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NECE HARD TO REACH FOCUS GROUP PROGRESS WORKSHOP

CAROUSEL SESSIONS

MINI SEMINAR PAPERS

8 – 9 November 2016 Zagreb, Croatia Young Europeans: their views of citizenship, nationality, minorities and human rights

Alistair Ross. Jean Monnet Professor of European Citizenship Education, London

Metropolitan University.

Refugee Women and Asylum Seekers In The EU

Olinda Rio. Ministry of Education and Science, Portugal

Raising the Involvement of Roma families in Romanian Schools

Irina Ilisei. President PLURAL Association, Bucharest

Engaging Ethnic & Migrant HTR Groups – Guidelines and Successful Practice

Tanveer Parnez. Director of National Developments, BEMIS Glasgow

Educational Activities for Migrants and Refugees in Greece: The Role of NGOs

Despina Karakatsani & Theodora Katsamori,

‘Me, You and Them’: Forum Theatre Dialogue Between Minorities and Majorities.

Tereza Vavrova. Director Antikomplex, Project Manager, Civic Education Centre, Prague,

Czech Republic

Refugee Education – New Models of Human Rights Education and Education for

Democratic Citizenship in Reception Classes in Germany

Dr. Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn, Senior Lecturer, Citizenship and Intercultural Education, Freie

Universitat Berlin.

Building Resilience to Extremism through High Quality Citizenship Teaching

Chris Waller, Professional Officer, Association for Citizenship Teaching, UK

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MINI-SEMINAR CAROUSEL – BLOCK 1 Tuesday 8th November 2016

Alistair Ross - UK

Young Europeans: their views of citizenship, nationality, minorities and human rights

Alistair Ross, Jean Monnet Professor of European Citizenship Education, London Metropolitan University

Between 2000 and 2015 I carried out 330 focus groups with 2000 young Europeans (12 to 19) in 29 European countries. In the ‘new’ EU states, young people tended to express affection for their country, but not the patriotism of their parents or grandparents. The values of democracy and freedom of expression were more likely to be expressed when contrasting their country with Russia. In the western countries, there was often a concern not to express any signs of national pride, which might have aligned them with right-wing nationalists. They were often concerned with the rights of refugees, and the negative attitudes of older people towards refugees. Coupled to this was the view of a minority – in some countries – that refugees and migrants could never become ‘real’ citizens, and that citizenship was only for people whose ancestry was based in the country. Other rights that concerned many were those of LGBT people, environmental rights and freedom of expression. Young people generally saw themselves as having different values to their parents, and particularly grandparents. Conceptions of citizenship seem to be based on human rights and values of common humanity. What do these findings mean for citizenship education? How can we use them as a basis for inclusive educational programmes?

Ross, A. (2015) Understanding the Construction of Identities by young new Europeans:

Kaleidoscopic identities. Routledge

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Olinda Rio - Portugal

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MINI-SEMINAR CAROUSEL – BLOCK 1 Tuesday 8th November 2016

Irina Ilisei – Romania

How equality of chances is decided in schools? Research on the involvement

of parents in the educational process of children’s from disadvantaged

environment1

Problem: In Romania there are significant educational inequalities affecting specific social

categories; Roma ethnicity, living in rural area, poverty are social determinants that expose children

to higher risks of illiteracy, early drop-out, low educational performances. Previous researches show

that involvement of parents in educational process of their children would increase school

attainment and educational results. For combating the social disadvantages that create educational

inequalities there is the need of a strong relation between families, school and community.

Generally the social disadvantaged groups (i.e. Roma) have a low experience of civic engagement.

Research Aims:

Investigate the way the parents are involved in the educational process of their children, focusing on the participation of parents to decision making processes in the schools;

Examine the involvement of parents in decision making structures such as Administrative Councils;

Identify in what measure the needs of disadvantaged children are represented in the decision making structures and processes that take place in schools;

Why this matters?

To close the educational gaps; To create more participative and pluralistic environments in schools; Raise the level of solidarity and ensure the representation of all interests; Participation of parents to school decisions may also be a tool of empowering the parents

and increasing their citizenship engagement.

Research Methods:

research run in 2 counties of Romania, in 10 schools with at least 20% Roma students; 85 in-depth semi-structured interviews with parents of children from disadvantaged

backgrounds; representatives of parents, teachers and local authorities in the Administrative Council of Schools

Results:

Parents who maintain a consistent relation with the school focus almost exclusively towards educational results and behavior of their own children;

1 Research part of the project ‘Parents involved in the educational process of vulnerable

children; funded by SEE Grants 2009 – 2014 – www.eeagrants.org The research material

(book) available in Romanian. Contact me irinailisei@yahoo.com for further information.

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Parents from disadvantaged backgrounds are less prone to involve in school activities, they

prefer to express the needs of their children in a private environment and are not likely to mobilize together for defending the interest of their children;

Parents who are most involved are most likely to be with higher education and sith a better socio-economic status than the average of the parents;

The schooling system is not framed to encourage initiatives of the parents; There is a high level of apathy considering participation of parents in school decisions, but

when they are encouraged to support activities of school there is a reliable number of them who are supportive;

Participation of parents to school decisions may also be a tool of empowering the parents and increasing their citizenship engagement;

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MINI-SEMINAR CAROUSEL – BLOCK 1 Tuesday 8th November 2016

Tanveer Parnez – BEMIS Scotland Discussion on good practice examples and tools of involving parents of children from disadvantaged backgrounds in school decisions As the national umbrella body supporting the development of the diverse Ethnic minority voluntary

sector and the communities that this sector represents, BEMIS aims to address inequalities by

empowering communities, working towards an inclusive society by establishing structures, which

recognise diversity and empowers ethnic and cultural minorities, and ensuring that they are fully

recognised and supported as a valued part of the Scottish multicultural civic society. In this context,

BEMIS has a strong track record in engaging Hard to Reach (HTR) communities where this forms part

of our strategic and operational approaches at various levels: engaging HTR as active citizens is not a

mere exercise but rather a responsibility within the equality and human rights frameworks as well as

in advancing equal citizenship. BEMIS will share samples of its approach to engaging HTR groups,

through two project examples:

1). Gathered Together which aims at ensuring representation and active participation of ethnic

and migrant parents in their children education as well as addressing their under-representation in

established structures.

2). Ethnicity and Poverty: addressing under-representation and participation in policy

development through research and engaging HTR ensuring their voices are initiated and delivered

directly to policy input and decision making.

Tanveer Parnez

Director of National Developments

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MINI-SEMINAR CAROUSEL – BLOCK 2 Wednesday 9th November 2016

Despina Karakatsani & Theodora Katsamori Greece Educational activities for migrants and refugees in the Greek case. The role of

NGOs.

This project’s aim is to record and present the educational activities for migrants and refugees that

take place in Greece and mainly in Athens from NGOs in cooperation with government and with the

citizens’ support. The beneficiaries of these activities are minor migrants and refugees and the main

aim of this action is to make them feel safe and welcome to their new country. Even more, this

effort could be characterized as a first step for their future integration into the society. The activities

include workshops like theatre & drawing, sports, lessons of the Greek language, games, visits at the

museums, etc. The majority of people, who run these activities, are mainly volunteers with studies in

education (teachers, nurseries) or any kind of expertise in it. The results of this effort are really

positive so far and it seems like through them is covered government’s weakness to strongly support

these people.

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MINI-SEMINAR CAROUSEL – BLOCK 2 Wednesday 9th November 2016

Tereza Vávrová – Czech Republic ‘Me, you and them’ Forum Theatre for dialogue

Several studies imply that prejudice against minorities, xenophobic and racist attitudes have been a

problem in the Czech society. However the research shows that this is not a problem of one

particular group, but of the society in general and its difficulties in coping with otherness and

differences.

The project aimed at opening a dialogue between the majority and minorities, which would lead to

the reflection on living together, on understanding the problems of marginalized and on possible

ways to change their situation. Roma and Vietnamese (non)actors had been meeting to create

stories based on their personal experience, which were later performed in schools as Forum theatre.

The interventions of pupils were reflected on and thus issues of coexistence, respect and tolerance

were successfully opened up for discussion.

The non-actors described the shift they went through – they gained confidence and strengthen their

self-efficacy. For the first time they were given the chance to speak up. Similarly, the experience of

the performance was a productive educational situation for school pupils, in which they could

cultivate their attitudes and values. Such situations are rarely offered by traditional ways of

teaching. So we believe that TO can educate, empower and create social change.

How the TO looks like? See the short English documentary film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_zPoWJxiFc

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MINI-SEMINAR CAROUSEL – BLOCK 2 Wednesday 9th November

2016Ulrike Wolff-Jontofsohn – Germany Refugee education – New models of HRE & EDC in reception classes

General situation. Since 2015 Germany has received more than a million refugees, among them around 200.000

children of compulsory school age.

The increasing numbers of refugee children have forced the German education system to re-

examine the existing practices of those educational institutions charged with their schooling.

Although schools may be poorly equipped to recognise and respond to the multiple challenges faced

by children and young people who must learn a new language while grappling with unfamiliar

educational and social systems and come to terms with often dramatic experiences during their

flight, there is growing recognition that newly arrived children need stronger support than being

sent to language classes.

Refugee-background students often have minimal or significantly disrupted formal education prior

to arrival in their new country. Young people, and sometimes their families, may lack literacy in first

languages and many are coping with the impacts of trauma associated with forced displacement.

An emerging model of good integration practice. Recent concepts for refugee education emphasise the need for a comprehensive /holistic model for a whole-school approach focused on the learning, social and emotional needs of refugee-background students. They also emphasise the need for EDC/HRE and the obligation of teachers to foster understanding of democratic values and procedures and to support the development of democratic competences. Four key changes seem to be of outmost importance: 1. A move from a restricted (sometimes even hostile) model of schooling to a compassionate model of social integration based on a holistic approach to the refugee child. 2. Awareness that successful integration goes far beyond language learning and academic performances. It includes support from friends and the whole-school allowing refugee children to feel safe at school. Within this theme the issues of discrimination, teachers' attitudes and links between home and school are important. 3. Building a democratic and inclusive school environment that promotes democratic values and also enables children to learn through democratic experiences (Implicit EDC/HRE). 4. To integrate “value education”/EDC topics/ HRE issues as an integral part of all subjects and to teach about citizenship from the very beginning (Explicit citizenship education).

First attempts have been made by teacher training institutes in several German states to develop and to implement basic EDC materials that offer adequate vocabulary, and consider a variety of methods for beginners, such as work with pictures and images. These new approaches suggest a gradual approach: to start EDC in reception classes by combining democratic experiences and explicit citizenship education. Pupils feel safe and supported,-and they learn about HRE/EDC key issues, such as childrens´ rights, democratic communication, religious diversity, and about democratic institutions, voting etc.

Example of materials: Werteordner, http://li.hamburg.de/wertebildung/

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Chris Waller – United Kingdom

Building Resilience: a project of the Association for Citizenship Teaching in England

Project description The ACT 'Building Resilience Project' involves teachers in schools across England developing innovative teaching strategies to build children's criticality and resilience to extremism and being drawn into terrorism. The ambition of the project is to utilise existing technologies to support teachers working in developing the skills and knowledge students need to:

think critically, explore and discuss controversial and sensitive issues

recognise and challenge extremism and terrorist ideologies

build resilience to radicalisation; and

understand the value of democratic citizenship and taking citizenship action. Participants ACT recruited ten schools from across England. These were varied but included many that have students in the HTR category in respect of;

Students coming from ‘fortress’ communities

Those with a high proportion of BME, Islamic, traveller and new entrant students

Communities that identify as white working class British

Communities with students who have gone to fight in Syria Some key aspects of the project

Curriculum work required teachers to develop a coherent teaching plan for the project

Teaching and learning was to be innovative and involve active citizenship

Teachers could choose their own focus

Schools had to commit to the project, its meetings and evaluation strategy

Across the lifetime of the project, teachers often evolved their teaching activities with student consultation rather than adhere to a set plan

Project deliverables By the end of the project there will be:

A framework for evaluating practice, planning and designing a school’s educational response to the government Prevent duty

Case studies that exemplify best practice and how teachers working in a range of school contexts provide practical teaching and learning strategies and approaches. These will include short videos.

A set of learning resources including lesson ideas, teaching resources and approaches to assessing pupils progress and the impact on learning

A full evaluation report and a summary report highlighting learning points for teachers and schools.

All project materials and the evaluation can be seen at www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk