The problem
Low participation and tokenistic approaches to youth voice, social action and democracy at school is a widespread problem. This impacts young people across the UK, especially those from marginalised groups.
The traditional school council exists in 95% of the UK’s 32,000 schools but it doesn’t work very well.
Pupils with more than 200 books at home have a 62% chance of participating in the traditional school council model.
Pupils with fewer than ten books at home? Only 30% take part
University of Roehampton
Our mission
We believe that to build an inclusive and active democracy, all young people’s voice should be involved. Every child should lead change in their world through democracy
We combine this big idea with simple and practical tools to make it happen. Our aim is to radically transform pupil voice at school to create a better democracy for us all to live in.
The English education system is providing the most unequal access to learning political engagement across Europe
University College London
Our Story
Asher and Greg set up Smart School Councils because they thought that school councils were great, but they often only benefit a very small group of pupils. How could we find a way to open up the learning to more pupils in an exciting way?
Having worked with hundreds of schools and advised the UK Parliament and Children’s Commissioner on school councils and student voice, Asher and Greg began to draw a picture of what a new model could look like.
The model is now used by 360 schools across the world, with 40,000 pupils taking part in a class meeting each month.
Our programmes
Smart School Councils
Our core programme supports 360 member schools with a whole-school approach to democracy.
Our aim is to help every child lead change through direct democracy in their schools. Last year, 40,000 students per week engaged in debate as a part of our class debate tool: raising democracy participation from 7% to 100% in just one term.
Home Debate Club
A weekly online debate that supports young people to lead a discussion with their family or class
We designed and built this debate tool during the first month of the pandemic in 2020 to support the wellbeing of young people. The program is funded by UBS.
Team London Young Ambassadors
Connects young Londoners in AP settings with their communities through social action
In partnership with the Mayor of London and Volunteering Matters, we’re supporting young people in SEN and PRUs across London to lead their own amazing social action projects.
Every Voice
Targeted training for marginalised Year 5 and 6 pupils in Barking and Enfield to lead our core programme
Working with pupils at risk of social exclusion and serious youth violence, Every Voice is a leadership programme for the young people who need it the most. It’s currently paused due to coronavirus situation in , but we hope to have it back up and running soon.
