14 June 2001

Will citizenship education spur the next generation of voters into the ballot box?

After one of the most “disappointing” turn-outs of voters in the recent general election, it is highly appropriate that citizenship education for young people is being given a boost by the Government through a number of new community-based projects.

Eleven consortia – a mixture of education providers, community organisations and voluntary groups – have been awarded funding for two-year projects to develop citizenship education and training for 16 to 19 year olds. The consortia are based in the following regions: Buckinghamshire (Aylesbury), Cambridgeshire (Huntingdon), Bristol, Manchester, Hull, Leicestershire (Coalville and Leicester), London (Tower Hamlets/Hackney, Central London/Islington/Camden/Westminster), Oldham, Sefton () and Worcestershire. The projects will be managed by the Learning and Skills Development Agency and funded by the Department for Education and Skills. They will initially last for two years with the possibility of expansion in 2002.

These development projects, due to start in the autumn 2001, will be seeking to identify existing good practice in citizenship development and ways of making it more widely available. The aim is to discover the most effective ways of encouraging young people to become active citizens at local, national and international levels, with an emphasis on applying knowledge and understanding of the concepts of citizenship. The projects will also be looking for ways of forging links between providers of post-16 education and training (e.g. school sixth forms, colleges, adult education institutions, private training organisations and work-based training) and community and voluntary organisations.

Citizenship will be part of the National Curriculum in schools at key stages 3 and 4 (ages 11 to 16) from August 2002. But the intention is that citizenship education will not stop at the age of 16. A report, presented to David Blunkett (then Secretary of State for Education and Employment) in September 2000 by an advisory group, chaired by Professor Bernard Crick, recommended that active citizenship education should be an entitlement for all 16 to 19 year olds as well. The two-year development period will aim to establish models of good practice, particularly how to link education and training providers with voluntary and community organisations. continued …. Continued ….. LSDA/CITIZENSHIP - 2

“Many young people already have an interest in society and their community – but they often they lack the confidence, knowledge and skills which would enable them to get more involved, “ says Chris Hughes, Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Development Agency. “Citizenship development, through their school, college or place of work, will help them to pursue their interest further. We want to encourage young people to become more actively involved in an area which is important to them. This could be within their local community, in their workplace or with a national organisation. Above all, we want to encourage them to make a difference.”

Bids to run the development projects were received from 35 consortia. The 11 successful bids (announced today) are for the initial phase of the project. Other consortia may join the scheme in the second year.

Ends

For further information contact Anne Nicholls, Communications Manager/Press Officer. Tel: 0207 840 5360 (direct line). Mobile: 07785 598269. Email: [email protected]

Notes to Editors

1 The Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) is a strategic national resource for the development of policy and practice in post-16 education and training. It was previously known as the Further Education Development Agency. The work of the Agency covers research, policy advice, professional and organisational development, and curriculum support for all learning providers involved in post-16 education and training. These include those working in further education and sixth form colleges, school sixth forms, adult and community education, and work-based education and training. For further information see the web site http://www.lsagency.org.uk

2 Citizenship gives children and young people the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in society. It helps them to become informed, thoughtful and responsible citizens aware of duties and rights. It promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, making them more self-confident. It encourages pupils to play a helpful part in the life of their school, community and world. Citizenship education is now part of the ‘personal, social and health education and citizenship framework’ in primary schools. It will be a compulsory subject from September 2002 in secondary schools. Citizenship education has three strands: (1) social and moral responsibility; (2) community involvement and (3) political literacy. At the moment, there are no plans to require all post-16 providers to offer citizenship to 16 to 19s, as recommended by the advisory group. Before moving to any kind of requirement on providers more development work is necessary.

Attached is a list of the 11 project consortia. Post–16 Citizenship successful bids

An explanation of some of the acronyms is included at the end of this document.

Name of Consortium: Buckinghamshire Lifelong Learning Partnership Location: Aylesbury Region South East Name of Partners: Aylesbury College Aylesbury Training group Aylesbury High School Buckinghamshire and Chilterns University College Young Enterprise Waddesdon Church of England Connexions Service Oxford Diocese Board of Education Toc H Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Learning and Skills Council Buckinghamshire County Council a) Youth Service b) Education Business Partnership ASDAN EdExcel

Project aim: To work with local, regional and national organisations to develop a range of citizenship skills development programmes for young people, which will extend their horizons and equip them to challenge social, moral, spiritual, ethical, and cultural assumptions.

Name of Consortium: Cambridgeshire County Council Location: Huntingdon Region: Eastern Name of Partners: Changemakers Cambridgeshire Learning Partnership Technology Colleges Trust Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Connexions Partnership OCR Local Urban Pilot Local Rural Pilot Long Road Sixth Form College Neale Wade Community College Netherhall School Isle College Youth Action Cambridge Hospitality Plus Hospitality Plus Cambridgeshire Association of Youth Clubs

Project aim: To run two small local practitioner pilots simultaneously to provide an opportunity to assess the different issues which may impact on developing citizenship skills between rural and urban. 2

Name of Consortium: Connexions West of England Location: Bristol Region: South West Name of Partners: Broadlands School City of Bristol College John Lewis Plc The Princes Trust Sir Bernard Lovell School Weston College and Sixth Form Centre ASDAN

Project aim: S To focus on the development and use of citizenship skills both within and beyond school/college, work-based training and the workplace so that young people are able to exercise social responsibility by active participation in the community. S To develop, use and evaluate curriculum models (including materials and resources) and staff development in order to enable young people to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to be effective citizens. These models will encompass both formal and informal learning opportunities.

Name of Consortium: Hopwood Hall College Location: Manchester Region: North West Name of Partners: Rochdale Borough Chamber Rochdale Youth and Community service Groundwork Trust Co-operative Union OCR

Project aim: S To broaden young people’s horizons beyond their locality and district. S To engender a regional, national and international perspective as a fundamental development requirement relating to the culture of young people in Rochdale. S To develop the key citizenship skills in young people to empower them to determine their own actions.

Name of Consortium: Hull Youth Council Location: Hull Region: Yorkshire and Humberside Name of Partners: Wyke College HYA Training Ltd ITEC Training Hull Chamber of Commerce The Warren Young People’s Support Service Barnardos Hull Youth Council Hull CC 3

Youth Service Hull City Council Duke of Edinburgh’s Award The Janus Project Millennium Volunteers Young Enterprise National Trust Scout Association UK Youth National Youth Organisations Partnership Edexcel ASDAN Youth Clubs UK Key Skills

Project aim: S To make available to young people an innovative choice of activity, which is relative to their community and training environment. S To support them in developing the skills which will enable them to actively participate and have a positive effect on local need and issues. S Through the co-ordinator and provider to enable young people to identify and link their skills development to the formal learning contact.

Name of Consortium: Leicestershire and Leicester City Learning Partnership Location: Coalville Region: East Midlands Name of partners: National Youth Agency Leicestershire Careers & Guidance Service Leicestershire Youth and Community Service Leicester LEA Leicestershire LEA EMFEC Diocesan Board of Education for F.E. National Open College Network Leicestershire Consortium for Education Business Links Higher Education Widening Participation Consortium

Project aim: S To enable participating schools, colleges and partner organisations to audit their current curriculum and extra-curricular provision in order to identify what needs to be addressed to provide citizenship development and skills as an entitlement for the young adults in their institution. S To explore how an established post-16 curriculum enhancement framework, ’The Progression Accord’, can contribute to citizenship development, promote its recognition by higher education and feed into the emerging ‘graduation’ provision. S To examine the contribution citizenship development and skills can make to the social inclusion agenda with particular reference to young adults in the one year sixth, Learning Gateway programmes and the special educational needs. S To create a local collaborative forum through which young people can participate actively in designing, implementing and evaluating learning activities, which promote citizenship development and skills. 4

Name of Consortium : London Central Learning & Skills Council Location: London Region: London Name of Partners: City & Islington College Pimlico School & Greycoat Hospital School William Ellis School European Centre of Business & Management Camden Jobtrain Crime Concern Citizenship Foundation International Centre for Intercultural Studies Trade Union Congress Financial Services Authority Edexcel

Project aim: The project comprises a diverse range of partners allowing the consortium to examine different models for the delivery of citizenship in school, college, training provider and workplace settings. The proposed project methodology will support and encourage a reflective approach to citizenship development among young people and their teachers, lecturers and support staff. The involvement of three national organisations will increase citizenship opportunities for young people. Additional funding will also enable to develop the transnational dimension and the use of new technologies within the project.

Name of Consortium: Oldham Local Learning Partnership Location: Oldham Region: North West Name of Partners: Oldham Sixth Form College Oldham Training Providers Association Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council Oldham Secondary Schools Association The Oldham College Trade Union Congress Tesco Comic Relief Sun Alliance Oldham Education, Business and Guidance Partnership AQA

Project aim: S To enable young people in Oldham to exercise social responsibility and extend their political effectiveness through supported engagement as representatives of their own community in a range of different forums. S To provide opportunities for 16 to 18 year olds to actively engage in citizenship across the full range of post-16 options. S This project will develop the skills of young people through a programme of theoretical underpinning and practical experience to enable them to act as representatives of their own community in a range of different forums. A range of virtual resources accessed via the Internet will support both the theoretical underpinning and then practical experience. 6

Name of Consortium: Sefton Local Education Authority Location: Bootle Region:North West Name of Partners:

Southport College Chesterfield High School Savio Catholic High School Sefton Youth Service Christ the King Catholic High School Alchemy Venus Project 408 Project Youth Offending Team Drugs Action Team OCR

Project aim: An ‘action centred’ approach to S enable young adults in Sefton to exercise social responsibility and extend their political effectiveness by active participation in their education and training environment and their communitie; and S develop support mechanisms and associated curriculum which would enhance their roles.

Name of Consortium: Tower Hamlets Sixth Form College Location: London Region: London Name of Partners: Hackney Community College TELCO The Skinner’s Company School for Girls Central Foundation School St Katharine & Shadwell Trust Changemakers OCR Timebank

Project aim: To pilot and evaluate S a range of imaginative and collaborative activities which build progressively on the interests and concerns of local 16-18 year olds and develop specific Citizenship skills and S various forms of accreditation for such skills appropriate to these activities - from Entry to Advanced level (including Key Skills and the OCR Certificates in Citizenship studies) The project will not stand alone but will be highly integrated into existing tutorial, key skills and enrichment programmes of the various providers. Schools and colleges will work closely with community and campaigning organisations and staff will share the skills required to develop young people’s Citizenship skills. 7

Name of Consortium: Worcestershire County Council Location: Worcester Region: West Midlands Name of Partners: Bishop’s Wood Environmental Centre Church of England Board of Education Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Malvin Outdoor Education Centre South Worcester Millennium Volunteers Pershore Group of Colleges Pershore High School Vale of Evesham School Worcestershire Health Promotion Worcestershire Primary Care Group Worcestershire County Council Worcestershire Youth Service Herefordshire & Worcestershire Careers Service Herefordshire & Worcestershire Learning and Skills Council OCR

Project aim: To develop through ‘action research’ a programme to deliver the all-round competencies that young people need to survive, prosper in, influence and change in their world.

Glossary

Connexions Service New Government unit for co-ordinated youth services ASDAN Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network Edexcel Vocational Awarding Body (formerly BTEC) OCR Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Exam Board EMFEC East Midlands Further Education Council AQA Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (merger of AEB, City & Guilds, and NEAB)