Feel Good Festive Friday | December edition
Season’s Greetings to our GSL Community!
As the year draws to a close, we’re filled with gratitude for the passion, creativity, and commitment our GSL programme members have shown throughout 2024. We’ve been delighted to welcome new schools to our GSL community and register over 1,000 students from 20 countries, all taking action on issues they care about and driving positive change worldwide.
In this special festive edition, we’re excited to share three inspiring GSL project updates and heartwarming Feel-Good Friday stories to end the year on a positive note.
This festive season is extra special as Future Foundations will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on 20th December 2024. We’re reflecting on two decades of empowering young leaders and creating lasting impact, and we can’t wait to share more stories and exciting plans with you.
Looking ahead, we’re exploring the possibility of hosting face-to-face GSL courses in 2025-2026. Keep an eye out for a poll in the new year where you can share your interest and ideas.
It’s not too late to join the Action for Happiness December Challenge - a perfect way to spread kindness and positivity this festive season. As we approach the new year, it’s also a great time to reflect and set your intentions for 2025.
To help you get started, we’re launching a 30-Day Self-Leadership Challenge in January. We are encouraging our GSL students to set themselves the challenge and invite our network to set their own. Think about what you want to achieve, how you want to lead yourself, and what positive habits you can build.
Thank you for being part of this incredible global movement. Wishing you a joyful holiday season and an inspiring start to 2025!
Jonathan Harper FRSA & Katy Granville-Chapman Co-Founders of Global Social Leaders
First Bookshelf Delivered to Kyiv!
Our first Svitlo Reads bookshelf, holding 60 books, has arrived at a state school in Kyiv, thanks to GSL student Anna, who delivered the books after receiving them from the UK.
The bookshelf now sits in a bomb shelter classroom, offering students a reading escape during air sirens. Teachers continue lessons despite the challenging learning environment.
Next stop: Kharkiv, where another bookshelf will be delivered soon.
Find out more & how you can support Svitlo Reads here!
GSL Project Update from Svitlo School, Ukraine.
Thank you Yuliya Kosko for sharing this update.
I?ikkent students turn Black Friday Green!?
I??kkent?GSL students took action by creating posters (examples below) and delivering a presentation at their student assembly, transforming Black Friday into Green Friday!
Inspired by last month’s Feel-Good Friday newsletter, where we introduced #Citizen Friday, they encouraged their school community to focus on sustainability and positive actions.
You can join the #CitizenFriday campaign too, which takes place every Friday!
It’s simple: share, repair, or get out in the fresh air - and inspire others to do the same. Take a photo or make a video of your action, post it on your socials using the hashtag #CitizenFriday, and tag GSL so we can shine a spotlight on you. Follow Re-Action Collective to be inspired. Thank you Ellie Meredith and Gavin Fernie-Jones for the inspiration.
GSL Project Update from I??kkent School, Turkey
Thank you Sanem Senel Meakins for sharing this update.
It’s not Hogwarts - it’s Qatar!
Did you know that you need 1g of protein for every kg you weigh in order to be healthy? So how could you possibly find so much meat in 50° C of desert heat? Your very survival depends on hunting some of the toughest and fastest animals on Earth.
Well, just like Harry Potter had Hedwig, the boys of Elite Falcon Team from Swiss International School Qatar (SISQ) are working to protect the birds that kept their ancestors alive for centuries. Sadly, conflict in the Middle East has caused massive poaching and destruction of habitat but the children of Qatar are ready to save their feathered friends. By hand rearing injured babies and releasing their hunters back into the wild, they can replenish the falcon population.
GSL Students Shaheen, Abdulla, Hamad, Farhan and Ahmad are educating our school community about Falcon care and showing them how Qatar uses technology to protect each bird from traffickers. They demonstrate basic first aid and respectful behaviour and Ahmad tells them a story about how he rescued an injured falcon baby and released it successfully.
The 7B advisory class has been partnering with the Falcon kindergarten class to colour in falcons and make sure the little ones don’t get scared around the birds.
They are also helping the young children to combat climate change.
Hunting falcons costs a fortune but our boys will teach the community that these birds are granted freedom at the end of their service so they can have babies and live in the wild.
You can petition your government to introduce animal passports to protect wild animals from traffickers. You can also support organisations that protect animals in conflict zones.
Climate change threatens these birds and you can make a huge difference by reducing food waste. Never buy exotic pets without checking that the seller is not exploiting these animals.
GSL Project Update from SISQ
Thank you Claire Olivier for sharing this update.
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Feel Good Stories?
Start 2025 with a 30-Day Self-Leadership Challenge!
Take charge of your personal growth with our 30-Day GSL Self-Leadership Challenge.?
It’s your opportunity to commit to one small action every day that builds a positive habit, strengthens your confidence, or develops a new skill. ?You can choose to use your challenge to inspire others, take action on an issue you care about, or simply to create a new positive habit.
Self-leadership means taking responsibility for your actions, setting meaningful goals, and staying motivated—even when it’s challenging.?
Over the 30 days, you’ll receive supportive messages, tips, and inspiration straight to your inbox to help you stay focused and committed.
Take the first step—by submitting your challenge here.
The search for our 2024-25 Global Goals Heroes continues!
As a GSL Global Goals Hero you will give written feedback (via our online platform) on social action project surveys. These projects will be submitted by teams of young people from countries around the world, as part of the 2024-25 Membership.
If you would like to become a Global Goals Hero find out more & sign up here.
Please share this opportunity with friends or colleagues and encourage them to register with us by 15th January.
Future Foundations Celebrates 20 Year Anniversary
We’re excited and proud to share that Future Foundations will celebrate its 20-Year Anniversary on 20th December 2024!
As we reflect on two decades of equipping young leaders, we’ve been gathering stories from our journey - moments of growth, impact, and inspiration. We’ll be sharing these special memories on our social channels, along with exciting announcements about our 20th-year plans.
Thank you for being part of our story. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.?
Watch this space for celebrations, stories, and big plans for the future for how we will continue to catalyse lasting change in schools and communities over the next 20 years together!
Submit a story
If you have a story you would like to share with our GSL community please email the GSL team [email protected].
GSL is a social action programme powered by Future Foundations.
Our GSL vision is a community of schools and partners committed to building a global movement of socially conscious young people who are equipped to be leaders in their lives and society. We believe we need to transform education.
Join us to catalyse change in schools and communities.
Future Foundations is on a mission to equip young people & communities to thrive.
Founded in 2004, we partner with mission driven organisations to deliver social action programmes that develop young people to be leaders in their lives and society.
So far we have reached over 100,000 young people (aged 7 to 18) in 100 countries.
If you would like to partner with us contact: Jonathan Harper FRSA or email [email protected].
#FeelGoodFriday
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Re-Action Collective Citizen and Steward, +ACTionist
2 个月Happy #citizenfriday and thanks for taking part I?ikkent students!