These activities can help your group to start conversations, consider what impact poverty and costs can have on school life and think about what action you're going to take. Asking everyone about costs at your school is a great thing to do to alongside raising awareness.
These activities can help your group to start conversations, consider what impact poverty and costs can have on school life and think about what action you're going to take. This is all about how you might go about taking action.
Between 2017 and 2020 the Cost of the School Day team at Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland worked with schools and more than 700 young people in Dundee, to produce findings which supported actions like cheaper uniform suppliers, more inclusive homework policies, greater consistency in lending resources, breakfast provision, free ‘ready to learn’ packs, non-stigmatising approaches to fundraising, trip subsidies, and improved promotion of financial entitlements.
Coatbridge High School in North Lanarkshire ran an all day event focusing on the cost of living, with workshops during the day for pupils and a drop-in Cost of Living Fayre for families after school, which showcased the work of a range of organisations in the area and covered wide spectrum of supports for families.
Learners at Trinity High School have been working with teaching staff to identify costs and create a costs calendar. The calendar will help all members of the school community see where costs arise, what support is offered, and widen participation for all learners.
