Education & Training
Education at the Heart of Change
At the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, education is at the heart of everything we do.
We believe lasting change begins with understanding. By helping people see the world through the eyes of others, we build empathy, respect and stronger, more connected communities.
Why We Do It
Through her years as a youth worker, Dr Sylvia Lancaster OBE witnessed how challenging it can be for young people to connect with those who seem different. Following the brutal attack on her daughter, Sophie, which tragically led to her death, Sylvia recognised the urgent need to support young people to pause and reflect before making judgments based on appearance. Sophie was targeted because her attackers perceived her as ‘different’ - because she was alternative.
That commitment - to challenge prejudice and promote understanding - became the driving force behind our educational work.
What We Offer
We work with learners of all ages from primary school pupils to university students and adult learners, across the UK and beyond.
Our interactive workshops and presentations create supported spaces where students can explore:
- Identity and difference
- The impact of hate and intolerance
- Empathy, respect and social connection
Through open discussion, reflection and creative activities, learners are encouraged to challenge assumptions, share perspectives and express empathy with confidence.
Meaningful Learning, Real Impact
Our sessions help schools and colleges take meaningful action against:
- Hate crime and intolerance
- Bullying and cyberbullying
- Child-on-child abuse
By developing empathy, critical thinking, communication skills and cultural awareness, we equip learners with the personal and social skills they’ll carry into their studies, careers and into their wider communities.
Our flexible, non-prescriptive resources support cross-curricular learning in:
- PSHE and Citizenship
- English and RE
- Drama and Art & Design
They can be adapted for all ages and abilities, including post-16 learners and align with key themes such as diversity, wellbeing, emotional literacy and rights and responsibilities. We also support students through key transitions - from primary to secondary school, onto vocational training or into the workplace.
Get Involved
We’re a small, passionate team, so we recommend booking early to secure your preferred dates. We understand budgets can be tight, please get in touch if you need support. We can sometimes access sponsorship to help with costs and are always happy to offer advice.
Explore Our Resources
Discover how our education programmes can support your learners and help build a kinder and more inclusive community by exploring our resources below.
The education resources to explore.
Contact us here (Contact page) if you have any queries or would like to enquire about making a booking.
Safeguarding
The Sophie Lancaster Foundation believes everyone has the right to be protected from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. We promote equality, diversity and inclusion and do not tolerate discrimination on any grounds, including the protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010.
We are committed to embedding safeguarding throughout our work, guided by the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.
You can find a copy of our Safeguarding Policy here (Safeguarding Policy, PDF).