Our current education system sees and educates children and young people predominantly based on the two dimensions of body and brain. Young people are set up to understand themselves in a simplistic, two-dimensional way such as ‘the failing student’ or the ‘straight As student’.

Young people's ‘third dimension’, recognised by both the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the UK Government in the Education Act of 2002 as the ‘social, spiritual, moral’ part of a child or their ‘inner life’, is neglected and their needs are not met. Even the part of the curriculum which was set up to address their third dimension (RE and PSHE) is moving towards imparting information on an academic level rather than supporting young people to explore the different aspects of their humanity to understand themselves more deeply.

Classroom resources will be designed for different age groups in the form of videos and animations, stories, discussion prompts and activities to help young people understand what it means to be human. The resources will help young people to engage with the complex emotions, beliefs and experiences that shape who they are so that they can positively impact their own lives and that of others. The resources will guide teachers in facilitating classroom conversations in a safe and meaningful way.

The project has the potential to promote understanding, social responsibility, community resilience, and meaningful relationships. The intention is that the resources will foster a classroom environment that is truly a place of equality, trust, and community where young people are recognised and are able to express their humanity and see the humanity in others. 

Gracie’s home education gave her a unique perspective on the education system. She believes in its potential to foster personal growth beyond grades. From the age of 14,  she has led various impactful community initiatives, from highlighting stories of hundreds of individuals tackling mental health issues in their communities to uniting communities through food.