Curriculum: A Paralysing Policy?

• Consider Concept of Curriculum• Context in Northern Ireland Pre-Curriculum• Curriculum Three Periods– Curriculum Imposed (1987-1996)– Curriculum Integrated (1997-2003)– Curriculum Decline (2003-2013)

• Conclusions• What Next?

Curriculum in Youth Work• Many meanings and Different Definitions• total curriculum 'totality of experiences within

the provision• Control, culture, emphasis on knowledge• Product- instrumental/ passive, hierarchical &

linear• Process- Development/ Active/ Autonomous/

Experience/ Competence/ Overt Values

The Northern Ireland Context

• The Troubles– the most sustained violent conflict over National Identity

in Europe (Acheson 2006:13)Over 3700 deaths (equivalent to 11,500 fatalities in Finland 115,000 in UK, 600,000 in USA (Hargie 2003))

– 1969-1976 are considered the most violent period and accounts for over 1/2 deaths

• Political Upheaval – Suspension of the regional parliament (Stormount) – Public sector response to street violence and civil unrest

Impact of Troubles on Local Government

• 'Direct Rule' Ministers in Westminster • Highly centralized system of public

administration• Local government emasculated• Key services transferred to Quangos• Structure was intended to be a-political• Youth work clearly linked to education Youth

Work separated from Community Development

Pre-Curriculum Youth Work

• 1972 & 1973 Youth Work Provision Statutory Duty• £125,000 in 1972, £3.5 Million in 1975/76£8

Million by 1980143 Purpose Built Centres, full-time posts, professional training,

• Emphasis on sport and recreation targeted at the "assumed needs of young men." (Harland & Morgan 2003)

• 'Hidden Curriculum' = diversionary/ social control/ Prevent Civil Unrest

1980’s Post Welfarism

• UK Conservative Government (1979)• "Political & social climate changed" (Davis)• Monetarist policies to reduce inflation and

expenditure• Unemployment in UK was 12.5%, in North England

16% in Northern Ireland 20%, in some areas 30%• Levels remained high throughout the 1980's• Large focus on Community Based Employment• Hidden Curriculum = Diversionary/ Social Control/

Economic

Curriculum Imposition

• Concept of a National or 'Core' curriculum in schools could be applied to youth work (Similar in other parts of UK)

• Imposed by a 'Direct Rule' minister from England in 1987• Policy Define objectives of youth services

– To promote greater understanding/ Cross community involvement

– Service to others– Social education– Partnership between YP/ Adults/ Community– Opportunity to express views and participate– Entrepreneurship

ELB (NI) Order 1986

The Education and Library Board Youth Services operates under Article 33 of theEducation and Library Board (N.I.) Order 1986.

Each Board shall secure the provision for its area of adequate facilities for recreational, social, physical, cultural and youth service activities and for services ancillary to education and for that purpose.........

1987 Programme Core Requirements1. Equal Participation2. Cross Community3. Counselling provision4. Voluntary community service5. Opportunities to test values and beliefs6. Develop political awareness7. Involvement in creative and aesthetic activities8. Provision of sport9. Youth enterprise schemes

Response from the Youth Sector

• Initial reaction was 'confusion & panic‘• Two main responses emerged1. Compliance– bureaucratic accountability – curriculum agreements– lacked proportionality– 'Content' interpretation of curriculum– Dissonance: dilemma of working 'with' objectives,

not working 'to' objectives

Response from the Youth Sector

2. Commitment– Significant work on curriculum guidance• Community Relations• Political Education• Participation• Gender Equality

“Practice, Policy, and training were coming together at one time”

“Once in a life-time, the longed for tidal wave, of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme” (Heaney)

Approaching the New Millennium

• 1993 Hume / Adams Talks• 1993 Downing Street Declaration• 1994 IRA Cease Fire • 1998 Belfast Agreement

Curriculum Integration 1997-2003

• Youth Work: A Model for Effective Practice• Adopted, published and launched by the

Department of Education in October 1997• followed a review period• Central Theme Personal and Social Development of

Young People• Three Core Principles• Commitment to preparing young people for

participation• The promotion of acceptance and understanding of

others• The development of appropriate values and beliefs

A Model for Effective Practice

• clarified and simplified language• focused on an articulation of youth work

purpose, rather than youth services• attempted to remove prescription • Orientated the curriculum towards 'process’

''such statements enabled curriculum debate to the muted and in fact passed over in Northern Ireland” (Harland et al 2005)

Youth Work: A Model for Effective Practice (1997)

• Adopted, published and launched by the Department of Education in October 1997 after substantial review period

• Central Theme– Personal and Social Development of Young

People• Three Core Principles

• Commitment to preparing young people for participation

• The promotion of acceptance and understanding of others

• The development of appropriate values and beliefs

Youth Work: A Model for Effective Practice (1997)

Programme Areas:1. Health Education2. Information, Guidance and counselling3. Testing Values and Beliefs 4. Creative Arts5. Outdoor Education6. Sport and Recreation7. Widening Horizons8. Community Involvement 9. Community Relations10.Political Awareness and Active Citizenship11.Development Education 12.Environmental Awareness13.Information Technology

Significance of 1997 Curriculum

• Clarified and simplified language• Focused on an articulation of youth work

purpose, rather than youth services• Attempted to remove prescription• Orientated the curriculum towards 'process’''such statements enabled curriculum debate to the muted and in fact passed over in Northern Ireland” (Harland et al 2005)

Acceptance of 1997 Curriculum

• Curriculum Integration was protracted• Youth Service Policy Review

(1999)7Substantial Peace Funding from EU

• The focus of practice shifted with funding

• 2002 Curriculum added to initial training

Developing Devolution 2000-2014

• 1998 Belfast Agreement Direct • 1999 Rule ended in December • NI Assembly unstable due unresolved issues• Assembly Established 2007 • Review of Public Administration 2002• Proposed Education Skills Authority• Review of Northern Ireland schools curriculum initiated• In 2002 consultation on 'revision' of youth work

curriculumPeriod of 'care & maintenance' (Knox 2008)

Curriculum 2003 Impact

• Creation of Curriculum Development Unit– political attempt to shift influence

• Youth Work Strategy 2005-2008– age appropriate curricula– struggled with wider policy shift towards

outcomes2008 – New 'Priorities for Youth' Policy consultation

begins

An Clearer Focus?

• 2003 a 'revised' curriculum document reflected:– impact of EU Peace funding – Role of JEDI project

• values of equity, diversity and interdependence, reflecting the changes in the sector and society

• presented an incongruous fudge between the 'conservative pluralism' in 1997 and a more 'radical pluralism' that the sector experienced in as a result of the peace funding

Curriculum and Programme Development Cycle

Priorities for Youth • Strategic Alignment of Youth Work with

Department of Education Priorities• Non-formal education role

complementing, reinforcing and enhancing the learning that takes place in formal education settings

• Emphasis on ‘outcomes,’ ‘evidence’ and ‘planning’ and ‘performance management’

• Funding restricted to ‘priorities’

Priorities for Youth

• Priority 1: Raising Standards– planning at regional level– more focused age groups

• Priority 2: Closing the Performance Gap– address educational disadvantage– targeted provision/ financial cap on non-targeted– extended provision

• Priority 3: Develop workforce– performance management systems– Outcomes/ Evidence/ Measurement

• Priority 4: Improving the Learning Environment• Priority 5: Governance & Management

– significant changes to funding mechanisms

Conclusions

• Curriculum born and evolved as an imposed 'political project' characterized by bureaucracy

• Evidence of a shift from 'content' to 'process‘• "Control through the legitimization of discourse?“• Emphasis on 'programme' lead to 'instrumentality'?• ("Why does youth work always look like youth work?")• As the sector engaged with the discourse, emphasizing

'process', curriculum's political influence diminished.• Can a 'process' orientated curriculum meet an 'outcomes'

focused policy