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An experiential two-day online workshop on writing for social impact which will explore how to execute ethical and impactful storytelling and provide a call-to-action for readers.

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Course code: CS1219

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Testimonials

  • Fantastic course, with a fantastic tutor. I have been totally inspired by Ciaran and now know what I want to do. His style of teaching is welcoming, encouraging and inclusive. I can't thank Ciaran enough for the experience and will most certainly return to City St George’s University because of him.

    Autumn 2022 student

  • This course helped me to see my blind spots and to realise how I can enhance my writing and captivate the reader in a more enticing and thought-provoking way. Ciaran is a passionate and encouraging teacher, which made the course more enjoyable. I would recommend this to those who want to raise awareness on important and personal issues.

    Jaipreet

    Former Student

  • The ideal course for anyone looking to increase their confidence in writing - whether you're a charity worker or someone wanting to write about your lived experiences of injustice. Ciaran's combination of a philosophical and personal approach to the content makes for a truly engaging course - set up in a way that enables connections between students that only makes the content more powerful.

    Jodie Beck

    Former Student

Writing for Social Impact Course overview

Our Writing for Social Impact course is a two-day online workshop aimed at anyone who wants to learn strategic and creative ways of achieving real-world social impact through their writing.

This might include charity and third sector professionals, people working on the frontline of public services (youth workers, nurses, teachers), or those with lived experience of injustice.

The Writing for Social Impact course will be held over two mornings, via Zoom, and it will explore how to conduct interviews, execute ethical and impactful storytelling, and provide a call-to-action for readers.

The workshop will cover:

  • How to conduct interviews
  • How to execute ethical and impactful storytelling
  • How to provide a call-to-action for your readers
  • How to discover different types of social impact.

Students do not need to have any prior experience of writing. You only need a genuine passion to create progressive change with your pen.

A fully funded place is available on each course for a young adult (18-25) from an underrepresented background and/or facing financial difficulty. To apply for this, please contact cthapar27@gmail.com explaining why you'd like to attend.

Who is it for?

This Writing for Social Impact course is open to anyone who wants to learn how to write impactfully, which might include charity and third sector professionals, people working on the frontline of public services (youth workers, nurses, teachers), or those with lived experience of injustice.

Find out more about our Non-fiction writing courses

Timetable

This practical Writing for Social Impact masterclass will take place online over two days, Friday and Saturday.

Times: 10am to 12.30pm on both days
Venue: Online
Price: £140.00

  • 28th and 29th November 2025
  • 9th and 10th January 2026
  • 6th and 7th February 2026
  • 6th and 7th March 2026
  • 3rd and 4th April 2026
  • 1st and 2nd May 2026
  • 5th and 6th June 2026
  • 10th and 11th July 2026

Benefits

  • Delivered by experienced digital professional
  • Taught in small groups
  • Awarded a City St George’s, University of London certificate

What will I learn?

In this online masterclass you’ll:

  • Be encouraged to think about what ‘social impact’ means - and how it might be achieved through storytelling
  • Learn how to build empathy with, and communicate facts to, your readers
  • Discover new ways of planning and executing a story
  • Discuss the ethics of writing about injustice
  • Convert your personal and professional experiences into confident narratives.
  • Enjoy practical in-class writing exercises
  • Take away top tools, tips and insights
  • Plus, enjoy live expert feedback and highly recommended resources.

By the end of the course, you will be clearer on the different types of social-impact writing and how you can achieve these within your own writing projects.

Assessment and certificates

A two-day experiential workshop. Written exercises in class. Q&As with the tutor throughout.

You will be awarded an official City St George’s, University of London certificate on completion of the course if you attend over 70 per cent of the class. The course is not formally accredited.

Eligibility

Students do not need to have any prior experience of writing. You only need a genuine passion to create progressive change with your pen.

English requirements

Fluent written and spoken English is essential.

Recommended reading

Books

  • The Corner, Simon, D. Canongate, 2010
  • Partition Voices, Puri, K. Bloomsbury, 2020
  • The Life Inside, West, A. Picador, 2022

Articles

Tutor

  • Ciaran Thapar

    Ciaran Thapar

    Ciaran Thapar is Director of External Affairs and Youth Understanding at the Youth Endowment Fund, a charity which funds, researches and advocates for ways of preventing violence affecting children and young people across England and Wales. He oversees the organisation's youth participation, media storytelling and political influencing, and he is host of the podcast, Safe. He has a decade’s experience as a youth worker in schools, youth clubs and prisons, and writing journalism and personal essays for publications like the Guardian and British GQ. His debut book, Cut Short: Why We’re Failing Our Youth — and How to Fix It, was published by Viking/Penguin UK in 2021. He founded the Writing for Social Impact short course in May 2022.

Writing for Social Impact – using your voice

Explore how writing can help you make sense of experience, tell powerful stories and create change. This course builds your confidence and helps you develop your voice.

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