Since we started in 2010, City Year UK has been committed to demonstrating the power of youth social action to change lives through ‘a year of service’ and in 2021, we joined a two year pilot with NCS and 13 other charities to develop the concept through ‘UK Year of Service’.
Our partnership has enabled us to create school service leader placements across London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester, offering ‘paid work that pays back’. 24 young adults were employed in 2021-2022 and a further 7 in 2022-2023. Each supported a team of mentors and their own small focus list, as well as taking part in, and helping with, weekly leadership and development days.
Our partnership in numbers
31
School service leaders
87%
Completed the year
10%
Have gone on to in-school roles with City Year
1
employed as a pastoral assistant by their school
City Year UK also attended the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences in autumn 2022 in association with UK Year of Service. School service leader, Cory Tomlinson, joined a panel alongside MPs at the Labour Party Conference on how ‘levelling up’ can help to build a more socially connected Britain, while AnnMaura Connolly from City Year Inc. in the US, spoke on the importance of a year of service at the Conservative Party Conference.
Making change happen with UK Year of Service:
Riya’s story
School service leader, Riya, felt there was something missing in her school. Despite the cultural diversity and staff’s hard work, festivals and celebrations were going unacknowledged. Having had the same experience at school, she realised her role meant she could influence change.
Riya planned and led two major projects and the result was phenomenal. Through food tasting and sharing, games and competitions, dance exhibitions and music, she encouraged and enabled young people and staff to celebrate and share their heritage and culture.
“I have learnt that we are all special, even though we are from other countries.”
– Year 7 pupil
“I got to see teachers who looked like and dressed like me and I loved how the academy came together to celebrate how diverse our school is.”
– Year 9 pupil
Riya’s achievements were recognised at the NCS UK Year of Service Future Makers Awards, 2022, where she was runner up in the Inspiring Change category and awarded ‘highly commended for inclusivity aimed to promote and enhance DEI in every part of the workplace’.
I experienced the feeling of inclusion and that I wasn’t alone… being encouraged to celebrate your culture is very validating.”
