Youth-led social action at school: ‘It made me think that there could be a way to make things better in the future’

Abstract

This article critically reflects on the Education Peace Project, instigated by seven young people in a northern England secondary school. It explores how this different beginning makes visible the relational, place-based approaches involved in collaborative research. We suggest schools could do more to support young people to think, talk and act on issues that concern them, by addressing deep-seated attitudes about childhood, knowledge and learning, and opening up spaces where young people can participate differently, by working collectively for meaningful change.