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Working Together – Winning Together

Amanda Martin, president of the National Education Union, 2020.

The work of the Steve Sinnott Foundation began in 2009 to build upon the legacy left behind following Steve’s death in 2008. Now, after 10 years’ experience working in partnership with teachers and educators worldwide, the Foundation has secured its reputation in its own right. SSF projects are offering life changing experiences for many people across the world.

I am so proud of my association with the Foundation and of the fact that I worked with it from its very early days. When I first met Steve I was a young teacher. His calm, unifying and strong educational values really resonated with me. He encouraged and welcomed ideas and advocated trade unionism alongside the absolute need for social justice and fairness. However, it wasn’t until I spoke at Steve’s memorial service that I realised the true impact he had regarding education and solidarity not just in the UK but across the world.

In its quest to continue work imbued with Steve’s values, the Foundation has at its heart the ethos of enabling and partnership. It ensures that while initial support is provided, those involved in the various projects are not dependent upon the Foundation. The aim for each project is that it can expand and thrive; that learning and successes can be shared. Every project involves working together to develop trust and ownership so that the they are not only fit for purpose but are sustainable, locally owned, managed and valued.

The Foundation’s key vision is working towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). It believes that quality education is the key to achieving all seventeen of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Foundation’s commitment to gender equality is something I believe it should be proud of as it sits at the forefront of all its thinking. The vision that started with Steve has definitely been built upon and expanded by the Foundation. The work of SSF has impacted positively on so many lives.

The Positive Periods Project has captured the true power of collaboration between trade unions and the Foundation. To date it has enabled girls in The Gambia to be given the opportunity to change their lives through being able to attend school every school day throughout the month.

Teachers in The Gambia have shared their learning with Sierra Leonean teachers and they in turn are sharing learning and training with colleagues in Uganda and Malawi; educators in Cuba and Haiti are also involved in sharing this learning. This has not only meant the completion of one successful project but has, in fitting with Steve’s philosophy, inspired, encouraged and empowered those involved to share their success - showing the real meaning of partnership and working together.

Despite some setbacks the Learning Resource Centres in Haiti and Nepal have put education at the centre of these communities and proven that education can make a difference.

All of these projects show the importance of education globally and the link with international solidarity that the Foundation continues to achieve.

As I complete my presidential year, I am reminded of the words of encouragement Steve was always willing to give and I know that through their work the Foundation continues to inspire that can-do attitude. Sadly, due to Covid19 there is no National Education Union (NEU) Annual Conference this year which is a shame because in writing my own speech I looked at the speech Steve gave when he was the National Union of Teachers (NUT) President. Words of unity, passion and solidarity resonated throughout and that’s what would have resonated in my words too.

“Working together, winning together” is certainly a motto I live by, because together we can achieve so much more. Whether that be highlighting and striving to defeat inequality and hardship or actively involving others in projects that can make a difference and make the world a fair and equitable place.

Steve was taken too early from those he loved but through its ethos, aims and hard work the Foundation has ensured that one man’s solidarity and love has touched, enhanced and improved so many more lives than he might have ever imagined.

From Engage issue 20.
AMANDA MARTIN • October 6, 2021
By Ann Beatty March 28, 2025
Spring is definitely here, daffodils, blossom and crocuses are all basking in the bright sunshine. There is still a chill in the air in the shade but it's happening and all the seeds that were sown over the last few months are coming to fruition. At the Foundation, we have been planning the year ahead and our Positive Periods and Prevention of Gender Based Violence programmes got underway this weekend in Haiti and Ghana. These projects will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the women and girls who take part: tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and enabling girls to attend school every day when they have their period, to feel safe at school and know how to take action when they are faced with violence. These are the first of many projects planned for the year ahead as we continue to work towards Education for All children everywhere.
By Hannah Frisch March 7, 2025
The outlook for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) on global education is far from rosy. But a gloomy future isn’t inevitable. Disappointing statistics are the result of political choices that can be shifted and there are thousands of youth, grassroots activists and civil society organisations across the UK advocating for global education to make these changes. We need more people involved to build the momentum, we need to make a difference in challenging circumstances. You can help! Here’s how; Making global education a UK priority The UK is an important donor and champion for global education. However, education has been gradually deprioritised on the development agenda. Global education spending has plummeted from 13.5% of Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2013 to just 3.5% in 2023, and education was one of the sectors hit hardest by the abandonment of the 0.7% gross national income (GNI) target for ODA. With Labour’s annual budget confirming another reduction in the aid budget, funding for global education is under threat of being cut even further unless we stand together to say this can’t happen. While education is a domestic priority for the new Government, it has yet to emerge as a strong theme in their development agenda. As the Labour Party continues to develop their approach there is a unique opportunity for advocates to connect these dots and make the case for why education must be a key part of the Government’s international plans. For the Government to take action it needs to hear demand for change. There are many issues MPs recognise are important, but if they do not hear about these issues from constituents it can be hard for MPs to be vocal about them in Parliament. Following an election where many parliamentary seats were won with tight margins, MPs need to hear from the people they represent that global education must be on their agenda. With over half of MPs elected for the first time this year, many are actively looking for a steer on what issues to work on. We can give them one! How to Get Involved Write to your MP about why global education needs to be a bigger priority for the UK Government and encourage members of groups you are a part of, such as your union branch or a local community group, to do the same. This can have a real impact on your MP’s interest and ability to act for global education. You can also connect with other grassroots activists and get resources for taking action from international development advocacy organisations like Results UK. You can learn more about Results UK’s grassroots network on our website. If you are a teacher, get your school involved in the Send My Friend to School Campaign (SMF). Send My Friend is a UK civil society coalition advocating for SDG4 which supports a mass UK schools campaign to amplify student voices calling for universal quality education in solidarity with their peers around the world. Free campaign packs are available on the SMF website for primary and secondary levels with everything teachers need to run the campaign in their school. Parliamentarians can learn more about education issues and how to act by joining the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Global Education, a cross-party group that brings together Parliamentarians interested in the right to education and provides them with knowledge and resources to be champions of the issue. By joining our voices through collective action, we can make a real difference in moving the needle on this issue. Together we have a chance to rechart the course for the realisation of quality education for all. BIOGRAPHY Hannah Frisch is the Senior Policy and Parliamentary Advocacy Officer for Education at Results UK and a Co-Chair of the Send My Friend to School Policy and Parliamentary Working Group. She is a policy advisor for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Global Education in the UK Parliament.
By Melanie Lavery March 3, 2025
Last year the Steve Sinnott Foundation supported the work of The Federation of Drama Schools by providing financial aid to new graduates, enabling them to take part in an industry showcase at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The showcase is an annual event for Irish graduates who have completed a professional training at one of the Federation’s partner conservatoires in the UK, introducing young actors to the industry they hope to work in. The Federation of Drama Schools partners are institutions that provide conservatoire vocational training for those who want to be professional performers, theatre makers and technical theatre practitioners. The courses they offer are for students of eighteen years and over, who have completed their school level education. In November (2024) fourteen young Irish graduates took part in the showcase and the SSF provided financial support to two graduates who may not otherwise have been able to take part in this showcase, which is a bridge between training and their professional career. Melanie Lavery from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama is one of those who benefitted from this support. Melanie writes of her experience. I would like to say a huge thank you to the Steve Sinnott Foundation for the support I received, making it possible for me to take part in the Dublin Showcase 2024. The opportunity allowed me to work with graduates from across FDS schools and widen my contacts in the industry. Coming from a socio-economically deprived area, I’ve often missed out on opportunities available to my peers. I have had to spend a lot of energy during my three years in drama school working to support myself and this has meant I often don’t have time to follow up network opportunities. In receiving this sponsorship and taking part in the showcase I have been able to connect with other Irish creatives - the people I am acting opposite, directors, casting directors and agents in the industry. These industry showcases are so important for graduates. It gives us the possibility of networking with industry professionals and hopefully the opportunity of taking that first crucial step into the profession we have trained for. As I studied in Wales, it gave me the chance to return to Ireland and to reach out to creatives there. The Foundation gave me this amazing opportunity to kick start my career in my home country. On the day of the showcase, I had such pride watching my fellow Irish peers performing on stage at Ireland’s National Theatre. Working together throughout the rehearsal period, I got to know them individually and we all helped each other to grow as performers. This showcase has helped me to create my own community of actors around me. When it came to talking with other creatives after the show case, I became so much more aware of how large and welcoming the industry is in Ireland and how much work is being produced here. I think this show case is so important as it highlights how vibrant and growing the industry is in Ireland. I feel so lucky that I was able to take part thanks to the help of the Steve Sinnott Foundation. For more information on the Federation of Drama Schools, professional industry showcases, and it’s partner schools please visit www.federationofdramaschools.co.uk
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