Trained and empowered over 400 further education students in rights, economics and campaigning

We completed a 2 year Economic Justice Project including delivering workshops across 6 further education (FE) colleges.

Through our workshops young people with little knowledge of workers’ rights have gained the knowledge and confidence needed to challenge workers’ rights violations, especially around discrimination and zero-hour contracts.

• Our college trainings reached a very diverse pool of participants, owing to being hosted in inner city colleges. 75% of participants described themselves as being from BAME (black and minority ethnic) backgrounds and 65% from working class backgrounds.

• It was clear in the college workshops that very few students had heard of workers’ rights and unions, but both the qualitative and quantitative feedback suggests that students now have some knowledge and the tools needed to assert their rights as workers.

• A training-the-trainers session was organised with a group of ten teachers, helping to ensure that the college training will continue to have an impact beyond the timeframe of our project.

The workshops were well received and feedback included:

• 94% of participants felt like they now understand their rights as workers;

• 92% felt like they know how they can use their rights to improve their working conditions;

• 85% felt confident to talk to others about their rights;

• 80% felt confident to ask for support if their rights aren’t being respected;

• 74% said they would join a union when they get a job.

People & Planet worked in partnership with Jubilee Debt Campaign and the work was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.