KEY+ Group: [Insert Name Here]
[Insert Name Here] – yes, that’s their group name!
Four young people from Hebburn Comprehensive School took on the KEY+ Challenge and didn’t just complete it – they transformed it into something unforgettable. Over the course of three unique stages, they grew in confidence, built essential skills, and made a lasting impact in their school and wider community.
Stage 1: Starting Small, Thinking Big
Their KEY+ journey began with the school’s Christmas Fayre. The group organised and ran fun games and activities to raise money for their school’s diversity group and wider school funds. From planning festive activities to producing cost lists and running stalls for the public, they built vital organisational, communication and research skills.
It may have started small, but this first step laid the foundation for something much bigger.
Stage 2: Celebrating Eid & Building Belonging
Next came the Eid celebration – an event that would reach well beyond the school gates. The group planned a joyful evening for over 100 Muslim pupils and their families, complete with food, decorations, invitations, and cultural connection.
With only a limited amount of time, they coordinated catering for over 100 people, researched local restaurants, made decorations, favours, and invitations – and communicated with school leaders and community members to bring it all to life.
The night of the event, families filled the room. “Some people said it feels like home,” the girls said, describing the way people sat around tables, sharing food and conversation: “Everyone was just eating and talking to each other.”
The feedback was overwhelming. One teacher even pulled the groups facilitator aside to say, “This is like being home.” The celebration even made its way into local refugee and asylum support networks as an example of how schools can promote inclusion through celebration.
Stage 3: Creating a Festival & Building a Legacy
For their final stage, the group wanted to go all out – and planned a full Diversity Festival open to the whole community. Unlike the smaller event two years before, which struggled in the heat and didn’t reach far beyond the school, this time they transformed it into something bigger, better, and more welcoming.
They contacted food businesses and workshop providers, negotiated logistics, and built a jam-packed day of cultural experiences – including Bollywood dancing.
More than 1,000 people came: “Yeah, a lot of people from outside the school came.” There was a festival feel with flower crowns, music, a photo booth and even an ice cream van. And while they were proud of the turnout, they were prouder of the atmosphere they helped create – one where inclusion wasn’t just a theme, but something people could feel.
“People in the area coming together… you’re making an impact and making other people in the community feel included.”
Growing in Confidence, One Stage at a Time
Looking back, the girls can see how far they’ve come: “I’m a lot more confident with communication,” said Lauren. “I feel like I’m more organised,” Beth added.
And it wasn’t just about practical skills as the group became more comfortable talking to people in authority: “You realise that people are more than their jobs, they’re not scary – they’re just normal, everyday people.”
By Stage 3, they noticed the shift: “The first time we definitely had a more set-out structure… but by Stage 3, I felt like we weren’t that panicked.” Presenting had become natural, and decision-making easier. “I feel like it was a lot more fun because we had a lot more control.”
Recognition That Reaches Beyond the School Gates
Their efforts didn’t go unnoticed. At this years Key Awards, they were named: KEY+ Completers of the Year!
The award celebrated their ability to complete all three stages with passion and purpose – using each project to promote inclusion, togetherness, and cultural understanding.
They were also part of Hebburn Comprehensive’s win at the South Tyneside FAB Awards, with the Diversity Festival recognised as a key factor behind the school’s Inclusion Award.
Their work even reached local government. In September, they’ll present their KEY+ journey to the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education, alongside councillors, teachers, and the head of education. They’ll share how their Eid celebration and Diversity Festival helped create real inclusion in school and beyond.
Final Reflections: “It Does Happen.”
As they wrapped up, the group reflected on what KEY+ meant to them – and offered advice for other young people just getting started.
“Don’t give up. You might think you’re very far away from here [Stage 3], for example Stage 1, you probably think Stage 3 is miles away. But it’s not really,” said Lauren. “It goes really fast.”
Beth agreed: “Have big aims for your next projects so think of it as you’re going… and they will happen.”
The KEY+ journey may have officially ended for this group, but their impact – and their plans – are far from over. Whether it’s joining panels, supporting new KEY+ groups, or helping to shape the next Diversity Festival, the group have shown what young people can achieve when given space, support, and the chance to lead.
“That we made it out in one piece,” one of them laughed when asked what they were most proud of. But it’s clear they did much more than that – they made change, they made community, and they made something that will last.
About the author
The Key