First Give

For National Thank a Teacher Day, our team have been reflecting on the teachers who made a lasting difference in their lives.

Teachers are critical in preparing all of us for the world - whether that's building our confidence, igniting our passions, teaching us knowledge, acting as a guide - or all of the above.

Thank you to all of the teachers who inspired our team - and to the hundreds of teachers who are supporting students through the First Give Programme!

Today is about recognising that impact, and saying thank you to the brilliant teachers we work alongside every year. 💜

🌟We’re pleased to share part two of our case study from Ark Victoria (Ark), following their journey through their first year of the First Give Programme🌟

Building on part one, this story shows how 8 Zephaniah’s work with Bringing Hope Charity moved from awareness into meaningful action, with impact continuing well beyond the Final. Writing letters to people leaving prison made the experience feel real for students, turning empathy into something tangible. As one student put it:

“It felt like we were actually helping someone, not just talking about it.”

Huge thanks to the The Buffini Chao Foundation for making this work possible in the Midlands, and to Aaron Dhanoa for capturing their journey so powerfully.

Read Part Two Here ➡️ https://firstgive.co.uk/from-awareness-to-action-8-zephaniahs-journey-with-bringing-hope-birmingham/?_thumbnail_id=7830
Catch up on Part One Here ➡️ https://firstgive.co.uk/inspiring-social-action-ark-victoria-academy-transforms-year-8-through-first-give-programme/

Following the launch of our independent evaluation this week, we’ve been reflecting on the impact for schools as well as their learners.

Teachers report clear shifts in students’ confidence, purpose and civic capability. Across the programme, young people build skills in public speaking, teamwork and planning. More importantly, they develop a sense of agency, seeing themselves as people who can make a difference and whose voice matters. 📣

This is reflected in the student quote shared during the Q&A panel at our evaluation launch.

The evaluation also shows how First Give strengthens schools as civic institutions. 91% of teachers say it helps students tackle social issues, and 88% say it enables schools to play a more meaningful role in their local community.

By connecting students with local charities, schools are not just delivering enrichment but creating real opportunities for engagement, responsibility and community connection. 🤝

You can read the full evaluation and explore the findings in more detail, explore our programmes and Join First Give below 👇
Evaluation ➡️ https://firstgive.co.uk/building-momentum-from-the-moment-unlocking-lifelong-philanthropic-citizenship/
Our Programmes ➡️ https://firstgive.co.uk/our-programmes/
Join First Give ➡️ https://firstgive.co.uk/join/

Education

Following the launch of our independent evaluation yesterday, we want to reflect on why these findings matter.

At a time when many young people struggle to feel a sense of belonging or see how they can contribute to society, evidence of what works in schools is critical 📊

The evaluation provides robust evidence of impact and, just as importantly, insight into how that impact is achieved. It shows what happens when young people are given structured opportunities to develop agency, confidence and a sense of belonging through real‑world social action.

Participation in First Give leads to lasting engagement.

65% of young people go on to further social action after taking part, with 61% attributing this directly to the programme. This is well above the national average for youth social action and points to long‑term engagement, not short‑term enthusiasm.

As we work towards a more generous and connected society, this kind of durable impact matters 🌱

If you’re interested in supporting this work at scale, you can read more in the blog and explore how to get involved through our Route to a Million campaign. 👇

Read more and download the full evaluation ➡️ https://firstgive.co.uk/building-momentum-from-the-moment-unlocking-lifelong-philanthropic-citizenship/
Join us on the Route to a Million ➡️ https://firstgive.co.uk/route-to-a-million/

✨We’re proud to share a new independent evaluation of the impact of the First Give Programme

In our latest blog, First Give Director Isaac Jones reflects on findings from an external evaluation by Dr Ali Body and Natalie Johnson at Global Action Plan.

Following Volunteers’ Week and the Big Help Out, it’s clear how powerful national moments of action can be. But the bigger question is how we make that participation last?

What’s exciting about this evaluation is how clearly it reflects what we see in schools year after year. When young people are given the chance to choose causes, connect with charities and take real responsibility for their decisions, something shifts. It goes beyond a one-off experience.

The findings show the role First Give can play in building that longer-term engagement, embedding opportunities in schools, reaching all young people and helping turn early experiences of giving into something that sticks.

Thank you to Dr Ali Body, Natalie Johnson and Global Action Plan, and to the schools, teachers, charity partners and young people who made this work possible.

Read the blog and explore the full report ➡️ https://firstgive.co.uk/building-momentum-from-the-moment-unlocking-lifelong-philanthropic-citizenship/

Eden Project Communities

This weeks ✨Friday Spark✨ is Big Help Out inspired (how could it not be).

These are the words of Daisy Cooper MP, after witnessing the power of young people supporting causes important to them in their communities at St Albans Girls' School. Young people discovering they can create change and come together with and for their community.

Read all about the St Albans Girls School First Give programme 👉 https://firstgive.co.uk/st-albans-students-tackle-tough-issues-with-courage-and-creativity/

Feeling inspired and want to be part of this exciting national moment? Visit thebigdo.com to see how you can get involved this weekend. 💜

🌟𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱!🌟

To every school, organisation and person getting involved - this is it. This is your moment to show what's possible when we come together.

For those schools already involved: Thank you!

For those just discovering us: It's not too late to get involved. Check out what's happening in your area here 👉 https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/the-big-do

Together, we're creating happier, healthier, safer communities. 💜 Eden Project Communities

"𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞… 𝐢𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲."

Only 17% of UK adults volunteer once a month. As Volunteers’ Week and The Big Help Out (Eden Project Communities) highlight the importance of giving, the challenge is sustaining the habit.

Zainab Naeem shares how First Give sparked her ongoing commitment to volunteering, from age 12 to leading community initiatives at LSE. 65% of young people who participate in our programme go on to take further social action, and her story shows what that can look like in practice.

Read more here 👉 https://firstgive.co.uk/a-case-for-volunteering/

If you are looking for a way to get involved, volunteering as a First Give Judge is a great place to start.

Sign up here 👉 https://firstgive.co.uk/judge/

A big thank you to Zainab for sharing her story 💜

Our ✨Friday Spark✨ this week comes from Tapton School!

At a time when many young people are searching for belonging, the First Give programme builds strong communities rooted in shared responsibility and purpose. By bringing different voices together around a common goal, young people see the impact they can have when they work as one 💬🤝

It is a powerful reminder that positive community action not only drives change, but strengthens connection both in and beyond the school gates 🌍

Thank you to Tapton School for another fantastic programme this year 🙌

📢𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐎𝐮𝐭! 📢

There is just over a week left until the UK's biggest celebration of community on 5-8 June - and secondary schools can still join in!

We've created free resources to help your students take part:
✅𝟓 𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭-𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ✅ 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 & 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 ✅ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 - 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 ✅ 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 & 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐡

From Big Lunches with neighbours to community volunteering and student-led projects - help your students discover the difference they can make in their communities as part of this national moment.

Download your free resources now👉 www.edenprojectcommunities.com/schools