CAS Project Ideas for IB Students
The CAS Project is a mandatory component of your IBDP. Without completing it, you cannot pass CAS and, consequently, earn your IB Diploma. But how can you find a meaningful activity that matches all the requirements? Allow us to share some unique CAS project ideas, which are capable of not only reflecting your interests but also making a difference in the community.
What is the CAS Project?
At its core, a CAS project is an extended experience in one or more CAS strands – Creativity, Activity, or Service. While you’ll participate in many shorter CAS experiences throughout your high school years, you must complete at least one comprehensive CAS project.
What distinguishes CAS projects from simple experiences is an emphasis on teamwork. When working alongside your peers or community members, you’ll learn to exchange ideas, combine different abilities, and achieve goals that might be impossible to reach alone.
The structure of CAS Project ideas allows each team member to contribute toward a common goal. You might initiate the entire project or take responsibility for specific aspects that align with your interests and strengths. For instance, in organizing a community sports tournament, one student might handle event logistics, another manage publicity, and a third coordinate with local teams.
Ultimately, Creativity Action Service projects provide a platform to integrate your personal strengths into a larger initiative that benefits your community. Simultaneously, it helps develop skills that will serve you well in your further academic and professional endeavours such as cooperation, problem-solving, and decision-making.
How to choose an IB CAS Project?
Selecting the right CAS project is a significant decision in your IB journey. While it typically combines creativity, activity, and service, it can also focus on just one strand. Which way to go is up to you. The most important thing is that you push your boundaries and acquire new skills, while also contributing to creating positive change in your community.
Above all, the CAS should provide an excellent opportunity to explore your personal interests and passions. Ask yourself what truly excites you and sparks your enthusiasm. Let’s say, you like photography. You can use your passion to make an exhibition highlighting environmental issues. This way, you can combine your artistic skills and community awareness.
It is also a good idea to consider your areas of strength and potential growth when choosing from CAS Project ideas. An ideal CAS project is one that helps develop new abilities and tackle personal challenges. For example, you excel at music but want to improve your organisational skills. In this case, you could organise a benefit concert – it may blend your musical talent with event management. At the same time, it is a chance to raise funds for a local cause.
Don’t forget that your chosen project must align with the seven learning outcomes. Our guide to CAS requirements describes in detail each of them. In short, besides promoting personal growth, it should be a collaborative effort that you carefully plan keeping ethical considerations in mind and execute over an extended period of time. You are also required to provide tangible evidence of your involvement. This could include project plans, photographs, participant feedback, or reflection journals.
What is NOT a CAS Project?
You should also remember that not every activity can qualify as a CAS project. To meet IB requirements, your project must fulfil several key criteria.
First of all, it should involve at least one CAS strand and extend over a minimum of one month. So, if you give a one-time dance lesson (Creativity strand), it won’t meet the continuity criteria. However, if you expand it to a weekly dance workshop for elementary school students (Creativity and Service) and run it over several months, you will tick both boxes.
Along with this, your CAS Project ideas must contribute to personal development and bring a sense of fulfilment. Therefore, habitual actions, such as gardening in your own garden or helping a sibling with their homework, do not count as CAS. The same goes for passive actions—going to a concert or visiting a theatre does not imply direct involvement. Still, it is possible to turn them into something more meaningful, both for yourself and the people around you. You may consider, for instance, starting a community garden that provides fresh produce to local food banks or creating a student mentorship program that supports younger students with their academics.
Service-Oriented Projects and Voluntary Work
When planning service-oriented projects, ensure they benefit the broader community rather than just yourself or your family. Cooking meals for your family is great, but this lacks a wider reach. However, if you participate in a soup kitchen for underprivileged community members or launch a campaign promoting organic, locally grown produce for student meals, this would better align with CAS objectives.
Remember that CAS projects must be voluntary and unpaid. For instance, a paid summer internship at a local business doesn’t qualify. On the other hand, organising a free career workshop series featuring local professionals would be appropriate.
You should also avoid activities that could potentially divide communities, such as political campaigns or religious initiatives. Similarly, your project should be distinct from your IB coursework – if you’re creating art pieces for your Visual Arts exhibition, these can’t double as your CAS project.
80 IB CAS Project Ideas
If you are short of IB CAS project ideas, let us help you. We have created a collection of great activities broken down by the Creativity, Action, and Service categories, as well as combinations of the strands.
Creativity-Based CAS Project Ideas
1. Organise a community art exhibition.
Such an exhibition may showcase your and your classmates’ art pieces, as well as the works of local talents. The organisational part will include venue selection, artist coordination, marketing, and event management.
2. Create a mural for a local school or park.
Here you would need to design and paint a large-scale artwork in collaboration with other students. This would require planning, obtaining permissions, creating sketches, and having painting sessions.
3. Start a student-run magazine or blog.
These digital or print publications can cover school events, student achievements, and community news. The creative efforts will involve writing, editing, designing, and managing a team of contributors.
4. Develop a series of DIY craft workshops.
This implies planning and leading weekly sessions teaching various crafting techniques (for instance, origami or jewellery making) to younger students.
5. Compose and perform original music.
Together with other students and/or local musicians, you can create a collection of songs and use it to make a concert. It can serve a purpose to raise funds for a cause.
6. Write and publish a short story or poetry collection.
You can rely on creative contributions from multiple student authors to build a comprehensive collection. You can then publish it in a printed anthology or digital format.
7. Design costumes for a school theatre production.
Work with the drama department to create and sew character-appropriate costumes. This collaboration, besides its creative side, will also involve managing budgets and timelines.
8. Create an animation or cartoon series.
Develop a short animated series about important social issues or educational topics. It may also carry an important message for younger students.
9. Organise a photography contest.
You can run a themed competition (for example, “Nature in the City”) open to students or community members. The winning entries get to be displayed in a public space.
10. Start a podcast about student life or community issues.
Create regular podcasts discussing academic challenges, mental health, university applications, etc. The episodes may feature student, teacher, and expert interviews.
11. Teach an online class on digital art.
You can try to design a curriculum teaching basic digital art skills using accessible software. This could help others explore creative technology.
12. Create an educational YouTube channel for tutorials.
Video tutorials featuring creative visualisation could be helpful for other students to understand complex topics.
13. Develop a graphic novel or comic book.
Your illustrated story may address important social issues, ecological challenges, or historical events.
14. Lead a fashion design and sewing workshop.
Together with fellow students, you can teach sustainable fashion principles and basic sewing skills. This can potentially culminate in a student fashion show.
15. Paint and donate artworks to local hospitals or care homes.
You can get involved in creating cheerful artwork for medical facilities. This CAS project ideas would also imply coordinating with hospital staff to ensure appropriate themes and placement.
16. Start a community book club with creative discussions.
Become a part of a team, which organises weekly meetings for book lovers. These events may combine literary discussion with creative activities inspired by each book.
17. Curate a virtual art gallery for local artists.
You and your classmates can engage in creating an online platform to showcase student artwork, artist statements, and virtual exhibition tours.
18. Produce a play or musical performance.
This CAS idea will involve directing and managing all aspects of a theatrical or musical production, from auditions to the final performance.
19. Create and sell handcrafted items to fundraise for charity.
Such a CAS project may imply crafting and selling handmade items (such as knitted scarves, candles, jewellery, etc.). You can then donate the proceeds to a local charity.
20. Organise a creative writing competition for younger students.
Plan and execute a creative writing contest for younger students. It may also include workshops on writing techniques and a celebration event for winners.
Action-Based CAS Project Ideas
1. Plan and run a charity sports tournament.
This project involves organising a competitive event where participation fees support a charitable cause. The scope of tasks here may range from selecting sports and venues to managing registrations, coordinating volunteers, and handling fundraising logistics.
2. Organise a school-wide fitness challenge.
This project may involve a single long-term activity or a series of shorter challenges, both with measured goals. The specific assignments may include participation tracking, promoting through engaging materials, arranging group activities, and celebrating achievements at the conclusion.
3. Lead a yoga or mindfulness class.
Such a project involves the creation of regular sessions teaching relaxation techniques and mindful movements to peers or community members. You will need to research appropriate practices, develop sequences, create a welcoming atmosphere, as well as adapt instruction to meet diverse needs.
4. Participate in a long-distance cycling or running event for charity.
Together with your project partners, you can organise and train for an endurance event while raising funds for a cause. This CAS Project ideas may have a dual purpose—achieving your personal physical goals and improving your organisational skills (logistics management, promotion of community involvement, attracting sponsors, etc.).
5. Teach basic self-defence classes.
The goal of such a project is to deliver classes on personal safety and practical defence techniques. You’ll need to research proper methods, create lesson plans with appropriate progression, and ensure participant safety. You may also engage qualified instructors.
6. Arrange a hiking or camping trip for students.
Plan and execute an outdoor expedition focusing on nature appreciation and team building. The responsibilities of your team may include route planning, risk assessment, equipment preparation, environmental education, and organising group activities.
7. Start a dance fitness class in the community.
Your team can create regular sessions combining dance movements with exercise benefits. The tasks for team members may include creating choreography and routines for participants of varying abilities, selecting music, organising and teaching classes, promoting physical well-being, etc.
8. Volunteer to coach a local sports team.
Your support of a local sports team can contribute to fostering a positive and supportive team environment. It may include developing practice plans, teaching game techniques and strategies, providing constructive feedback, etc.
9. Organise an obstacle course challenge.
Design and build a series of physical challenges for participants with different abilities. Your goal here is to create safe obstacles, develop rules, organise participants into teams, and oversee the event.
10. Develop a wellness programme focusing on physical health.
Targeted activities addressing various aspects of physical wellbeing are a focus of this group CAS project. Specific components of this programme might include nutrition workshops, exercise sessions, sleep hygiene information, and strategies for maintaining healthy habits.
11. Create a walking or running club.
You may get involved in a project offering regular group activities for fitness enthusiasts of all levels. You may need to plan routes, schedule meetings, track collective progress, and encourage consistent physical activity.
12. Host a beach or park cleanup with a physical activity aspect.
Combining environmental service with exercises, this project should encourage participants to collect litter and simultaneously complete fitness challenges.
13. Conduct a marathon training program for peers.
In this CAS Project idea, you deal with organising a long-distance running event. Particular activities can involve creating training schedules, leading group runs, providing advice on nutrition and injury prevention, as well as supporting participants’ mental preparation.
14. Plan a school sports day with inclusive games.
Your CAS project team may design and implement an athletic event featuring activities accessible to students of all levels of fitness. You may adapt traditional sports or create new inclusive games and ensure everyone has opportunities for meaningful participation.
15. Organise an outdoor scavenger hunt.
Create an adventure-based activity, which combines physical challenges with problem-solving. Your team will have to design clues, map locations, establish rules, form teams, and provide supervision throughout the event.
16. Teach swimming lessons to young kids.
This project is dedicated to teaching children swimming skills in a safe environment. Your tasks here will involve developing age-appropriate lessons, implementing safety protocols, demonstrating swimming techniques, and developing other activities that build confidence in beginners.
17. Create a physical education curriculum for underprivileged schools.
You can make a valuable contribution to schools with limited PE resources by developing a series of structured lessons. In particular, you may research appropriate activities, design lessons requiring minimal equipment, and create teaching materials.
18. Lead a rock-climbing or kayaking adventure.
Organising adventure sports activities will require arranging equipment and facilities, teaching fundamental techniques, ensuring safety, etc. The purpose here is to guide participants through experiences, which contribute to their physical development and awareness.
19. Start a community bike ride event.
The purpose of this event is to offer regular cycling events that explore local areas. Your task as a team is to plan safe routes, arrange equipment, create rider guidelines, etc. Shared physical activity can also contribute to fostering community connections.
20. Volunteer at a summer sports camp.
You can create a programme focusing on physical activities for children during school breaks. It may include leading games, teaching sports skills, ensuring safety, and promoting team spirit.
Service-Based CAS Project Ideas
1. Organise a food drive for local shelters.
This CAS project can be your contribution to addressing food insecurity in your community. The range of your activities may span through coordinating donation points, managing volunteer teams, arranging food transportation, coordinating with shelters, etc.
2. Volunteer at a nursing home or senior centre.
Regular visits to elderly residents can provide companionship and bridge generational gaps. This CAS Project idea may include activities such as reading to residents, organising social events, helping with craft projects, or simply engaging in meaningful conversations.
3. Create care packages for homeless individuals.
Your goals with this project may include researching needed items (hygiene products, warm clothing, non-perishable food, etc), sourcing donations, packaging goods, and coordinating distribution with local services.
4. Tutor underprivileged students in academic subjects.
While academic support can help underprivileged students achieve their educational goals, it can also improve your communication and interpersonal skills. To complete this project, you should identify subject areas where help is needed, prepare lessons, adapt your teaching style to different learning needs, and track student progress.
5. Start a recycling program at school.
You can promote environmental awareness and sustainable practices by implementing a system to reduce waste. Particular steps will include conducting a waste audit, securing bins, educating the school community, etc.
6. Raise awareness about mental health issues.
Your CAS project may involve campaigns, workshops, and events focusing on mental health. To execute it, you will need to research information, create educational materials, organise discussion groups, etc. It would also be beneficial if you could partner with mental health professionals.
7. Volunteer at an animal shelter.
You can contribute to animal well-being and adoption prospects by assisting a local shelter with daily operations (such as walking dogs, feeding, cleaning, etc.) and administrative tasks. You can also organise and take part in adoption events.
8. Build a community garden to grow food for people in need.
Together with other members of your CAS team, you can create and maintain a garden to provide fresh produce to local food banks or shelters. In addition to directly growing produce, you will need to deal with obtaining permissions, maintenance coordination, logistics, etc.
9. Organise a blood donation drive.
Your organisational efforts within this project may include coordinating with blood banks, recruiting donors, managing appointment schedules and logistics, as well as ensuring a positive donor experience.
10. Teach basic computer skills to the elderly.
Such a CAS project can help seniors navigate technology. You can organise regular workshops that would cover basics such as email usage, internet safety, video calling, accessing online services, etc.
11. Partner with an NGO to support disaster relief efforts.
By collaborating with established organisations, you can lend a helping hand to communities affected by natural disasters or crises. Your actions may involve fundraising, assembling emergency kits, hosting awareness events, and even volunteering in affected areas.
12. Provide free language lessons to immigrants.
You can help immigrants integrate into their new community and enhance their communication skills by providing free lessons. You should design these lessons to deliver appropriate learning materials and celebrate cultural exchange.
13. Plan a fundraiser for children’s education.
With this CAS project ideas, you can try to organise events to raise funds for educational resources or scholarships benefiting children in need. Besides planning and executing your activities for such initiatives, you may also document the impact of these contributions.
14. Host workshops on financial literacy for youth.
Your workshops may help younger members of the community develop essential financial skills and make informed decisions. You can provide information on budgeting, saving principles, banking systems, etc.
15. Volunteer with environmental conservation organisations.
Your particular activities within this project will depend on what type of local organisations you want to connect with. They may include wildlife monitoring, beach cleaning, tree planting, as well as educational outreach about environmental issues.
16. Start a campaign for road safety awareness.
If your community has high accident rates, you can start an initiative promoting safe driving and responsible road use. It may target not only children but also adults and involve collaboration with local authorities.
17. Create a reading programme for young children.
The role of your CAS team may include selecting age-appropriate books, creating engaging reading activities, tracking the progress of young participants, and creating an environment that makes reading enjoyable.
18. Help restore local historical sites.
Your contribution to the restoration and conservation of cultural heritage may include documenting oral histories from community elders, creating informational materials, or leading educational tours. You may even take part in physical restoration work.
19. Lead a clean water initiative in rural areas.
Such a CAS project might involve fundraising for well construction or infrastructure renovation, education about water purification methods, monitoring local water quality, or raising awareness of public health in underserved communities.
20. Conduct workshops on anti-bullying and inclusion.
Anti-bullying workshops help create safer school environments. You can set a goal to organise interactive activities, introduce a discussion of different types of bullying, offer strategies for bystander intervention, as well as create ongoing support systems.
Combined CAS Project Ideas
1. Organise a cultural festival featuring art, dance, and service opportunities.
A festival celebrating diverse cultural traditions is a blend of creativity and service. Your responsibilities here may include coordinating cultural groups, arranging venue logistics, curating artistic displays, etc. As for the service element, it may be fundraising for cultural preservation organisations.
2. Plan a charity walk that includes art installations along the route.
Consider organising a walk that combines physical activity with artistic appreciation. This walk may feature student artwork at checkpoints complemented with information about these pieces or involving direct commentaries from the artists.
3. Host a sports event with a fundraising component.
You can organise an athletic competition coupled with fundraising efforts. This project may involve selecting appropriate sports, establishing competition rules, promoting physical activities, as well as managing both the athletic and fundraising aspects simultaneously.
4. Create and distribute eco-friendly crafts while leading a community cleanup.
As part of this project, your team can collect discarded materials during cleanups, transform them into art pieces, and use them to decorate public areas. In this way, you can combine artistic expression with environmental action.
5. Start a theatre production with proceeds donated to charity.
Such a CAS project provides an outlet for creative expression, with the added benefit of raising funds for a charitable organisation. Your role may envision script selection, casting, overseeing rehearsals, managing technical elements, and handling ticket proceeds designated for charity.
6. Combine a fitness challenge with educational workshops on health.
This project provides physical activity alongside insights into health and wellness. Your workshops may address any health-related topics, for instance, nutritional knowledge, mental well-being, or healthy lifestyle.
7. Organise a music festival to raise awareness about local issues.
With such a music festival, you can raise awareness about pressing local issues. Your efforts may involve curating performers, securing appropriate venues, developing informational materials about featured issues, etc. If the opportunity presents itself, you can partner with organisations relevant to your cause.
8. Plan a cycling event that raises funds for environmental conservation.
This CAS project establishes a link between sustainable transportation and ecological protection. While participants pedal along the chosen routes, they also raise funds for specific environmental initiatives. Alternatively, you can charge an entry fee for participation.
9. Design and execute an art therapy programme for hospital patients.
The implementation of this CAS project is able to provide therapeutic benefits to hospital patients. Your tasks may involve researching appropriate artistic activities, training volunteers, coordinating with medical staff, and many others.
10. Run a photography workshop and sell the photos to support an NGO.
Such workshops are an opportunity to teach technical and artistic skills. Participants can use their abilities to create photographs (preferably, with a certain theme such as community or student life) and sell them with proceeds benefiting chosen non-profit organisations.
11. Combine a dance performance with an anti-drug awareness campaign.
You can design a dance performance to convey the dangers of substance abuse. To enhance it, you may also create informational materials, share personal testimonies, and involve prevention specialists.
12. Start a gardening initiative to beautify the school while educating peers.
This project focuses on environmental sustainability, provides educational opportunities to students, and can also serve as a creative expression. To complete it, you will need to select a garden design and plants, implement sustainable growing practices, and create educational materials explaining environmental benefits.
13. Arrange a health fair with physical activities and educational sessions.
When opting for this CAS project, your organisational responsibilities may include recruiting health professionals, designing educational sessions focusing on well-being and wellness, scheduling fitness demonstrations, etc.
14. Create a documentary on local community issues and host a screening.
Money raised from ticket sales can be donated to charities dedicated to resolving the issues specified in the film. This CAS Project idea may involve research, assembling a film crew, interviewing stakeholders, editing footage, and organising screening events. It is also possible to promote post-viewing discussions about possible solutions.
15. Lead a running club that also cleans up trails.
This project aims to combine fitness with trail conservation efforts. Besides cleanup activities, group runs may also involve trail maintenance, wildlife observation, and initiatives for the protection of natural recreation areas.
16. Organise a talent show with all proceeds going to charity.
When designing a charity talent show, you will need to envision such activities as audition management, performer selection, event production, ticket sales, as well as handling of charitable proceeds.
17. Plan a fashion show featuring sustainable clothing designs.
The idea behind this CAS Project idea is sustainable fashion. It is also an opportunity to educate about the environmental impacts of clothing production. The event should showcase garments made from recycled materials by fellow students and/or industry professionals. The latter can also hold presentations on how to make more eco-friendly choices when buying clothes.
18. Conduct a workshop on fitness and nutrition for a local shelter.
Such a workshop targeting vulnerable populations can provide practical exercise techniques and basic nutritional information. It may also feature cooking demonstrations using accessible ingredients and adapted to the specific circumstances of shelter residents.
19. Host a debate competition and donate the entry fees to charity.
As organisers of such a debate competition, you will need to select relevant debate topics, establish judging criteria, manage team registrations, promote participation, etc. Since entry fees will be donated to charity, it is also important to select a reputable non-profit that deals with the issues discussed in the debates.
20. Plan a “Day of Giving” combining service, art, and physical activities.
“Day of Giving” can become an event that brings people together to make a difference in their community. It can, for example, feature rotating stations where participants engage in various activities concerning all three CAS strands. Alternatively, you can dedicate this day to helping your classmates to complete their CAS endeavours.
Conclusion
CAS projects are a fantastic opportunity to explore your passions, develop new skills, and make a meaningful impact on your community. However, coming up with creative IB CAS project ideas, let alone executing them, can be taxing. Especially, when you have to keep up with the demanding Diploma Programme.
At TutorsPlus, we specialise in helping IB students like you navigate the complexities of the IBDP, including CAS. Our experienced tutors can guide you in brainstorming exciting CAS ideas, planning your activities, and ensuring you stay on track with your academic and personal goals. Along with this, you can always count on us to support you in your studies, whether you require a deepened understanding of specific Maths topics, help with your English Oral, or anything else.
So, would you like to enjoy your academic success and polish your essential skills? Contact TutorsPlus today at 022 731 8148 or , and let us help you achieve progress in every aspect of the IB Diploma Programme.
By Sara Lloyd
Sara has been an education consultant for TutorsPlus for 15 years, and is an expert on international IB education. She is also a parent of two lively children.
