Democratic Education Resources

 

Activity Packs and Supporting Material

Real Talk

Published by the English Secondary Students’ Association (ESSA)

Free resource

We believe that student voice activities should be accessible to all members of the school community, and not just the most articulate students. With financial support from the Department for Education we have worked with ESSA and a range of young people in special schools, alternative education provision, pupil referral units and secondary schools to create the Real Talk programme. The programme has been devised to enable young people with learning or behavioural challenges to gain the skills and confidence they need to take part in student voice activities and speak out about issues that affect them.

• What Do You Want to Change?
• Listening Skills
• Using positive Body Language to Support Your Message
• Respect and Dignity – Keeping Your Cool
• Confidence in Speaking
• Real Talk Overview

Real Talk training comes in two levels: Level 1 comprises a series of games and activities that develop young people’s communication skills. Level 1 units cover the following topics:

The Level 2 programme was designed to enable young people with learning difficulties and special educational needs to learn to become peer trainers for the delivery of the Level 1 Real Talk training programme. Level 2 participants need to have participated in Level 1 training before becoming a trainer.

Participants who successfully complete either the Level 1 or Level 2 courses can achieve the ASDAN Young People’s Participation Award.

The outline provided in this document is intended as a general guide. When delivering both the Level 1 and Level 2 Real Talk training sessions we realised very quickly that the materials had to be adapted for every group that we worked with, depending on their skills and abilities.

The Level 2 guidance notes are accompanied by a set of visual support materials that have been created specifically to help young people with limited literacy skills to help them remember the content of the Level 1 training programme.

 

For information on the training, including prices, please contact ESSA on 020 8981 5104 or email support@studentvoice.co.uk

 

More information about the English Secondary Students Association