What We've Learnt From Young People: How This Has Improved the Way We Tackle Gender Inequality and Misogyny in Schools
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Every year we put together an impact report and spend time reflecting on the sessions we've delivered that year, the impact our education has had in schools, and crucially what the work has taught us. At Bold Voices a core part of our work is listening to the young people we work with and giving importance to their voices. That's why this year we've decided to share some of the insights we've gained from our work with young people, what they've told us, and how as educators we're carrying these lessons into 2026-27.
In this post, we’ll take you through the top 4 things we learn from our conversations with young people:
Young people see gender inequality as a priority
Pupils want to normalise this education and receive it earlier
They want to make change in their schools but don't know how
Young people are the experts of their own experience
1. Young people believe gender inequality is a topic we need to tackle
94% of pupils we work with agree that this is an important issue after taking part in at least one workshop. One pupil stated, "The activities are good as it gives more insight into the real challenges and just how bad gender inequality is for everyone and how it effects really everyone." (Year 8 Workshop)
We’re seeing that simply raising awareness of gender inequality and misogyny isn’t enough. So many young people are already talking about this, therefore to take them further we must be supporting pupils to develop greater critical skills to notice and ultimately challenge the subtle ways in which gender inequality and gender-based violence are normalised in society.
2. Many pupils want to receive this education earlier, and they want it to be a normalised part of the curriculum
62% of pupils who took part in Bold Voices workshops believed more time and space should be given to these topics in school, with this percentage increasing to 74% by Year 12. Their feedback showed that they want their schools to increase the frequency of these conversations and this lines up with the conversations we have with young people every week: "teach about this in PSHE", "do it earlier, make it normal", "the younger that kids can understand these issues...the better".
Our work goes beyond the sessions delivered during our visits to schools. Each year we continue to develop our sessions to equip pupils to keep having these conversations. This is also a key skill we strive for in our staff training programme, Model the Challenge, which is all about equipping staff with the skills to integrate impactful conversations with pupils in their day-to-day and, most importantly, to build their confidence to do so. Having staff in every department who are role-models for empathy, curiosity, and critical thinking on these issues, is one of the best ways to kickstart an effective whole-school approach to culture and attitude change.
Many of our Ambassador Programme student reps recognise the importance of starting these conversations young, and this team of Sixth Formers in particular worked with their local primary school to start that change: "We delivered a lesson to year 4 pupils, at the beginning of the lesson, very few had even heard of gender inequality but by the end they all had a strong understanding of what it is, how it typically occurs and how to tackle it. We hope to continue this program with form representatives who will give lessons in form periods to the junior years." (Staff Rep, 2025-26)
3. Many have the drive to make change in their schools but don't know how
From our work in schools over the years we've come to see the impact of student-led initiatives and the amplification of young people's voices and how pupils thrive in these environments, whether that's through Bold Voices programmes or internal school initiatives.
"I wanted to be a Student Rep because I care about making sure everyone's voice is heard. I've read a few things about social justice and how small changes can make a big difference in people's lives, which really inspired me. I'd like to help create a fair and supportive environment for everyone." (Ambassador Programme 2025-26)
"I feel our school doesn't talk about this and I would like to change that as it's an important issue to tackle and it will improve the schools environment making every student feel included and heard." (Ambassador Programme 2025-26)
This year we're excited to have secured fully-funded places for 18 schools (that's 108 pupils!) to extend the leadership and change-making skills of the Ambassador Programme to schools who wouldn't have otherwise had the budget. In 2026-27 we're keen to continue finding ways to offer these education opportunities as a subsidised or fully-funded package.
4. Young people are the experts of their own experience
There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to learning the skills to tackle gender inequality and misogyny in schools. Our workshops don't tell young people what to think or what we think they're experiencing. Instead, we support them with the tools and the framework to critically analyse what they see and experience around them, and to make their own decisions about how to respond. This is where we see the most impact, when pupils start connecting the dots between their own experiences and those of their friends, and begin to see how different forms of gender inequality, sexual harassment and gender-based violence are all linked.
"How the speakers drew in personal experiences to help us relate to these issues and understand that these problems can arise anywhere from actions almost everyone has probably been guilty of doing." (Year 12 Talk)
"When we got to chat in little pairs about what was happening in the scenarios and we got to see it in our own perspective." (Year 9)
No one workshop looks the same and our facilitators are quick to adapt to the topics the pupils find important, creating space for open conversation and open questions rather than handing down instructions. We want young people to come away from their workshops with an understanding that all examples of gender inequality are connected and that if we can all challenge at least one, we can start making a huge difference collectively.
"The open conversation, the open questions allowing us to process, analyze and try to find the answers rather than just telling us. It felt like we were processing information together." (University Student)
When asked what their favourite part of the workshop was, one Year 13 stated "The relatability of the scenarios".
The online sphere is changing rapidly and so is the content and tools young people access. Our team constantly reassesses our talks, workshops, and training sessions to incorporate examples of the issues young people are talking about now, whether that be the latest AI and deepfake technologies, TikTok trends, or podcasters. This has been a particular focus for our team this summer as we've taken a deep dive into these issues, our session content, and how our content delivers and complements the RSHE Guidance taking effect this year, so that schools can be reassured that our education complements their curriculum.
We're excited to see what this year brings and to get to work with the amazing young people that engage in, develop, and drive our work!
Want to sponsor your local school to take part in the Ambassador Programme and amplify their student voices on these issues? Get in touch with us at ambassadors@boldvoices.co.uk
For any questions or support on this topic, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team at hello@boldvoices.co.uk
