‘Help, I didn’t get paid this month!’

This session gives young people a chance to learn about part-time work while they are in education. Academics will host a session where young people can learn about their rights at work and discuss their work experiences with their peers. We will share findings from the Earning while Learning research project, and will connect students with organisations and advice that can help them.  

The project aims to give young people who are both in full-time education and working the tools to advocate for their rights at work.  

The session will include: 

Hands-on activities (including an emoji-based discussion and an 'agony aunt' activity). 

A discussion on where they find information about work and their rights, and how this could be improved. 

A Q&A session on your rights at work. 

The Earning while Learning research project has revealed that paid work is a reality for most young people in education, but this work is characterised by poor conditions including low pay, insecurity and sexual harassment. Moreover, students lack knowledge of rights or legal pay rates and feel unable to assert them.  

At this event, students will not only engage with real-world social-science research, but have an opportunity to learn about their rights at work and discuss their work experiences with their peers.  Students will also be connected to organisations and advice that can help them advocate for their rights at work.

Professor Kim Allen, Professor of Sociology of Youth and Culture, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds  

Dr Lilith Brouwers, Research Fellow in Gender and Work, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds.

The event is open to students aged 14 upwards who are currently in paid work alongside their study, or have past experience of this. 

The event can only be attended by students at the local colleges in Leeds who have signed up to the event.   

Local teachers interested in hosting this event can sign up by completing this form. 

The event may be of particular interest to students and teachers in social science subjects, or for schools and colleges that know many of their students combine full time education and work. 

We are only offering two of these sessions in 2025, so get in touch as soon as possible if you are interested through our sign-up link.

Thursday 23rd October and/or Thursday 30th October. 

Please get in touch by the end of September for expressions of interest!