Former primary school teacher Emma Shingleton from education resource experts PlanBee has some top tips on how to make the world a better place

Global Recycling Day (March 18) is the ideal time to renew our efforts to make the planet a cleaner place. Don’t forget to involve your children, who will have to clear up the mess we adults have left behind.

The next generation

Teaching children about our changing world and how to preserve and protect our environment is incredibly important. Many children are extremely well educated on these issues and may have knowledge to impart to you!

Go slow on fast fashion

Recycling textiles and fabrics means less land, water and fertiliser is needed to grow cotton. Your unwanted clothes might be wanted by somebody else. Why not take them to a local charity shop and benefit your community? And make a resolution to buy fewer, better-made clothes that last for longer.

Can-do on drinks

Don’t forget that if all the drink cans produced in the UK were laid end to end, they would stretch to all the way to the moon – three times over! Why not use a reusable drinks bottle instead?

Think before you print

The average family in the UK uses the equivalent of six trees’ worth of paper every year. Read online and always opt for the digital option when it comes to utility bills, for example. And when you do have to print something out, make sure that you recycle it when it’s no longer needed.

Waste not 

Reduce food waste by creating a compost bin and use the compost on the plants you grow outside, however small the area. If you’re lucky enough to have an allotment or garden, all the better.

Fill ‘em up

Cut out single-use plastics for cleaning and beauty products: use shops where refills are available.

FIFTY budding scientists from The Lowry Academy in Salford are being inspired to consider science and technology as a future career thanks to a school trip to a major science festival

Teachers at the school, on Hilton Lane in Worsley, have arranged for the Year 9 pupils to experience the multi-award-winning New Scientist Live festival which arrives in Greater Manchester for the first time after a successful five year run in London.

The first two days, Saturday 12 March and Sunday 13 March, are open to all, and the final day, Monday, is dedicated to schools where The Lowry Academy will be joined by other schools from around the region. 

Molly Hindle, Head of Science at The Lowry Academy, said:

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“Salford contributes significantly to Greater Manchester being a world-class hub of scientific and technological learning, research, innovation and industry. We firmly believe we have the next generation of scientific leaders here in Salford.

“This trip to New Scientist Live is an opportunity for our pupils to meet the people who are shaping the world of science and technology and get up close and personal with them.

“We hope the trip will stimulate, challenge and inspire our students with some of today’s biggest scientific discoveries and ideas and help our pupils to become enthused about a future career in this fast growth sector of our regional economy."

Adrian Newton, commercial and events director of New Scientist Live, said:

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“We are delighted to get ready to welcome the Year 9 pupils from The Lowry Academy to our festival. We’ve arranged for them to experience a mix of live demonstrations, mind-blowing experiments and other immersive experiences to inspire them into a lifelong passion for science and technology.

“It’s the first time we’ve hosted our festival outside of London and we couldn’t be happier to welcome Miss Hindle, her colleagues and the pupils to our education day.”

 

Brain and body, the universe, the earth and technology & engineering are the four themes that will run through stimulating talks, interactive performances, workshops and hands-on activities geared towards scientists of all ages.

New Scientist Live isn’t just about hearing from great scientists, it’s about getting involved as well. With over 30 exhibits across our show floor, people can get up close and personal with a fantastic range of science and technology activities.

There’s plenty of interactive fun, with a giant game of ‘Operation’ courtesy of Birmingham City University. At the Wessex Archaeology stand you can pilot a virtual drone and there’s a mock crime scene to investigate with Staffordshire University.

For the technophiles, Salford University’s GameLab will showcase leading-edge VR experiences and Thales will demonstrate the latest technology used by the Royal Navy.

For those who like the stickier side of science, don’t miss the UK Health Security Agency's 'Snot gun', where you can experience big sneezes and super slimy snot. If you prefer to keep it clean, you can see how Science Animated bring science to life through incredible animations and see some of their brilliant work from the past five years.

Finally, for all the wannabe astronauts, you can come and smell space at the New Scientist Discovery Tours stand or witness an immersive documentary about the Apollo program in the pop-up planetarium.

Talks and discussions will be led by leading academics, entrepreneurs and experts in their field include Radha Boya (Chair of Nanoscience at University of Manchester), Christopher Jackson (Chair in Sustainable Geoscience at the University of Manchester), Dallas Campbell (TV presenter and author) and Jon Chase who is best known for his science ‘raps’ for NASA, BBC and Chester Zoo.

Find out more and get tickets here.

Photo: (L-R: Henley Harrison, Binetou Diop, Miss Hindle, Tessy Chukwu, Layla Churchill and Nayara Jesus from The Lowry Academy in Salford)

The higher education system in England will be made fairer for students and taxpayers through new major reforms announced by the government. 

Student finance will be put on a more sustainable footing by ensuring more students are paying back their loan in full, and there will be a clampdown on poor-quality university courses that don’t benefit graduates in the long-term. 

Under the current system, more people than ever are going to university but too often, students are racking up debt for low-quality courses that do not lead to a graduate job with a good wage. This means that some students never even start paying off their student loan. And currently, only a quarter of students who started full-time undergraduate degrees in 2020/21 are forecast to repay their loans in full. 

The cost of student loans is increasing quickly. The value of outstanding loans at the end of March 2021 reached £161 billion and it is forecast to rise to half a trillion pounds by 2043. 

The government said that it is taking action to tackle the problem head-on, rather than passing the problem on to future generations, by setting out major changes to the way students will repay their loans, and creating a sustainable system which also guarantees access for all. 

To make the system fairer for students, the student loan interest rate will be set at RPI+0% for new borrowers starting courses from 2023/24, meaning that graduates will no longer repay more than they borrowed in real terms. This meets a key manifesto commitment to address student loan interest rates in this parliament. 

Combined with the continued tuition fee freeze announced earlier this month, a student entering a three-year course in academic year 2023/24 could see their debt reduced by up to £11,500 at the point at which they become eligible to repay. 

The government has also announced the tuition fee cap will be frozen at £9,250 for a further two years – up to and including 2024/25, further reducing the real cost to students. 

To make the system fairer for taxpayers, the repayment threshold – the point at which graduates start repaying their student loan – for new borrowers starting courses from September 2023 will be set at £25,000 until 2026-27. 

This still means that graduates will not start repaying until they have reached well over the current median young non-graduate salary of £21,500. 

This makes sure that someone benefitting from a university degree makes a fair contribution to its cost: for example, a graduate earning £28,000 would pay back £17 a month. 

Graduate salaries are continuing to rise – in 2020, the average salary for a graduate aged 21-30 was £6,500 higher than for a non-graduate – so it is right we ask those who are benefitting financially from the investment the taxpayer has made in their higher education to contribute towards it.     

The student loan repayment term will also be extended to 40 years for new borrowers from September 2023, to ensure more students repay their loan in full, taking into account the fact that people are now working and earning for longer. 

Taken together, these changes will lead to significant savings, ensuring the student finance system is sustainable for the long term and can continue to benefit hundreds of thousands of students each year.   

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said:

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“Our country’s world leading universities and colleges are key to levelling up opportunity by opening up access to a range of lifelong flexible post-18 options to help people train, retrain and upskill. 

“This package of reforms will ensure students are being offered a range of different pathways, whether that is higher or further education, that lead to opportunities with the best outcomes – and put an end once for all to high interest rates on their student loans. 

“I am delighted to oversee such a substantial amount of investment – nearly £900m – reinforced by a revised, fairer, and more sustainable student finance system which will keep higher education accessible and accountable. These changes will create a fairer system for both students and the taxpayer.” 

 

Higher and Further Education Minister Michelle Donelan:

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“We are delivering a fairer system for students, graduates and taxpayers as well as future-proofing the student finance system. We are freezing tuition fees and slashing interest rates for new student loan borrowers, making sure that under these terms no-one will pay back more than they have borrowed in real terms. This government is delivering on its manifesto pledges. 

“We are investing an extra £900m in our post 18 education system and bringing about a revolutionary change in the way students can study, retrain and upskill throughout their lifetime.” 

 

The government has also published two consultations. The first will seek views on how to ensure young people are encouraged to pursue the right path for them, and receive a fair deal for their investment if they choose to go to university. 

This includes considering the introduction of minimum eligibility requirements, to ensure students aren’t being pushed into higher education before they are ready, and student number controls, so that poor-quality, low-cost courses which lead to poor outcomes for students, aren’t incentivised to grow uncontrollably. 

The second will set out plans to deliver the Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) worth the equivalent of four years of post-18 education (i.e. £37,000 in today’s fees) to support students to study, train, retrain or upskill at any stage throughout their lives through flexible and modular courses. 

This is a shift in the way post-18 education is funded and accessed, providing more options, unlocking opportunities and improving social mobility.  

Sir Philip Augar, chair of the Post-18 Education Review panel said:

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“The Skills Bill already going through Parliament, the lifelong learning entitlement, the reforms to student finance and the refocusing of HE provide a framework that is fair, sustainable and has the potential to drive the whole economy forward. The package is consistent with the spirit of the report of the post-18 education panel that I had the privilege to chair and forms the basis of a properly connected further and higher education sector. That connection is long overdue.” 

Robert Colvile, director of The Centre for Policy Studies said:

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“It’s encouraging to see the government focus on delivering value for money both for students and taxpayers, and acting to address some of the most unfair aspects of the current system, which we’ve highlighted in our research.  

“In particular it is welcome to see ministers address the extortionate level of the interest rate on student debt and the way a minority of poor-quality courses tarnish the reputation of the higher education sector – and the prospects of the students that take them. It’s also good to see the continued focus on apprenticeships and lifelong learning, as part of the overdue effort to diversify tertiary education beyond the traditional three-year degree” 

 

Academy is shortlisted for Headteacher of the Year and Secondary School of the Year at the 2021 Tes Schools Awards ~

Students and staff at Salford City Academy are celebrating after being shortlisted for two prestigious awards at this year’s Tes Schools Awards. 

The annual Tes Schools Awards celebrates the most exceptional individuals and institutions that the education sector has to offer. With an award to be won in each of the 18 categories, organisers receive thousands of entries each year from primary and secondary schools across the country. The distinguished panel of judges then have the difficult task of deciding a shortlist of eight in each category and ultimately selecting the standout winners. 

In being shortlisted for Headteacher of the Year and Secondary School of the Year, Salford City Academy has showcased the strength of its senior leadership and proven that it has maintained continued excellence inside and outside of the classroom.   

In her nomination, Principal Melanie Haselden was praised for her strong leadership skills and her ‘belief that every child matters and deserves the very best, every lesson, every day’. She was commended for her ‘unwavering commitment and dedication to the school, staff, parents and community’ over the past year and for going ‘above and beyond’ to ensure that students had everything they needed to continue making strong progress in their learning.

Likewise, to be in the running for Secondary School of the Year, the academy successfully demonstrated innovation and imagination in developing students beyond the academic curriculum – what it calls delivering an Education with Character. Through its student personal development programme, Aspire, the academy ensures every student has the resources and support they need to achieve their goals and develop into well-rounded, socially responsible young people.

Following the success of last year’s virtual awards ceremony, this year’s event is also set to be conducted virtually. Winners will be announced during a special online celebration on Friday 25th June 2021.  

Tes editor Jon Severs said: 

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“It is more important this year than ever before to celebrate the fantastic work schools do, because in the past 12 months they have gone above and beyond to ensure pupils were able to be educated and be kept safe in extraordinary circumstances. We were inundated with entries that demonstrated just how hard the pandemic made the work of schools, and just how amazing the response from staff has been. We are looking forward to showcasing, as we do every year, just how vital our education professionals are to every facet of this country."

Melanie Haselden, Principal at Salford City Academy, said:

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“I am incredibly proud that we have been shortlisted for two awards and honoured that one of these recognises my work as Principal. It is thanks to the fantastic team of staff we have here at Salford City Academy that we have continued to deliver an enriching and exciting education to our young people, despite the challenges of the last year. We are very much looking forward to next month’s virtual ceremony, where we will join together with our colleagues across the country to celebrate everyone’s hard work and success.” 

The University of Salford has scooped three awards at a prestigious educational event with the School of Health & Society’s partnership with the Northern Care Alliance winning the Business/Industry Collaboration Award.

The Educate North Awards celebrate, recognise and share best practice in the education sector in the North of England, with the awards announced in a specially streamed event on Thursday 22 April 2021, hosted by Jim Hancock.

The event attracts over 300 education professionals from Further and Higher Education institutions from across the North, together with a range of suppliers to the sector including financial institutions, professional services providers, IT and infrastructure providers and construction and property firms.

The University of Salford and Northern Care Alliance Partnership fought off strong competition from the University of Chester’s Business School and Manchester Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Education to win the award.

Professor Margaret Rowe, Dean of the School of Health and Society, said:

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“I am absolutely thrilled that the partnership between the NCA and the University of Salford has been recognised by winning the Educate North West Business/Industry Collaboration Award.

“In forming a partnership with the NCA, we identified that the reach of both the university and the NCA could be made larger and longer lasting through collaborative work, enabling us to better address some of the major challenges facing local people, and bringing social and economic benefits for local and regional communities”.

“Honorary Professors, Raj Jain, CEO of the NCA and former Chief Nurse of Salford Royal and the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, Dame Elaine Inglesby-Burke have been instrumental in the strategic partnership and ensuring the smooth provision of education to many of our staff and students.

“Our forward-thinking, dynamic school has a commitment to lifelong learning and real-world impact, and our expert teaching staff, strong industry links and excellent facilities equip students with the best knowledge and experiences to advance their research or career”.

 

Dr Karen Stansfield, Associate Dean Enterprise and Engagement at the University of Salford, said:

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“We are helping to revolutionise the delivery of health and social care in Greater Manchester, providing skills, workforce development and research to support the devolution agenda in the city region. Our partnership is enabling us to achieve better outcomes for students and our community and I am incredibly pleased to see this partnership recognised for its brilliant work”.

The awards, which are a celebration of excellence and best practice in the education sector in the North, were judged by a panel of leading industry professionals and experts with the University of Salford also winning; External Relations Team of The Year and The Student Experience Award.

National teacher recruitment drive goes virtual connecting residents with local teachers and training providers

People in the North West are being encouraged to join a virtual careers event to find out more about life as a teacher. The session, part of a national recruitment drive, aims to inspire more people in the region to join a unique profession that helps shape the lives of the next generation.

The free virtual ‘Train to Teach Preston’ event will take place on Wednesday 10th March 2021 from 5pm to 7pm and will be supported by a teacher from the region, Addison Brown from Bedford High School in Leigh  Addison is currently starring in the Get Into Teaching national TV advert that aims to inspire people to consider teaching as a career.

At the Train To Teach event, Science teacher Addison will be live on the platform to share his experience and insights, as well as helping others to explore teaching as a career.

The Train to Teach events are part of the national Get into Teaching campaign which provides a comprehensive programme of support to help graduates become teachers. Last year alone, thousands of aspiring teachers attended a series of face-to-face events. For this academic year and in light of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, events are being hosted online so anyone curious or set on a career in teaching can still speak to current teachers from their area, as well as expert advisers who can help them with training options and next steps.

Reflecting on his career to date, Addison Brown a Science teacher at Bedford High School in Leigh, said:  

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“I’m proud to be supporting the campaign and I would encourage anyone who is just starting out in the world of work, or looking to switch jobs, to consider a career in teaching.

“Teaching is such a varied role, from the emotional rewards of making students feel like anything is possible to using your experience to bring lessons to life - no two days are the same. The best part of it for me is the lightbulb moments, when after days, weeks or even months tackling a concept or topic then boom “sir I get it,” is amazing. 

“I know the impact good teachers can have on a child, not just in terms of academic success but in teaching a child the importance of social skills, promoting resilience, self-worth and confidence.”

 

Roger Pope, spokesperson for the Get Into Teaching campaign and a National Leader of Education, said:

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“It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that every lesson is helping to shape the life of a young person.

“As well as the immense satisfaction of witnessing students learn and knowing you are influencing who or what they might become, teaching enables you to tap into your talents and passion for a particular subject.

“It also offers some competitive financial rewards and long-term prospects.

“Anyone who feels they have the passion and potential to teach should join us for this virtual event.”

 

To gain access to the online event, people will need to register at least two working days in advance. On the day, upon entering the virtual event platform, attendees will be greeted with welcome videos and introductory presentations to give them a flavour of teaching. They can also enter the live marketplace where there will be experienced teacher training advisors, current teachers and local teacher training providers who can answer any questions.

You could receive a £24,000 tax-free bursary to train as a teacher, in selected subjects, and newly qualified teachers start on a minimum starting salary of £25,000 to £32,000, depending on location.

Applications for teacher training, starting in September 2021, are now open.  To find our more and see the range of virtual events being held this term, visit: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk, or call the Get Into Teaching Line on 0800 389 2500.

The University of Salford is celebrating after being named officially as a Bronze accredited Hedgehog Friendly Campus.

Staff and student volunteers have spent the last eight months working to make the University hedgehog friendly, after joining the Hedgehog Friendly Campus (HFC) scheme in June 2020.

Funded by The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (TBHPS), the national campaign is designed to safeguard the hedgehog population and turn universities into a safe space where they can thrive.

Although the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has prevented volunteers from being physically together during this time, the team has triumphed in turning the campus into a sanctuary for prickly visitors by completing a list of Bronze objectives from home.

These objectives included running awareness campaigns on social media, fundraising for TBHPS, and improving campus habitat by building the University’s first hedgehog house, thanks to a little help from fellow colleagues working on campus.

Salford is one of 40 universities to be awarded Bronze accreditation for 2020/21.  

Bec Bennett, Head of Environmental Sustainability at the University, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have received Bronze accreditation and Salford is officially a hedgehog friendly campus! A huge thank you to all of our staff and student volunteers for their hard work over the past eight months to help make this happen.

“We started working towards becoming a hedgehog friendly campus in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it has been quite challenging completing our objectives without physically being on campus. The fact that we’ve been awarded Bronze accreditation in such a short space of time, and under the current circumstances, is testament to our dedicated volunteers and Estates and Facilities colleagues, who have worked alongside the team to help us get to where we are today.  

“It’s been such a lovely, positive project to work on during this time and I am very much looking forward to working towards Silver then Gold accreditation!”

Chloe Nevitt, the University's Hedgehog Friendly Champion, added: "Hedgehog Friendly Campus is a fantastic initiative and a lovely project to be involved with. I’m proud that we have been able to contribute towards helping our local wildlife and I am hoping that we can welcome more staff and students to the team as we work towards our Silver accreditation."

If you’re interested in helping the University of Salford work towards Silver HFC accreditation, please get in touch.

Manchester Council has revealed that Guided by public health advice, Manchester’s universities are set to move to online learning only for most courses to help fight the rising rate of Covid infection which has caused unprecedented spikes within the city, mainly centred around its educational districts.

The decision was made by Director of Public Health David Regan and Manchester City Council’s chief executive, Joanne Roney OBE, working with the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, and Public Health England as part of action to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in the city.

There was a rise of 2,740 new cases of Covid-19 in the seven days up to Thursday 1 October, with the increase being driven primarily by a rise in numbers in the 17-21 age group. Manchester’s cases are now alarmingly above 500 per 100,000 people. 

The move is also consistent with Department for Education guidance and means that face-to-face teaching will only happen for accredited and professional programmes, for on-campus laboratory, clinical and practice-based teaching.

Online learning will take effect from tomorrow, Wednesday 7 October. This change will be in place until 30 October 2020.

David Regan, Director for Public Health, said:

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“This is the right thing to do and supports our approach using data and a local approach to contain outbreaks so that we reduce the possibility of further infection. More online teaching will protect staff, students and the wider community, which is what we want and need.

“As people will no doubt know from the news our current Covid figures are high - and in particular the rate of infection in the last seven days for our 17-21 year-old category is almost 6 times higher than in the rest of the community."

 

However some students have claimed the move as 'A Joke', with one student we spoke to stating that he will be taking on roughly £18,000 in student debt this year for what is essentially a mediocre slap dash online learning course which has been essentially thrown together.

Another said that she felt angry at the situation that herself and her fellow students have found themselves in.

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"Had I known that I was going to be effectively doing an Open University course, I would have saved myself some money and deferred for a year.

"This is certainly not the experience we were promised or paid for."

School pupils have given their own advice to youngsters returning to school.

Pupils from Greater Manchester primary and special schools say they were nervous about going back into the classroom but that quickly disappeared.

Miley, Lily, Bolu, Sadie, Katelyn Kane, Lewis and Candice and teachers Mr McMahon, Mrs Maders and Mr Goodwin all returned to their classrooms before the summer holidays and say they soon adapted to the new rules.

Miley tells pupils:

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“You don’t need to be scared because everything will be okay. Your teachers will look after you.

“Keep calm, teachers know what they are doing.”

Salford City Council has put the films, made by the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership,  on its website, along with information and tips on going back to reassure parents.

Deputy City Mayor Councillor John Merry said all schools in the city are expecting to welcome pupils back. All have followed government advice to the letter and will make any changes required if fresh guidance is issued.

Councillor Merry also promised that anxious parents would be encouraged and supported to get their children back in school:

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“Schools have worked very hard to make changes to their buildings and routines to keep everyone safe,

“They fully understand children who have been learning at home for the last few months will be nervous about coming back to the classroom and worried about catching up. They will make sure everyone feels safe and welcome, help them catch up and make it clear that they and their parents can talk about any worries or concerns.

“Parents can support our schools by not sending their children into school if they are unwell and keeping them away if anyone in the house has either tested positive for coronavirus in the last 14 days or is showing symptoms of coronavirus.  

“If there are any cases of coronavirus amongst children or school staff our public health team will work closely with our schools to make sure the appropriate action is taken.”

 

Professor Sandeep Ranote, clinical director for mental health, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership, said:

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“It is completely normal for children and young people to feel anxious about going back to education.

“Returning to routine after such a long break would be daunting even without the added stress created by the pandemic and the feeling of not knowing what things are going to be like.

“That’s why we are working with schools and colleges across Greater Manchester to help them be confident in talking to their students and pupils about their well being, to listen to their concerns and to be able to provide or direct them to the necessary support.”

 

The three minute films can be seen under top tips at www.salford.gov.uk/returntoschool

Photo: Stock

Students across Salford and the rest of the UK will be waking up eager to learn of their A Level results this morning.

This years results will be a little different as they are based on the projected grades of which the teachers thought each student would achieve rather than the results of exams which were postponed and later cancelled as the coronavirus pandemic swept across the UK.

Students who are not fortunate enough to achieve their required grade will be given an opportunity to sit the exam in August or request that their place of education appeal their results on their behalf in which is branded as a 'triple lock'.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said a 'late clearing process' is expected to be available for pupils who opt to sit A-level exams in the autumn.

Meanwhile, students have taken to social media to vent their anger after the UCAS website was temporarily unavailable this morning due to high demand. Some are still struggling to access their results online.

We wish all students across Salford the very best and hope that the results they receive are a true representation of their abilities and education.

It should be remembered that these young adults have worked hard for their grades, only to have the chance to sit an exam swept away from them due to the unprecedented implementation of the lockdown which led to schools and college closures across the whole UK.

Salford is attempting to break the world record for the world’s longest continuous quiz which will last a staggering 36 hours.

The quiz will be held at the Student’s Union at the University of Salford and will be raising money for men’s mental health charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). Teams entering will be asked to make a donation on the door.

It will start 11am on Sunday 29th September and continue through the night before finishing 11pm on Monday.

CALM is a UK charity that helps to raise awareness and change attitudes towards suicides in men. They provide a free and anonymous help line and webchat service that provides advice and information to anyone who needs help. 

Professional quiz master, Tony Murphy is hoping to beat the current record, which stands at 33 hours and 8 minutes.

Speaking on how the idea came about, Tony said: “I just fancied doing something a bit different. It’s really nerve-wracking but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”  

The event will be hosted by Tony who has been running quizzes around Manchester for the last six years. He said: “It will be a fun way to raise money for an important cause like CALM and will be nice to say the record was broken here in Salford.”

Using a free speed quizzing app on smart phone, it will have several mini quizzes and rounds, with prizes for each winner. Those will then feed into a points table where the team with the most points over the duration will be crowned the winners. 

On the night Redbull have provided drinks to ensure contestants are kept energised and the Student Union will be open for the duration proving snacks, coffee and usual bar offering. 

The quiz is open to anyone who wishes to attend and for those unable to the quiz will be live streamed on Facebook, YouTube, and Shock Radio.

‘We are lonely, but not alone’ encourages everyone to wear yellow socks to show they care about youth loneliness.

And Co-Op Accademy in Swinton is proud to report that five of their students have helped to co-design a national campaign to beat the stigma of youth loneliness.

Finlay Myers, aged 12; Emily Bate aged 12; Taylor Lomas, aged 13; Claire Muhlawako Madzura, aged 15; and Elorm Fiavor aged 15 were among nine young people who worked with specialist youth co-design agency, Effervescent, to create ‘We are lonely, but not alone’.

The campaign launched on 23 September and encourages everyone to wear yellow socks to show they care about youth loneliness. Supporters can then post a picture of themselves online using #LonelyNotAlone.

People are invited to get involved whenever and wherever they like. Every time someone wears yellow socks, they’ll show young people everywhere that youth loneliness matters.

Young people chose yellow socks as their campaign idea because the colour reminded them of hope, while the semi-hidden nature of socks reflected what loneliness felt like for them.

Co-op Academy students also helped to create characters for an animation that reflect how they feel lonely. Characters include a unicorn, who feels different, and a ‘crocoduck’ – a duck that pretends to be a crocodile to fit in with others.

The animation is narrated by 15-year-old Mia Povey, from Middlesbrough.

Watch this and more at www.lonelynotalone.org from 23 September.

To kick off the campaign, the academy were thrilled to host a group discussion with some of the students involved to talk about youth loneliness and their own personal experiences of it. With everyone wearing yellow socks our students raised some very thought-provoking points and they left confident to pass on the message of the campaign to the rest of the school community.

‘We are lonely, but not alone’ is launched as research finds only 26% of young people are confident talking about loneliness, and even less (23%) believe society treats it as a serious social issue. Researchers spoke to 2,044 young people aged 10 to 25 years old UK-wide and also found that less than a third (31%) would be comfortable asking for help if they felt lonely.

However, the Co-op Foundation research also found that lonely young people are proactively trying to overcome their feelings of loneliness, and help others:

74% of young people have taken at least one action that helped with their own feelings of loneliness

73% have tried to help other young people who might be lonely

An estimated 1.7million young people across the UK would be comfortable helping their peers to beat loneliness, but are yet to do so

Jim Cooke, Head of the Co-op Foundation, said:

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Loneliness is a feeling we can all relate to, but few of us realise that young people are affected more than any other age group. ‘We are lonely, but not alone’ has been created by young people for young people to tackle the stigma of youth loneliness and help us all to show we care. Get involved today to help young people everywhere see that youth loneliness matters and that even if they do feel lonely, they are not alone.

Taylor, 13, said she wanted to get involved due to feeling different from other young people her age:

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We are lonely, but not alone’ has made me realise that if someone is lonely, you don’t just walk past them – you ask if they are okay, or you see if they want to spend time with you. This project has really developed my confidence. I have realised through this process that I am lovable and wonderful, after all, and that has helped me to find deeper and better friendships at school. I now have some great friendships with people.

‘We are lonely, but not alone’ is funded by the Co-op Foundation and government. It builds on the Let’s Talk Loneliness campaign.

Co-op Foundation is the leading charity tackling youth loneliness in the country. It has invested £6.5 million in projects UK-wide while also supporting the development of resources and networks to help youth workers identify and tackle youth loneliness with greater confidence.

Get involved with ‘We are lonely, but not alone’ at: www.lonelynotalone.org or follow @lonelynotalone on Twitter.

Read more about the Co-op Foundation: www.coopfoundation.org.uk