British Council Nepal as a part of its Connecting Classrooms Project initiated Social Action Projects to encourage students to work closely with their community members and organisations to create awareness about social responsibility and show effective action. This student-led initiative is focused on tackling issues relevant to local communities while helping students develop leadership and team building skills. Social Action Projects help develop the value and understanding of global citizenship encouraging students to lead, change and inspire not only themselves but also their communities.
While engaging in social action projects, schools are introduced to the concept of Student Councils which are made up of groups of pupils who come together to discuss matters that are of interest to them and the school as a whole. These student bodies are a way for young people to express their “pupil voice” and take action against social issues that affect them.
Interested schools will be asked to submit a proposal to implement a short-term project in their communities focusing on an issue that is relevant to their context. Proposals will then be shortlisted based on fixed criteria and selected schools will receive a seed fund of GBP 300 to implement their project. However, it will be mandatory for schools working in SAP to raise more funds and develop a robust plan to tackle a burning issue in their community. The projects chosen should also be aligned with one of the sustainable development goals.
Objective
By participating in these social action projects, students will
- positively recognized and involved in their communities through volunteering and implementing social actions.
- become more aware of the social issues and will be enabled to make informed and positive choices for themselves and their communities
How can your school take part?
Just four easy steps!
- A group of students in your school will identify an issue or a problem facing their community. This can be in any area about any social issue which they feel is important to address. Students then think of a solution which would include social action and engagements with their local community members that will help to address the issue.
- With the help of a teacher, the students apply for a Connecting Classrooms Social Action grant to put their idea into action. A grant seed fund of £300 is available per school submitting relevant and clear proposal. Their project idea and plan will be evaluated by the British Council team and if it is successful, the grant will be given to the school. Schools are required to include how they plan to bring in additional funds on top of the £300 which should be mentioned in their proposals.
- The students put their idea into action with their school mates and their communities. While they are doing it, the students, with the help of their teacher will also record all evidences of changes brought by their intervention and will capture their work in photographs and videos.
- The head teachers and the teachers of each schools are required to plan for sustainability of their project work.
Grants, reconciliation, and reporting procedures
- The available grant is £300 for each school.
- Eligible expenditure relating to project activity could include the following: venue hire, workshop materials, translation costs, transport, production of publicity material for a campaign, publication and dissemination of project outcomes. Please contact the British Council if you have any questions about what might constitute eligible expenditure.
- The grant will be paid in one instalment after the application has been approved. A detailed narrative report and a financial reconciliation must be sent to the British Council within 10 days of the end of the project activity. All receipts (originals) must also be submitted in the report.
- Reporting guidelines / forms will be issued together with the contract.
Please find some sample reports from past Social Action Projects from different schools of Nepal.