Putting student experience back at the centre of education.

Education is often defined by outcomes. Off Topic asks a different question: What do young people actually experience during their time in school?

This campaign works to understand, define and strengthen the student experience as a core outcome of education.

A national campaign for student experience

Off Topic is YOUTHOOD’s first flagship national campaign focused on repositioning the student experience at the centre of education.

It challenges a system that prioritises attainment and measurable outcomes by elevating lived experience, personal development, wellbeing, opportunity and exposure as essential components of what education should provide.

This is not about adding more into schools. It is about understanding and strengthening what already exists.

From outcomes to experience

Across the education system:

  • student experience is inconsistent

  • access to opportunities varies widely

  • development and wellbeing are not always fully supported

  • provision exists, but often lacks coherence

Off Topic responds by asking:

What should every young person actually experience during school?

Off Topic follows a three-phase model: Experience, Expectation, Structure

Experience

Understanding how young people actually experience school through structured engagement

Expectation

Defining what school should provide, in terms of skills, exposure, and insight through a Student Experience Charter

Structure

Using insight to strengthen opportunity coherence through Developmental Experience Provision

This creates a connected journey from lived experience to system alignment.

Launching through local engagement

The campaign is currently launching through a series of engagement events, beginning with the Manchester Student Experience Lab.

This phase focuses on:

  • capturing lived experience

  • generating structured insight

  • building the foundation for the Student Experience Charter

Get involved in Off Topic

We’re working with schools, students, and partner organisations, to build a shared understanding of what student experience in all about.

As our campaign readies for launch, we are looking for regional youth voice organisations and host partners to help us deliver our Student Experience Labs in either Greater Manchester, Leicestershire, or London.

Get in touch and help us refocus the priorities of school communities on the experiences and development of students.