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
Understanding Cancer
Many children in classrooms all around the country are dealing with cancer in one way or another at any given time. This lesson seeks to answer some of their questions…
What is a Digital Citizen?
In the delivery of this resource your students will explore what is meant by the term ‘digital citizen’. They...
Plastic Pollution (KS1)
During this lesson children explore the environmental effects of plastic pollution by carrying out a number of experiments. They then go on to consider how they can take action against…
More Economics, Money and Managing Resources resources
Be Your Own Councillor
Students examine ways in which a fictional town council could spend its budget. They consider the concerns of different...
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...
How Should We Farm?
In this lesson pupils will learn about different farming methods. They will consider the advantages and disadvantages of these methods and learn how to identify labels that indicate how food…
More Politics and Democracy resources
Brexit: Part 2 – Negotiations
Through the example of Brexit talks, this lesson introduces pupils to the concept of negotiation and the skills required to succeed in negotiations. Activities are designed to give pupils the…
Climate Action: Circular Economies
During this lesson students explore how the economy can be used to support climate action and create a more...
You Decide! (KS3)
This resource will allow students to critically consider what reasons and ways the government can take to support different...
More KS4 (ages 14-16) resources
Climate Action: Using the Law to Drive Change
In 2021, COP26 was hosted in Glasgow. It was seen as a pivotal moment in tackling the global climate...
Employment Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
During this lesson students explore the law that applies to young workers and what they can do if they believe their legal rights at work are not being upheld. To…
An Introduction to Discrimination Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson looks at the history of anti-discrimination law, the different types of discrimination (i.e. direct and indirect discrimination) and how the law deals with discrimination. It can be delivered…
More KS5 (ages 16-18) resources
Climate Action: Circular Economies
During this lesson students explore how the economy can be used to support climate action and create a more...
Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of their legal rights and responsibilities and explores how the law impacts their daily lives. Students explore the different ages that various laws…
Sexting and the Law (SmartLaw Subscription)
This lesson explores what the law says in relation to the sending of sexually explicit images by those aged under 18. The lesson examines two scenarios of young people involved…