Handbook for Active Citizenship Learning - Take Parttakepart.org/contentControl/documentControl/13141_handbook_for_active.pdf · learning plan and portfolio/case study will count

Learning Material

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Developing

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Handbook for Active Citizenship Learning

Produced by: Lincolnshire Take Part Pathfinder, University of Lincoln

Resource summary: this handbook is aimed at community leaders and trainers working to support residents from a wide range of backgrounds to build the skills, knowledge and confidence to take part in local decision making. This unit is part of the informal learning provision developed within the Lincolnshire Take Part Pathfinder Programme. The unit is a short course open to people demonstrating experience in supporting others through informal learning. It requires no formal pre-learning or qualifications except identified life experience and will operate at certificate level. The document sets out a syllabus, learning outcomes, and assessment methods.

Resource intended for: participants and tutors.

Type of resource: handbook

Lincolnshire Take Part Pathfinder July 2009, revised September 2010

Lincolnshire Take Part Pathfinder: Handbook for Active Citizenship Learning (A resource for participants and tutors) CONTENTS 1. Training for Trainers in Active Learning For Active Citizenship (Course Outline & Learning Outcomes) 2. Learning resources for Active Citizenship Learning (Materials to support learning and reflection)


1. Training for Trainers in Active Citizenship and Community Leadership

Introduction : This unit is part of the informal learning provision developed within the Lincolnshire Take Part Pathfinder Programme. It is aimed at community leaders and trainers working to support residents from a wide range of backgrounds to build the skills, knowledge and confidence to take part in local decision making. The unit is a short course open to people demonstrating experience in supporting others through informal learning. It requires no formal pre-learning or qualifications except identified life experience and will operate at certificate level. It is one of the courses offered by the Take Part Programme. Outline Syllabus: The unit combines exposure to the ideas and context of the active citizenship learning framework and the national Take Part programme (developing participants’ understanding the content of the courses to be delivered) with an exploration of approaches to delivery of informal learning and general skills for trainers. It will operate at certificate level and will be part of a suite of short courses developed by the Take Part Programme. The course will introduce participants to generic issues of training and tutoring and the specifics on informal learning approaches. These include an understanding of how to work in different learning environments and options for recording and celebrating learning and planning activities that develop skills, knowledge and competencies to take part in civic roles and civil life. As the course equips trainers to support active citizenship learning in community contexts, content of the course will also cover the following (indicative) topics outlined in the Active Citizenship and Community Leadership course:


• Exploring active citizenship issues from learners’ own experience and the resources and opportunities available to address issues of concern through democratic, civil and civic engagement;

• Structures and processes for civil and civic engagement – including developing an improved appreciation of how the ‘locality’ works;

• Social Justice and Active Citizenship theories and ideas in the context of lived experience and practice; exploring how the use of these can strengthen democracy;

• Creating the ability for reflexive practice that leads to developing stronger communities – and the articulation / presentation of these practices;

• Use of different media to express concerns, ideas and identities within communities;

• Appreciate aspects of Civic Governance (in particular the identification of different civic roles) and the opportunities to take part and develop higher skills for participation and leadership.

Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this Module, students will be able to:

Create strategies for supporting learners to explore active citizenship and community leadership. Critically appreciate the values and principles of the Take Part Approach and relate these to their own training practices and experience;

Create informal learning environments that enable community learners to recognise and articulate issues from their own daily life and ways of engaging with local decision makers in relation to these issues. Set up and maintain effective environments for learning; manage group dynamics and support the development of informal learning;

Critically (and constructively) reflect on barriers to participation and possible approaches to overcoming these barriers;

Deconstruct and analyse local structures and processes to identify local opportunities for community engagement, leadership and learning. Identify locally specific routes to influence decision-making and ways to create stronger voice and identity with their own learning groups;

Make conceptual distinctions that help build the skills, knowledge and confidence of others to take part in democratic processes and shape local communities;

Critically reflect on the role of active citizens in shaping society – and personal development opportunities available to take part (individually and collectively);

Reflect on the role of active citizens in shaping society – and personal development opportunities available to take part (individually and collectively).


Learning and Teaching Strategy/ Methods: A number of approaches will be used to develop skills for the delivery of active learning for active citizenship courses. Learners will be encouraged to keep a log for their own personal development. Shared materials will be developed by the group and a mixed media portfolio developed to show the development of ideas and the reflections on experience in the community. Each tutor will be expected to work with residents in their own communities as part of the course and to reflect back to the group their experiences of doing so and reflections on lessons learnt. Assessment: Assessment method Weighting Learning Outcome(s) Presentation 50% Demonstration of

individual active citizenship learning

Individual Learning Plan and portfolio/case study of work in the community

50% Understanding informal learning and impact

Each student will make a presentation (equivalent to 3,500 words maximum) and weighted at 50% of the overall assessment for the Module. This presentation will be made to peers and Take Part tutors and will reflect the individual learning development and the awareness of local opportunities for putting these into practice. Work outside the formal university setting will be structured into the programme and artefacts reflecting this activity will be included in the final assessment. An individual learning plan and portfolio/case study will count as a further 50% of the overall assessment. Indicative Reading Take Part (2006) National framework for active learning for active citizenship, The

Take Part National Network / Department for Communities and Local Government

Mayo, M. and Rooke, A. (2006) Active Learning for Active Citizenship (London:

Mawson, A. (2008) The Social Entrepreneur (London: Atlantic Books). Mendiwelso-Bendek Z. (2002) Citizens of the Future: Beyond Normative Conditions

through the Emergence of Desirable Collective Properties, in Journal of Business Ethics 39:189-195.


Section 2: Learning resources for Active Citizenship Learning

2.1 ‘Mapping the territory’ Active Citizenship Learning - From your own issues and personal journeys Active citizenship learning supports individuals and communities to identify and build knowledge by reflecting on their own experiences, issues and concerns in a wider context. The aim of active citizenship learning is not only to help the individual learner but also to help strengthen civil society. As such it encourages learners to take into consideration the different voices and interests of the whole community, to promote a wider variety and strength of voice and action and to counter different kinds of social injustice.

Why Take Part?

o What does citizenship mean to us? o Democracy and decision-making o Why participate? o Where and how are decisions made that effect us? o Connecting with people to make better decisions o Exploring local themes and understanding issues o Linking reflection to action / strengthening communities

Understanding how your localities work?

o People o Places o Structures o Processes

Constructing conversations for change locally and nationally

o What are people’s real concerns? o What resources and opportunities could be available? o Positive partnership learning – who to engage and how? o Structuring debate and voicing opinions o Supporting community leadership o Action and Reflection – encouraging informal community learning

Influencing local and national decision-making

o Learning more about a variety of civil & civic roles o Meeting people with different roles and experiences o Building skills and confidence to take part o Identifying routes into decision-making processes o Generating and using information


o Taking action and evaluating actions

Developing knowledge and skills for Active Citizenship

o Building a stronger voice (for ourselves and others) o Resolving conflicts and structuring debate o Chairing meetings, understanding process o Encouraging dialogue and new perspectives o Engaging community stakeholders o Working with government and local authorities – understanding

processes and opportunities to take part o Identifying possibilities for leadership

Learning by doing, sharing and reflection

o Developing personal skills, knowledge and confidence o Speaking up, developing confidence & experience o Knowing more about how the world works and sharing this with others o Knowing where to go to get what you need o Reflecting on successes and sharing lessons identified

Building stronger theories-in-use o Citizenship and Active Citizenship o Civil & Civic Participation o Community Engagement o Civil Renewal o Social Justice o Participatory Democracy o Participatory Approach

Creating personal learning plans

o Shaping aims and objectives for learning o Starting points – valuing existing skills & experiences o Setting goals and creating opportunities to learn o Reviewing progress and celebrating achievement o Celebrating successes – identifying lessons learnt and accreditation /

progression opportunities

2.2 Building on Local Issues What concerns people in your locality?


Who is dealing with or concerned with this issue? (Who can we influence?)

Who else is involved in the situation? (Residents, authorities, businesses, groups etc.)

What are the organisations involved? What are their decision-making processes that are relevant to this issue? (Where can we influence?)

What action can I / we take? What do we anticipate might be the result of this action?

How can I plan further learning in order to help us make changes?

Who needs to be involved?

Who do we need to learn from? Who needs to learn from us?

2.3 Levels of Involvement Active Citizenship Engagement

1 Being There – e.g. ‘I live there’

2 Belonging Here – e.g. ‘My place’

3 Getting involved outside the home – schools, clubs, community groups

4 Expressing opinions about how things happen around here

5 Having a say in how things are organised – speaking up, voicing an opinion

6 Influencing how things get done – joining a committee, parents group etc

7 Taking on a leadership role in your community – being a school governor, councillor, resident representative etc

8 Actively making changes / resolving issues


2.4 Levels of Involvement Active Citizenship Engagement

THINK SO Encourages Reflective thinking Understanding and extending viewpoints Identifying key local issues

SAY SO Building confidence to speak up Building arguments and learning to voice opinions in a variety of ways Building a stronger voice within communities

KNOW SO Constructing conversations that include other positions and increase knowledge and understanding Understanding processes and structures – ‘how things work around here’

ACT SO Making it happen Taking steps to be actively engaged in decision making or shape choices in communities


2.5 Analysing the current ‘Knowledge Gap’ Planning for learning to bridge the gap

Individual Learning And support for leadership

What do we, as individuals (e.g. residents), need to learn more about to become more actively involved? What would support people taking on leadership roles in our communities?

Partnership learning

What do we need to know more about others and others need to know more about us? How could we organise this?

Information Requirements

What information could help? What material could be made available (leaflets, website, newspaper articles) – who would be the reader and what could this do?


2.6 Thinking around local issues - Identifying things we would like to change

Local structures and processes involved? (Who makes decisions related to this issue?)

Ways that residents can take part in these decisions? (What routes are available to us – formal and informal?)

What’s currently missing? (What more could we do to move this on?)


2.6 Reflection on learning plans Date:

What would now be a valuable learning experience for me? When/how could this take place?

Who or what might help me learn/do this?

How can I link this to my past learning / experiences? And to my future personal goals?

What support do I need to make this happen? Where can I get this?

What use might I make of what I’ve learnt? What might follow afterwards?

Can I share what I’ve learnt with other people? How could this be done?

Documents

Handbook for Active Citizenship Learning - Take Parttakepart.org/contentControl/documentControl/13141_handbook_for_active.pdf · learning plan and portfolio/case study will count