Imagine if every school in the world was a community. Imagine if every young person had access to a network of relatable role models, work experience and mentors, all alumni of their school, from their communities; all ready to go back and give back.
That is the vision of Future First Global.
The ‘Back to School’ campaign (‘Asante Shule’ in Kenya) will be held during the first week in February to mobilise every former student to think about what they can do for their old school.
Why
Future First Global’s international research (conducted with polling through IPSOS) reveals that while almost 80% of people across 9 countries polled wanted to give back to their old schools, less than 2% had and the majority of those that had, were alumni of elite institutions[1]. Those that need the help most aren’t getting it. This campaign is designed to show that every former student has something to contribute to their old schools – whether as career role models, running a school club, offering work experience, mentoring or raising funds for the school.
What
The ‘Back to School’ campaign will have a number of activities:
- In school events where former students (including high profile celebrities and political leaders) go back to give careers talks at their old schools or invite students for work experience;
- Online and street sign ups where flash mobs of volunteers in school uniform will sign people up to take the ‘Alumni Pledge’ and commit to helping in some way at their old school;
- A social media campaign (#backtoschool) inviting everyone to change their profile photo to their old school photo and to post advice to their 16 year old self.
How
People will take part by making a commitment at www.myalumnipledge.org to support their former schools in the year ahead and on social media where they will change their photos to their old school photos and post advice to their 16 year old self. Many will also be able to make a pledge through a street sign up programme in 5 countries around the hashtag #backtoschool.
Where
Globally with partners already committed in Kenya, Spain, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Turkey, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK and more signing up in the run up to a Feb 1st launch.
Who
You! Have you signed the Alumni Pledge at www.myalumnipledge.org? This is a campaign for former students: from celebrities to taxi drivers, plumbers and journalists to actors and scientists. It was designed by Future First Global; a charity working to build alumni programmes in low-income communities around the world. To see Future First’s work in action: http://tinyurl.com/h8j2u27.
When
This campaign launched today on February 1st and finish on February 8th though Future First Global are using the week to launch a 5 year plan to turn schools into communities at a global scale.
[1] See http://www.inhiveglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Every-School-a-Community-Report.pdf for details, statistics from national poll of Kenyan adults conducted by IPSOS polling agency