What is the relationship between the Citizenship programme in Northern Ireland and Community Relations?

Hartop et al’s (2005) definition helps here. As can be seen, one way to think about this is to view community relations as the “local” part of “Local and Global Citizenship”…

“With regard to school-based community relations, we understand this to carry the explicit expectation that, as part of their teaching, teachers will attempt to address issues relevant to community divisions in Northern Ireland. Consequently, we define school-based community relations as purposeful activity, through the whole-curriculum and whole-school experience, that facilitates young peoples’ identities as citizens who:

• are accepting of equity and non-oppression in the civil domain, such that everybody can enjoy equally their human rights
• are accepting of diverse ethnic identities
• understand the central importance of, and value, interdependent relationships within Northern Irish society”

(Hartop, B., Kelly, C., McCully, A., Neill, J., O’Connor, U. & Smith, R.A.L. 2005 p, 3)

Have a look at the Community Relations Index. This incorporates a range of useful frameworks and tools to help teachers undertake a deep scrutiny of everything that makes up institutional life in order to improve school-based provision for community relations.

The Community Relations Index: self-evaluation tools for schools and classrooms [894 Kb]

Exploring the relationship between citizenship and community relations –In the context of education in Northern Ireland – Helen Henderson, MSc: Education for Contemporary Society [107kb]

Further Information

http://www.creni.org
http://www.transformconflict.org

The characteristics of teachers likely to be successful in mediating a citizenship curriculum include those who have:

• Basic training in rights and responsibilities
• An interdisciplinary awareness of social, cultural, civic, political, legal, economic, environmental, historical and contemporary affairs
• Dispositions to inter-disciplinary learning
• Commitment to inquiry -based learning
• Skill in facilitating experiential learning
• Ability to draw on multiple resources
• Confidence in addressing controversial issues
• Sensitivity to emotional dimensions of learning
• Ability to assess student learning outcomes

Alan Smith (2003) p,12.

DEFINING CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES

those problems and disputes that divide society and for which significant groups within society offer conflicting explanations and solutions based on alternative values
(Stradling et al. 1984, p.2 cited by Mc Cully, forthcoming)

If Stradling’s definition lacks one dimension it is that it fails to embrace that strong emotional element that often accompanies controversial issues in societies characterised by religious, cultural or ethnic conflict. Facilitating such emotions is a critical factor in determining whether or not a practitioner in an educational setting can engage participants in effective learning. The term ‘controversial’ refers to this ‘sensitive’ dimension; thus distinguishing the issues under scrutiny from those ‘controversial public issues’ such as nuclear disarmament, juvenile crime or state-assisted suicide which generate strong views but do not normally go to the heart of students’ sense of ethnic or cultural identity (Hess 2002 cited by A. Mc Cully forthcoming ).

USEFUL BACKGROUND READING

Document	Author and Details	Type
A Pedagogy for Citizenship	University of Ulster, School of Education
Action Learning for Citizenship Education	Jones, P (2000) Pastoral Care. NAPCE
Fair and Balanced to Death: Confronting the Cult of Neutrality In the Teacher Education Classroom	Faith Agostinone-Wilson JCEPS:Vol. 3 No. 1 (March 2005)
Practitioner perceptions of their role in facilitating the handling of controversial issues in contested societies: a Northern Irish experience	Alan McCully, University of Ulster, School of Education

ACTIVE LEARNING METHODOLOGY	Author and Details	Type
A Moving Debate	Developed by the Project Team
Active Learning	Developed by the Project Team
Brainstorming	Developed by the Project Team
Exploring Identity	Developed by the Project Team
Four Corners Debate	Developed by the Project Team
Setting ground rules	Developed by the Project Team
Trust building	Developed by the Project Team
The Case for Posters	Developed by the Project Team
Using photographs	Developed by the Project Team
Using Visual Images	Developed by the Project Team
Using Newspapers	Developed by the Project Team

INTERNET LINKS	Type
Chalkface Project – lesson plans with worksheets free samples to download available in electronic and paper formats
Cool Planet for Teachers
Citizen-E
Council of Europe Education Bookshop
CRENI.org
Developing Good Relations in the School Community
Educating for Citizenship (CD-ROM) – A CD-ROM to help teachers develop their approach to promoting the ideals of citizenship in the classroom
European Year of Citizenship through Education
National Youth Development Education Programme
One Stop Education
Promoting Citizenship in the classroom – A selection of on-line resources and key UNESCO documents related to citizenship education
The Association of CSPE Teachers (ACT)
The Citizenship Foundation
The Professional Subject Association for Citizenship
The Standards Site (England)
Transform Conflict.org
Trocaire
UNESCO
UN Site – Conventions on the Rights of the Child

LESSONS ON SPECIFIC TOPICS	Author and Details	Type
Primary School lessons	Insert example teaching plans Statments of Entitlement Revised Around The World New Needs and Wants New Where I Live New Wonderful World
Exploring Identity	Exploring Identity
Human Rights	2 lessons on Human Rights kindly provided by George Hull (PGCE student 2004/05), School of Education, University of Ulster
	Title: Local and Global Citizenship: Teachers NotesAuthor: CCEA/Education and Library Boards ISBN: 1 85885 754 3 Publisher: CCEA Cost: £ Copies will be in all post primary schools by 2005/2006” “First published in summer 2003, with subsequent inserts. This folder covers the main themes of Local and Global Citizenship at Key Stage 3, ie Diversity and Inclusion, Equality and Social Justice and Democracy and Active Participation. These themes are underpinned by basic Human Rights education. As such, the materials cover a wide range of issues which relate to the Northern Irish situation as well as global concerns. In the local context, diversity, sectarianism and dealing with conflict are addressed in meaningful experiential learning activities to be used in the class room and indeed potentially when working with groups from two or more schools. ( ref: Creni.org)
	Lesson Plan on Children’s Rights
	Template for Children’s Rights Lesson

RESOURCES FOR SPECIFIC TOPICS

Resources related to the specific teaching of an entire course on citizenship education

RESOURCES FOR SPECIFIC TOPICS	Author and Details	Type
Diversity/ Interdependence	Resource Directory: Citizenship Education in Northern Ireland. Edited by Lorraine Heffernan
Human Rights	Resource Directory: Citizenship Education in Northern Ireland. Edited by Lorraine Heffernan
Democracy & Active Participation	Resource Directory: Citizenship Education in Northern Ireland. Edited by Lorraine Heffernan
Equality, Justice & Sustainable Development	Resource Directory: Citizenship Education in Northern Ireland. Edited by Lorraine Heffernan
PSHE & citizenship	Resource Directory: Citizenship Education in Northern Ireland. Edited by Lorraine Heffernan