First Give
First Give works in partnership with secondary schools to inspire and equip young people to take action to tackle social issues.
First Give inspires and equips young people to give back to their local community through social action, while developing valuable transferrable skills. The Jack Petchey Foundation started working in partnership with First Give in 2015.
First Give engages with a year group of students over an eight-lesson programme. In this time, students identify a social issue they care about, and they plan and carry out social action to try and improve the issue in their local community. The students meet with their chosen local charity in order to find out more about the charity’s work and how they can help.
I finally had a voice. I was able to speak for the first time. My voice being heard means so much to me also I really liked the fact that we helped or were helping people in need and people I don’t even know. It gave me the experience of how a charity works and what it does to help others.
A student from Valentine’s High School who took part in First Give during the 2020/21 academic year
The programme finishes with a First Give School Final, where the groups of students aim to convince a panel of judges that their charity deserves £1,000. The winning team wins this grant for their chosen charity.
The Jack Petchey Foundation funds First Give’s work in 100 schools across London and Essex. This means that this year we will reach and positively benefit approximately 15,000 students and 100 community charities because of the JPF/First Give Partnership.
We would love your school to be involved this year!
