Many organisations and charities offer speakers, who can come to a lesson or assembly and talk about their work, or about particular development themes.
Sessions can be tailored to suit your school and pupils, and some organisations offer this service for free. We have listed below a number of organisations offering speakers, and given an indication of the cost and themes covered.
Your local Development Education Centre may be able to help with talks and lessons.
Is there anyone else in your local area that you could invite in to talk about global issues? What about inviting people from minority ethnic community organisations, refugee groups or places of worship?
It's worth bearing in mind that many organisations have reduced or paused their speaker offerings due to COVID-19 - but they may be looking to restart in the new school year.
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Amnesty International
Age groups: Primary, secondary, post-16
Email: speakers@amnesty.org.uk Website: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/invite-amnesty-speaker-your-school
Themes: Human rights
Cost: Contribution for travel expenses -
British Red Cross
Age groups: Ages 10-19
Email: reducation@redcross.org.uk Website: http://www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/teaching-resources/free-workshops
Themes: First Aid, refugees and migration
Cost: Free -
CAFOD
Age groups: Primary, secondary, post-16
Email: schools@cafod.org.uk Website: https://cafod.org.uk/Education/For-teachers/
Themes: Trade, aid, debt, poverty, trade justice
Cost: Free -
Christian Aid
Age groups: Primary, secondary, post-16
Website: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/schools
Themes: Poverty, justice, climate change, trade, HIV, global citizenship
Cost: Free
tel: 020 7523 2237, email: schools@christian-aid.org (England)
tel: 028 9038 1204, email: schoolsireland@christian-aid.org (Northern Ireland)
tel: 0141 241 6130, e mail: schoolsscotland@christian-aid.org (Scotland)
tel: 029 2084 4646, e mail: schoolscymru@christian-aid.org (Wales) -
CND Peace Education
Age groups: Primary, secondary, post-16 – England.
Website: https://cnduk.org/education/school-speaker-volunteers/
Themes: CND Peace Education works to empower young people with knowledge on peace and nuclear issues. Non campaigning workshops, with balanced arguments.
Cost: Workshops are free; schools are asked to cover travel expenses -
Council for Arab-British Understanding
Age groups: Secondary, post-16
Email: parsonse@caabu.org Website: http://www.caabu.org/what-we-do/education/school-workshops/make-booking
Themes: Citizenship, Arab world, “Islamophobia”
Cost: Travel expenses -
Development in Action
Age groups: Key Stage 3 to A Level
Email: developmenteducation@developmentinaction.org Website: http://www.developmentinaction.org/about-uk-programme/
Themes: Global Citizenship workshops exploring global development and the world food system
Cost: Free -
Greenpeace
Age groups: 16-25
Email: getactive.uk@greenpeace.org Website: www.
Themes: The climate emergency and climate change. Forests, deforestation and food. Oceans and ocean sanctuaries. Plastic pollution. Sustainable transport. Greenpeace and our history
Cost: Freegreenpeace.org.uk/ volunteering/greenpeace- speakers/find/ -
ORCA
ORCA is a charity that’s entirely dedicated to studying and protecting whales, dolphins and porpoises in the UK and European waters.
Website: https://www.orcaweb.org.uk/get-involved/orca-in-schools -
Oxfam
Age groups: Upper primary, secondary, post-16
Website: https://www.oxfamapps.org.uk/speaker/schools
Themes: Poverty, health, education, and the work of Oxfam
Cost: £30 -
SCIAF (Scotland only)
Age groups: Primary, secondary, post-16
Email: youth@sciaf.org.uk Website: https://www.sciaf.org.uk/parishes-schools/schools/book-a-school-visit
Themes: Debt, development issues, trade, fair trade, poverty, trade justice, the work of an NGO/Aid Agency
Cost: Free -
Solutions Not Sides education programme
Age groups: Secondary, Post-16
Email: team@solutionsnotsides.co.uk Website: https://solutionsnotsides.co.uk/our-work/schools
Themes: The Israel / Palestine conflict and conflict resolution
Cost: Travel expenses and suggested donation -
UN WOMEN NC UK – United Nations Global Fund for Women and Girls
Age groups: Primary, Secondary and post-16 and beyond!
Themes: Key UN WOMEN objectives for women/girls: Gender Equality, Ending Violence against Women & Girls, Leadership & Political Participation, Economic Empowerment, Humanitarian Action, HIV/AIDS, Peace and Security, Justice. We believe it’s essential that boys as well as girls are properly informed and that awareness of gender equality is raised equally among boys and girls. Happy to discuss content and style of delivery from whole school assemblies to individually tailored workshops for small groups.Charges: Flexible. All fees go to supporting UN WOMEN Programmes across the world.
Email: alicefookes@hotmail.com Website: http://www.unwomenuk.org/ -
VSO Speaker Service
Age groups: Primary, secondary, post-16
Email: enquiry@vsoint.org Website: https://www.vsointernational.org/get-involved/request-a-speaker
Themes: Personal experiences of volunteering overseas with VSO and wider global development issues. Typically a 6 to 8 week notice period is needed to source relevant and available volunteers.
Cost: Donation of £25 to cover travel expenses -
WaterAid
Age groups: Primary, secondary, post-16
Email: speakers@wateraid.org Website: http://www.wateraid.org/speakers
Themes: Water, sanitation
Cost: Free
