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UNESCO ASPnet schools’ contribution to the UK

The Foundation has been working in partnership with UNESCO since 2015 and Ann Beatty our CEO is the UNESCO ASPnet Co-ordinator in the UK. There are 145 schools in the programme and Coventry City is currently supporting all schools in the city with the opportunity of accreditation. In January, Warwick University and Coventry City Council hosted an event at the House of Commons to celebrate UNESCO ASPnet schools’ contribution to the UK.


Saarah Rahman who helped organise the event, is currently studying at the University of Warwick in her final year, reading politics and international studies. Saarah shares her thoughts on ASPnet and her personal journey in education.


I believe that being a part of UNESCO ASPNET and the Hidden Heroes project will help to lift hundreds of schoolchildren out of educational deprivation. This is an issue that I have personally grown up with my entire life. Educational deprivation is a very personal topic for me, as someone who originates from Tower Hamlets and as a British Bangladeshi Muslim, I am already socially and economically hindered.


I went to your average underperforming state school, where I was never able to take part in programmes which helped to improve my confidence and critical thinking skills, as well as deepen my awareness of the world around me. I was always stuck in a bubble at school, believing that students like me would never be able to leave Tower Hamlets; that my whole life would only start and end here, in this small pocket of London.


From not having a laptop until I was seventeen and being on Free School Meals when I was younger, I have faced the brunt of deprivation in education. It was when I got into The University of Warwick that I realised the deprivation gap between me and my classmates was much greater than it seemed.


My classmates had opportunities to take part in initiatives such as Model UN at school, Pupil Parliament, and so many other extracurriculars that they had at their disposal, because of the type of funding their school during sixth form and secondary had received. Meanwhile, I had to scout for my extracurricular opportunities during school, alongside the challenge that they had to be free.


The disparity gap is prominent in who runs for execs or higher student positions, and the common denominator between these types of students is they had leadership positions and extracurriculars handed to them during their time in compulsory education. They were given the confidence at an early age to apply for these roles inside and outside of the University, which will ultimately lead to them being in a better position to take up opportunities.


This is why I am a massive advocate for initiatives such as UNESCO ASPnet, because giving young people the confidence to explore social issues alongside critical thinking skills, will boost their confidence in academic and nonacademic settings.


Working-class, underprivileged students are always in competition with students who have been given the resources to enrich their education throughout their lives, which shows in their confidence in applying for and receiving opportunities throughout their time inside and outside of higher education.


Hopefully, with initiatives such as Hidden Heroes and UNESCO, we finally give underprivileged students the stepping stones they need to get out of their comfort zone and take up opportunities.


To find out more about UNESCO ASPnet in the U.K. and how your school can join, visit https://www.stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk/unesco-aspnet


BY SAARAH RAHMAN • Jul 08, 2024

Charities Working Together

By Ann Beatty • 29 Aug, 2024
H'arts in Mind is an inclusive mental health Arts charity run by people with lived experience. They support people with mental health or physical challenges who have an interest in Art. The Steve Sinnott Foundation (SSF) is an international education charity also based in Hertfordshire. The foundation is working with teachers and educators to deliver projects that progress the achievement if Sustainable Development Goal 4 - ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life long learning opportunities. Kim Rasit CEO and founder of H'arts in Mind met up with Ann Beatty CEO SSF to see how two small local charities might support each other. They decided they would work together to develop a space in the art gallery for future artists or others to exhibit in the space. SSF would be the first exhibition to test out the space. The exhibition took place August 21st to 25th and we are really pleased to report it was a great success. SSF provided workshops on Storytelling, Jewellery Making and Vision Board and Well-being as well as exhibiting their work on Positive Periods and Preventing Gender Based Violence.

UNESCO ASPnet schools’ contribution to the UK

By BY SAARAH RAHMAN • 08 Jul, 2024
The Foundation has been working in partnership with UNESCO since 2015 and Ann Beatty our CEO is the UNESCO ASPnet Co-ordinator in the UK. There are 145 schools in the programme and Coventry City is currently supporting all schools in the city with the opportunity of accreditation. In January, Warwick University and Coventry City Council hosted an event at the House of Commons to celebrate UNESCO ASPnet schools’ contribution to the UK. Saarah Rahman who helped organise the event, is currently studying at the University of Warwick in her final year, reading politics and international studies. Saarah shares her thoughts on ASPnet and her personal journey in education. I believe that being a part of UNESCO ASPNET and the Hidden Heroes project will help to lift hundreds of schoolchildren out of educational deprivation. This is an issue that I have personally grown up with my entire life. Educational deprivation is a very personal topic for me, as someone who originates from Tower Hamlets and as a British Bangladeshi Muslim, I am already socially and economically hindered. I went to your average underperforming state school, where I was never able to take part in programmes which helped to improve my confidence and critical thinking skills, as well as deepen my awareness of the world around me. I was always stuck in a bubble at school, believing that students like me would never be able to leave Tower Hamlets; that my whole life would only start and end here, in this small pocket of London. From not having a laptop until I was seventeen and being on Free School Meals when I was younger, I have faced the brunt of deprivation in education. It was when I got into The University of Warwick that I realised the deprivation gap between me and my classmates was much greater than it seemed. My classmates had opportunities to take part in initiatives such as Model UN at school, Pupil Parliament, and so many other extracurriculars that they had at their disposal, because of the type of funding their school during sixth form and secondary had received. Meanwhile, I had to scout for my extracurricular opportunities during school, alongside the challenge that they had to be free. The disparity gap is prominent in who runs for execs or higher student positions, and the common denominator between these types of students is they had leadership positions and extracurriculars handed to them during their time in compulsory education. They were given the confidence at an early age to apply for these roles inside and outside of the University, which will ultimately lead to them being in a better position to take up opportunities. This is why I am a massive advocate for initiatives such as UNESCO ASPnet, because giving young people the confidence to explore social issues alongside critical thinking skills, will boost their confidence in academic and nonacademic settings. Working-class, underprivileged students are always in competition with students who have been given the resources to enrich their education throughout their lives, which shows in their confidence in applying for and receiving opportunities throughout their time inside and outside of higher education. Hopefully, with initiatives such as Hidden Heroes and UNESCO, we finally give underprivileged students the stepping stones they need to get out of their comfort zone and take up opportunities. To find out more about UNESCO ASPnet in the U.K. and how your school can join, visit https://www.stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk/unesco-aspnet

Education for Sustainable Development: A Step Change

By BY FELICIA JACKSON • 01 Jul, 2024
The challenges of climate change, finite resources and their unequal distribution are well understood. The science provides us with facts, and the technological solutions to change the ways things are done already exist. So why is there a gap between what we know needs to be done, and implementing change? Science is critical and fundamental but only part of the picture. Education for sustainable development means giving children the right to ask questions. It is only with a questioning mindset that we will develop the critical thinking necessary to make progress and adapt. The Learn2Think Foundation was set up in 2016 to empower young people to be creative, independent and compassionate thinkers. We do this by encouraging children to ask their own questions so that they can gain alternate perspectives, engage and ‘own’ their curiosity and give up the need to be right and see the ‘other’ as wrong. Developing this approach to thinking deeply about the larger questions in life equips children with the tools, not simply to challenge the status quo, but to prepare them for a rapidly changing world. Creative - Imaginative; not following the status quo; flexible; courageous. Independent - Feeling like they can make a difference; empowered; autonomous. Compassionate - Seeing other points of view and recognising different possibly competing needs. Our Programmes The Questioning Project was designed to encourage both independent and collaborative learning, as well as the exploration of different perspectives. By encouraging new approaches to questions, this free programme helps embed pupil generated questioning within day-to-day teaching. Our other key initiative is Tolerance Day, a free annual programme, under the patronage of UNESCO, of specially designed and curated, curriculum linked lessons and fun activities to help children understand and practice tolerance as a foundation for their individual world view. ESD Resources We have partnered with Earthday.org to promote climate literacy and build a knowledge base in schools. The L2T Climate Quiz: ‘So You Think You Know About Climate Change?’ challenges common misunderstandings about climate change. A critical thinking workshop, ‘The Knotty Tree Problem’, for ages 9-13yrs. Four interest groups present their case as to why an ancient tree needs to be preserved or cut down depending on each group’s individual needs. Children learn about the complexities of ‘wicked’ problems like climate change when ‘perfect’ solutions are neither obvious nor indeed ever possible and how creativity and communication, together with tolerant attitudes can drive a better result for everyone. This is not “win or lose” but rather about achieving fairer outcomes. Biography Felicia Jackson is the chair of the Learn2Think Foundation. Founding Editor of Sustainable Growth Voice, co-host of sustainability podcast Shaken Not Burned and current contributor to Forbes.com. She was a member of the UNEP Technical Expert Panel developing a methodology for targets and indicators for Sustainable Development Goal 17.7.1 and teaches at SOAS, University.
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