Overview
Young people are, and will continue to be, some of the most impacted by COVID. However their voices have been largely kept out of public conversations about it and our country’s recovery plans.
Dr Dania Thomas and Young Citizens have developed a classroom resource to introduce young people to the inevitable social and economic consequences that a steep rise in public borrowing will entail for their futures. This is the start of a conversation aimed at exposing young minds to the impact mounting national debt poses to their rights as citizens – thinking about healthcare, education, welfare and pensions.
This session is also designed to validate their lived experience of this crisis, giving young people the resources to better understand what this means for them as well as build their confidence and agency to hold governments to account in the future.
Who’s Really Paying for COVID? is aimed at Key Stage 4 and 5.
It consists of a pre-recorded presentation delivered by Dr. Dania Thomas, as well as accompanying teaching and learning resources that are available to download for free.
These resources were developed as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Sciences 2020 and aimed to raise the profile of social sciences with teachers and young people. Although the festival has passed, we are very keen for you to benefit from these topical resources. Please share your school’s involvement on social media using #ESRCFestival.


More Lessons resources
Saving Energy
In this lesson pupils will learn what is meant by the term energy source. They will consider how they use energy in their lives and be introduced to the basic…
Taking Responsibility
This lesson is based around the clever traditional poem about four children named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. It introduces children to the idea of taking responsibility in the context…
Sentencing Myths (SmartLaw Subscription)
This short activity challenges young people’s perceptions of current sentencing guidelines. It can be run as a standalone activity or as an extension activity as part of a mock trial…
More Economics, Money and Managing Resources resources
You Decide! (KS4)
This resource will allow students to critically consider what reasons and ways the government can take to support different...
Local and Central Government
This resource pack is the third of a four-part set which has been designed to introduce students to the...
How Does the Budget Impact Me and Others?
The resource consists of two activities. The first is a notation task based on the information provided about the...
More Politics and Democracy resources
Law Makers (SmartLaw Subscription)
In this lesson students examine what the rule of law is and why we need it. They consider how and why laws are made in the UK and what the…
Create a Local Council Budget
Students critically consider the needs of a fictitious town and how to spend it’s £250 million budget wisely. Working...
Migration of People
To help you engage your students in the topic of migration Young Citizens have developed a flexible teaching resource...
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Family Law – Cohabitation and Marriage (SmartLaw Subscription)
During the course of the lesson students will learn the difference between marriage and cohabitation and consider what legal rights come with both. Students will explore the changing attitudes in…
Economic Cycles
This free classroom resource explores what economic cycles are and how they impact our lives. Aimed at KS4 and...
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
Social Media and the Law (KS4) (SmartLaw Subscription)
Students explore the law in relation to social media posts, the types of offences that people are committing (whether knowingly or not) and the consequences of these offences. Finally, students…
Consumer Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson explores the law concerning buying and selling goods and services highlighting what their rights and responsibilities are as a consumer. The lesson gives students the opportunity to practice…
Biodiversity: Using the Law to Drive Change
During this lesson, students consider what biodiversity is, why it is essential to all life on Earth and what...