Shrewsbury Colleges Group is delighted to become a Youth Social Action (YSA) ambassador college as part of a unique social action programme in partnership with the Pears Foundation and Association of Colleges.

So what does Youth Social Action actually mean? For their students, it means they participate in activities which impact the college and the local community whilst also developing their skills for the future. This is a movement that is on the rise with the first phase taking place in 2022, nationally engaging 10,870 students in youth social action, building relationships with 424 local organisations and 118 national partners. This collective action culminated in 18,496 members of the community benefitting from their work.  A very impressive total for a movement that is still in its infancy.

At Shrewsbury Colleges Group, we have recruited 15 youth social action ambassadors from our business courses who lead on planning, delivering, and evaluating a social action project for the year. They will encourage their peers to participate in their chosen project and develop their employability skills, all whilst giving back and supporting the local community.

They were one of just eleven colleges to be accepted onto the programme this year. One of their student ambassadors, Roan Gummery, has some great examples of social action events.

Roan said: “This year we have launched a campaign called #ProudToBe, where students are encouraged and given the opportunity to celebrate and raise awareness of all our protected characteristics.

“It’s exciting to help plan these events and create a buzz on campus, as well as educate our students on things such as inclusive language and cultural differences. The college really is a place where students feel part of a community.”

Their ambassadors will also be supporting local charities such as Shrewsbury Food Hub and homeless charity The Ark, as well as raising awareness of sustainability in the college and the local community.

Shrewsbury Colleges Group Principal James Staniforth said: “The college has a culture of student engagement, and I am delighted that the students have seized the opportunity offered by the YSA programme to make a further contribution to our community, as well as enhancing their skills and knowledge.

“We are very proud of our Youth Social Action ambassadors and very grateful to the teachers and student engagement coaches who are working with them on the programme.”