The U&K Schools’ Mark - preparing young people to take their place in the world and make a positive difference
What is a Useful & Kind School?
A Useful & Kind School is one characterised by care, compassion, creativity, equality, excellence and kindness. Everyone working together to support the development of our future prosocial leaders.
The whole school community has:
a shared language and vision
a strong sense of what it means to be useful and kind to Self, Others & World
the values, awareness and skills to take action to make the world a better place
But what is a prosocial leader?
A prosocial leader is someone who leads, lives and acts for the welfare of others and the world.
Greta Thunberg , Swedish environmental activist who worked to address the problem of climate change, founding a movement known as Fridays for Future.
Marcus Rashford MBE - an English professional footballer and campaigner against racism, homelessness and child hunger in the United Kingdom.
Malala Yousafzai spoke out publicly against the prohibition on the education of girls that was imposed by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Why do we need prosocial leaders?
The young people in your care will be operating in a different world: one of increasing crisis, challenge and sacrifice. We can no longer prepare them in the same way. This is not just about the environment but ethics too. Never has there been a greater need for compassion, understanding of the other and radical redistribution, coupled with energetic innovation and entrepreneurialism.
We need to prepare young people to take their place in the world and make a positive difference.
How can we achieve this?
U&K work in partnership with schools to nurture prosocial (useful and kind) behaviours and leadership. We provide schools with the opportunity to celebrate their commitment to personal development and character education by working towards the U&K Schools’ Mark.
We strongly believe that adults in a school community can nurture useful and kind behaviours and leadership in pupils by:
leading by example
creating a safe environment
believing in them
stretching and challenging
giving positive feedback
coaching and guiding
exploring useful and kind character traits
encouraging and supporting in practical ways
tackling difficult issues and subjects
providing opportunities to reflect and learn from mistakes
The U&K Schools’ Mark provides the framework, resources, tools and support for schools to achieve this.
Ready for the U&K Schools’ Mark?
You can register for the U&K Schools’ Mark by emailing lyanne@usefulandkindunlimited.com.
To find out more about the journey towards the U&K Schools’ Mark click here.
Update September 2021:
As pupils prepare to return to school we have created a recommended booklist to support discussions about refugees. We hope primary schools will find this helpful.