Charities
Charity websites can provide a wealth of ideas, activities and challenges for the classroom and are often an under-used resource. Many of them can help promote pupils' understanding of social issues. TeacherNet's list of charities maps them against the National Curriculum, so you can be sure you're providing educational value while broadening your students' horizons. You'll also find these links useful if you're a citizenship teacher. Note that TeacherNet has affiliations with a handful of charities, so you'll find extra information on these: Sport Relief, the Diana Awards, Design Council, the NSPCC, Comic Relief and the Royal British Legion.
Use the list to locate a charity that operates in an area of interest to you. If you have worked with a charity currently not listed, or would like to suggest one, please do so here. Remember to list the curriculum subjects relevant to each charity!
ActionAid
ActionAid works to increase young people's understanding of, and active
engagement with, development issues. The charity produces a wide
range of educational resources and services for schools and young people. Resources found
here can be used for Key Stages 1 to 4 and cover geography, citizenship, PSHE,
education for sustainable development, ICT, modern foreign languages, literacy
and assemblies.
Action Medical
Research
Action Medical Research specialises in children's health, tackling problems
affecting pregnancy, childbirth, babies, children and adolescents. The
charity's Bring Your Bear campaign takes place throughout June each
year when children bring their teddy bear to school or nursery for the day
in exchange for £1 and help fundraise for sick and vulnerable
babies. On registering, schools receive a free fundraising kit with
stickers, posters, worksheets for children, educational resources and
fundraising ideas.
Amnesty
International
Committed to campaigning against human rights abuses throughout the world, the
organisation has produced a number of teaching packs, available through its
website. These resources for Key Stages 2 to 4 can be used in citizenship,
business studies, geography, history, English, mathematics, religious
education, design and technology, art and PSHE.
Anti-Slavery
Anti-Slavery's education programme promotes human rights to schools
and youth clubs throughout the UK. An extensive resource
base is available, to help children understand both the history and the
future of this important issue. These resources, for Key Stages 2 to
4, can be used in citizenship, business studies, geography, history,
English, mathematics, religious education, design and technology, art and
PSHE.
Association of Medical
Research Charities
A useful resource for science and citizenship at secondary level. This
website's section 'News, Policy & Debate' explains technical
and ethical questions, and has an 'Issues in debate' area covering
topics from gene patenting to animals in research.
Barnado's
Barnardo's works with the most vulnerable children and young people,
helping them transform their lives and fulfil their potential. It
is the UK's largest children's charity, supporting over 90,000
children and their families through more than 300 projects in England, Northern
Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Battersea Dogs and
Cats Home
For pupils, the site is ideal for project work, full of information not only
about the Home's work in rescuing, reuniting, rehabilitating and rehoming
dogs and cats, but about responsible pet ownership in general. For teachers,
there's an excellent education pack, '3Rs for 4Rs', containing 23
worksheets linked to the national curriculum for Key Stages 1 and 2 in
PSHE/citizenship, literacy, history, art and design, and design and technology.
The attractive and engaging pack can be ordered on 020 7627 7875 or by
emailing s.collis@dogshome.org. School visits to the Home can be
arranged, or a guest speaker can come to your school.
Beatbullying
This is the UKs leading bullying prevention charity working with young people
across the UK to tackle bullying issues both on and offline. (See also Cyber Mentors.)
Bliss
This charity is dedicated to helping the 82,000 premature and sick babies born
in the UK every year. Bliss have launched a schools fundraising programme,
which contains a variety of resources for teachers.
The Blue Cross
As part of an on-going commitment to promote responsible pet care to young
people, the Blue Cross Britain's pet charity offers a national free
education service. Their UK-wide network of fully trained and CRB checked
volunteers are available to give talks to assemblies and smaller groups of
children. The programme is particularly appropriate to the PSHE/citizenship and
history areas of Key Stages 1 and 2 of the National Curriculum. Some volunteers
are accompanied by their fully trained and temperament-checked dog; otherwise
hand puppets and other resources help bring to life the message. Get in touch
by email
or call 0845 370 1027 for details of a volunteer in your area.
Bones 4 Life
Launched by the National Osteoporosis Society, this resource is for primary
school children, teachers and parents to encourage children to take the
necessary steps early in life to protect your bones for later in life. The
website includes teaching materials and games for children.
Born Free
Foundation
The Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife charity working to
prevent cruelty, alleviate suffering and encourage everyone to treat all
animals with respect. The website has Key Stages 1 to 2 teaching resources
available to children, including photographs to illustrate their projects.
There's also an education pack that can be ordered. The site and
pack support literacy, numeracy, history, geography, science, drama,
ICT, design and technology, art and education for sustainable development.
Brake
This national road safety charity aims to prevent death and injury on the roads
through education of all road users and to offer care through support services
for people who are bereaved or affected by serious injury in a road crash. Road Safety Week
shows teachers how they can play a vital role in saving children's lives on
the roads.
British Heart Foundation (BHF)
Funding research into the prevention and treatment of heart disease, the BHF
counts education among its main priorities. Its website contains
downloadable resources that teachers can use to help pupils undestand the heart
and the importance of keeping it healthy. Available publications cover Key
Stages 1 to 3 in the following subjects: science, PSHE, citizenship and
physical education.
British Red
Cross
Imaginative, simple-to-use teaching tools are free to download from the
Society's website. These include scripted assemblies, lesson plans, points
for discussion on current news stories and briefings for teachers on complex
issues. These 'humanitarian education' resources for Key Stages 2
to 4 are ideal for citizenship, PSHE, religious education, geography and
history.
Cancer Research UK
The Youth and Schools area of this website is primarily aimed at GCSE science
students and their teachers, although there are also some teaching
resources for primary pupils. You can find curriculum-linked information on
cells, how they work, DNA and how cells go wrong to cause cancer. There are
also competitions, games and puzzles, and career ideas, including
interviews with scientists and doctors who work with the charity.
Cats
Protection
Cats Protection produces four teaching resources ranging from Key Stage
1 to 4 which are offered free to all UK schools. The two Cats in the
Classroom packs (Key Stages 1 to 2 and Key Stages 3 to 4) are cross-curricular
and use cats as a theme to engage pupils with other subjects including
mathematics, science, literacy, numeracy, PSHE and citizenship. There is also
an interactive Primary Science CD-ROM aimed at Key Stage 1 and a Business
Challenge CD-ROM which supports business studies at GCSE level.
Catholic Agency for
Overseas Development (CAFOD)
CAFOD fights poverty in the developing world and helps people around
the globe regardless of religion or race. Its website dedicates sections
to teachers' resources and activities for the classroom for both primary
and secondary school that cover a range of areas, incluing citizenship,
geography, religious education, PSHE and education for sustainable
development.
Chicks
Chicks provides free respite breaks for disadvantaged children aged between 8
and 15 from all parts of the UK who have been referred by schools or other
professionals.
Christian Aid
This charity works throughout the world, helping people stricken by poverty,
war and disease, regardless of their religion. Its website has a section
devoted to education and links to a separate 'Global Gang' site for
children, which offers themed games and other opportunities for fun learning.
Visit here for Key Stages 1 to 5
resources for religious education, citizenship, PSHE,
science, geography, SEN and education for sustainable development.
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is committed to helping end poverty and social injustice in the UK
and the poorest countries in the world. A variety of resources that meet
National Curriculum criteria relating to the charity's work are available.
Areas covered include citizenship, PSHE, religious education,
geography, English, literacy, numeracy, design and technology, art, ICT
and education for sustainable development.
Common
Purpose
This is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that runs a variety of
educational programmes for leaders of all ages, backgrounds and sectors, in
order to provide them with the inspiration, knowledge and connections they need
to produce positive change.
- Your Turn is a leadership programme for Year 9 students that is conducted in five regions throughout the UK and challenges young people to think in new ways about their area and their world.
- CHANGEit is a collaboration between Common Purpose and Deutsche Bank. It has been designed to recognise the achievements and ambitions of young people between the ages of 11 and 18 who want to speak out and create positive change.
Concern
Worldwide
Concern is an international development charity working in 28 of the
world's poorest countries. It runs an annual educational and fundraising
campaign called FoodAid. Visit the FoodAid website for free resources to help explore food issues overseas,
including citizenship lesson plans for Key Stages 1 to 4, hunger factsheets and
a world hunger map.
Contact a
Family
The Contact a Family website is the only UK charity portal which helps
families who care for children with any disability or special
need. Supplies information about rare disorders and aims to assist
affected adults as well as children.
Council for British
Archaeology
The CBA's work includes supporting teaching using archaeology. Its
site has information about conferences, resources and careers. For
teachers of history or primary teachers looking to use archaeology across the
curriculum.
Crisis
Crisis is a national charity working to prevent poverty and distress among
single homeless people. The 'School fundraising' section of their website
includes lesson plans for Key Stages 2 and 3, activities for pupils and
information on how your school can help combat homelessness through fundraising
and spreading awareness of the problem.
Education Action
This international charity works with war-torn communities to rebuild
their lives through education, and with teachers and refugees in the UK to help
educate young people about the realities of war. It runs a range of programmes
that aim to help improve education in war-torn countries in Africa and the
Middle East, as well as the 'Refugees into Schools' programme, which
enables refugees to develop their communication skills and help them share
their experiences with young people.
The e-Learning Foundation
The e-Learning Foundation works with schools, parents and other stakeholders to
ensure that all children have access to the learning resources that technology
can make available, when and where they need them, both at home and at
school.
English Heritage
English Heritage is the leading government conservation body for the
historic environment in England. It places great importance on education and
aims to provide teachers with all the resources they need to communicate the
value of the historic environment to pupils. In addition to history, the
following areas across Key Stages 1 to 4 are covered: English, geography,
design and technology, religious education, education for sustainable
development and art.
Fairtrade
Many teachers are interested in raising their students' awareness of the
impact of world trade. The Fairtrade Schools section of the Fairtrade
Foundation website will help you learn to assess how Fairtrade your
schools is, how to register and apply for Fairtrade Schools status, and
provides access to a variety of classroom resources, activity ideas, posters
and postcards, lists of Fairtrade products and a downloadable Fairtrade
Schools Action Guide.
Fauna and Flora
International
This charity's SoundWood programme examines the story of the tropical
woods used to make musical instruments. Conservation education and music-making
are linked through workshops and performances which are primarily aimed at
8— to11-year-olds in groups of up to 50. The workshops, free wherever
possible, also provide teacher support and training with an option to purchase
a follow-on resource box. Stand-alone teaching materials, such as a
documentary film, wall chart and teacher's book, are available at nominal
costs.
Giving Nation
A fun, interactive site for teachers and pupils, Giving Nation is designed
to encourage 11— to 16-year-olds to undertake charitable projects and
reflect upon why charities exist and the benefits of giving. The
teachers' site includes plenty of practical advice and tools for running an
active citizenship event in the community.
Global
Campaign for Education (GCE)
The GCE, brought together in 1999, is a coalition of teachers' unions and
charities promoting education as a basic human right. For nearly one
billion people worldwide this right is violated every day. The GCE proposes
that free, good quality public education must be available to everyone, with
priority investments made for the most disadvantaged groups.
Global
Eye
Development issues and developing countries. Appropriate for young people aged
7 to 16 interested in geography and citizenship with a global dimension.
Health Education Trust (HET)
HET was formed to promote the development of health education for
young people in the UK. It is dedicated to initiating and supporting work
to encourage the growth of healthy lifestyles, such as HET's School
Nutrition Action Groups concept. The site is home to information and
resources, news, support and further links all related to young people's
health issues, principally school food and drink and managing medicines.
Healthy Planet
This online conservation charity makes children aware of global issues such as
poverty, deforestation and their impact on animals and the environment. There
are free KS1 and KS2 lesson plans with an environmental focus that
cover art, citizenship, geography, and ICT. Participating schools receive
an automatic grant and are invited to raise money to protect worldwide
parks.
Help 2 educate
This organisation works to protect children who are used for child labour in
Nepal, ensuring that they are given the opportunity for an education. The
charity also organises volunteer work placements for teachers.
Jeans for Genes
On Jeans for Genes Day, schools all over the UK wear their jeans to raise money
for research into the causes, treatments and cures for genetic disorders. The
charity's linked Genes
are Us website provides extensive educational materials for Key Stages
1 to 4, prepared with the help of educational and genetics experts, and aimed
at raising awareness of genetic disorders and helping pupils understand some of
the science behind Jeans for Genes Day.
Kidscape
Kidscape is committed to keeping children safe from harm or abuse. It is
the only national children's charity that focuses upon preventative
policies: tactics to use before any abuse takes place. Kidscape has
practical, easy-to-use material for children, parents, teachers, social
workers, police and community workers. Reference material can be used in Key
Stage 1 to 3 citizenship and PSHE.
Learn with
Dogs
Created by Dog's Trust, the UK's laragest dog welfare charity, Learn
with Dogs features a wealth of national curriculum-based materials for
teachers. Resources can be used in citizenship, PSHE, history, English
and business studies, across Key Stages 1 to 4.
Life Education
Centres
Life Education promotes the importance of good health in children and young
people by providing programmes designed to encourage a positive attitude
towards health. This charity helps develop connections between home, school and
communities, and tackles issues such as obesity, alcohol-abuse and smoking.
There are mobile classrooms throughout the UK that are funded, owned and run by
local groups. Downloads aimed at 3— to 15-year-olds are available .
Mapping our World
This free resource from Oxfam is designed to support the Geography curriculum
from Key Stage 2 and above, and is also ideal for bringing a global approach to
citizenship, PSHE and ICT studies. It can be used for whole-class learning on
an interactive whiteboard, and will help pupils explore the difference between
a map and a globe. Being able to understand their place in the world, this
resource can also help develop pupils' skills of enquiry and
critical thinking.
National Cat
Protection Society (Nat Cat)
Dedicated to helping cats in distress, Nat Cat is equally committed to the
education of adults and youngsters. A year-round programme for schools aims to
improve understanding and help for cats throughout the country. This site links
to citizenship, Key Stages 1 and 2.
National Children's Bureau (NCB)
The NCB works to improve every aspect of children's lives and
challenges prejudice against them. Its website offers a wide range of free
resources.
National Society for
Children and Family Contact (NSCFC)
The effects of divorce and separation can be severe, particularly where
children are concerned. The NSCFC provides educational support to schools,
teachers, parents and local authorities, helping all concerned to understand
the effects that family breakdowns have on children. This charity actively
promotes mediation to break cycles of animosity, working to ensure that welfare
organisations and the courts serve the best interests of the child.
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
(NSPCC)
With its Kids Zone, the NSPCC gives children the chance to learn how the
charity works to protect others their own age. There's the latest on the
Full Stop campaign, as well as information on coping with bullying at school.
This site links to citizenship and PSHE, Key Stages 1 to 4. The NSPCC also runs
ChildLine — the free 24-hour helpline for children.
National
Trust
Protecting our coastline, countryside and historic buildings from the threat of
development, the National Trust is also a registered charity that depends
heavily on donations from the public. Teachers and pupils can find out more
about the Trust's work and details on educational visits at Trust
properties near you in the site's 'Learning & Discovery'
section.
Oxfam
One of the best known charities, Oxfam has the sole aim of ridding the world of
poverty. Its in-depth educational material helps children understand why some
countries are poorer than others and provides extensive support for teachers.
These resources can be used in citizenship, PSHE, geography, design and
technology, literacy, numeracy and English, as well as education for
sustainable development, ranging across Key Stages 1 to 4.
Peace One
Day
The Peace One Day Citizenship Resource, recommended for teachers of Key Stages
3 and 4, accompanies Jeremy Gilley's documentary, The Day After Peace.
The film charts one man's journey to establish the world's first day of
global ceasefire and non-violence with a fixed calendar date. Over 6000 School
Edition DVDs of the film have been delivered free to every secondary school in
the UK and teachers are able to access it online.
Plan-ed
Plan-ed.org is the development education arm of Plan, one of the largest
child-centred community development organisations in the world.
Plan-ed provides comprehensive educational resources to engage teachers
and young people with development issues. You will find curriculum-mapped
schemes of work (covering issues such as slavery, child labour, identity, fair
trade and gender inequality) and a searchable resource centre of over 1200
multimedia items. There is also information about current international youth
projects, global campaigns and a project gallery that displays student
work.
Prince's
Trust
The Trust helps young people succeed against the odds and get into work. It
also provides aids for teachers of children aged 14 to 17, through its xl clubs, which aim to help those who may be at risk of
underachieving.
The Prince's Rainforests Project
This site contains inspiring lesson plans, linked to the National Curriculum
for EYFS and Key Stages 1 to 2, covering biodiversity, climate change and
sustainability within our rainforests.
Re-Solv
This is the longest-running national charity operating in the UK dealing solely
with the prevention of Volatile Substance Abuse. It has number of
resources for use in schools, including packs entitled Toxic Agents
Primary Pack (Key Stages 1 and 2) and Hazard Crew (Key Stages 3 and 4).
Royal British Legion
This national charity provides financial, social and emotional support to those
who have served, or are currently serving, in the Armed Forces, as well as
their dependants. The Royal British Legion schools pack is available for
download. Aimed at teachers of Key Stages 1 to 4 in history and citizenship,
this free teaching pack includes specific lesson ideas linked to the National
Curriculum, focusing on topics such as the First and Second World Wars, the
Holocaust, and human rights.
Royal Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
Caring for and protecting animals across the country, the RSPCA is one of
Britain's oldest charities. The education area of RSPCA's website has a
variety of links to primary and secondary lesson plans online. The plans link
to science and citizenship, with cross-curricular literacy and art and design
links. Teachers can use these free of charge. Colour photo packs are free to
order online once registered. Each pack contains ten A4 images ready to
laminate.
Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds (RSPB)
Working to improve the environment for birds and wildlife, the RSPB offers a
range of school activities through its website. There are Key Stages 1 to 3
teaching resources for English, numeracy, science, geography and education for
sustainable development, as well as challenges for children.
St John
Ambulance
Committed to training young people in first aid, St John Ambulance works with
teachers, youth leaders, schools, PRUs and LEAs. It can provide training for
all young people from 7 to 18 years old which can be delivered by a St John
Ambulance trainer or by someone with up-to-date knowledge. Their Young first aider pack is an interactive, pupil-centred
resource which can help in the delivery of this. Training pupils in first aid
isn't just about learning a life-saving skill it can also boost
self-esteem, encourage teamwork and provide an opportunity for children to
engage with voluntary work in their local community. For more information visit
the site or email.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army website has a 'Schools and colleges' section that
includes free downloadable resources such as lesson plans on HIV/Aids and child
poverty, classroom activities and worksheets that link into Key Stages 1 to 4
of the National Curriculum. Subjects covered include religious education,
history, PSHE, geography, English and citizenship.
Samaritans
As a direct response to the rising suicide levels in young people, the
Samaritans have added a Youth Pack to their battle against anxiety and depression.
In a downloadable format, it addresses serious issues that may otherwise not be
debated in the classroom and is useful for Key Stages 3 to 4 citizenship and
PSHE.
Save
the Children
Save the Children runs many practical projects helping millions of children
around the world in terrible conditions. The 'Resources' section of the
charity's website includes an online library that includes a wide range of
teaching resources such as downloadable lesson plans for Key Stages 1 to
3, ideas for schools assemblies and a guide on promoting global citizenship at
school.
- Respect! will help pupils explore their rights and those of children all around the world.
- Participation — Spice it up! provides practical tools for engaging children and young people in planning and consultations.
- The School Council: A Children's Guide is a colourful and comprehensive step-by-step guide to developing and maintaining a school council.
Schoolchildren for Children
Children need to exercise more — for health, confidence and
character building. This is now a national priority. Schoolchildren for
Children's fundraising event encourages children to take exercise, not only
to help themselves and their schools, but to help those less fortunate in
developing countries.Visit the site (above) or find out more information here.
School Home
Support
SHS is a national charity that places highly-trained practitioners in schools
to support children, young people and their families, whatever they're
going through. It works on the understanding that many children and families
experience difficult times which can make school life a struggle rather
than a happy, successful experience.
Scout
Association
The Scout Association dedicates its schemes of progressive training to young
people aged 6 to 25. Its aim is to promote the development of young people
as individuals and responsible citizens in their local, national and
international communities. Their website offers resources which can be
adapted into citizenship classes, and information on how your pupils can join
their local scouting group.
Show
Racism the Red Card
This charity campaigns to combat racism through education using
professional footballers as anti-racist role models.
Sightsavers International
The charity has been working for 50 years to combat avoidable blindness in some
of the world's poorest countries and restoring sight through specialist
treatment and eye care. The website provides lesson ideas and free downloadable
classroom resources and materials for pupils.
Smallpeice Trust
This UK-based independent charity provides a highly respected and
professionally executed programme of tiered schemes to promote engineering as a
career to young people. The core programme consists of subsidised training
courses held at residential schools for students ranging from the age of 13
through to a gap year for pre-university students.
Soil Association
Since 1946, the Soil Association has been working to raise awareness about the
positive health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming, and
supporting farmers in producing natural food. Among other things, their website
offers resources for primary and secondary students, information on where to
visit organic farms, and their Food for Life project.
SOS Children
This is the world's largest orphan and abandoned children's charity.
Child sponsors and donors worldwide provide a new family and home for more than
78,000 children in 500 unique Children's Villages in 124 countries. The
website includes educational resources such as lessons plans for Key Stages 1
through 4. The charity also produces the Schools
Wikipedia which makes the site's content accessible offline to
child-safe users.
South
Asian Development Partnership
South Asian Development Partnership was founded in 1993 to facilitate and
catalyse entrepreneurial initiatives in the UK and South Asia. It works with
civil society and the Government to stimulate awareness and creative responses
to social issues in the Asian community. Their resource 'Masala
BridgeBuilders' allows people to explore British-Asian
culture. It encourages people of all backgrounds and opinions to talk
about what is important to them in a non-threatening environment. Suitable for
Key Stages 3 and 4 in citizenship and RE, the resource pack can be ordered
online.
Sport
Relief
Inspires the whole of the UK to get active, raise money and do a bit of good
during the summer sport season. Their website emphasises not
just the links to National Curriculum physical education and citizenship, but
the involvement of the whole school as well.
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
The UNICEF Education Department has years of experience in helping schools
teach about development issues and introduced the UN Convention on the Rights
of the Child as part of the National Curriculum. The Schools section of the
website has a wide range of different resources that can be used in
citizenship, PSHE, English, music, religious education, science, physical
education and history, and which cover Key Stages 1 to 4.
War Child
War Child is committed to helping communities in both conflict and
post-conflict areas. By supporting children and those they depend on, they aim
to help build a better world for present and future generations ensuring
sustainable security for children, promoting livelihood opportunities, and
addressing development needs for the most vulnerable children. The Schools section
contains information for teachers, resource packs for Key Stages 3 and 4,
and ideas for fundraising.
Wildlife
Aid
Wildlife Aid is devoted to the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured
wild animals in the UK. Its website has a wealth of information about
British wildlife for children of all ages, including information
on what to do if you find a wild animal that you think needs
help. You can also arrange for a speaker from the charity to visit your
school.
Whizz-Kidz
Set up in 1990, this charity provides a broad range of mobility equipment and
services to disabled children and their families, including customised
wheelchairs and tricycles. It is dedicated to raising awareness of the needs
these children require so they can receive the right support. The site offers a
free teaching resource pack suitable for Key Stages 1 to 4 in
citizenship and PSHE classes in the downloads section.
Worldaware
Professional support and curriculum guidance for geography and
citizenship from a global perspective.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
The WWF aims to protect our natural environment from pollution, deforestation
and wasteful consumption. The 'One Planet Schools' section of the
charity's website includes a resources subsection that features online
activities for pupils, guidance on whole school approaches to
sustainability and curriculum resources for schools such as assembly
ideas, an information pack on climate change and materials focusing on
consumption and ecological footprint.
WorldWide
Volunteering
WorldWide Volunteering is a charity with a large UK and
overseas volunteering search-and-match database. The service is available
for schools and colleges by annual subscription. There are other free
access points for the public at locations around the UK.
Last updated: 08 January 2010
