Active Citizenship, and Attracted Over 350 Participants During Phase One ; the Project Is Committed to Providing a Further 400 Learning Opportunities During Phase Two
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Foreward Foreword: Trish Land, Project Manager This Curriculum Resource file has been produced by the ‘Train the Take Part Trainers project.’ It has been developed out of the experiences of practitioners, participants and partners involved in the project The Curriculum File is a resource aimed at supporting adult educators working in a community context. That context will be varied and tutor/trainers will be working with course participants from diverse backgrounds and with different experiences and expectations. The Project provided a range of learning opportunities from introductory courses, day schools and conferences through to the City and Guilds 7303 Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector in active citizenship, and attracted over 350 participants during phase one ; the project is committed to providing a further 400 learning opportunities during phase two. Activities attracted participants from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and ages, and included both men and women. The project has given new opportunities to all participants to further their interests - as tutor/trainers, volunteers, community leaders or generally to develop and expand upon their own educational interests. The Train the Take part Trainers programme has a number of objectives including: 1) To generate a national body of trainers who can deliver Take Part learning programmes across England 2) To capture ‘best practice’ models and development pathways for new and existing trainers 3) To develop a source of expertise on the best ways of ensuring that trainers are equipped to deliver Take Part programmes 4) To create a ‘bank’ of Take Part Trainers who can be accessed and deployed by Pathfinders and other organisations interested in developing Take Part methodologies This Curriculum Resource file has been produced in support of the above objectives – first to offer a series of ‘good practice’ models for the tutoring of various active citizenship approaches and the related development of active citizenship tutor/ trainers. These models are rooted in previous successful delivery of activities, evaluation, feedback and reflection over the period of the project. Second is a concern to ensure that the approach taken to active citizenship teaching and learning properly reflects the WEA ‘philosophy’ of active citizenship. Active learning pedagogies are part of the WEA ‘craft’ as far as its own experienced adult education practitioners are concerned. In terms of delivery of Take Part programmes, this is compatible with contemporary approaches to the teaching of active citizenship. Train the Take Part Trainers • Curriculum File Introduction to Train the Trainers In that context it should be clear that active citizenship for this project is not a ‘subject’ to be ‘taken off the shelf’ like geography or history. Rather it is a ‘doing’ philosophy – an approach and process concerned with becoming active and taking part in the world of citizens. The materials have been developed by members of the teaching team, and other course writers, whose skills and commitment have contributed to the overall success of the project. The materials include: a Scheme of Work, Session Plans, Teaching and Learning materials, Resources and Handouts, as well as Useful References and Websites. Topics include: 1. Introduction to Active Citizenship 2. Introduction to Train the Trainers 3. City and Guilds 7303: Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (Active Citizenship) 4. How Does the UK Political System Work? 5. Strengthening Democracy – Day Conferences 6. Political values and ideas for activists. The project team and course writers include: Paul Allender and Cilla Ross: Introduction to Active Citizenship Joy Nancarrow, Jol Miskin, and Hazel Payg: City and Guilds 7303 in Active Citizenship Chris Sanders, and Cilla Ross: Introduction to Train the Trainers Rose Ardron: How does the UK Political System Work? Paul Allender (lead), Ted Hartley, Alan Wigfield, Tony Harrison and Jol Miskin: Political values and ideas for activists NAVCA team of tutors: Strengthening Democracy – Day Conferences It is expected that the materials will enhance the development of active citizenship confidence, skills and knowledge as well as building effective teaching and learning methodologies within an adult education context. Many thanks to all those involved - project team - participants - partners; there have been many. And special thanks to Maureen Hewitt for her support with ‘proof reading’ the file and to David Pittaway for his design skills. You can download a copy of the Curriculum Resource File (in a PDF format) by visiting the WEA Yorkshire & Humber Website: www.wea.org.uk/yh Comments welcome. Please email Trish Land at [email protected] Train the Take Part Trainers • Curriculum File January 2011 Train the Take Part Trainers • Curriculum File 0 Contents 1 Introduction 2 About the project and the Take Part approach 3 How to use this file 4 Getting started 4.1 You as Tutor/Trainer 4.2 Working with your Group 5 Courses/Materials 5.1 Introduction to Active Citizenship 5.2 Introduction to Train the Trainers 5.3 City and Guilds 7303: Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (Active Citizenship) 5.4 Handouts 6 Useful References and Websites 7 Additional Materials 7.1 How does the UK political sytem work 7.2 Political values and ideas for activists 7.3 Changing Your Community: Make Politics Work for You 7.4 Strengthening Democracy Day Conferences Train the Take Part Trainers • Curriculum File 1 Introduction In this Curriculum File you will find a number of courses and resources relating to Active Citizenship adult education. Not every aspect of active citizenship education is covered but the contents do reflect a particular focus and intent. First is the aim to offer a series of ‘good practice’ models for the tutoring of various active citizenship approaches and the related development of active citizenship tutor/trainers. Models are based on delivery, evaluation, feedback, reflection and experiences over time. Second is a concern to ensure that the approach taken to active citizenship teaching and learning properly reflects the WEA ‘philosophy’ of active citizenship. As experienced adult education practitioners, acting learning pedagogies are part of the WEA craft so, in terms of delivery, this is compatible with contemporary approaches to the teaching of active citizenship. However active citizenship for this project is not a ‘subject’ to be ‘taken off the shelf’ like geography or history. Rather it is a ‘doing’ philosophy – an approach and process concerned with becoming active and taking part in the world of citizens. In this WEA project we define active citizenship education as: 1. a learning process – democratic, experiential etc 2. underpinned by a value base including social justice, equality, co-operation and collectivism 3. and linked to a variety of subjects Its overriding aim is to encourage people to engage politically to help make a difference at all levels of society. Train the Take Part Trainers • Curriculum File 2 About the Project About the project and the Take Part Approach The Train the Take Part Trainers project is a national programme which aims to build active citizenship skills and knowledge alongside the development of flexible teaching and learning methods and approaches. The project is open to anyone with an interest in active citizenship and community involvement wishing to develop teaching and training skills. The project seeks to actively recruit participants from a variety of backgrounds and with a broad range of community experiences. The key elements of the programme includes: l Introduction to Active Citizenship l Introduction to Train the Trainers l Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector in Active Citizenship (PTTLs) l Strengthening Democracy – Day Conferences All learning programmes will be delivered in community settings. The aim of Train the Take Part Trainers project is to: l Generate a national body of trainers who can deliver Take Part learning programmes across England. l Capture evidence on best practice approaches to training Take Part trainers, which is being developed through the 18 local pathfinder projects. l Develop a source of expertise on the best ways of ensuring that trainers are equipped deliver Take Part programmes. Train the Take Part Trainers • Curriculum File The Take Part approach Take Part is a distinctive approach to learning that enables people to make an active contribution to their communities and influence public policies and services by focusing on: l community-based learning to build the skills, confidence and experience needed to tackle local political, social and technical challenges l an informal, practical approach that gives people an understanding of how power works and how they can learn to influence decisions and policies l open dialogue and reflection as key learning tools, recognising that change in a community emerges from individuals working together Through increasing the skills and confidence among citizens, particularly those from more disadvantaged communities, Take Part aims to increase levels of participation in civil and civic activity; and to encourage the take up of community leadership roles Train the Take Part Trainers • Curriculum File 3 How to use this file This file contains courses and resources which, whilst offering best practice models, are flexible and can be ‘customised’ for local delivery dependent on the groups with which tutors are working. Certain criteria must be met – i.e. learning outcomes, but activities, and the materials themselves, should be flexible and be able to accommodate all possible groups. The materials indicate the main area of delivery from the tutor/trainer as well as associated activities. These are timed. The courses can be delivered in a number of different ways – in five hour blocks as day schools, over a number of linked evenings or days, or in any other way appropriate to a group of participants. Again flexibility is important. Train the Take Part Trainers • Curriculum File 4 Geting Started 4.1. You as tutor/trainer This curriculum file is a resource for adult education tutor/trainers working in a community context.