Communications guidance for Schools – PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Communications guidance for Schools – PEACEPLUS ASPIRE

Showcasing the impact of the project with your staff, pupils and community.

Communication Guidance

As part of PEACEPLUS ASPIRE, we will highlight the impact of shared education for pupils, families, educators, staff and the wider community. Sharing success stories and good practice throughout the project will strengthen project outcomes and ensure PEACEPLUS ASPIRE creates a strong and meaningful legacy. This guidance offers advice on how your school can celebrate and promote their PEACEPLUS ASPIRE work through effective communication activities.

Communication Platforms

Using social media, schools can share videos and pictures from shared educations sessions and activities, bringing the project to life to a wider audience. Social media also provides a good opportunity to share the voice of the pupil and school staff. This can be gathered in various ways, such as conducting short interviews, written testimonials, or sharing videos and pictures highlighting the impact of sessions on pupils and teachers from each partnerships. Parents or community member voices can also be represented through brief interviews or written feedback provided they have given consent for their contributions to be used in this way.

We love seeing your activities on social media! Tag us and we’ll share your posts whenever we can.

PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Branding

When sharing PEACEPLUS ASPIRE activity on social media, schools are encouraged to use the following hashtags; #PEACEPLUS #PEACEPLUSASPIREsharededucation #SharedEducation This will help your content receive greater visibility and engagement. 

Local Media

If your schools is interested in their shared sessions being covered in local media and would like help, such as a press release or support producing media content, they can contact their assigned Development Officer.

Communication Activities

The PEACEPLUS ASPIRE partners will lead a range of communication activities throughout the project, including regular social media updates, videos, and newsletters. These will highlight the benefits of shared education and showcase success stories, good practice, and expertise across partner settings.

We welcome photos and videos from partnerships to help demonstrate the impact of PEACEPLUS ASPIRE. Content can be shared by email.  Please keep videos between 1-1.5 minutes; longer submissions may be edited.

Talking about PEACEPLUS ASPIRE

PEACEPLUS ASPIRE is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). PEACEPLUS ASPIRE aims to foster peace, reconciliation, and collaboration through Shared Education. By embedding Shared Education from a young age, the project helps to create a society where differences are celebrated, and communities thrive together. Through shared projects and professional collaboration, we are helping to build understanding, respect, and lasting connections across traditional divides and in response to emerging needs.

Key Messages 

When we talk about shared education partnerships, we want to emphasise that it: 

Develops peacebuilding skills in young people 

  • Activities nurture empathy, emotional regulation, and perspective-taking.
  • Pupils practice negotiation, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.
  • These are skills for life and for leadership in a shared future. 

Strengthens collaboration between staff 

  • Educators share expertise, plan together, and learn from one another.
  • Professional trust and innovation grow through joint practice. 

Helps build peaceful communities and tackle wider societal challenges 

  • Activities reflect our local context and celebrate diversity.
  • Pupils learn to understand and respect difference.
  • Shared education helps reduce division and builds a shared sense of belonging.
  • Tackling increased polarisation, challenges misinformation and social media. 

How to Talk About It 

  • Focus on shared goals and positive impact (“we’re learning together to achieve more”).
  • Use examples that show relationship-building, collaboration and connection rather than difference.
  • Link in school / setting learning to community benefits.

Tips for Recording Video Testimonials

Recording video testimonials can be a fantastic way to capture the real-life impact of PEACEPLUS ASPIRE. 

Here are some practical tips to ensure high-quality videos: 

  1. Prepping the Setup
  • Use Landscape Mode: always rotate your phone or camera horizontally. This ensures the video fills the screen properly and looks professional.
  • Good Lighting is Key: natural light is best—position pupils or educators near windows (but not with the light directly behind them). If indoors, use additional lamps to reduce shadows.
  • Reduce Background Noise: Find a quiet space and avoidnoisy areas. Help children speak up clearly: encourage them to smile and enjoy sharing their thoughts.
  1. Recording the Testimonial
  • Ask your students to repeat the question or expand on their answer for clarity. If they give short answers, you can prompt them to add a little more: 

❌ “It was fun.” ✅ “My favourite part was working with students from other schools because it was fun to learn about our similarities and differences.” 

  • Keep each clip short and natural - about 30 to 60 seconds is perfect. It’s fine to let pupils practice first, but keep it relaxed and natural. 

Data Protection It is essential schools have a signed consent form from every pupil’s parent / guardian before they participate in any recorded activity. This includes audio or visual recording and photographs Any consent forms should be kept for your records. 

It is important that every pupil has an equal opportunity to fully participate in every shared education session or activity. If any young person does not have signed consent forms, the session should continue but ensure those without consent are NOT recorded or photographed.

Quick Guide

Communicating with Impact: Outputs & Platforms

  • Social Media
  • School Website (blogs, info pages)
  • Audio/Video Materials
  • Events: Parent Evenings,
  • Information Sessions
  • Newsletters
  • Publications:
  • Project Booklet
  • Media Coverage

Get in Touch

Education Authority 

Email: peaceplusaspire@eani.org.uk 

Phone: 028 9056 4000

LÉARGAS 

Email: peaceplusaspire@leargas.ie 

Phone: (01) 873 1411 ext (6)

For more information on PEACEPLUS and Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) go to: www.seupb.eu