This paper provides a conceptualisation of relational pedagogy in which informality is proposed as a pedagogical modality to activate inclusive, socially just learning and teaching encounters. Findings from two ethnographic studies conducted in alternative learning contexts are examined, which demonstrated that informality was crucial to the formation of pedagogical 'activations' that marked the conduct of each learning context and the interactions between teachers, students and learning. The formation of close bonds between students and teachers extended to renegotiated associations with the practices of schooling and reformulated relationships with learning experienced by students and their teachers. It was at the 'interface' between students, teachers and learning that these activations of relationality materialised, in which informality was a central dynamic. From these findings, a set of propositions are generated to centre relational pedagogy as being key to the engagement of young people in meaningful education across schooling and other learning contexts.