Global Citizenship

A speech to 3000 people. Not scary at all … !?!

Nicola Harwood — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:14:33 +0000

Today was the big speech. Palms sweating, 3000 agitated young people watching and the proceedings were an hour and a half late – never a good way to sooth nervous presenters. Ruth and I were talking about how to support young people to have a positive impact on their community. Before we came out here we thought we would have a practical approach and one which the delegates would find relevant and useful. Two days in it seems that they have already nailed youth voice here.
The way in which they work out here uses models of quality circles used in industries and then they apply the model to schools. Students of a young age here learn about Gantt charts, cause and effect models and various data management and they use those skills to apply to the problem the have identified in the school and the way in which they plan to solve it.
The essence of it is very similar to our very own Youth Act, but the business link (to companies like Toyota who started the original quality circles for company improvements ) which the Asian quality circles employ, is perhaps what we could learn from. Very quickly Ruth and I were applauding the audience for their passion and enthusiasm rather than the other way round (!).
Having said that, people did seem enthused by our work at the Foundation. People found our projects an innovative approach to teaching young people about the law, politics and the economy. So much so one woman congratulated us saying her daughter attended a school in Hounslow, London and took part in the lawyers in schools programme and the mock trials – her daughter is now training to be a lawyer (our eyes lit up at this very ‘fundable’ anecdote as you can imagine). It just goes to show how far our programmes reach and the impact they have not just on communities, but also on individuals lives. This convention in India is making me constantly feel either proud of our own achievements at the Foundation, or in awe of what is being achieved globally. (Clearly it’s been a long day due to my cheesey sentiments)
To top it all off Tony has just cut the red ribbon on the opening of a Citizenship Foundation Pan – Asian office, much to Ruth and I’s surprise. This celeb status is really going to our heads now …
Over and out, Nicola

Better than the opening ceremony of the Olympics

Ruth Le Breton — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:59:31 +0000

Last night we were treated to front row seats at the most spectacular show I think I’ve ever been to. 5,000 children and young people, dressed in the most elaborate costumes performed a series of highly choreographed dances to mark the opening of the 12th International Convention on Student Quality Control Circles (their equivalent to school councils). The event had clearly been months in the planning and having once tried to get 30 primary school children to do a simple routine that involved moving in the same direction at exactly the same time I couldn’t believe how much rehearsal it must have taken to get 5,000 children to move as one – some of the children couldn’t have been more than 7 years old but they remembered every step, it was truly impressive and showed incredible teamwork.

This ability to the same thing as everyone else at the same time is something I’ve been having trouble with since arriving in India. We have a very strict timetable and have escorts that accompany us everywhere to ensure we are in the correct place at the correct time. Whilst this is clearly necessary to ensure the smooth running of the conference (and everything is like clockwork) it also seems to be cultural. Having lived in other countries where being alone is considered highly undesirable and collective action always preferred over individualism it seems there is a similar feeling here. It is only when I am forced to do as everyone else is doing that I realise how much of a product I am of the ‘Thatcher’ generation and how much I value my individual freedom.

However watching the beautiful synchronised movements of the children last night I wonder if there is something to be said for moving in the same direction as everyone else at the same time.

Which school has the X Factor?

Nicola Harwood — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:30:15 +0000

Today’s job at the convention on student quality centres involved being a judge on school case studies. Now, being a huge fan of X factor I’d always assumed I would be more of a Simon Cowell, ruthless and opinionated. One presentation in from a group of Nepalese fifteen year olds and I was the Cheryl Cole of the panel - visibly moved, and asking only nice supportive questions (though I can’t say my comparison to Ms Cole extends to looks).
What came out of the case studies was just how many global examples there of school council equivalents. Nepal, Sri Lanka, India , Mozambique were just some of the countries presenting to me on the way they as students had identified an issue and found a solution for it. It was inspirational and I was lucky to be able to hear some many global stories of young people recognising they have a voice and that they are using it in a range of settings.
What perhaps suprised me the most though, and which I have noticed all day, is the relationship between adults and young people out here. Gruelling questions from my fellow judges not only highlighted them as the Cowell on the panel, but showed me this formal and diadactic style of learning so different to the UK. Where I was asking the students what they got the most out of, my fellow judgees where asking more direct questions about their potential failures in their equivalent school councils. Whilst at first this shocked me it seems to be of benefit to the students, forcing them to be self critical and challenges them intellectually. Having critical thinking and debate as key values of quality control circles here, however probably further encouarage a more challenging relationship between students and teachers, which has no doubt in turn encouraged the students passion and ability.

It has also highlighted to me just how far we have come in the UK in terms of how we teach, collaborate and learn with young people. Our shared passion with children and young people, and the way we faciliate and question now rather than dictate and answer. It makes working with young people an inspiration, when young people and practitioners become equals - a value all so important when promoting student quality circles, or youth participation methods as we would say.

Anyways, time for the results part of the day now , where no doubt I will be trying to ’save’ one school. Watching 50 different schools highlight how they have made a difference in various countries surely highlights the global enthusiasm for particpation. No doubt in my closing remarks I will conclude saying something like they are all winners for their passion and enthusiasm (very cheryl-esque ) but definitely true. *cringe*

Welcome to the worlds largest democracy!

Nicola Harwood — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:49:37 +0000

Hi there, for those *keen* followers of this blog who aren’t aleady aware, Tony Breslin our CEO, Ruth Le Breton from the Go Givers team and me from The Youth of Today will be blogging everyday from Lucknow, North India. We have been incredibly fortunate to be invited to a convention on student quality control circles which in our ’speak’ means student participation - something which we are all committed to both through our work and our personal lives.

Hopefully over the next week we shall be able to give you an insight into global experiences on student participation, how it works , how India is working on it , and more importantly our views on a school with no less than 38,000 students (imagine that dinner queue in the canteen at lunch …!)

So far it is overwhelming how welcome we have been made to feel from the garlands round our neck to the regular requests for photos and autographs (local celebs much ??) . For me though I can’t quite get over the enthusasism of the students here for their school. Is it because they are involved in student voice? Is it because the school is adorned with motivating slogans about their power and role as global citizens?: Or is it simply pride for their school? I’m hoping to get to the bottom of what makes this school so passionate this week compared to so many others and will no doubt blog my answer!

For now though , it’s off to hear more speeches global practice - hoping the jet lag won’t start to kick in !

Nicola

Looking for a Politician to Join Panel of Experts on Global Citizenship

Ruxandra Ratiu — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:48:03 +0000

Citizenship Foundation is looking for a political speaker to take part in this year’s Margaret Quass Debate* ‘Can we still be global citizens in a worldwide crisis? Facing the challenges of financial insecurity, global warming and scarce resources together’. The debate will take place on the 10th of December 2009 at London’s Commonwealth Foundation and its aim is to bring young people into dialogue with a panel of experts on global citizenship.

The other members of the panel are:

Paul Hilder - Director of the Avaaz Campaign
Ransford Smith - Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
Gillian Temple - Head of Oxfam’s Public Engagement Team

The programme of the day is:

3.30pm - Arrival of Guests and speakers
4pm - Welcome and introductions
4.15 - 4.45 -Questions from students and debate panel and public
5.15 - Close of debate followed by informal reception
6.30pm -Close of event

The venue is:

Commonwealth Foundation
Marlborough House
Pall Mall
London
SW1Y 5HY

*The Margaret Quass debate is established as an annual event run by Citizenship Foundation in recognition of the work and heritage of Council for Education in World Citizenship (CEWC) which became part of Citizenship Foundation in 2008. Margaret Quass used to be the director of CEWC. CEWC has had a momentous history in informing young people about the purpose and nature of the UN. At its height the UK government funded CEWC, and education ministers from all political parties were supportive. CEWC and its members have helped the birth of many important organisations including Oxfam, Freedom from Hunger, Voluntary Service Overseas, Community Service Volunteers and the Association for Citizenship Teaching.

Act Global - New Project at the Citizenship Foundation

Ruxandra Ratiu — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:45:59 +0000

Citizenship Foundation will start the work on a new project this month. This is the first project that is funded by DFID at the Citizenship Foundation and it is run in partnership with Relief International UK.

Act Global aims to develop young peoples’ understanding of the connections between actions in their communities and the causes of global poverty, and it empowers them to take action on these causes at the local level.

The programme will involve 1,800 youth (600 per year) from Greater London in online discussions on the links between global poverty and actions within their community. These discussions will be moderated by experts from relevant fields and will utilise interactive media. 150 participants (50 per year) will be recruited as Global Youth Activists and attend a residential leadership training in which they work in groups to plan a project that addresses the causes of global poverty from within their communities.

Watch this space for more updates!

Climate Change Project Successful with the EU

Ruxandra Ratiu — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:09:43 +0000

Citizenship Foundation has been informed on Friday, 14 August that the European Commission accepted to fund a large scale development education project we are a partner in. The other organisations involved are: Plan UK (lead partner), Partners Bulgaria, Plan Netherlands and other three Plan offices in Africa: Senegal, Kenya and Malawi.

The project will focus on raising awareness on climate change issues by linking schools in all the countries invovled via a website platform. The students will learn from a series of resources on climate change, developed by Plan UK and updated by the Citizenship Foundation and will also receive training on running active citizenship campaigns (based on Citizenship Foundation’s Youth Act model) in their countries. The proejct is to start in January 2010 and will run for three years. Citizenship Foundation will employ a project officer to work on recruiting schools in the UK and supporting the teachers throughout the project.

These are exciting times for the development of international work at Citizenship Foundation! Watch this space for more updates!

Citizenship Foundation/CEWC merging celebration

Ruxandra Ratiu — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:40:37 +0000

On Wednesday, the 26th of November 2008, we organised a cocktail reception celebrating the merger between the Citizenship Foundation and CEWC. Both friends and staff of Citizenship Foundation and friends of CEWC attended this event which had an ‘atmosphere of celebration and excitement about future collaboration’.

This was a fantastic opportunity for those involved in both Citizenship Foundation and CEWC to come together and learn more about each other and create links for the future. We hope that all those who attended had a good time and we look forward to the development of our international work.

The event was very generously hosted by the Commonwealth Foundation in Central London.

Young Ideas for Europe International Project

Ruxandra Ratiu — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:32:02 +0000

From September to November 2008 Citizenship Foundation hosted an international project called ‘Young Ideas for Europe’. The project, funded by Robert Bosch Stiftung and supported by NEF (Network of European Foundations) aimed to create a space for young people from different countries to meet and discuss about political topics in a European context.

Therefore, 12 students from Skinners’ Company’s School for Girls in Hackney participated in this project where they explored Family-Friendly Policies in the EU, during a series of workshops in their school. Three schools in Germany took part in the project at the same time.

November 14th 2008 was the last day of a series of workshops where students from Skinners’ participated in a role game where they played the roles of different political parties and they each presented their manifesto for Family-Friendly policies in 2020. The day ended with everybody present voting on their preferred manifesto. The students were able to exchange the results with their German peers on the day.

The feedback from the students was very positive and we hope that the Citizenship Foundation will be able to be part of such initiatives in the future as well.

A big thank you goes to Angeline David and Rebecca Warren from Skinners’ Company’s School for Girls for taking the students through the workshops on Family-Friendly policies.

CEWC joins Citizenship Foundation

Les Sratton — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:45:05 +0000

CEWC colleagues are very pleased that the Council for Education in World Citizenship is becoming part of the Citizenship Foundation, and are being welcomed with open arms. I am sure that all colleagues will work to make a success of this new situation, which has great potential.

Les Stratton

Director, Council for Education in World Citizenship