With the cold weather still very much here and the recent uproar over the rising cost of living, our latest project, Hand Warmers Against Heating Costs, comes at a fitting time.
Here at InCommon we want to develop activities that are both purposeful and joyful, which is why we’ve partnered with Clarion Futures and the #iwill campaign to develop an intergenerational social action craft activity. Our Hand Warmers Against Heating Costs project encourages young people to make microwaveable hand warmers for an older person whilst learning key campaigning skills and promoting Age UK's Cost of Cold campaign.
The Cost of Cold campaign highlights the impact of rising fuel poverty on older people and calls on the government to take steps to protect households of all ages through the energy crisis. Age UK research has found that over a million older households in the UK are at risk of facing a choice between heating and eating. Talking about heating costs is a great way to get young people thinking about social issues and what they can do to help their local community. As well as materials to make and decorate hand warmers with messages and slogans, we’ll be sending out activities like letter-writing to MPs, designing campaign posters and social media activism tips. We’ll be encouraging youth groups to share pictures of their hand warmers on social media using the #costofcold to raise awareness of the campaign.
Older people will receive their hand warmers alongside the Cost of Cold campaign materials and information about the financial support available if they are struggling with the rise of energy costs. We are also encouraging younger and older people to take the connection further by writing to each other or even meeting up in person to chat about the campaign and build some strong community links.
We’ve already got started with the project at Evergreen Play Association and Spotlight Youth Centre. Here are some photos of what the young people got up to!
If you run a social action project with young people, you can sign up here to take part in the project.
If you have any questions, please send them across to hello@incommon.org.uk.
