The Young People's Commission for Africa (YPCfA) was a project organised by Plan UK and Gemin-i.org, which linked 25 UK schools with 25 schools in Africa between January and June 2005.

The YPCfA was designed to give young people the chance to engage with the Commission for Africa and have their voices heard by the G8 leaders. The project encouraged young people in Africa and the UK to work collaboratively as they explored their impressions of Africa and its challenges and opportunities. Click here to view the work that they produced.

A UK student at work on their pc

In Teachers’ Resources there are downloadable resources and lesson plans for schools who want to find out more about Africa or any of the issues raised in the YPCfA. Although the YPCfA project has now come to an end these resources can still provide an invaluable aid to those interested in learning more about the countries that make up Africa and the issues that affect them

The innovative technology used - Gemini Plus - enabled chat forums, e-mailing, video conferencing, and the design of web pages using images, sounds and videos. The software is specially designed to operate on even the most basic internet links and computers.

Image of school children working on computers

This project had a number of goals, one of which was to bring together young people from Africa and the UK to explore the issues that Africa is facing today. Through the Hot Seat programme the students were given the opportunity to pose questions to MPs (including Charles Clarke and Paul Boateng), High Commissioners, development experts and other prominent people with African connections including Cherie Blair, Jay Jay Okocha and Richard E. Grant.

“It is indeed a good project, this is the first time I have been ever asked to give an opinion.”

Student from Kenya

Click here to download 'Speak Out! - Young People's Commission for Africa Report'

The resources on this page are intended solely for use in schools and remain the property of Plan UK and Gemin-i.org