Making a Difference
Welcome to YPI
We hope these hints, tips and resources will help you feel empowered to make a difference in your communities while developing confidence and skills.
What is YPI?
YPI is delivered to an entire year group in hundreds of schools across Scotland. Working in teams, you will work together to identify a social issue you care about and a charity supporting that issue in your area. You will then have to get in touch with the charity before pulling together a passionate and impactful piece of work. Each school will choose the most creative and convincing team presentation for its £3000 grant.
For more videos from YPI Scotland, please visit our Vimeo page.
The YPI process
Your YPI journey
YPI is an opportunity to work as part of a team. An opportunity to learn about your community. An opportunity to make an actual difference.
You will learn how the programme works and explore the key concepts of philanthropy and social issues.
1
YPI Launch
You or your teacher will select teams for you to work in. Remember to draw upon your unique talents and skills and learn to work effectively – you’re stronger together.
2
Form teams
What are the issues facing your community? What do you know about? What do you care about? What would you like to learn more about? Who is doing something to help people and how are they doing it? Make sure your chosen charity is OSCR-registered and active in your local area.
3
Research a social issue and identify a local charity addressing it
Understanding a charity’s offering must go beyond copying and pasting what is on their website. Get to know your charity, either by visiting or conducting a virtual interview, and find the stories within the organisation.
4
Get to know your charity
Use all the skills you already have in your team and spend time developing new ones. Digital packages, spoken word, music, dance, poetry, art, and drama can all be used to make your case. Make sure you clearly demonstrate the impact the £3000 would have on your chosen charity. Check out our Creativity Zone for inspiration.
5
Develop a creative and convincing presentation
Schools do this differently. Your teachers may hold class or house heats to decide which teams proceed to the final YPI Showcase.
6
Shortlisting
This is an important date in the school calendar and a chance to showcase your work to classmates, teachers and judges. Remember this is not only an opportunity to secure funds but to raise awareness of a cause you’ll now be really passionate about supporting.
7
YPI Showcase
Feeling inspired, motivated and engaged by the process? What can you do next? Now you can see that anyone can make a difference, how will you stay involved with your chosen charity or other causes you’d like to support? Can your presentation package be used by the charity on social media or for anything else? Read our guide to volunteering and remember to share your experiences on social media (@ypi_ scotland, #YPI, #YPI15).
8
After YPI
Think creatively!
Check out our Creativity Zone for inspiration in creating exciting presentations which grab the judges’ attention.
Feeling inspired, motivated and engaged by the process?
Then share your experiences on social media
“YPI grew our confidence, provided us with lifelong skills which can repeatedly be utilised, and gave us a challenge to solve. The aim of YPI is not just to win £3000 for your charity, but it is to improve the knowledge and understanding of young people about the real struggles of modern day charities in today’s society.”
“Being 14, I know there’s a lot going on in the world I want to change and be part of but I didn’t really know how. To do this has been really good to understand how young people can make a difference and I want to do more. This is the first time we’ve had an opportunity to work like this as a team on something that is in the real world. It was really good to do that.”
Working with likeminded partners supports the sustainability of YPI as we grow the opportunity throughout Scotland.
Would you like to be part of empowering #YPI15 and communities throughout Scotland?
Feeling inspired, motivated and engaged by the process?
Then share your experiences on social media