What is the Active Citizens Programme?

http://activecitizens.britishcouncil.org/

Introduction:

St Helens Community Empowerment Network (CEN) is a community organisation working with groups across St helens to encourage people to have a stronger say in shaping local decision making and he future direction of the development of St Helens. As a network we try to encourage participation and democratic involvement as much as we can and for several years have been involved in shaping local decision making through the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) in St Helens.

Last summer an opportunity arose for CEN to apply and become a partner organisation working with the British Council as part of the Active Citizens programme. CEN was one of 200 organisations which applied and one of 22 accepted onto the programme.

Active Citizens is a non-profit programme that promotes community cohesion and improvement through civic engagement or volunteering in around 40 countries.Run by the British Council and partner organisations, it aims to increase the contribution of community leaders towards achieving sustainable development both locally and globally. It also encourages peer-to-peer relations across cultural, geographic and political boundaries via a lively online social network of participants, as well as occasional international exchange visits.

In 2011 CEN has been partnered with three countries, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine and as part of the programme we will be hosting up to 30 visitors from each of the three countries in June 2011. There will be an opportunity for some of those who take part in the training to participate on an international exchange visit to one of the three countries. We hope that in 2012 there will be a further opportunity for those who could not take part in the exchange visits to go on an international exchange visit then.

If you currently volunteer or are involved with a community organisation or community project we would like to hear from you and welcome you to take part in this exciting programme.

Active Citizens explainedDiscover what the Active Citizens programme is all about, what it aims to promote and achieve, and how both participants and communities around the world can benefit.In today's world, we encounter a greater variety of perspectives, cultures and communities than ever before. This is often seen as the result of globalisation, through which people and countries have become increasingly connected and interdependent on cultural, political and economic levels. The vision of the Active Citizens programme is of a world in which people recognise their potential and exercise their responsibility to engage peaceably and effectively with others. Through dialogue and social participation, Active Citizens can establish positive, sustainable development of communities both locally and globally. “The world is getting more crowded,” says philosopher and cultural theorist, Kwame Anthony Appiah. “Depending on the circumstances, conversations across boundaries can be delightful or just vexing. What they mainly are, though, is inevitable.”

The people involved

The purpose of the Active Citizens programme is to increase the contribution of those adults who have a social network within their local communities (e.g. further education students, youth, womenʼs, religious, cultural and recreational groups) towards achieving sustainable development both locally and globally. The programme focuses on particular leadership skills and knowledge, such as understanding global interdependencies, empowering and motivating individuals to action and the art of intercultural dialogue in social action. For dialogue to have real impact within and between communities, those involved must be both actors and influencers – after all, as community leaders they are in a position to motivate and inspire others, and will already have a grassroots network through which to communicate. The Active Citizens training programme will help them promote trust and understanding through dialogue and social participation in their communities, as well as developing themselves as active global citizens. “By gaining an

international perspective, you become better at what you do locally,” says Radha Nair, Programme Leader of Active Citizens.

Active Citizens participants will also understand that a world without Active Citizens can lead to individual, community and cultural encounters with negative and unexpected outcomes, where reactions are defensive and instinctive. Participants will also realise that a world with Active Citizens can lead to more positive encounters within and between communities and cultures, characterised by openness and a desire for mutually positive learning and benefit.

The programme aims to give every participant:

• A stronger sense of their own culture and identity through engagement with other cultures

• An increased knowledge and understanding of how their local community works and how it links to the rest of the world

• The motivation to take action and improve society through sustainable initiatives

• The ability to work effectively with diversity.

Run by the British Council in association with influential partner organisations, the Active Citizens programme seeks to link overseas communities with both UK and other overseas communities to encourage long-term intercultural dialogue and shared learning. The programme will engage community leaders in social research on global development and participation themes, support the establishment of international professional networks of community leaders, train volunteers from local communities to design and facilitate projects that encourage positive change and social cohesion. In addition, some participants will be invited on a bi- or multilateral exchange visit with their linked communities in the UK or overseas. With the help of intercultural dialogue, the programme hopes to demonstrate that local action can have global impact.

Which partner groups are involved?

The success of the Active Citizens programme lies in working in close partnership with groups and organisations that have a strong influence on cultural relations in society at both a grassroots and national level. These include local groups, non-governmental organisations, volunteer groups and local governments. These groups and organisations have established strong local networks united in the

promotion of community needs and cohesion, and can be regarded as potential catalysts for cultural, religious and social development on a wider scale.

The aim is to target at least 100 such partners over a three-year period. Partner organisations currently involved in the Active Citizens programme are:

• The Hunger Project This global organisation is committed to ending hunger via necessary leadership, training and education. Volunteers from this organisation have trained to become facilitators to lead projects in Bangladesh.

• Roars Not Whispers A project that empowers young people in Scotland to represent their communities at local, national and international levels. Members of this group have teamed up with fellow Active Citizens in Bangladesh and Pakistan to exchange ideas on developing community projects.

• Sudanese Womenʼs Union Members of this group are developing their skills via Active Citizens training in order to implement vital Social Action Projects (SAPs) in settlement camps for internally-displaced people in Sudan.

•Programme content and structure

In 2009-10, the Active Citizens programme was launched in the UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya. It will extend to Saudi Arabia, Europe and other countries in the Near East and North Africa in 2010-11.

The programme will deliver large-scale, direct engagement at community-level through a three-tier model working with a partner network or training programme. For example:

• Partners from Region A. and the UK develop material and train 30 Master Facilitators from Region A.…

• 30 Master Facilitators from Region A. train 300 more Facilitators in Region A….

• 300 Facilitators in Region A. train 6,000 community participants, who in turn engage 60,000 volunteers on SAPs. (Social action projects)

Once participating communities have been identified, the programme is advertised locally and community members are welcomed to apply for a place. The selection

process is based on choosing people who demonstrate good communication skills, have strong community networks, an inclination for personal development and a desire to engage voluntarily in initiatives that support positive social development.

Throughout the regions, over 5,000 participants will be engaged on the training programme, with a further 500,000 involved in SAPs. The Active Citizens learning journey will move all participants at a comfortable, modular pace from greater self-awareness to improved understanding of their local community. Participants will

also develop a greater motivation to act within their community, as well as develop an awareness of where their community sits in the world and how local actions can have global resonance. Dialogue is a consistent factor throughout, as it enables encounters with other perspectives and cultures, thus reinforcing the deep levels of trust and understanding that are vital for developing effective SAPs, positive change and lasting intercultural relationships.

The global Active Citizens network

Bilateral exchanges are organised between Active Citizens communities in different countries. This enables participants to experience community development from the perspective of another society, so they can share experiences and learn from one another. Communities are paired with others that share similar cultural issues and social needs. For example, poor literacy is a challenge for many living in both the East End of Glasgow and Bangladesh. Therefore, an exchange programme between these communities means they have found a common ground for sharing the kind of knowledge that can address their specific social issue. Active Citizens offers both support and guidance for exchange participants travelling to different communities.

Online networks

Those involved in the Active Citizens programme are updated with news about the programmeʼs development around the world – such as information about projects and exchanges taking place – via an online magazine, locally-produced e-newsletters and lively interaction on the social networking site Ning, where participants can take part in discussions and blogs. This helps develop participantsʼ enthusiasm for global active citizenship as well as sustaining productive relationships.

Goals

Evaluation is built into nearly every step of the programme, including recruitment, facilitation, training, planning, implementation and successful intercultural dialogue. Neil Burn feels it is important (particularly with young participants) to guide team members to pursue realistic projects and work out ways of sustaining them, both financially and in terms of community engagement. “In terms of the Social Action Projects, even if something doesnʼt work, you get to learn why it didnʼt work. That is as much a learning experience as doing something successful.”

By the end of their Active Citizens experience, we hope participants will be able to say that they have substantially broadened their horizons and made a significant contribution to positive and sustainable social change. They will have made new professional and personal relationships with both people within their community and organisations working to promote civil society across the world. Participants will return to their communities with a renewed energy and determination, and the ability to lead others in tackling the global challenges of the 21st century.

Three excuses to not get involvedItʼs natural to have reservations about running a project, but donʼt let these prevent you from making a difference. Monomita Nag-Chowdhury finds a way around three common excuses

“I donʼt have the time”

The Active Citizens programme is designed to work around different lifestyles, no matter how hectic that lifestyle might be! A great deal of flexibility can be built into the local training youʼll undergo when you join. Whatʼs more, a network of support is available to help ensure your project is a success. By working as part of a team with your fellow Active Citizens and partners, youʼll find the demands on your time wonʼt be anything like as pressing as you expected. So donʼt be put off just because youʼre busy. Instead, discuss your situation with your local facilitator/mentor. The Active Citizens programme aims to include everyone who wants to help, regardless of their circumstances. This means weʼll help tailor your commitments so your project works for you as much as for your community.

Ultimately, as your contribution makes an impact on other regions, through teamwork and the sharing of ideas across the Active Citizens network, you can be assured that your time – however much you have to spare – will be well spent!

“Other people have more experience than me”

What makes the Active Citizens programme unique is that it demands no prior skills or experience from its participants. All we ask is that you bring enthusiasm and a commitment to make a difference. In becoming an Active Citizen, youʼll have access to all the tools, advice, information and support you need in order to get your project up and running. Youʼll also tap into a network of individuals and organisations who share your enthusiasm for change through intercultural dialogue. So, even if you donʼt have the specific skill you need to make your project happen, youʼll be sure to know someone who does. Pooling resources is essential to the programme, allowing you to access the collective knowledge of fellow Active Citizens from around the world. 

“Thereʼs no way I can influence global change”

Make no mistake, the Active Citizens programme has big ambitions. Itʼs certainly a tall order to launch a project that can serve your local community while aiming to have an impact somewhere around the globe. But in becoming an Active Citizen, youʼll be joining a global community of like-minded people similarly dedicated to community initiatives that transcend borders. Weʼll provide the means for you to connect with one another, share skills, ideas and experiences. We already have a vibrant internet community up and running. By talking to one another, both online and through a packed calendar of intercultural interaction, this is your opportunity to make a positive impact both within your region and elsewhere in the world.

Key Dates in the programme:

Active Citizens Training programme:

Saturday 5th March 9am-5pm Ramada Encore Hotel Haydock

Sunday 6th March 9am-5pm Ramada Encore Hotel Haydock

Thursday 10th March 6pm-8.30pm URC Church St Helens

Thursday 17th March 6pm-8.30pm URC Church St Helens

Exchange visits dates:

International Exchange visit to Georgia

Sunday 15th May - Saturday 21st May

International Exchange visit to Azerbaijan

Sunday 22nd May - Saturday 28th May

UK Hosting of Active Citizens in St Helens

Sunday 5th June - Saturday 11th June

International Exchange Visit to Ukraine

Sunday 3rd July - Saturday 9th July