AQW 1051/10


Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast


Tabled Date: 29/09/2009
Answered On Date: 14/10/2009
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to outline the current and planned range of organisations sponsored by her Department to connect young people to the democratic process and structures; and their primary roles and objectives.


Answer:
As part of the revised curriculum in schools and through a range of opportunities offered in the youth service, young people learn about the democratic institutions, how they can participate in the democratic process, their role in promoting inclusion, justice and democracy; and how they can exercise their rights and social responsibilities in relation to local, national and global issues.
Tá Saoránacht ina mír den churaclam reachtúil athbhreithnithe ó Bhliain 1 go dtí Bliain 12. Cuimsítear é ag leibhéal na bunscoile trí Fhorbairt Phearsanta agus Comhthuiscint, agus cuimsítear é ag leibhéal na hiarbhunscoile trí Fhoghlaim don Saol agus don Obair. Ag Eochairchéimeanna 3 agus 4, tugann Ag Iniúchadh an Daonlathais agus Rannpháirtíocht Ghníomhach deis do dhaoine óga tuiscint a fháil ar an dóigh arbh fhéidir bheith páirteach i bpróisis dhaonlathacha agus tionchar a imirt orthu agus tuiscint a fháil ar chuid de na príomhinstitiúidí daonlathacha agus an ról atá acu maidir le cur chun cinn an chuimsithe, an cheartais agus an daonlathais.
Citizenship is part of the statutory revised curriculum from Year 1 to Year 12. At primary level this is covered through Personal Development and Mutual Understanding, and at post-primary level through Learning for Life and Work. At Key stages 3 and 4, Exploring Democracy and Active Participation provides opportunities for young people to understand how to participate in and to influence democratic processes and to be aware of some key democratic institutions and their role in promoting inclusion, justice and democracy.
The Department of Education has invested in a substantial programme of piloting and teacher training for post-primary schools, recognising the important role citizenship education can play in developing our young people as contributors to society, and the need for teacher support to deliver citizenship in the classroom. The Department does not endorse specific organisations in relation to the delivery of the revised curriculum.  However, the Department has provided resources to the Education and Library Boards for citizenship officers, and further training and support materials have been provided for both primary and post-primary teachers as the revised curriculum is implemented.  In addition, my Department provides all Year 11 pupils with a Young Citizens Passport booklet, providing information on a range of relevant areas as a reference point for them.
Fostering young people’s active participation is a main theme of youth work. The Department funds the Education and Library Boards and the Youth Council to support youth service provision across the north of Ireland, including a range of programmes and organisations to encourage and support young people to become active citizens.
The Youth Council through its International Committee is responsible for the co-ordination of a number of North/South, British/Irish, and European funded programmes. Through the ‘Youth in Action’ programme €150,000 has been secured for youth democracy projects. Young people can apply for funding for Youth Democracy Projects which aim to increase the active participation of young people in the life of their local, regional or national community or at international level by supporting their participation in the mechanisms of representative democracy. Local youth councils which have been operating in the north of Ireland for many years, primarily supported through the Education and Library Boards and some through District Council structures are another mechanism for young people to learn about and experience democracy.
The Department of Education is keen to support all schools in the north of Ireland to establish a School Council using the Democra-School programme designed by the Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY).The programme is designed to support and encourage the development of meaningful school councils and the practice of democracy in the school environment.
My officials will be considering how this work can link with emerging participative structures such as the Network for Youth, and I have also met with Junior Ministers and William Hay to discuss how my Department can work with OFMDFM and the Assembly Commission in the development of their respective initiatives to encourage participation, including the Assembly Commission Education Programme, and how we can work together on increasing opportunities for young people to engage positively with Government.