Protest, political activism and ideas to change the world

The world is in crisis. Eight men own as much wealth as half the world’s population. Racists and fanatics are on the rise from the US and Europe to Russia, Syria and Turkey.

In Britain after Brexit, some of the most conservative forces in society have taken power. The Conservative government has brought the NHS to its knees and anti-immigrant politics is on the rise. Young people face job insecurity, spiralling education costs and a deteriorating welfare state. Meanwhile, the racist and misogynist Trump is in the Whitehouse and fascist Marine Le Pen came close to winning the French presidency.

At the same time, there is resistance. Millions took to the streets worldwide immediately after Trump’s inauguration in one of the biggest ever international days of protest. The Black Lives Matter movement has taken off on both sides of the Atlantic. There has been mass opposition to austerity in the UK and across Europe.

If you want to understand what’s happening better, and explore how we can change things, Demand the Impossible is for you.

• What are the underlying causes of the huge social and economic problems we face?
• How can we build movements for social change?
• Can we imagine a world beyond exploitation and oppression?

What does Demand the Impossible involve?

• Sharing ideas with like minded young people.
• Talks from inspiring campaigners and thinkers, exploring ideas through interactive discussions, activist skills training and film screenings.
• Plan and carry out your own campaign as part of the course.

Topics covered

• Brexit, Trump and the rise of the far Right
• Protest, social movements and political change
• Capitalism and alternative economic systems
• The housing crisis and homelessness
• Policing and racism
• Young people and mental health

Widening participation

We welcome applications from everyone aged 16-25 but we prioritise making Demand the Impossible available to people from less privileged backgrounds. We use the governmentWidening Participation criteria as a guide in reviewing applications. That doesn’t mean you can’t apply if you don’t meet the criteria  though – there is some flexibility.

Apply here.

For more information on how Demand the Impossible started, what its aims are and what the course is like see our About page.