Possible approaches to community cohesion
Rights Respecting Schools
Many schools are basing their values and moral codes upon the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Rights-based approaches
are also used in teaching and learning and the aim is to make them the basis of
all interactions in the school.
Using the UNCRC allows teachers, governors, parents and children to work together to explore values, with reference to an authority that is higher than their classroom, the school, their community or their country. Recognising that these are internationally agreed values helps learners realise that codes of conduct are not unique to any classroom or school, but come from a set of world-wide principles. Unicef's 'Rights Respecting School Award' offers clear criteria and accreditation to a school; this is based mainly on the experiences and views of children and young people in it. Using a rights-based approach can help the school to work with parents and other community members on values and vision and can make a significant contribution to the promotion of community cohesion.
Active citizenship in the community
Community cohesion is enhanced when young people gain a better understanding of
their own school and the wider community by taking part in projects that can
have real outcomes and benefit other people. Community service projects are
widely recognised as valuable for many reasons including their effects on
learners' confidence, communication skills and understanding of altruism.
They also serve to network the school into its local community and directly
contribute to cohesion in this way.
The National Curriculum for citizenship has included 'active citizenship' as a requirement in key stages 3 and 4 since 2002. The duty to promote community cohesion gives a new emphasis to community-related work in all schools, primary and secondary. A strategic development of community partnerships (for example in relation to the development of extended services) may coincide with strengthening opportunities for learning in and with the local community in the form of active citizenship projects. These have enormous potential to contribute to the school's work on cohesion.
QCA Respect for all
The QCA Respect for all web pages provide a range of whole-school and subject
related guidance on valuing diversity and challenging racism through the
curriculum. The site includes information on race equality legislation,
case studies, a wide range of links to resources and a school audit tool for
improvement planning.
Community Engagement
Some schools may involve pupils in their community-focused
information-gathering and needs identification as they audit and develop
community cohesion work. Using pupils as researchers can add a powerful
dimension to other aspects of auditing and reviewing of cohesion within school.
Actively engaging young people through these processes confirms the
school's commitment to stakeholder participation as well as strengthening
the citizenship curriculum.
Not all active learning projects focussed on the school or wider community will necessarily lead to the development of skills and attitudes necessary for community cohesion. Some discussion of the activity, including proper planning and reviewing helps learners to relate their experiences to the needs of the school and community, along with deepening their understanding of cohesion and ways to improve their community. This also links the work to the citizenship requirements of the National Curriculum.
Following the Russell Commission report on volunteering in the 16 — 25 age group, a charity has been set up to promote a new understanding of volunteering opportunitiesfor that age group. The charity is called 'V' and has a website that may provide ideas and resources of use to work with older students. The Community Service Volunteers website has wide ranging examples of active citizenship work in schools.
Peer education projects
Taking on the role of helping or leading other young people has long been
recognised as a powerful and effective learning experience. Peer education
takes many forms, but ifmanaged well can contribute to cohesion and develop
skills that equip learners to continue to make contributions in later life.
Peer mentoring schemes are an ideal way to link different age groups in the
school and give prominence and public value to helping others.
Philosophy for/with children
Investigation of some of the concepts related to community cohesion can raise
issues that may be sensitive or controversial. Philosophy for / with Children
is an approach to the development of understanding and thinking skills that
works through encouraging children to use questioning, reflecting and reasoning
skills in structured discussion sessions. Establishing these habits of
reflection and questioning creates opportunities for prejudiced attitudes to be
challenged in safe and respectful ways. Based on the concept of
'communities of enquiry' this work is promoted in the UK by Sapere, an
educational charity that develops practice in philosophical enquiry in
education.
Prejudice reduction
Much work and research has been devoted to attempts to reduce prejudice amongst
young people through a wide variety of educational interventions. Research
findings do not currently support a single dominant methodology, so schools
often adopt a range of measures to widen young people's awareness of
diversity and seek to counter discrimination through rational argument.
Identifying common prejudiced assumptions and stereotypes and supplanting them
with more accurate perceptions, myth-busting facts and positive images are
processes that should go on throughout education for all learners. Organised
encounters with a wide range of representatives from different groups may be
seen as a priority for schools in mono-cultural locations. School linking to
foster sustained learning from young people in contrasting areas provides
another fruitful strategy.
Planning for meetings
Simply bringing different groups of young people together, however,
will not necessarily create mutual understanding, reduce prejudice or eliminate
negative attitudes. Schools planning meetings between groups who are unfamiliar
with each other will naturally wish to aim for these positive outcomes and may
find it helpful to consider including the following:
- careful preparation before face-to-face meetings
- clearly agreed aims, objectives and appropriate learning activities set up
- well-structured collaborative activities requiring personal cooperation with members of the other group
- activities such as structured 'ice-breakers' and paired interviews that help identify common interests and common experiences
- activities that require some sharing of information between groups e.g.collaborative creation of performances or group problem solving
- avoiding emotional insecurity or threats to self-image
- lack of or very low levels of inter-group competition during the activities.
- School linking
Working to prevent bullying
Work to prevent and reduce bullying is an important contribution to
the creation of an inclusive learning environment where all can feel safe. This
is closely related to feelings of membership and cohesion across the school and
continued work to tackle bullying can be an important part of a school's
promotion of community cohesion.
CHANGEit Awards
CHANGEit recognises, supports and rewards young campaigners aged 11-18 who are
taking action to create positive change in their schools and communities. The
programme run by Common Purpose offers prizes and mentoring in two categories:
(1) Innovation Awards for young people who have a great campaign idea and want
to get it off the ground, and (2) Performance Awards for young people who have
already run campaigns that have made a difference. In addition to prizes for
finalists and winners, every individual nominated will receive a certificate of
recognition. CHANGEit also seeks to support schools through campaigning
toolkits and lesson plans with an aim to actively engage young people with
their peers and local community.
Common Purpose Your Turn Programme
Your Turn is a three day programme that challenges young people to think in new
ways about their area and their world. The result: growing numbers of young
people with the interest, knowledge and confidence to make a contribution to
their communities. Your Turn works with pupils at Key Stage 3, who are selected
by their schools for their leadership potential. It exposes them to a diverse
group of young leaders from other schools across their local area and to Senior
Leaders (people such as chief constables, business executives and community
leaders) who make the decisions that govern it. The three day programme takes
place in venues that reflect the themes covered, and includes site visits,
real-life case studies and conversations with key leaders.
Last updated: 29 September 2008
