We Day UK and We Act FAQs General queries

We Day UK and We Act FAQs
General queries
What is We Day?
We Day is a stadium-sized educational event. It is tied to a year-long We Act programme, which offers
curriculum, resources, campaigns and materials to help turn the day’s inspiration into sustained action.
We Day brings young people together in an unparalleled setting to show them that they are not alone in
their journey to make a difference.
Within a stadium full of cheering young people, We Day brings some of the greatest social issues of today
to the forefront, and—no matter the cause, no matter the issue—provides ways in which every young
person can create global change.
Is this event put on by Me to We?
We Day is an initiative of Free The Children. It is made possible with the support of Free The Children’s
partner, Me to We, which provides logistics support, thousands of hours of volunteer work and
professional services. Learn more about the connection between Free The Children and Me to We.
Why does Free The Children put on We Day?
Free The Children believes in a world in which all young people are free to achieve their fullest potential
as agents of change. An international charity and educational partner, Free The Children empowers
young people to remove the barriers preventing them from being active local and global citizens. The
organisation hosts We Day with the help of Me to We and the generosity of corporate sponsors.
We Day brings young people together to celebrate their power to change the world, learn about new
issues and gain the motivation to take action. It creates a community of young activists who know they
are not alone in their journey to make a difference.
Who pays for We Day?
We are proud of the fact that We Day is a fully sponsored event. We are thankful for our generous
sponsors, whose support ensures that none of the money donated to Free The Children for charitable
purposes is ever used for We Day events. In addition, sponsorship allows the events to be fully inclusive
and free of charge for the approximately 160,000 students who attend worldwide. See the We Day UK
sponsors here.
What is the We Act programme?
Free The Children’s We Act programme inspires a generation to care about the issues that affect our
communities and our world, and provides the practical tools needed to turn that inspiration into action. We
Act puts students at the forefront of active citizenship by educating them on social issues and action
planning, developing leadership skills and engaging them in world-changing action.
Participants commit to completing one local action and one global action, as well as sharing their action
plans and accomplishments with the community of schools in the Free The Children network. Through
their activities, and with the support of Free The Children, students are given the opportunity to participate
in student-led campaigns, to explore and develop their capacity for leadership and to engage with local
and global issues. In turn, their efforts provide tangible benefits for both local communities and around the
world.
Participation in We Act is not mandatory to attend We Day. However, schools that make the commitment
to take action through the programme will get first priority to attend the event.
The programme unfolds throughout the year in five steps:
 Commit: Fill out the application
 Get educated: Receive classroom materials
 Take action: Schools take on one local and one global action
 Celebrate the Change: Attend We Day UK
 Share it: Submission of Reports 1 and 2, detailing action plans and successes
As a teacher, how can I bring We Day to my school?
We Day is part of the We Act programme, a full-year active citizenship programme and support system
for young people, schools, individuals, families and companies to turn inspiration into action. To learn
more about the We Act programme please visit us here. For additional information, please email the We
Act team at [email protected].
I’m a student and my school isn’t going to We Day. Can I still come?
Since We Day is part of the We Act programme, all We Day participants must attend with their school or
community/youth group in order to fulfill the requirements of the programme. As such, we are unable to
provide individuals with tickets to the event. We suggest contacting your school’s headteacher to discuss
registering your school for next year’s We Day and then speaking to our We Act team
at [email protected].
As an individual young person, you can still get involved with Free The Children even if you can’t attend
the event! Check out the We Youth page at http://www.freethechildren.com/we-youth/ to find out how you
can get involved or email [email protected] for more information.
Does our school have to commit to We Act in order to attend We Day?
Participation in the We Act programme is strongly encouraged, but not mandatory. If you choose not to
participate in the full programme, we invite you to apply for tickets to We Day. However, schools that do
commit to the full programme will receive priority for We Day tickets.
I want to take action, but I’m not sure where to start. What should I do?
There are many ways that you can become involved and take action! Click here to explore ways you can
get involved and change the world. You can also email [email protected], or call 020 7921
4305, to be put in touch with a Youth Programming Coordinator.
How can I volunteer at the event?
Please click here to learn more about volunteering for We Day.
My company would like to be part of We Day. How can we contribute?
Contact Jessica Bentley-Jacobs, Director, Free The Children UK, on 020 7921 4305 or
[email protected] to find out how your company can get involved.
Who should I contact if I have more questions about We Day UK or We Act?
For questions about We Day UK, please contact Free The Children at [email protected], or call
020 7921 4305.
Registration and tickets
How can I get tickets for We Day?
If you are part of a school or youth group and are in Year 6 or above, you are eligible to register for a We
Day event! You can register for tickets at www.weday.com/uk. To register, please go to www.weday.com,
select the We Day event you are interested in attending and scroll to the We Act sign up link.
Our school is unable to attend We Day but would like to participate in the We Act programme. Can we still
register?
Absolutely! The We Act programme is a year-long programme of active citizenship. We Schools commit
to completing one local action and one global action, as well as sharing their action plans and
accomplishments with us by filling out two online reports during the year. Once you register, you will have
access to all of Free The Children’s online educational resources. Once you register for the We Act
programme, we will connect you directly with one of our team’s amazing Youth Programming
Coordinators (YPCs)! He/she will be there to provide you with support and guidance as you plan and take
action throughout the year.
Over the course of the year, all schools have the opportunity to participate in Free The Children
campaigns, and take action in their communities. Check here for campaign updates and how to get
involved!
Do we have to make a commitment to the programme in order to attend We Day?
Participation in the programme is strongly encouraged but not mandatory. If you choose not to participate
in the full programme, we invite you still to apply for tickets to We Day. However, schools that do commit
to the full programme will receive priority for We Day tickets.
Our school didn’t manage to register for We Day on time. Can we still get tickets to the event?
Groups are always welcome to register; however, they are not guaranteed tickets once the registration
period has ended. Please contact the We Act team at [email protected] to find out if there is
space for your group to attend.
Please note that the We Act team is in frequent contact with all schools and groups that are confirmed to
attend We Day. All groups on the waiting list will be notified if tickets become available to them; if you are
unsure of your group’s status please contact the We Act team at [email protected]. Only
schools and groups that have tickets and/or wristbands will be admitted entrance into the venue.
My school isn’t able to get tickets, so how can I get involved?
We Day is part of the We Act programme, a full-year engagement programme and support system for
young people and schools, so we don't provide tickets to the general public. However, we do offer the
opportunity to volunteer. Click here to learn more.
I confirmed my tickets but one of my students isn’t able to come. Can you change our school’s number of
tickets?
We can definitely make changes to your ticket numbers! Please email the We Act team at
[email protected] to notify them of the changes to your school’s ticket number.
What is the ticketing structure and why was it created?
To encourage and reward fulfillment of the programme elements, most notably taking action and reporting
back to Free The Children, schools/groups who complete Reports 1 and 2, and who take local and global
action, will be eligible for the full allotment of tickets to We Day in the following year, while schools who do
not fulfill these requirements in their entirety will receive fewer tickets.
Tickets are determined on an event basis and are dependent on the venue capacity. Generally, we will
not be able to communicate ticket allocations per group until approximately two months prior to the event,
when you will be asked to confirm your group’s attendance. If you have any further questions about this,
please contact [email protected].
We haven’t received our school’s tickets yet. Can you tell us when they will arrive?
If you confirmed your school’s tickets on time, you will receive your tickets directly in the post. If you do
not receive your tickets three days prior to the event, please email the We Act team at
[email protected] or call 020 7921 4305.
We received our school/group’s tickets in the post, but we did not receive the correct number of tickets.
What should we do?
If, for some reason, you received fewer tickets than you indicated on your ticket confirmation form, we will
make sure that we provide you with the correct number. Please contact the We Act team
at [email protected] to find out how to access these tickets.
Can I get extra tickets to the event?
We understand that schools/groups would like to bring as many students to We Day as possible. Tickets
are determined on an event basis and are dependent on the venue capacity. Please email
[email protected] or call 020 7921 4305 to see if extra tickets are available for your event. We
will put you on a waiting list and let you know if tickets become available.
I applied for We Day UK online, but I’m not sure if my application was received. How can I make sure it
went through?
When you register for We Day, you will receive an email summary of your registration information. If you
did not receive this email, please contact the We Act team at [email protected].
Do we have to register for the We Act programme and We Day every school year?
Yes. Your school or group must register for the We Act programme and/or We Day each year that it
wishes to participate.
Logistics
How do I find out who is speaking and performing at We Day UK?
The announcement of speakers and performers for We Day UK occurs on www.weday.com in the weeks
leading up to the event date on 7 March 2014.
Where can I find information about the times of the event, parking, transportation, etc.?
We Day UK will take place on 7 March 2014 at Wembley Arena. All We Day events occur during the
school day. For each We Day, an Event Logistics Guide is created, which contains all pertinent details
surrounding the day, including ticket details for entry, parking and transportation instructions, and what to
bring to the event. Event Logistics Guides are made available on www.weday.com approximately one
month prior to the event date. To access this information go to www.weday.com/uk, and scroll down to
the section containing teacher information. Additionally, if you have been allocated tickets to We Day, the
Event Logistics Guide will be emailed to you approximately one month prior to the event.
Does it cost money to attend We Day/Can I purchase a ticket to We Day?
Students earn their way to We Day through taking action to make the world a better place! As such, We
Day is a free event and tickets cannot be purchased. Your school/group is responsible for covering all
related costs, which may include supply teacher costs, transportation and accommodation, if necessary.
Who can come to We Day? Is there an age restriction?
We Day is Free The Children’s signature student empowerment event, which inspires and motivates
young people to take action on social issues they are passionate about. All participants at a We Day
event are in Year 6 or above, and must come as part of a school group or community/youth group. Owing
to the mature subject content of some speeches at We Day, we are only able to offer tickets to young
people in Year 6 or above.
Are teachers/supervisors included in the ticket number?
Yes. The tickets allocated to your school include both students and teachers/chaperones. Therefore, if
you were allocated 15 tickets and would like two teachers to attend, you may bring 13 students.
How many teachers/supervisors per group should come to We Day?
As We Day is a student-focused event, we try to ensure that as many young people as possible are given
the opportunity to attend. Please refer to your individual school/group’s policies regarding adult/student
ratios.
One of my students is in a wheelchair; are they still able to come? If so, will they still be able to sit with our
school? Do they need someone to accompany them?
We have a designated area for accessible seating, so we can definitely accommodate anyone in a
wheelchair. Depending on the venue, we cannot guarantee that your school/group will be able to sit with
this person. However, we will do our best to seat your school close to the accessibility section. Please
note that if the person requiring accessible seating is a student, they must be accompanied by an adult;
therefore, you will need a minimum of two adults/teachers with your group.
Our group is travelling to We Day. Are there any hotel deals available?
Unfortunately We Day does not have any affiliations with hotels. All schools/group attending the event are
responsible for arranging accommodation.
Is lunch provided at the event?
Lunch is not provided by We Day or Free The Children. We encourage all students to bring a packed
lunch to the event. If students wish to buy lunch at the event, some concession stands are open during
the lunch hour.