Centrebased training: Diversity, community cohesion and citizenship Yorkshire

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Centre-based training Diversity, community
cohesion and citizenshipYorkshire Humber
Equality Diversity NetworkRichard
DembyCheryl Walsh 15th October - N Lincs 21st
October - Doncaster 3rd November - Bradford18th
November - York
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Aims of the session

• To clarify the aims and purpose of citizenship
  education
• To examine the relevance of citizenship for
  other college priorities and government
  educational initiatives
• To examine issues relating to identity and
  diversity within the college, and the role of
  citizenship education in promoting respect for
  all
• To consider strategies for promoting community
  cohesion within the college and beyond

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What is citizenship?

• Citizenship involves
• the investigation of topical, controversial,
  social and political issues, leading to
• young peoples responsible action to influence
  the issue, for the benefit of the community.
• It brings new knowledge and skills about our
  political system, and
• it encourages young people to form considered
  opinions.
• Citizenship enables young people to use their
  voice, within both their community and their
  learning organisation.

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Citizenship is not the same as..

• Lifeskills/PSHE
• Citizenship looks at the public issues rather
  than the personal ones
• Volunteering or charity fund-raising
• Citizenship develops critical understanding as
  well as action
• Nationality
• Citizenship encourages existing, new and would-be
  citizens to get involved and take an interest in
  topical and controversial issues

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The support programme aims

• To support the DCSF, DIUS and the other national
  stakeholders in building high quality provision
  of citizenship learning
• To foster links between 16-19 citizenship and
  related policy initiatives across Government
• To extend understanding of the benefits of
  citizenship education and increase participation
  in all the post-16 settings
• To promote learning of knowledge and skills for
  democratic participation which meets the needs of
  all groups of young people in the whole range of
  settings To disseminate key messages and
  resources from the development programme
• To learn ongoing lessons from providers and
  enable these to influence good practice in
  citizenship education nationally
• To promote better understanding and practice in
  relation to progression in citizenship learning
  from key stage 4 to the 16-19 phase, and to
  communicate good practice from post-16 providers
  to citizenship teachers at ks4 and to those
  involved in citizenship education for adults

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QCA Guidance and the three essential opportunities

• Post-16 citizenship should provide three
  essential opportunities for learning through
  action
• To identify, investigate and think critically
  about citizenship issues, problems or events of
  concern to them, AND
• Decide on and take part in follow-up action where
  appropriate, AND
• Reflect on, recognise and review their
  citizenship learning.

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Six approaches to post-16 citizenship

• The post-16 Citizenship Development programme has
  identified six different (although not mutually
  exclusive) approaches. These are
• Citizenship through
• learner voice and representation
• qualifications and personalised programmes
• group tutorial and enrichment programmes
• voluntary and community-based activities
• single events
• research projects

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Citizenship links with national initiatives

• Personalised learning and learner voice as in FE
  White paper (Raising Skills, Improving Life
  Chances)Post-16 providers must have a strategy
  in place (since September 2007). Guidance from
  LSC, inspection by Ofsted. The role of further
  education providers in promoting community
  cohesion, fostering shared values and preventing
  violent extremism (DIUS and AOC)Within aspects
  of the Diplomas, including the Extended
  ProjectOpportunities for development of
  citizenship knowledge and skills through EP and
  Personal, Learning and Thinking skills (PLTs)
  especially effective participatorGreater
  coherence for the Foundation Learning Tier
  (FLT)Rationalisation of qualifications available
  at Entry and level 1 (subject- based and
  vocational learning personal and social
  development skills for life and work).
  Citizenship can support social development
• Every Child Matters agenda
• strong links with citizenship, especially
  making a positive contribution

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What is community cohesion?

• Working towards a society in which there is a
  common vision and sense of belonging by all
  communities a society in which the diversity of
  peoples backgrounds and circumstances is
  appreciated and valued a society in which
  similar life opportunities are available to all
  and a society in which strong and positive
  relationships exist and continue to be developed
  in the workplace, in schools and the wider
  community.
• Guidance on the duty to promote community
  cohesion, DCSF, 2007

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The Commission for Integration and Cohesion

• An integrated and cohesive society is one in
  which
• everyone knows their rights and their
  responsibilities
• people of different backgrounds have similar
  opportunities
• people trust the local institutions (e.g. the
  local council, the police, the courts and the
  media) to act fairly
• people recognise the contributions of both new
  arrivals and those already settled, and they are
  not threatened by change
• there are positive relationships between people
  of different backgrounds

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Government initiativesReview of National
Curriculum and report on Diversity and
citizenship (Ajegbo report), 2007Duty on
schools to promote community cohesion (inspected
from September 2007)Consultation on role of
further education and training providers
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What colleges can do 1. Within college

• Emphasise the importance of the student voice and
  involve them in decision-making
• Foster a sense of belonging to a community which
  values diversity
• Provide opportunities to deal with sensitive and
  controversial issues in an open way
• Enable young people to take the lead in
  citizenship activities within the organisation

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What colleges can do 2 In the local community

• Build partnerships with local organisations
• Explicitly discuss sensitive issues such as
  relationships between groups in the surrounding
  locality
• Encourage young people to participate and take
  real action in their communities

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What colleges can do 3. National issues

• Make provision for timetables citizenship
  sessions
• Ensure that staff who deliver are willing to be
  involved
• Make provision for staff training in dealing with
  controversial and sensitive issues
• Provide time and resources, including appropriate
  materials

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Action planning

• Discuss
• Which approaches could we try here?
• What support would we need?
• What obstacles might we meet?