WHO WE ARE
The Advocacy Academy (TAA) is a home for youth organising in the UK. For us, this means we build the power of young people with lived experience of injustice to develop their own political identity, build a community rooted in joy and solidarity, and take action to address the most pressing issues of our time. The Advocacy Academy is not a lone voice in this work. Youth workers, organisers and practitioners in the UK and across the world have gifted their ideas, hard-won lessons, and heartbreaks. We are not the first to walk the path towards something we believe is better. Every day, we learn from the extraordinary acts of bravery by young people, both near and far, who have shaped our world for the better.
The Advocacy Academy (TAA) is a home for youth organising in the UK. For us, this means we build the power of young people with lived experience of injustice to develop their own political identity, build a community rooted in joy and solidarity, and take action to address the most pressing issues of our time.
The Advocacy Academy is not a lone voice in this work. Youth workers, organisers and practitioners in the UK and across the world have gifted their ideas, hard-won lessons, and heartbreaks. We are not the first to walk the path towards something we believe is better. Every day, we learn from the extraordinary acts of bravery by young people, both near and far, who have shaped our world for the better.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM
Young people today are inheriting a world shaped by the harms of excessive consumption and injustice, with 30% of UK children living below the poverty line (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2024), and only 7% of young people believing the Government will make the right decisions for their future (Young Minds, 2023). Against a backdrop of spiralling mental health decline, feelings of disempowerment are growing, as are levels of radicalisation across many axes, as young people seek answers on social media.
Despite their anger, passion, and readiness to create change, young people with lived experiences of injustice (LEoI) are often left unsupported, without the tools or networks they need to take action on the issues that affect them and their communities.
Young people today are inheriting a world shaped by the harms of excessive consumption and injustice, with 30% of UK children living below the poverty line (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2024), and only 7% of young people believing the Government will make the right decisions for their future (Young Minds, 2023). Against a backdrop of spiralling mental health decline, feelings of disempowerment are growing, as are levels of radicalisation across many axes, as young people seek answers on social media. Despite their anger, passion, and readiness to create change, young people with lived experiences of injustice (LEoI) are often left unsupported, without the tools or networks they need to take action on the issues that affect them and their communities.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM
Over 11 years, The Advocacy Academy (TAA) has reached over 15,000 Young people. We have taken the slow road, building a deep understanding of what’s needed to achieve our vision for youth organising. That’s why we don’t speak on behalf of young people. Instead, we organise to shift power to young people furthest from it - especially those marginalised by race, class, disability, migration, gender or sexuality - across three axes:
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Go Big: Organise young people to take action and make lasting change on national issues they care about. For example, by delivering our Roots to Rise programme - where we train 4 national partner organisations to support 100 young people to tackle tangible climate issues.
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Dig Deep: Pioneer a joyful, unique youth-led community space at our Liberation Centre, and support young people to connect with and be leaders in our community in Brixton, South London. In its first year, and through only word of mouth, The Liberation Centre has had over 3,000 people through its doors, with young people calling it their political home.
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Bed In: Build the infrastructure and capacity for youth organising in places, people and organisations across the UK. For example, hosting the Halo Collective who secured over 1,000 sign-ups from schools and businesses to adopt The Halo Code, a commitment to ending hair discrimination against young Black people.
We are nourishing the soil for the networks and movements young people will go on to build and win change - and doing it in a way that makes organising real, relevant and accessible to all young people in the UK, whether they grew up in a village in East Anglia, flats in Glasgow, or down the road from us in Brixton.
JOIN OUR MOVEMENT
ANSWER THE CALL!!
Young people with lived experience of injustice are already taking action, not just for themselves, but for all of us. They are building campaigns, challenging broken systems, and leading their communities towards something better. This isn’t about potential, it’s about what’s already happening. Building young people’s capacity to organise is how we all win.
If you’re someone who shares our hopeful vision of a world where young people can use their collective power to lead change on the most pressing issues, then join our movement today!
Over 11 years, The Advocacy Academy (TAA) has reached over 15,000 Young people. We have taken the slow road, building a deep understanding of what’s needed to achieve our vision for youth organising. That’s why we don’t speak on behalf of young people. Instead, we organise to shift power to young people furthest from it - especially those marginalised by race, class, disability, migration, gender or sexuality - across three axes: Go Big: Organise young people to take action and make lasting change on national issues they care about. For example, by delivering our Roots to Rise programme - where we train 4 national partner organisations to support 100 young people to tackle tangible climate issues. Dig Deep: Pioneer a joyful, unique youth-led community space at our Liberation Centre, and support young people to connect with and be leaders in our community in Brixton, South London. In its first year, and through only word of mouth, The Liberation Centre has had over 3,000 people through its doors, with young people calling it their political home. Bed In: Build the infrastructure and capacity for youth organising in places, people and organisations across the UK. For example, hosting the Halo Collective who secured over 1,000 sign-ups from schools and businesses to adopt The Halo Code, a commitment to ending hair discrimination against young Black people. We are nourishing the soil for the networks and movements young people will go on to build and win change - and doing it in a way that makes organising real, relevant and accessible to all young people in the UK, whether they grew up in a village in East Anglia, flats in Glasgow, or down the road from us in Brixton.
our GUIDING COMPASS
WHAT IS OUR GOAL?
OUR GOAL
We have developed a reputation over the past eight years of being thought leaders in the development of youth organising practice and campaigning know-how, with a track record of supporting young people to develop campaigns that have a real, national impact.
Excellent youth work exists across the country. Our aim over the coming years is to both amplify it, and, to create the infrastructure needed to support ongoing training, development and collaboration through a national network of youth organisations committed to systemic change in their communities.
We want to open up our training methodology to as many allies as possible, enabling young people to gain the skills and experience and access to campaigning experience and expertise whether they grew up in a village in East Anglia, flats in Glasgow, or down the road from us in Brixton.
We have developed a reputation over the past eight years of being thought leaders in the development of youth organising practice and campaigning know-how, with a track record of supporting young people to develop campaigns that have a real, national impact. Excellent youth work exists across the country. Our aim over the coming years is to both amplify it, and, to create the infrastructure needed to support ongoing training, development and collaboration through a national network of youth organisations committed to systemic change in their communities. We want to open up our training methodology to as many allies as possible, enabling young people to gain the skills and experience and access to campaigning experience and expertise whether they grew up in a village in East Anglia, flats in Glasgow, or down the road from us in Brixton.
OUR APPROACH
HOW WE centre young people with lived experience
We centre young people with lived experience in our work, and are committed to creating a genuinely youth-led movement which is equipped to take on the challenges of today.
We believe that powerful change emerges when people with different forms of knowledge - including lived, learned and professional experience - are in dialogue, in environments rooted in justice and mutual respect.
We recognise that those most impacted by oppression are often denied access to traditional avenues of expertise, so we actively create space for shared learning, reflection and growth. For us, co-creation is about transformation through collective insight, for example, through our institutional campaigns, young campaigners work with our organising team to determine the campaigns’ strategic positioning.
At The Advocacy Academy, we know that when youth organising is a central part of how young people can build collective power and make decisions, our social movements are more effective, our communities stronger, and our society more fair and just.
We centre young people with lived experience in our work, and are committed to creating a genuinely youth-led movement which is equipped to take on the challenges of today. We believe that powerful change emerges when people with different forms of knowledge - including lived, learned and professional experience - are in dialogue, in environments rooted in justice and mutual respect. We recognise that those most impacted by oppression are often denied access to traditional avenues of expertise, so we actively create space for shared learning, reflection and growth. For us, co-creation is about transformation through collective insight, for example, through our institutional campaigns, young campaigners work with our organising team to determine the campaigns’ strategic positioning. At The Advocacy Academy, we know that when youth organising is a central part of how young people can build collective power and make decisions, our social movements are more effective, our communities stronger, and our society more fair and just.
OUR VALUES
Radical Hope
We believe in the potential for other people to grow and to surprise us. We assume the best intentions with those we interact with, and centre transformative practice - boundaries, agency, and assuming goodwill.
Creativity
We work with others whenever appropriate and possible. Not all organisations work the way that we do and this is a benefit. We welcome their creative approaches and allow it to enrich our work!
Bravery & Boldness
We have and host brave conversations with our colleagues. This could include acting in solidarity with communities we champion, leaning into discomfort to confirm understanding.
Curiosity
We desire to explore and/or acknowledge any assumptions we hold with the people we work with. We recognise the narratives we create about others.
Clarity & Openness
We share our resources beyond our walls where compliance allows us to. We break down silos between organisations. We are open on where we can and cannot provide clarity around certain issues and commit to providing more if we are able.
Joy & Celebration
We centre joy and celebration is an integral part of our values and should be considered as decisions are made. It’s not just about the work - you can work and laugh together!
Care & Kindness
We assume that people interact with us in the kindest way that they are able to at the time, and we endeavour to show up in the kindest way we are able to at the time too.
Purposeful
We treat our relationships with patience and deliberation. We recognise that relationships are rooted in trust, and that choosing to trust people makes them trustworthy.
Being Our Word
We treat our relationships with care and honour the commitments we make to those we are in community with. We commit daily to being courageous and authentic to our word in the small acts as well as the big decisions
Magic in the detail
We treat our relationships with care and honour the commitments we make to those we are in community with. We recognise that small moments matter in relationships, and that it’s worth investing in our relationships with community members one small act at a time.
