Non-Formal Education for Youth-Led Change
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Politics and International Studies
Abstract
'Non-formal education for youth-led change', will integrate the learning from the AHRC-funded project 'Changing the Story' (CTS) into a new suite of non-formal education (NFE) programmes currently being developed by the British Council in 30 countries.
By extending our previous working relationship with British Council, and our original research findings into programmes using different methodologies in different contexts, this project is an opportunity to develop new and unforeseen pathways to impact that will enhance the benefits of CTS beyond academia and into programming. It comes at a critical time as the British Council works to develop a new collection of global NFE programmes.
The original project, which worked across 12 ODA-recipient countries, demonstrated how NFE programmes, particularly those that engage participatory arts-based methodologies, can promote peacebuilding and social justice. This was achieved through creating spaces for different forms of learning: CTS projects enabled learning that incorporated the emotional and affective. Our findings demonstrate that these different forms of learning can empower young people and enhance youth-led peacebuilding and youth-led social change.
'Non-formal education for youth-led change' will integrate this learning into the development of the British Council's new and future NFE programming, as well as facilitating knowledge exchange with wider policy and practice audiences. We will use feasibility studies to directly evaluate and shape British Council programmes using the findings from CTS, and test the potential application of ideas emerging from the CTS research in different practice contexts. We will facilitate engagement, knowledge exchange, and impact through online workshops and a conference.
Through these activities, we plan to achieve four broad objectives; 1) To realise the full potential of our original research, which sought to investigate youth-centred approaches to civil-society building and youth-led social change; 2) To use the original project findings to engage creatively and systematically with new projects and new audiences; 3) To use the original project findings to generate unforeseen pathways to impact by directly shaping the development of new and future NFE programmes within and beyond the British Council; and 4) To maximise the potential of the original research for education and international development.
By extending our previous working relationship with British Council, and our original research findings into programmes using different methodologies in different contexts, this project is an opportunity to develop new and unforeseen pathways to impact that will enhance the benefits of CTS beyond academia and into programming. It comes at a critical time as the British Council works to develop a new collection of global NFE programmes.
The original project, which worked across 12 ODA-recipient countries, demonstrated how NFE programmes, particularly those that engage participatory arts-based methodologies, can promote peacebuilding and social justice. This was achieved through creating spaces for different forms of learning: CTS projects enabled learning that incorporated the emotional and affective. Our findings demonstrate that these different forms of learning can empower young people and enhance youth-led peacebuilding and youth-led social change.
'Non-formal education for youth-led change' will integrate this learning into the development of the British Council's new and future NFE programming, as well as facilitating knowledge exchange with wider policy and practice audiences. We will use feasibility studies to directly evaluate and shape British Council programmes using the findings from CTS, and test the potential application of ideas emerging from the CTS research in different practice contexts. We will facilitate engagement, knowledge exchange, and impact through online workshops and a conference.
Through these activities, we plan to achieve four broad objectives; 1) To realise the full potential of our original research, which sought to investigate youth-centred approaches to civil-society building and youth-led social change; 2) To use the original project findings to engage creatively and systematically with new projects and new audiences; 3) To use the original project findings to generate unforeseen pathways to impact by directly shaping the development of new and future NFE programmes within and beyond the British Council; and 4) To maximise the potential of the original research for education and international development.
| Description | 'Non-Formal Education for Youth-Led Change' has found that the inherent flexibility of non-formal education (NFE) can create spaces for embodied and experiential learning and a discussion of current issues facing young people and their communities. Engaging in this learning can change the way young people understand themselves as individuals and as a collective, their perceptions of their society, and their place in society. This can empower young people to recognise themselves as important actors, who can enact change in their communities, and the project has demonstrated examples of real change that young people have made in their communities through engaging with NFE programmes. However, the findings also demonstrate areas where NFE programming needs further attention - including greater input from young people in the design of programmes, ensuring different groups of young people are able to actively participate in programmes, ensuring that programmes are designed to be embedded in the communities with which they work, and enabling sustainable impact. Ultimately, the project has demonstrated the real potential of NFE programmes with young people to contribute to youth-led social change, but highlights setbacks in ensuring the sustainability of these impacts on young people and their communities - largely due to a lack of an enabling environment for young people. These findings call therefore, for a perusal of this enabling environment to be embedded into the design and enactment of NFE programmes - and for further research and knowledge exchange to understand how sustainability in programming can be achieved. |
| Exploitation Route | The outcomes of this project can be used by organisations working in non-formal education with young people - as well as wider programmes seeking to empower young people to make changes in their communities. It highlights examples of best practice in this field, whilst also pointing to the continuing challenges of lasting impact that organisations can and should address in their programming. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Education |
| URL | https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/-three-reports-nfe-youth-led-change |
| Description | Through its engagement and dissemination activities, this project engaged over 200 people (not including research participants), the majority of whom worked for non-governmental organisations. These activities facilitated knowledge exchange and the sharing of best practice in promoting youth-led change through non-formal education programming, as well as highlighting persistent challenges that need to be addressed. Participants discussed the value of this engagement to their own work, with a number noting that it would affect their practice going forward. The project is expected to have direct impacts on the development of the British Council's' future NFE programming in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and globally. However, as the project has only recently finished, it is too soon to report on the specific impact at this stage. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Education |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Title | Non-Formal Education for Youth-Led Change |
| Description | In-depth qualitative data was generated in Ethiopia and Bangladesh with young people and programmes to understand if and how non-formal education programmes were contributing to youth-led social change. The data set comprises transcripts from 31 participants in Bangladesh, and 30 participants in Ethiopia. This data is currently being formatted for publication. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This dataset contributed to the development of the project reports noted in previous sections, as well as formed the basis of the events that took place at the end of the project. It is hoped that the findings from this data will contribute to change within British Council programming. |
| Description | British Council UK |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The collaboration formed the basis of the project; the funding call was co-produced, and the activities of the project were designed together. The University of Leeds lead the project and its activities, and regular meetings with the British Council ensured they inputted on the direction and outputs of all aspects of the project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration formed the basis of the project; the funding call was co-produced, and the activities of the project were designed together. The University of Leeds lead the project and its activities, and regular meetings with the British Council ensured they inputted on the direction and outputs of all aspects of the project. The British Council's central team were also instrumental in fostering connections with country teams, inviting participants to the workshops, and lead the community of practice workshop. |
| Impact | - Knowledge Exchange workshop - Community of practice workshop - Final event workshop - Final report All aspects of the project were interdisciplinary, particularly brining together education and global development, as well as drawing on the arts and politics. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Bangladesh Report Launch |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This event launched the report from the Bangladesh research, to an audience of third sector organisations, young people, and policy makers. The Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Bangladesh attended and spoke at the event, highlighting the 'Ministry's commitment to prioritising youth empowerment' and emphasising 'the need for further collaborative initiatives in youth development'. The event and report received substantial news coverage in Bangladesh, with articles in 3 print publications and 16 news websites. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Community of Practice |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The research findings from the project were presented to the British Council's Education Community of Practice. The online event was attended by 63 participants, helping to expand the reach of NFE across sectors and countries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Final project event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | This event engaged a wide international audience of practitioners, academics to disseminate the findings from the research project, through a panel discussion and participatory working groups. The event brought together findings from across the project, sharing best practice, and identifying the directions for future work in the field. Participants highlighted that their engagement in the event will influence their future practice in non-formal education for youth-led change. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/-three-reports-nfe-youth-led-change |
| Description | Knowledge Exchange Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The participatory knowledge exchange workshop brought together a total of 44 participants from 17 countries. This included University researchers, British Council colleagues working in the field of Non-Formal Education, and the British Council's implementing and evaluation partners. By facilitating an exchange of knowledge and best practices, the workshop explored innovative approaches to utilising non-formal education (NFE) for youth-led change, shared experiences, and discussed the challenges and successes in implementing NFE programs. Key themes arising from the workshop included: • Methodologies and program design • Challenges and resilience • Youth accountability and participation • Gender equality • Impact and sustainability |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |