1. [SCHOOL NAME] SPEAKER'S NOTES:
Today we are going to talk about the work of a charity called SOS Children's Villages UK, that helps thousands of children around the world, just like you.

2. 263 MILLION children worldwide do NOT go to school.
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
263 million children don't get to go to school. That's 4 times the number of people in the United Kingdom.
61 million of those children are primary school age, so the same age as you.
Lots of these children – especially girls – don't go to school because they have to work, and earn money to support their family.
263 MILLION children worldwide do NOT go to school.
UNESCO 2016

3. 115 MILLION young people cannot read or write.
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
115 million young people cannot read or write.
This is usually because children do not go to school, or it is because their school is very poor with too many students, or not enough teachers.
Without proper education, children are much more likely to live in poverty. This means they are less likely to be healthy and happy, or get good jobs.
115 MILLION young people cannot read or write.
UNESCO 2016

4. SOS Children's Villages UK are here to help!
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
SOS Children's Villages UK is a charity helping vulnerable children and families around the world.
They make sure that these children go to good schools with well-trained teachers and properly-equipped classrooms.
SOS Children's Villages UK are here to help!

5. WHAT does SOS Children's Villages do?
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
So what does SOS Children's Villages UK do, to help children around the world go to school?
There are three main things SOSUK does to support Children's education:

6. 1. Making sure children have a safe and secure place to live
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
Not having a stable home is one of the main reasons that children do not go to school, so the first thing SOSUK does is make sure the children they work with have a safe and secure place to grow up.
They help children stay with their families. They do this by helping their parents learn the skills to get good jobs, teaching them about nutrition and eating well, or providing medical care. SOSUK always tries to make sure children can live happily with their family.
Unfortunately, sometimes children don't have a family they can live with, so SOS Children's Villages UK gives them a loving home. They live with 5-7 other children, who become their new brothers and sisters, and an SOS parent who looks after them full-time, until they are grown-ups!

7. 2. Building schools and kindergartens
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
Next, SOSUK looks at whether the children in the area have access to good schools.
Sometimes the schools are already really good, so SOSUK helps send children to those schools, by helping pay for their books, uniform and transport.
But when the schools are full, far away, or without proper teachers and equipment, SOSUK will build a school for the children in the area. They train local teachers and make sure the schools are well-equipped.
At the moment, SOS Children‘s Villages runs more than 400 schools and kindergartens, teaching 126,000 children around the world.
2. Building schools and kindergartens

8. 3. Providing education in emergencies
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
When there are emergencies (for example during a war, or a natural disaster like a hurricane) SOSUK makes sure children have child-friendly spaces set up in those areas.
These are places for children to relax, play, receive medical care or therapy, and continue to learn. During an emergency, it is easy for education to be forgotten, and these situations can last for a really long time. Imagine not being able to go to school for an entire term, or a year – think how much you would miss out on. SOSUK makes sure children in emergencies can get on with life – with games, friends, teachers and books all available to them.
SOSUK helps run child-friendly spaces in emergencies all over the world. For example, at the moment they have spaces in Haiti, a country on an island in the Caribbean, helping children who have been affected by the huge hurricanes and storms in the area.

9. WHERE do you think SOS Children’s Villages works?
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
Where do you think SOS Children‘s Villages works today?
I've just mentioned Haiti as an example – but where else do you think they work?
[Encourage pupils to guess where SOS Children‘s Villages might work]

10. 125 countries & territories
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
The answer is – almost everywhere!
Today, SOS works in 125 countries and territories around the world.
Unfortunately, there are vulnerable children in every country, which means SOS has grown to support as many children and families as they possibly can, in as many countries as they can.
6 continents

11. HOW can we help? SPEAKER'S NOTES:
How do you think we at [INSERT SCHOOL NAME] can support SOS Children's Villages UK to help children around the world go to school?
[Encourage pupils to guess how they might help SOS Children's Villages UK]

12. Suggestions to get us started
Hold a Great British Bake sale
Have a non-uniform day
Do a sponsored swim, cycle, or run
Organise a charity football match or concert
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
There are lots of ways we can help support SOS Children's Villages UK! Here are a few ideas:
We could hold a Great British Bake sale for students, staff and parents to enjoy. A non-uniform or dress-up day is always a good way to support charities. Sporty students can organise your own sponsored walk, run, swim, cycle – or any other sport you can think of.
Or you can come up with your own brilliant ideas to help support SOS Children's Villages UK.
Or come up with your own ideas...

13. What could we raise money for?
SPEAKER'S NOTES:
Here are some examples of where the money raised will go:
£25 can pay for a pupil's pens, pencils, and other school supplies for a year;
£40 can pay for a child's school and sports uniform for a year;
£60 can pay for all the school books and textbooks for a year;
Or £275 can pay for a child's education for an entire year!
[Suggestion – link these figures to school size. See examples below]
Examples related to school size:
Schools of around 100 pupils: If everyone gave just £2 for a non-uniform day, we would almost have enough to fund one child's education for a full year – in just one day!
Schools of around 200 pupils: If everyone gave just £1 right now, we would have almost enough money to pay for a child's education for a full year instantly!
School supplies
£25
School uniform & sports kit
£40
School & text books
£60
£275
£275
Full year of education for one child
Full year of education for one child

14. www.sosuk.org SPEAKER'S NOTES:
So, after hearing about SOS Children’s Villages UK, do you think we should help them?
[Allow for response from students]
Let’s work together to give other children the best possible education.