Citizenship

Thinking like global citizens and considering global issues with empathy and compassion.

How do we engage with other people in an increasingly globalised world? This competency looks at how we can help people develop the skills to contribute better to the social groups they engage with. As the groups they become part of change over time, they need to be able to think about their roles within them, and how they contribute positively to them. They also need to improve their ability to work and link up with people from very different backgrounds and cultures to their own. There is, in addition, the need to step back and see their social engagement from a more global perspective: what are the major issues affecting the world and how do they relate to their own lives?

We have identified three Core Areas within Citizenship:

A global perspective
Commitment to humans equity and wellbeing through empathy and compassion for diverse values and world views
Genuine interest in humans and environmental sustainability
Solving ambiguous and complex problems to benefit

Youth Voice Toolkit

The new Youth Voice Toolkit from Education Scotland aligns most strongly with Fullan’s “C” of Citizenship. Rooted in the principles of inclusion, democracy and equality, the toolkit ensures that young people are not passive participants, but active contributors to decision-making in schools and communities. Through the Youth Voice Charter and peer research approaches, young people develop responsibility, agency and belonging. They learn that their voices can drive real change, while adults are supported to listen authentically and act meaningfully on what they hear. In this way, the toolkit nurtures responsible, engaged citizens who are equipped to participate fully in their communities now and in the future.

To achieve this, the toolkit focuses on three key elements:

Creating and upholding a Youth Voice Charter to outline the principles adults should follow when consulting with children and young people.
Embedding the Empowering Youth Voice Resource Pack within a youth voice structure based on peer research, enabling young people to undertake research on any theme.
Taking action and building connections with other practitioners to share practice and develop local or regional approaches.