EnglandYour school community could join the fight for everyone's right to a safe home, using the resources and fundraising ideas below. Get involved today!
Download and print everything you need for a range of classroom and wider school activities.
World Homelessness Day is on 10 October. These resources will help your school community engage with Shelter's vital work and the issue of housing and homelessness – in October or throughout the year.
The resources are designed to work across KS1 & 2, with some being more suitable for KS3. You can adapt them to suit your specific context.
Got questions about our resources, or want to request a speaker?
Get in touch with us by emailing schools@shelter.org.uk.
A guided activity to help students understand the experience of living on welfare benefits, specifically universal credit, and the real cost of living. You may want to prepare a couple of PowerPoint slides to accompany the resource and illustrate the activity for your class or small group.
Approximately 30 minutes.
These resources explore what community means and open up the themes of affordability, space, conditions and neighbourhoods within your local area.
Approximately 45 minutes.
What do people need to survive? What is a luxury? Does your class have different opinions about this? Use this resource to help start the conversation.
Approximately 30 minutes.
Understanding the various types of homelessness and the experience of people sleeping rough or living in temporary accommodation. This activity can be presented by drawing or writing ideas on the worksheet. Alternatively, it can be an outdoor activity with pupils using nature to create their home.
Approximately 30 minutes.
A resource to help you choose or recommend books that touch on some of the key issues in housing and homelessness. Use it to shape curriculum planning, or get a couple of these books for the library.
A creative activity to help pupils understand how homelessness can happen, and the effects of a change of life circumstances. Reduce stigma and misconceptions around homelessness through the discussion pointers.
Approximately 30 minutes.
Suitable for slightly older children – responding to an imagined scenario where your friend has been evicted. What advice might you give? How might you offer support?
Approximately 20 minutes, or longer if you want to extend the conversation afterwards.
Encourage children and young people to think about words they associate with homelessness, housing and Shelter's work. Can you help them choose some hopeful words too?
Approximately 20 minutes.
Several questions for your class to answer by researching on the Shelter website – can they find all the answers?
Approximately 25 minutes, including space for conversation and group work.
Making use of Shelter's logo, give students space to be creative. Their drawings can generate good conversations about the nature of home, and how Shelter's work is part of ensuring there is a safe home for everyone.
Approximately 25 minutes, with the possibility to extend the conversation.