community gardens and sculptures to dance performances and illustrated stories. Each winner has shown how young voices and imagination can nurture peace and sustainability in ways that inspire us all. The full Awards Ceremony can be watched linked here: S eeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025 Highlights from the Winners Oak View Primary and Nursery School (UK) created Faces of Feeling, a collection of joyful sculptures already exhibited in a local gallery. Judges praised their work as supporting the wellbeing of others and embodying the idea of children as true “Seeds of Hope.” St Joseph’s Senior Secondary School (Gambia) painted Campaign for a Sustainable Banjul , reflecting real-world climate action in their city. The judges described it as “a most deserving and robust winner.” In France , the Jardin d'Enfants des Nations Unies (United Nations Nursery School) won hearts with Wind of Peace , where 5-6 year olds combined drawings, paintings, and tree planting to champion reforestation. Lyng Hall Secondary School, Coventry (UK) collaborated with Henley Green Primary and the UK Literacy Association to produce The Heart Shaped Hole – an innovative and metaphorical take on Seeds of Hope. Earlsdon Primary School, Coventry (UK) impressed with Primary Plot , a project that included gardening with the visually impaired, reflecting inclusivity and sustainability. A remarkable cross-collaboration between 21 schools across West Yorkshire, Essex, and Tower Hamlets (UK) resulted in Lights, Camera, Score , an ambitious combination of animation, music, and storytelling. CIMA Community School of Hope, Haiti shared Konbit - a video of dance and solidarity, inspiring villages to work together for peace and dignity. Daraja Academy, Kenya presented an ambitious and optimistic project integrating sustainability into everyday school life. Celebrating Creativity and Peace This year’s competition was judged by an impressive panel of artists, writers, and cultural leaders including Sir Antony Gormley, Edmund de Waal, Dame Liz Forgan, Hugh Quarshie, and Rathna Ramanathan. Their collective expertise highlighted the quality and depth of the entries, each of which showed how art can be a powerful tool for global understanding and change. The Seeds of Hope initiative is part of UNESCO UK’s Arts and Culture for Peace programme, first launched in 2022. It has grown from earlier collaborations such as the Coventry Young Ambassadors’ Islands of Peace Japanese Garden , opened in 2021 a living reminder that seeds planted in communities can continue to flourish. Highlights from the ceremony can be found here at this playlist Looking Ahead As Ann Beatty, UNESCO ASPnet UK National Coordinator , shared: “The quality of entries was extraordinary. We are delighted at the response to this amazing initiative in collaboration with our international partners.” And in the words of judge Jannette Cheong : “Young people around the world understand well the value of peace and tolerant relationships between cultures. Their creativity is an inspiration to all of us.” At The Steve Sinnott Foundation, we believe that education is the seed from which hope grows. The Seeds of Hope competition is a shining example of how young people through creativity, compassion, and collaboration are already shaping a more peaceful and sustainable future. You can access the full online awards presentation here: Seeds of Hope For A Better Future Awards Ceremony 2025

Teachers Advance in Guidance and Counselling Training in The Gambia

By Ann Beatty • August 18, 2025
The journey to strengthen the well-being and success of learners in The Gambia continues with a renewed commitment to guidance and counselling in schools. By August 14th 2025, we have successfully trained 140 educators across 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝟏, 𝟐, 𝟑 & 𝟒 under our Guidance & Counselling Programme. A programme designed to equip educators with the skills to support students’ academic, social, and emotional development. Region 3 Teachers Complete Level 2 Training On Wednesday, 6th August, thirty teachers from Region 3 (North Bank Region) began a three-day Level 2 Guidance and Counselling training at the Christian Council in Kanifing. This programme built on their earlier Level 1 training in Farafenni, with a focus on deepening their capacity to serve as school-based counsellors. The training concluded with a certificate presentation ceremony, recognising the teachers’ commitment and marking an important step in their professional development. These certificates symbolize more than an achievement; they represent each teacher’s readiness to provide psychosocial support, guidance, and mentorship to learners across their schools.