News

'From Concept to Classroom' and 'ESD/GC does it provide hope or despair' are related to ITE and are the work of our Network Manager, Sara Bennett.
'Our survey says' is a report on a project that was a partnership between a local learning community, the county's adviser and GLEAN.

They are also avaliable to download from the GLEAN website.

DFID/ESRC International development research

13.07.2010

DFID and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) are pleased to announce the second call of the DFID-ESRC joint scheme for research on international development (Phase 2).

This second phase builds on the success of the previous scheme launched in August 2005.

The purpose of this fund is to support high quality development research which provides a more robust conceptual and empirical basis for development and the achievement of the MDGs. As well as research excellence, researchers must identify the potential impacts of their research on policy and practice and actively consider how these will be maximised and developed.

In addition to research under the overall banner of poverty alleviation, DFID and ESRC have identified three thematic areas for this call where work will be of particular interest. These areas are:
· Inequality and Development
· Population and Development
· Development in a Changing World: the Challenge for Theory, Policy and Action

Both sponsors wish to invite applications from researchers based in recognised higher education institutions, research organisations or organisations with a credible research capacity in both the UK, and also worldwide. It is important to note that this scheme is open to Southern Institutions as bid leaders as well as partners.

Applications for this call are invited for projects with a Full Economic Cost value of between £100,000 and £500,000 (100% FEC).

The deadline for applications is 16.00 UK time on 30th September 2010 – find out more...

Communication from DFID

9.07.2010

DFID have been conducting an internal review of their work to raise awareness of development issues within the UK. The review has been informed by a clear direction from the Secretary of State that DFID funds should be spent to achieve maximum impact in tackling poverty.

DFID recognises the importance of ensuring that the public is informed about international development. They see schools playing a vital role in this endeavour and their current education work will continue and the on-going procurement exercise for the Global Learning Project will be completed.

DFID recognise the importance of strong media coverage of the developing world and will continue support to projects to increase and strengthen development coverage in the media. To help British people get involved in development, they will also be going ahead with their scheme to support communities in the UK to twin with communities in developing countries. Projects supported under the Development Awareness Fund and the Mini Grants scheme will be funded to their conclusion (except for the projects on which we have already given notice of termination).

In order to release funds for frontline work in developing countries, the Global Development Engagement Fund will not go ahead.

Of course, as always, it is critical that the projects DFID funds demonstrate results and impact. The use of aid funds for development awareness will be scrutinised very closely and we will be tightening our annual review processes. Projects which are failing to meet their objectives, or projects which are not demonstrating that their activities are achieving higher levels of public awareness/support for development will be closed.

Education for Sustainable Development Schools Working Group

08.07.2010

On Monday 5th July, Rohini Corfield joined 13 colleagues from Local Authorities, NGOs and the Government Office for the East Midlands at the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Schools Working Group.

The meeting included:-

a Policy update in relation to changes at the Department for Education
discussion about work with schools to promote Carbon Reduction
updates on ESD work from all the organisations represented - including both progress and challenges
details of ESD events

The next meeting would be arranged when the national policy and funding context were clearer.

Shoot Nations global youth photography competition 2010

02.07.2010

Plan International has once again teamed up with Shoot Experience to launch the fifth annual Shoot Nations global youth photography competition.
This year the project is being sponsored by MTV, Olympus, The Independent on Sunday, National Geographic and The Future Mapping Company.
Shoot Nations is free to enter, and is open to anyone between the ages of 11 and 25 with two age group categories, 11-16 years and 17-25 years. Each year thousands of youngsters from more than 100 countries take part in the online contest in a bid to be crowned the world's best young snapper with a presentation to the UN headquarters in New York.

Find our more on the Shootnations website. See also facebook and twitter.

Consultant looking for examples of global/ethical dimensions to enterprise education

02.07.2010

Ali Brownlie Bojang would be very interested to hear from any DEC working on projects that focus on enterprise education/business education/economic well being. She is looking for contributions of articles, case studies and quotes that focus on the need for, and the practice of an ethical dimension to enterprise education. This is for a paper for the National Association of Head Teachers.

Please email her Ali Brownlie Bojang. Leave your phone number and she will call you back.

News From Kick It Out - June 2010

29.06.2010

The June 2010 newsletter from Kick It Out is now avaliable to download - click here.

United Kingdom Association for Global Learning in Schools

29.06.2010

On 24 - 25 June Rohini Corfield joined 26 other education staff at the UKGLAS conference - click here to see the programme.

The conference enabled staff working in the fields of Global Learning and International Education to exchange information about policy and practice in the context of current political, educational and financial changes.

UKGLAS members discussed how UKGLAS could best serve members interests in a changing work context.

On day two, inspiring presentations about the links between Outdoor Learning and Global/International Education and Community Cohesion led to interesting discussion about the relevance of Global/International learning and identified new partnerships to explore.

Find out more on the ukglas website.

MA in Development Education

24.06.2010

This innovative MA programme has now been running for two years and is primarily by distance learning (at the Development Education Research Centre, IOE, London) so you can do the course based anywhere in the world as long as you have good internet access. The Course is based around two core modules on Principles and Practices of Development Education and Development Education in the Era of Globalisation and two optional modules with a dissertation or 3 optional modules if you wish to do a shorter dissertation or report.

There are two optional modules linked to the theme of the MA programme, one on Training for Development Education and one on North South Education Partnerships. You can apply to undertake the full MA or just one off modules. Current students come from a range of backgrounds from all over the world. They include NGO workers, teachers, community educationalists, staff working for research or policy-making bodies.

Comments on the modules from students have been:

‘I feel the structure of the course to be excellent. I really have been on a journey and I know so much more… the order of the material and resources fed into each other perfectly.' [Principles and Practices of Development Education, Autumn 2008]

‘I liked the fortnightly stucture; for those of us who are working as well as studying I think this helped to keep the module manageable in terms of organising time for study. I also liked the way that the module started with considering the concept of development itself rather than focusing initially on the links with development education. This approach helped me to appreciate the context of the whole development education debate.’ [Principles and Practices of Development Education, Spring 2009]

‘I liked the way the module gradually encouraged students to write more; the activities were structured so that the task of writing the longer assignments has been well supported. For someone used to writing but returning to study at this level I found this very helpful.’ [Principles and Practices of Development Education, Spring 2009]

‘The input of the tutors was always valuable and to know they were so accessible was encouraging. They always challenged us.’ [Development Education in the Era of Globalisation, Spring 2009]

The course can be undertaken in a full-time (one year) or part-time (two years) capacity.

If you wish to apply to do the course or specific module that is run from October please apply before mid-July in order to guarantee you a place.

If you wish to apply to do the course or specific module that is run from January please apply before mid-November in order to guarantee a place.

All details about the course and the modules can be found here.

REDP Newsletter June 18th

24.06.2010

Click here to find out all the latest news from REDP (Regional Equality and Diversity Partnerships).

European DE Watch is now released!

24.06.2010

Performance in the field of public awareness raising and development education varies strongly between European countries, with South-Eastern Europe ranging worst and the North-West of the continent doing best, as finds out the first European Development Education Monitoring Report (DE Watch).

The report, initiated by the European Multi Stakeholder Steering Group on Development Education, provides a detailed overview of development education (DE) policies, practices and funding in the 27 EU Member States and country-region Norway. It analyses DE concepts, policies and practices of national development ministries and related agencies, the formal education sector as well as the approaches of civil society organisations and local or regional authorities.

As a first systematic attempt to assess the DE performance of state and non-state actors in 28 European countries, the DE Watch report develops draft indices and aggregates them into a mapping of the DE commitments and practices of national Non-Governmental Development Organisations and the Ministries/agencies responsible for development.

Furthermore, the report calls for conceptual clarity in the discourse about DE, and suggests a typology which distinguishes between four different understandings of DE that occur in the concepts and practice of the different actors.

In times of decreasing aid budgets and of a more and more interlinked world, the report calls both state and non-state actors to strategically strengthen DE in their organisations and institutions, in order to provide European citizens with the values, knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of an increasingly globalised citizenship.

The European Multi-stakeholder Steering Group on Development Education was established in Helsinki, in 2006 [click here for more information]. Its members are experts from National Governments European Institutions, international organisations, and civil society. In 2007, the group drafted the European Consensus on Development: the contribution of Development Education and Awareness Raising, which provides the first strategy framework on European development education and awareness raising at local, regional, national and European levels.

Click here to download the report.

DERC Development Education Digest: June 2010

24.06.2010

The first edition of the Development Education Digest can be downloaded here.

The Digest has been produced by the Development Education Research Centre (DERC), at the Institute of Education, London in order to raise the profile of development education internationally and provide a focal point for researchers, policy makers and practitioners in the field. It includes research and policy summaries, as well as details of recent publications.

Who Do We Think We Are? Week (21-27 June) - new resources on the WDWTWA website

17.06.2010

New Spotlight Articles...
These include 'An Age of Super Diversity' by Dr Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah, Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, and 'What Makes Me Who I Am?' by Jonathan Edwards, CBE, former Olympic and World Champion. Future articles include 'Who Do We Think We Are? and Museums' by Dea Birkett, Director of Kids in Museums and 'Developing a Sense of Belonging' by Rick Weights, Headteacher from Saxton CE Primary School, North Yorkshire - click here.

New Interactive Resources...
What's in the Britishness Box?: An interactive activity to explore your ideas of what it means to be British by creating your own 'Britishness Box'.

WDWTWA In Your School: Find out how you can participate in WDWTWA Week 2010 by clicking on different locations on the map for inspirational activity ideas.

New Resource Module...
'My Globalised World' is a new module written by Kate Brown (Schools Programme Manager, DEA) aiming to introduce young people to global dimension to their lives. It also gives them the opportunity to identify examples of interdependence in their lives and local communities, and considering how they see their role as global citizens.

'The European Union: United in Diversity' is a Key Stage 2 & 3 unit of study produced by the Oakland School that introduces pupils to the countries of the European Union through mapping and discussion sessions.

DfE will not proceed with the new primary curriculum

17.06.2010

The new primary curriculum has been dropped by the coalition government, it was announced last week.

The curriculum was developed by QCDA building on the recommendations of Sir Jim Rose's review. All primary schools have received guidance on the new curriculum, and in recent months there has been some confusion about whether teachers and headteachers should implement this new guidance.

In announcing the intention not to proceed with the curriculum changes, DfE stated that: The Government intends to return the National Curriculum to its intended purpose - a minimum national entitlement organised around subject disciplines - and will shortly announce its next steps.
In the meantime, the existing primary curriculum will continue to be in force in 2011/12 and schools should plan on that basis. Click here to see the full announcement.

The Geographical Association has a Q&A on what this announcement means for the primary schools sector - click here.

Supporting & Validating Community Cohesion in Schools Event

17.06.2010

On 14th June various EMNGPS members participated in a Community Cohesion event organised by Leicestershire County Council bringing together 50 Head teachers from primary, middle and special schools across Leicestershire with a range of community organisations.

As the agenda shows, schools were given a variety of ideas about how to develop, implement and evaluate their statutory duty to promote community cohesion.

There were also a range of display stands including EMNGPS, Leicester Masaya Link Group, the St.Phillips centre, Diversity Hub, YHA and the Stephen Lawrence Equality Standard.

The day enabled useful networking and schools left buzzing with ideas and contacts.

New book: Students' Perspectives on Schooling

15.06.2010

Students' Perspectives on Schooling explores how schools might be transformed for the better, by giving greater weight to the views of students.

Osler explores various arguments for involving learners in decision-making processes, including:

The potential benefits to schools and the wider community
Moral and legal reasons based on human rights principles
Gaining fresh insights into the processes of teaching and learning

Firmly grounded in research, it analyses data collected from young people living in both the UK and US. Almost 2000 students reported on their current education provision and the degree to which they felt it met their needs. In keeping with the spirit of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Students' Perspectives on Schooling engages with the voices of these young people to consider how they might inform educational policy making.

It argues that consulting young people is not only beneficial to the everyday life of schools, but that the future health of democratic societies demands that we re-think relationships between adults and young people.

A must read for teachers, school leaders, educational researchers, and anyone involved with educational policy-making and planning. Audrey Osler is visiting Professor at Birkbeck, University of London and the University of Leeds, UK, where she was Founding Director of the Centre for Citizenship and Human Rights Education.

Click here to download the order form.

Inter Multi-Faith Calendar 2010 - 2011 Culture Diversity eBook

15.06.2010

Click here to visit the multi-faiths Diversity Equality Educational Portal Site

Delivering the Economies of Climate Change Event

15.06.2010

The latest UK Climate Projections indicate that the East Midlands is one of the regions most at risk from future climate change. The challenges of climate change, energy efficiency and increasing resource demand require the region to seek innovative, efficient and effective solutions to sustain the regional economy and communities.

On 10 June Rohini Corfield represented EMNGPS at an event organised by Groundwork East Midlands which brought together leaders from the private, public and voluntary sectors to:-

hear about examples of proven best practice in sustainability work
learn from climate change and low carbon policy makers and practioners
network with key players in the region
explore practical and effective solutions to local, regional and national challenges

Information gathered from the event was shared with network members.

Equality Act 2010

15.06.2010

On 10 June Rohini Corfield attended a conference about The Equality Act 2010 organised by the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership

Sheila Lock, Chief Executive of Leicester City Council welcomed 70 delegates from the public and voluntary sectors to Leicester.

Alison Pritchard, from Government Equalities Office, outlined the scope of The Equality Act.

Amanda Ariss, from the Equality and Diversity Forum explored how NGOs might use the Act in their work

Anthony Robinson, from the Equality and Human Rights Commission outlined the practical applications of the Act

In the afternoon workshops explored the opportunities and challenges presented by the Act, and the implications for each of the different equality strands (age, disability, gender/ gender identity, race, religion/belief, sexual orientation).

Information gathered from the event was shared with network members.

New resources on the Global Dimension Website

09.06.2010

A number of new global learning resources have been added to the Global Dimension website database over the past month.

These include:

Going Up, Growing Up from Manchester DEP
Global Learning though Global Weeks from Cheshire DEC
Right to Food from the British Red Cross
It Makes You Think from Tide~ Global Learning and the Association for Science Education
the SEAL and the Global Dimension website from DECSY
t he PARTICIPATE website from RISC and the October Gallery
three new GCSE Geography Toolkits from the Geographical Association.

Find out more...

Re-orientating ITE to address global learning

09.06.2010

Global Learning Network South West have recently published Re-orientating ITE to address global learning. This document brings together data from South-West trainees about their ITE experience and the support they have received to embed global learning practice. Various themes emerge which can point ITE providers towards taking some simple steps to improve the ITE global learning experience. This paper addresses those emergent themes, illustrated through the words of the trainees themselves, and suggests possible responses that ITE providers could make to this feedback.

Click here to download the document.

Fundraising in schools survey

09.06.2010

DEA has been working with a group of NGO members to develop a set of agreed guidelines on good practice in fundraising with young people. To complement this, we are trying to find out about the fundraising that currently goes on in schools, and have created an online survey for teachers to respond to. It would be great if DEA members could circulate details of the survey to teachers in their network before the end of the summer term. The following text could be used:

Are you a teacher? Then we need your help! DEA and a number of other charities are trying to build a picture of the fundraising that goes on in schools. They'd really appreciate knowing about your experience. Please follow the link below to answer 10 short questions. Thank you!

Click here to access the schools survey (If you are a DEA member but not a teacher, please don't fill in the survey as we just want teachers to respond.)

If possible, please inform Kate Brown once you've circulated details of the survey, so a record can be kept of where it's being publicised.

risc e-news June 2010

09.06.2010

risc e-news June 2010 is out now - click here to download.

Learning Outside the Classroom Awards for Excellence & Innovation 2010. Open for Nominations!

09.06.2010

The Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (CLOtC) has launched the 3rd annual LOtC Awards for Excellence & Innovation. The Awards, sponsored by TUI-Student Division, recognise the commitment of educational establishments providing valuable and positive learning experiences for young people (0-19yrs) beyond the classroom.

Learning outside the classroom (LOtC) is about raising achievement through direct, hands-on, practical approaches to learning that bridge the gap between theory and reality. Whether it takes place in the school grounds, on visits to museums, art galleries or farms; through adventure activities or on cultural exchanges abroad, LOtC is a powerful tool that adds value to classroom learning and offers rich, memorable experiences to young people.

Chief Executive of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, Beth Gardner, explains: “Learning outside the classroom experiences are proven to raise educational attainment and play an important part in improving young people’s social, emotional and personal development. We believe that every young person should have access to regular, continuous and progressive LOtC experiences. These Awards are one way of recognising excellence in LOtC provision.”

Last year, competition for the Awards was fierce with Sandhill View School in Sunderland scooping the top national prize for its determination to get all of its students out and about through regular educational visits and creative approaches to the curriculum. TUI Student Sports Director, Edwin Doran, presented the school with a generous prize of a tailor-made residential and commented ‘it is inspiring to see such a variety of LOtC provision taking place across the country and we are proud to be associated with the Awards’.

This year, the panel of judges are looking for nominations which showcase establishments that are working hard to create novel, innovative and inspirational approaches to learning beyond the classroom. If you’d like to nominate an establishment or set a shining example and be in the running for the top national award and a trip to TUI Student Division’s Chateau du Molay, click here for details of how to apply.

New report on Islamophobia

27.05.2010

The European Muslim Research Centre has published a new piece of research examining Islamophobia in the UK and arguing that it contributes directly to violence against Muslim communities. The report blames the media for stereotyping Muslims. Find out more...

Journal of sustainability education

27.05.2010

A new journal of sustainability education has been launched. It is based in the US, with a website containing plenty of articles which provide food for thought: click here

Reflection - a winning film to inspire change

27.05.2010

On 3 June 2010, at www.globalstudentforum.org/reflection, Global Student Forum (GSF) will release the winning film from the 2009 Media Partnership Challenge. It responds to last year's GSF theme of child mortality and was conceived by students from Kesteven and Grantham Girls School who attended GSF2009 and won Jon Snow's Media Partnership Challenge. GSF put together a team of professional film makers to work with the students to turn their concept into a 7 minute film, with an exciting result. You can view the trailer now on the website and support the students' facebook page.

May 2010 SEEd newsletter out now

25.05.2010

The May 2010 SEEd newsletter is now avalaible to download - click here.

This edition of SEEd news includes:

National Sustainable Schools Conference 2010: Workshops & Agenda's Confirmed ;
Sustainable Leadership Solutions: Think piece article by Dr. David Dixon - Bowbridge Primary School;
Sustainability Journeys: Opening the Doorways to Sustainability - Moving forward a year on;
DFID cuts development awareness projects;
Video resources

Food and Farming Summer 2010 newsletter out now

17.05.2010

The Summer 2010 Food and Farming newsletter is out now. To find out about the latest news, resources and events from food and farming, visit their website where you can also sign up for their newsletter.

Top Tips for schools to engage with biodiversity

11.04.2010

Biodiversity is life. Scientists use the word to describe the links and variety between all living things on the planet - including humans. All too often, economic growth and social progress neglects the essential need to consider and care for the environment. Yet the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity is critical for both the global economy and for the basic resources needed to support our planet‘s growing population.

The world is changing, and by engaging with biodiversity, schools can improve their own performance, while equipping pupils with the skills, understanding, and confidence to adapt to these changes and to succeed in the future. At the same time, they will also be benefiting biodiversity - in the school grounds, local community and all around the world.

This document provides schools with tips to help them engage pupils in biodiversity and includes an extensive selection of links to further sources of information. Click here to download or order from

Introducing vschools: community action for 14-16 year olds

11.04.2010

vschools is a new programme to embed a culture of community action across secondary schools in England, delivered by v, The National Young Volunteers' Service. As part of Youth Community Action launched by the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), vschools will involve 14-16-year-old students in activities which will help to develop their skills and experience and provide recognition for students undertaking activities that benefit their peers, school and wider community.

v is appointing a dynamic national team of over 100 vschools Advisers to begin work in May 2010. They will work closely with schools to build on the brilliant work already being carried out by teachers, providing valuable additional support and resources, offering fresh and innovative ideas for school-based community action projects, as well as brokering relationships between schools and local third and public sector organisations, to increase the supply of volunteering opportunities for 14-16-year-olds. This will include a clear focus on supporting youth-led action in schools and communities, enabling young people to identify the issues that matter to them, and take positive action to address them.

To get in touch with your local vschools Advisor, please visit the vschools website.

New TDA guidance on how to use extended schools to support sustainable development

11.04.2010

TDA has published Building a Sustainable Future, a guidance document for schools on how they can use extended services to support the sustainable development agenda. The report is intended for school leaders, governors, local authorities and partners, and aims to highlight the ways in which a school can use extended services to meet their ambition to become a sustainable school.

The document contains guidance on sustainable schools and extended services, as well as practical case studies of schools bringing the two agendas together, and using the Ofsted self-evaluation form to evidence their work.

Click here to download Building a Sustainable Future

Fairtrade Schools Support Network Grant

23.04.2010

The Fairtrade Foundation is offering grants of up to £5,000 to organisations to support the delivery of training and workshops to schools across the UK in achieving the Fairtrade Schools Award. The aim of this funding stream is that it will support organisations to work with schools to embed Fairtrade into their global citizenship work and develop a full and thorough understanding of the need for Fairtrade and the part that Fairtrade can play in alleviating poverty and in sustainable development.

The deadline for receipt of completed applications is Friday 7 May 2010 at 5pm. For more information please email Joanna Brightwell

International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning

23.04.2010

Issue number 5 of this Journal has just been published and includes major articles by Vanessa Andreotti on Global Citizenship, Jagdish Gundura on Interculturalism and sustainable development and Daniel Davies and Elaine Lam on role of personal experience in development education. Copies of the journal and how to subscribe are available from trentham books website or from Darren Green

This Journal is the only major academic journal on development education and global learning in the English language. It has a worldwide readership and there have been recent articles on sustainable development education, global learning in the third age, review of impact of development education in Norway and maori education and development education.

Promoting Poverty Aware Procurement on Campus

23.04.2010

Procurement in the Further and Higher Education sector is estimated at £8billion annually and this offers a significant advantage to influence suppliers of goods and services, particularly when addressing poverty issues. The EAUC, funded by DFID, has produced a series of documents for procurement professionals through to the novice on raising awareness of poverty issues. Deliverables in this project include promoting poverty aware procurement guidelines report and information sheets which will be launched shortly.

For more information...

Link Schools Programme Re-Launch and Competition for Schools

23.04.2010

Link Community Development is inviting schools in England and Wales to join them in celebrating the re-launch of their Link Schools Programme by entering a competition:

How can we work together to make the world a better place?
With funding from the European Union, LCD is adding some exciting aspects to the Link Schools Programme to help schools to work with their partners to learn together:

Cluster training about success in school partnerships
Joint curriculum materials to guide the process of learning in partnership
Support to take action to make a difference
Provision of solar power, computer equipment, and internet access to African schools to make communication easier.
Schools can win a year's free subscription to the Link Schools Programme worth £550 plus video footage from their partner school.

For more information about the competition and the Link Schools Programme visit their website.

New Development Education Digest promoted by DERC: call for documentation

23.04.2010

The Development Education Research Centre at the Institute of Education, University of London is planning on publishing a new biannual publication on Development Education, which will summarise current and recently published research in the field of development education/global learning, as well as highlighting recently published academic articles and policy reports. The name of the publication will probably be the Development Education Digest. Hopefully it will be a useful resource for academics and practitioners working in the field internationally and will be disseminated widely.

If you are involved in anything that might be relevant to include in the digest such as research summary articles and publications or other relevant recent research/publications please contact Frances Hunt.

Europe-wide research on development education

23.04.2010

Two pieces of research are being conducted across Europe which may be of interest to DEA members:

1. The ‘DE Watch' report: This report provides an overview and comparison of policy and funding for development education across EU member states. The report includes some useful recommendations for the sector, including on how to maintain political support for development education despite the pressure on public finances.

The final report is now available, please contact Max Hogg for a copy

2. EC Development Education Study: This study, launched on 13th April 2010, is a much larger study. It will involve primary research through visits to all EU member states, and interviews with a broad range of stakeholders to determine the profile, nature and extent of development education in each member state. DEA will be hosting a stakeholder workshop for the UK element of this study - more details to follow in due course.

Masters Programme in Development Education

23.04.2010

The Institute of Education in London runs the only MA programme focussed solely on development education and global learning. It is mainly an online course and you can do the course as a full MA or take particular models on areas such as North South Educational Partnerships, Training for Development Education or introductory modules on principles and practices.

If you wish to start in Ovtober 2010, it is now time to book for the course or the modules if you wish to start in October 2010. For further, details go visit their website.

EES regional network achievments

23.04.2010

Two recent reports have been published summarising the work and impact of regional networks funded through DFID's Enabling Effective Support (EES) grant. One report is compiled by Harm-Jarn Fricke on behalf of DFID (click here to download), and the other has been written by Kate Brown at the DEA (click here to download).

DCSF Carbon Management Strategy

15.04.2010

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has published Climate Change and Schools: A carbon management strategy for the school sector . The strategy provides a road map by which schools, local authorities and Government can radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the school estate through dynamic, collective action. It also sets out the DCSF ambition for emissions reduction and responds to the introduction of carbon budgets within Government.

The strategy adopts a broad focus, addressing emissions from energy use, procurement activity and school travel and transport. In doing so, it builds on the recommendations of the Department's Zero Carbon Task Force, and takes into account responses to last year's DCSF consultation on carbon reduction. The stakeholder views received during the consultation process have played an integral part in the successful formation of the strategy and a summary of the responses can be viewed in Annex B. DCSF is grateful to all those that responded.

Click here to download The strategy.

Building public support for development

15.04.2010

The latest issue of BOND's newsletter has a series of articles on building public support for development, including articles from Hetan Shah at DEA, Glen Tarman from BOND and Martin Kirk from Oxfam. Click here

New DCSF publication on the impact of sustainable schools

15.04.2010

A new report from the Department for Children, Schools and Families summarises available evidence for the educational and social benefits of learning in a sustainable school, highlighting the impact on young people's learning, attainment and well-being.

The short and accessible report contains 15 top tips around five themes:
1. Improving schools: enhancing young people's learning and well-being
2. Bringing young people's learning experiences together
3. Developing young people's participation
4. Contributing to school, community and family life
5. Modelling sustainability practices, thinking and planning.

Of particular relevance to global learning, the report highlights the benefits of "making connections between ideas" and "giving young people different perspectives" in order to "be honest and encourage an open, questioning approach."

The report is available online. It's a quick read, and is useful in making the case for global learning to head teachers, leadership teams, local authorities and others.

New from Trentham: Teachers and Human Rights Education; and Undoing Homophobia in Primary Schools

15.04.2010

Teachers and Human Rights Education (Audrey Osler and Hugh Starkey)

Why do teachers need to be familiar with human rights? In multicultural societies, whose values take precedence? How do schools resolve tensions between children's rights and teachers' rights? Campaigners, politicians and the media cite human rights to justify or challenge anything from peaceful protest to military action. The phrase ‘human rights' appears to be a slogan in need of a definition. Human rights education is more urgent than ever. This book clarifies the relevance of human rights to teachers' everyday work. The authors draw on international examples to discuss how schools can work with young people to promote the ideals of justice and peace. Human rights principles are applied to the challenges of living together democratically. ISBN: 978-1-85856-384-8, 180 pages, Price £20.99.

Undoing Homophobia in Primary Schools (by the No Outsiders Project Team, Foreword by Gillian Klein)

This book is a celebration of recognition, affirmation and inclusion. Primary teachers tell the story of how they have challenged the taken-for-granted norms and silences in primary schools around sexual orientation and gender expression. These norms and silences have left lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families marginalised, unrepresented and subject to multiple discrimination, and have allowed embedded homophobia and transphobia to go largely unchallenged. Through their accounts of practice, reflections and interpretations, vignettes and images, the teachers describe how they have challenged this unaddressed area of inclusion across sites across England ranging from a tiny village church school to urban and surburban settings. Working within and beyond the curriculum, teachers have broken boundaries in primary practice for sexualities and gender equality. They show how it is not only through planned innovations and policy developments that change happens but also, and crucially, in the day-to-day moments where new thinking leads to new action for equality and social justice. With its thought-provoking examples of practice, lists of resources and examples of children's work, this is an essential book for enhancing practice. ISBN 978 1 85856 440 1, 140 pages, £16.99.

Further details from Trentham Books Ltd, Westview House, 734 London Road, Oakhill, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 5NP, tel: 01782 745567/844699 or visit the website

Opportunity to host or attend a presentation on global poverty in your local area

15.04.2010

DEA are working with the Global Poverty Project to offer members an opportunity to raise the profile of global poverty issues within your local community. The Global Poverty Project writes:

We are currently touring 1.4 Billion Reasons, a high-impact multimedia presentation that breaks down complex issues of global poverty and demonstrates how we can all take action to make change happen.

It's a highly inspirational and engaging presentation, which can be adapted for different audiences - community groups, workplaces, churches, universities or schools. Hosting a presentation is easy - all you need is a venue and audience, and one of the Global Poverty Project team will come to give the actual presentation.

By hosting, you can get people excited and active - like Vicky from London, who saw the presentation, and told us what she thought on facebook: "I thought the talk tonight was really incredible and so informative. It gave us all much to think about but more simply it has re-energised my own efforts to make a difference and contribute in any way I can."

Our members already do a great deal of work to raise the profile of global poverty within the UK. If you feel that the 1.4 Billion Reasons presentation can complement that work, particularly if you are thinking about how to reach new audiences, contact Max Hogg at DEA with your phone number. One of the Global Poverty Project team will then get in touch with you to discuss hosting a presentation.

Alternatively you might like to take a look at the website to find presentations already happening in your local area, attend one of those and spread the word about these events to your own networks.

EU Call For Proposals: Raising public awareness of development issues

25.03.2010

A call for proposals relating to Development Education and Awareness Raising by the European Commission is open until 30 April 2010.

Find out more...

DFID £3m international development fund for local community groups

25.03.2010

A new £3m grant programme will encourage British community groups to improve links with communities in the developing world in a bid to improve understanding and tackle global poverty.

The Global Community Links programme, launched by the DFID, will offer training and grants of up to £10,000 to community groups in the UK which already have links to communities around the world, but want to develop the relationship.

The fund, launched by minister for state for international development Gareth Thomas, will be available exclusively to not-for-profit groups and will be worth £3m over three years.

The British Council is managing the fund, along with the Institute of Community Cohesion, the Inter Faith Network for the UK and VSO.

Find out more...

International Year of Biodiversity - UNESCO UK schools pack and competition

25.03.2010

To mark the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), the UK National Commission for UNESCO recently launched a biodiversity information pack and competition for schools. The pack includes practical suggestions for how schools can celebrate the IYB and examples of how UNESCO helps protect biodiversity in the UK. The Competition is open to all primary and secondary schools in the UK, and is looking for the school that can best communicate the important messages of the International Year of Biodiversity. Participating schools are asked to devise a creative and effective campaign that can spread the IYB messages to their local community. They can submit a poster, collage, brochure, video or podcast. There will be prizes for the best entry in each category and prizes for runners up. The deadline for competition entries is 28 May 2010.

Find out more, and download the pack from the UNESCO UK website

New Community Cohesion guidance from QCDA

25.03.2010

The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) have just published a new curriculum planning guide on community cohesion for schools in England. Community Cohesion in Action follows on from two previous documents in the series, The Global Dimension in Action and Sustainable Development in Action. It shows how the curriculum can play a key part in promoting community cohesion within a school, its local community and the wider world.

You can download it free as a PDF from QCDA's National Curriculum website. You can also order hard copies via the QCDA orderline quoting ref QCDA/10/4642 - click here.

Human Rights Act - What's Not to Love? - new website

25.03.2010

Liberty have created a new website, The Human Rights Act - What's Not to Love?, devoted to increasing understanding and respect for human rights, and countering myths about the Human Rights Act. For more information, visit the website

DEA consultation workshop: responding to DCSF and DFID Global Learning Strategy consultation

25.03.2010

As mentioned in a previous news article, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for International Development (DFID) are currently consulting on a new shared vision for global learning.

The vision states: "We want all children and young people to be prepared for life in an interdependent world, to be empowered to engage with the global challenges they will face and to be encouraged to take action as global citizens." The consultation is available on the dcsf website Global Learning Strategy.

This a positive development and the consultation provides an important opportunity to influence the implementation of the Global Learning Strategy. DEA will be preparing a detailed response to the consultation and we are seeking input from members at a consultation workshop, to be held at DEA's offices in April.

If you would like to join us at DEA for this workshop, please click here to indicate your availability before 29 March 2009

DFID announces Global Learning project for England

25.03.2010

DFID has made available the Terms of Reference for its new Global Learning Project on it's website.

A brief description of the Project and the timeline for award of the contract, as detailed on the DFID website, are included below.

DFID wishes to engage a Service Provider to design and manage a five-year Global Learning project for England taking forward the project's implementation from September 2010 following a two month design phase. The project will support a strategic, coherent and impact driven approach to global learning across the English education system to ensure that young people can engage with global issues of interdependence (in particular those relating to poverty and development) through education provided by their schools. The Service Provider will be expected to deliver:
1. Sustainable improvements to global learning in the English education system;
2. Increased school leaders' support to embed global learning in their schools;
3. Enhanced teacher's understanding of and professional engagement with global learning;
4. Enhanced school children's critical engagement with global learning, and ensure it is more widespread across England.

The Service Provider will need to ensure evaluation, lesson learning and impact assessment, increase results and cost effectiveness, and inform the project's strategic direction. Funding will be in the range of DFID's current allocation in England to the Enabling Effective Support initiative and the education component of the Development Awareness Fund - details of which can be found on DFID's website.

Responses to this Pre-Qualification Questionnaire must be received by 23:59 on Sunday 18 April 2010. The outline timetable for the remainder of the procurement is as follows:

Terms of reference issued - 18 March
Pre-qualification final response time - 23:59 on 18 April 2010
Invitation to tender issued - end of April/early May 2010
Submission of Bid - early/mid June 2010
Bid Evaluations and internal Assurance - mid/late June 2010
Contract Award - early July 2010
Mobilisation - mid July 2010
Service Commencement - mid July 2010

Show Racism the Red card

18.03.2010

For the latest news about 'Show Racism the Red card' and to sign up for their regular newsletter please visit their website.

My Friend to School in 2010

18.03.2010

2010 is a very important year when lots of attention will focus on education globally. With just five years left until the Millennium Development Goals deadline, there are still 72 million children who miss out on school. To help to ensure that world leaders keep their promise to realise education for all by 2015 we're aiming to have our biggest ever participation in Send My Friend to School in 2010. We’re asking schools to take the 1GOAL challenge during the World Cup, which runs from 11 th June to 11 th July 2010.

The global 1GOAL challenge is being backed by a host of international footballers, celebrities and leaders – who are together calling for a renewed global commitment on education for all. For the 1GOAL – Send My Friend to School challenge learners are asked to work together to make and decorate a giant paper supporter scarf from their school, showing their support for education for all. All the scarves will be sent to the Prime Minister in advance of a crucial Millennium Development Goals summit in September.

There is a free resource pack for schools, which includes a DVD, posters, stickers and Teachers Guide. Schools can register to receive theirs on the website.

New case studies and lesson plans are being developed that UK schools will be able to download and use (these will be uploaded to the website by the end of this month). For now schools can access last year’s teaching resources which are still live on the site. Resources are primarily aimed at Key Stage 2 and 3 learners but teachers are welcome to adapt the resources for older or younger learners.

Find out more by reading the Teachers Guide or take a look at the 1GOAL film here

For more information or to receive some promotional postcards please contact Nicola Cadbury.

IPPR's new report on international development policy in the UK

18.03.2010

The think tank ippr last week published a report on international development policy in the UK: Policy Coherence and the Future of the UK's International Development Agenda. The authors argue that, for the UK to meet our objectives on international development, it is important that we challenge the underlying causes of poverty by ensuring that policies around foreign affairs and defence, migration and trade, finance and environment are all consistent with our international development aims (ippr calls this ‘policy coherence').

The report recognises that in order to the government to maintain popular support for a complex set of policies that will tackle global poverty, it is vital that government "promote[s] the legitimacy both of development and of DFID". To do so will require widespread and effective global learning. Similarly, the report argues that "UK civil society has a role to play in supporting government efforts to engage with the complicated and challenging issues raised by the policy coherence agenda. This means recognising the legitimate trade-offs government has to make, as well as demanding more systematic recognition of development objectives across a range of government policies."

The complexity of addressing global poverty, and the need for civil society engagement, reinforces the need for all members of society to have the opportunity to think critically and creatively about global issues and develop the capabilities to create a more just and sustainable world. This will ensure deeper public engagement with poverty issues, allow the government to make the policy trade-offs to which the report refers, and create a multiplier effect by encouraging individuals to contribute to tackling poverty in their daily lives.

Global Learning Charter coverage

18.03.2010

Recent coverage of the Global Learning Charter.
Recent press stories:

MP's press release:

DCSF and DFID consult on new shared vision for global learning

18.03.2010

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for International Development (DFID) are currently consulting on a new shared vision for global learning. The vision states: "We want all children and young people to be prepared for life in an interdependent world, to be empowered to engage with the global challenges they will face and to be encouraged to take action as global citizens."

The strategy builds on a recent review of DCSF and DFID funded programmes in relation to global learning. DCSF notes that the draft strategy outlines: a new governance structure; a new programme of support for schools; a new global teaching website; a new approach to the International School Award; a new approach to evaluating impact; and a new communication strategy.

DEA welcomes the publication of this draft strategy, and will be submitting a detailed response to the consultation. We would welcome any thoughts and comments from members, and will incorporate these into our response. Please send any comments by email to Max Hogg before the end of Friday 19th March.

We would also encourage members to respond directly - if you do so please copy Max in. The consultation is open from 8 March to 31 May 2010 at on the dcsf website under Global Learning Strategy. Responses can be made online, or emailed to global learning.

New DEA report published

18.03.2010

Last week DEA published a new report: The impact of global learning on public attitudes and behaviours towards international development and sustainability. The report can be downloaded from DEA's website

We have undertaken this research to further strengthen the evidence base for the practical work of DEA members. At a time when we are all being asked to spell out the impact of our work on individuals and on wider society, we hope that the findings will help make the case for global learning to your various stakeholders.

Findings from the report include:

Global learning creates agency around climate change, reducing by half the proportion of people who feel that it is pointless to take personal action on this issue.
Learning about global issues greatly increases the proportion of the public who support the principle of overseas aid.
Ensuring that all schools offer global learning is vital if we are to nurture a socially responsible, outward-looking populace.
There is a very high level of public support for the idea that all members of society should have the opportunity to learn about global issues

All members should have received, or be about to receive, four copies of the report. You are welcome to circulate these to your own networks, use in your advocacy work or display in your offices. We would value your comments on this research, as well as suggestions for future research projects. To send us feedback, to request further copies of the research, or for further information, contact Max Hogg (020 7922 7939).

DCSF/DFID Global Learning Strategy- another Consultation opportunity

11.03.2010

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Department for International Development (DFID) have developed a new shared vision for global learning. We want all children and young people to be prepared for life in an interdependent world, to be empowered to engage with the global challenges they will face and to be encouraged to take action as global citizens.

The draft joint strategy contributes to the existing curriculum and links with the duty on schools to promote community cohesion and the national framework for sustainable schools.

A recent review of DCSF and DFID funded programmes concluded that important progress has been made in strengthening the teaching of global issues in schools. The report also highlighted that further progress can be made through a more aligned approach which could both strengthen individual programmes and provide greater overall impact for the resources invested.

The draft strategy outlines a number of deliverables: a new governance structure; a new programme of support for schools; a new global teaching website; a new approach to the International School Award; a new approach to evaluating impact; and a new communication strategy.

The consultation is under the title A JOINT DFID/DCSF GLOBAL LEARNING STRATEGY FOR SCHOOLS and is open from 8 March to 31 May 2010. Consultation responses can be completed online - click here.

Many of you will have already contributed to the development of this strategy, and we look forward to receiving your further input in taking forward this important area of work

BEAGLE project - invitation to schools from the Field Studies Council

25.02.2010

The Field Studies Council is inviting schools in the UK to join over 300 schools across Europe to take part in a big investigation on the phenology (seasonal changes) of 6 common tree species. The results will help us to learn about how trees differ across Europe and the effects of human activity on the environment. All participating schools will receive a free guide for teachers and fold out key to tree phenology.

To join this project visit the BEAGLE website or send an email

SoundAffects Global Citizenship Survey

25.02.2010

170 schools worldwide responded to the recent on-line survey carried out by the charity SoundAffects. The survey asked about current resources used by teachers for global citizenship work, and gauged their reactions to the potential of using the new resource of professionally recorded audio material. Over 70% of teachers responding to the survey work in schools where a link is already active or where they are in the process of forming one; almost half said that the main global citizenship teaching resource they currently use is material produced by themselves or other staff members. The vast majority (96.7%) said they would welcome new innovative resources such as audio material, especially if it came from a country where their school already had a partnership. You can read more about the survey here.

The survey was carried out as part of the charity's preparations for the launch of SoundAffects Education, a new downloadable global citizenship teaching resource to be available from June, see the website.

SoundAffects is currently piloting this new global citizenship teaching resource, and would very much welcome more secondary schools interested in taking part in the project. For more information, please contact cswinburne@soundaffects.org.uk

Make The Link - Climate exChange: New Schools Programme from Plan UK & the Citizenship Foundation

25.02.2010

Plan UK and The Citizenship Foundation are offering an exciting new programme which is fully funded by the European Commission and therefore free to UK secondary schools. This project has been developed to promote learning, dialogue and action on climate change by linking UK secondary schools with secondary schools in key at risk countries in Africa (Malawi, Kenya and Senegal) and two other countries in the EU (The Netherlands and Bulgaria). Participating students will connect globally via a secure interactive web platform to learn about, and share experiences and views on climate change.

The project will provide teachers with a flexible, engaging, child-informed syllabus and lesson plans on the science, politics and social dimensions of climate change, and facilitate cross-cultural and multi-language exchanges via online discussion forums, school pages and a gallery of children's projects. This programme is most relevant to Geography, Citizenship, Science, IT and Media Studies curricula.

Please contact Rachel Landman at Plan UK on 020 7482 9777 for further information and how to sign up.

Interesting articles in Developments magazine

25.02.2010

There is an interesting article in the current Developments magazine about Makutano Junction being watched in UK schools. It mentions Craven DEC and Just Ideas - visit the website.

The previous issue also had an interesting article following up on the International Broadcasting Trust's recent research, The World In Focus which found that coverage of the wider world does not reflect our range of connections with other parts of the world and our curiosity about how people in other countries lead their lives - click here to see article.

From CEO of DEA

25.02.2010

on 24th February, the DEA launched the Global Learning Charter at a reception in parliament hosted by Malcolm Bruce MP, chair of the Development Select Committee. We were delighted to have over 100 people at the reception, including a number of parliamentarians from across the political spectrum and the former education secretary Charles Clarke MP. You can see some photos from the event by clicking here. The Charter now has a coalition of over 200 signatory organisations including NGOs, schools, local authorities, universities, trade unions and many others. We plan to continue to build this broad based coalition and to work with them to promote global learning.

DEA's has been developing its youth work programme over the years, particularly working in partnership with 5 DECs on the Global Youth Action project. Next month we will be launching a new publication looking at the lessons from our Global Youth Action project. We'd be pleased if DEA members could join us for this launch on 18th March from 5.30 - 7.30pm at the Local Government Association. To register, please email Sarah Williams

In the meantime, we are pleased to launch a new DEA thinkpiece on the 'History of Global Youth Work' by Paul Adams. This is available for download on our website. We hope you enjoy it.

Primary Geographer - focus on Global Learning

11.02.2010

The Spring 2010 issue of Primary Geographer focuses on global learning. It has been edited by Ben Ballin from Tide~ Global Learning and includes an article written by Hetan Shah and Kate Brown from DEA, as well as some DEA members. Find out more...

The Benefits of Global Learning - article in SecEd

11.02.2010

In last week's issue of SecEd, the weekly magazine for secondary schools, Kate Brown, DEA's Schools Programme Manager, looked at the benefits of embedding global learning across all subjects.

Click here to read the digital edition online. Kate's article is on page 9.

New Thinkpiece on Sustainability in Schools from the National College

02.02.2010

A new thinkpiece, Every Child's Future: Leading the Way by Jonathan Porritt and others urges school leaders to embrace sustainability in their schools, arguing that leadership must be grounded in moral purpose, making sustainability integral to all aspects of education - find out more...

The thinkpiece is supported by research by Forum for the Future and the Institute of Education involving a study of 56 schools who are leading the way in developing sustainability in their school and wider community. The research outlines the key characteristics of sustainable schools - find out more...

Young Brits at Art 2010: Turning young people's vision into art

02.02.2010

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has re-launched its Young Brits at Art awards, inviting 11-19 year olds from all walks of life to express their vision of this year's theme: 'What would the world look like if we lived without prejudice?'

This academic year, Young Brits at Art offers new resources for educators which complement and reinforce learning under the National Curriculum in England and Wales and the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland. The resources aim to model good practice in facilitating young people's creative work exploring equality and human rights. They are also designed to help educators and group leaders organise activities to support young people's entries to the Young Brits at Art awards. Find out more about the resources...

The awards can benefit young people in schools, youth clubs, Connexions services, pupil referral units, faith groups, libraries, leisure centres and other local council facilities. Charities and museums can use the awards as part of their existing youth programmes. Individual young people can also develop their own artwork and enter independently.

After the success of the first year of the awards in 2009, Young Brits at Art 2010 includes new categories such as photography, sculpture and motion animation, as well as its previous sections for painting and drawings. Our goal is to get more schools and youth centres involved by providing new and innovative resources that support the teaching of arts and citizenship as well as ongoing work with young people outside the school system. We will also host 45 artist-led workshops to support those taking part, with a particular emphasis on young people from disabled, hard to reach and vulnerable backgrounds.

Click here to find out more information and to sign up to the awards. The deadline for submission is Wednesday 24 March 2010.

Young Brits at Art is part of a wider programme of EHRC work with young people; find out more...

Green Gown Awards - Applications now open

02.02.2010

Applications for the 2010 Green Gown Awards are now open, and the deadline to have your stage one application received by the Green Gown Awards team is 12 Noon on Friday 19 February 2010.

Is your institution a leader in sustainability? Are you making positive changes through exciting initiatives? Then get yourself recognised in the leading sustainability awards scheme for universities and colleges across the UK.

There were a record number of applications in 2009, with 33% from the FE sector. 28 winners and highly commended were celebrated at a gala banquet and awards ceremony in London presented by Kate Humble.
Now in their sixth year, the Awards recognise the exceptional initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges across the UK to become more sustainable.

To apply, visit the Green Gown Awards website and download an application form and guidance notes. Be creative and make sure you return your entry by 12:00 noon Friday 19 February 2010 to the Green Gown Awards team

One Big Idea competition

02.02.2010

Do you have an idea that could change the lives of thousands?

The One Big Idea competition is looking for a fantastic idea to go into production and on sale in selected Co-operative stores. All Global Ethics' profits from sales of this product will fund a humanitarian project of your choice in Malawi and your entry will need to show a direct link between the product sold in the UK and the project funded.

The judges will be looking for entries that put the people first; demonstrating a tangible link between the product and the project that it funds, whilst at the same time selling really well in the UK and having the minimum impact on our environment. The competition is open to anyone who has a good idea! There are five categories for entries, including 2 school categories - primary and secondary. The deadline for entries is 12 February 2010.

Find out more...

Ofsted Citizenship report

02.02.2010

This month Ofsted published Citizenship established? Citizenship in Schools analysing citizenship provision in secondary schools over the last three years. This report builds on the 2006 publication Towards consensus? which provided a picture of citizenship as an emerging presence in schools, with many gains since its introduction in 2002 but with considerable barriers to be overcome. Citizenship established?, based on a similarly sized sample of schools, shows steady progress as citizenship becomes more widely understood and acquires depth in the light of experience, but also highlights what schools need to tackle if citizenship is to be firmly established.

Particularly relevant to global learning, the report notes that quality provision includes links between the school and the community locally, nationally and globally, and that work around global links can help bring the curriculum to life. In all but two of the 23 primary schools visited provision was found to be good or outstanding, with strengths including pupils' understanding of the community, sustainability, global links and human rights. Also of note, the report emphasises the importance of good discussion, based on knowledge and guided by clear ground rules. Outstanding teaching of debating skills was seen in one school where a team of teachers used a philosophical approach to discussing sensitive and controversial issues.

Press reporting of this Ofsted report tended to focus on the fact that teachers worry about talking about politics in the classroom:

Holocaust Memorial Day Address

02.02.2010

On 28 January Rohini Corfield joined 40 staff and Members from LCC to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. At the event Julian Harrison, from LCC, delivered a thought-provoking address - click here to download.

The event was a powerful reminder of our individual and collective responsibility to challenge all forms of prejudice and discrimination in our daily lives.

New-look National Curriculum website goes live

02.02.2010

This week sees the launch of the National Curriculum website, which now includes the new primary curriculum and a range of tools and information to support it, including:

an interactive video tour of the site's highlights
a short introductory guide to the new primary curriculum
a tool to help teachers design and plan their own curriculum
an interactive tool which allows teachers to view selected curriculum areas side-by-side
new case studies which show how schools have used their curriculum to make real improvements in outcomes for their learners

The website is a big step forward in making the new primary curriculum come to life for headteachers and the school workforce, and makes the curriculum easily accessible for all. Schools and teachers now have the information and support to start planning for the introduction of this new curriculum. More material will be added to the site 2010, including professional development materials, guidance and enhanced online tools.

The secondary part of the website now includes a section on evaluating your curriculum, more information on curriculum design and improved links from subject areas.

QCDA have worked with heads and teachers and with accessibility experts to help ensure that the website is useful, intuitive to use, and more accessible for disabled users.

Alongside web-based resources, QCDA has produced a new primary handbook and introductory guidance, which are being sent to all schools and local authorities during February. A team of regional primary curriculum network advisers will be working with local authorities to support the development of local programmes of support and identify and disseminate good practice.

QCDA are keen to hear from users to help them continue improving the website. If you would like to leave feedback then please contact email QCDA.

Rutland Sustainable Schools Showcase article

19.01.2010

Click here to read the press release

Equalities Updates

19.01.2010

The Equality Bill: There’s continually updated information online. From here you can click on links to all the relevant Hansard pages since the first

reading in the House of Commons on 24 April 2009. As of earlier this week the Bill is at committee stage in the House of Lords.

Implications for children, schools and families: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is organising two listening events in February about the practical implications of the Equality Bill. They’re on Thursday 4 February in Sheffield and Tuesday 23 February in London . You can get more information, and an application form to take part, by emailing dcsf.

DCSF Single Equality Scheme : The DCSF’s Single Equality Scheme was published in December. It’s an informative overview relating to disability, ethnicity and gender, and can be accessed on the website.

‘Young, Muslim and Citizen’ : Sub-titled Identity, Empowerment and Change and published by the Runnymede Trust, this is an online resource pack for parents, teachers and youth workers and is intended to complement not only citizenship education programmes in mainstream schools but also mosque-based education. Click here to access the resource pack.

Prejudice-related bullying in schools: The DCSF is currently conducting a consultation about how best to record and report incidents of prejudice-related bullying, particularly incidents around racism, religion and culture – information at on the website.

Click here to see the consultation document.

The winter 2009 issue of Race Equality Teaching contains a special supplement about racist incidents and bullying in schools.

‘Holding Together’ : Sub-titled Equalities, Difference and Cohesion , this is a handbook for school improvement planning. It was published by Trentham Books in April 2009 and is currently being reprinted. Find out more...

‘Equalities in Education’: This collection of papers has been compiled to support schools and local authorities in their responses to UK and European equalities legislation, including the proposals in the UK Equality Bill 2009. Amongst other things, it contains a model school policy statement, questions for school self-evaluation, notes on equality impact assessments, and a list of useful websites. Click here to visit the website.

DFID's proposal to create a new Global Learning programme

19.01.2010

DFID have put up their response to their proposal to phase out the DAF and EES programmes, and to create a new Global Learning programme. This is available on the DFID website.

DFID are aiming for their new programme to be a 5 year programme, with an emphasis on having the education sector take on the global learning challenge for itself.

DFID are planning a stakeholder consultation about the new programme. If you are interested, please contact Saadia Mahmood by 25 January 2010.

Black British History - George Whatley

18.01.2010

George Whatley is a part-time lecturer at the University of Northampton in Black British History (one of only three universities in the UK who offer such a course). George runs a British Black History module and a Special Studies Module, which are open to members of the public for £60 per module.

The Black British History module 2010 will run between 27 September and 6 December 2010. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact George - his details are below:

George Watley, BA MA CPW
Lecturer and Postgraduate Researcher: Consumer Behaviour of Northamptonshire Caribbean People c. 1955-1985
Division of History, School of Social Sciences
george.watley@northampton.ac.uk
Unit 1, Knowledge Exchange
Park Campus
University of Northampton
Boughton Green Road
Northampton NN2 7AL
01604 892512

George may also consider running courses in other parts of the region if there are sufficient numbers.

Rights Respecting Schools and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

18.01.2010

The UK State party (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) signed up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on 16 December 1991. Every five years the UN Committee examines the state party to see how well it is progressing children's rights. The last examination finished in September 2008 and the UN Committee issued a set of concluding observations or recommendations in October 2008. In response, in November 2009 the Department for Children Schools and Families published ‘Working Together, Achieving More', outlining ways in which England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can work together to make the UNCRC a reality for all children and young people in the UK.

There are separate, more detailed, action-plans for each administration:

Of note, ‘Working Together, Achieving More' draws attention to the work of UNICEF in raising awareness of the UNCRC through its "Rights Respecting Schools Award" initiative. The RSSA initiative, running in more than 1000 primary and secondary schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, helps schools to use the UNCRC as a framework for developing a set of shared values, upheld by the school community. You can read more about the award on the Unicef website or go to teachers.tv to watch a 20 minute film introducing West Hill Primary School's experience of the RSSA.

Policy watch: Conservative plans for Ofsted community cohesion inspections

18.01.2010

Shadow Secretary of State Michael Gove said this week that under a Conservative government Ofsted would not inspect how a school contributes to community cohesion. Click here to read article.

Mr Gove announced these plans as he unveiled his party's classroom manifesto in Nottingham. He cited this inspection category as one of 13 that would be removed from Ofsted's remit, reducing Ofsted's inspection categories from 17 to 4. He did not comment on whether the duty on schools to promote community cohesion would be abolished. However, if Ofsted was no longer to inspect on community cohesion, it is likely that this would make the duty less of a priority for schools, even if it remained in force.

Global Learning Charter update

18.01.2010

DEA's Global Learning Charter now has over 150 signatory organisations, including UNICEF UK, Oxfam, Royal Geographical Society, Eden Project, WWF, local authorities, businesses and many UK schools. Click here to see the full list. An Early Day Motion has been tabled in Parliament in support of global learning.

If you have not yet signed the Charter and would like to do so, please contact Max Hogg. For more on the background of the Charter see DEA's website

Children's Statement on Climate Change

21.12.2009

Over the summer, DCSF asked for children and young people's views on climate change and messages for Copenhagen. They were overwhelmed to receive 1,500 responses, and were struck by the strength of feeling and sense of urgency coming through. From those responses, they drafted a Children's Statement on Climate Change, which is a clear call to action for those attending Copenhagen to negotiate an ambitious deal to protect our world and our children's futures. Although many older children and young people responded to the consultation, DCSF tried to ensure that younger children's voices are heard through the Statement. They thought it was important to frame the technical and scientific debates in the context of protecting children and young people's futures.

DCSF would like to extend thanks to the organisations, schools and individuals who responded to their questions. On 26 November, children from St. Luke's CEVA Primary School in Newham handed over the Children's Statement to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. You can see the Statement online. Ed Balls then passed the Statement to Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change at a Cabinet meeting - see Ed Balls' Twitter page for an impromptu picture of the moment taken by the Chief Whip! The Prime Minister has a copy and it has also been sent to members of the UK delegation for Copenhagen.

If you feel inspired to take action after you've read the Statement, a great place to start would be by looking at We Are What We Do's website which gives you plenty of ideas for small actions that, added together, mean big change. If you are interested in taking things one step further and creating a campaign, there is a new section in We Are What We Do's website which is aimed primarily at schools - but campaigns can be created in youth groups, by individuals, or with a group of friends.

If you would like to find out more about the UN Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, visit the UK Government's Act on Copenhagen pages

Click here to download the Statement or order copies online. Search using the product reference: DCSF-01142-2009.

International Volunteers for your school or youth project

21.12.2009

Concordia is a registered charity No: 305991. They work with organisations around the UK to bring international volunteers to work on community projects, and to send young people from the UK on volunteer projects around the world. They are looking for new UK organisations to work with this summer, and they are particularly keen to find youth groups and schools who would like to work with international volunteers.

The projects are a chance to bring an international dimension to your work, to get the young people you work with actively engaged with 'global citizenship' and to receive enthusiastic volunteers who will bring new ideas and insights into countries and cultures from around the world. Previous volunteer groups have run sessions on their home countries, provided language, music, dance and cooking lessons and supported school events or worked on environmental projects.

Your school or youth group would need to accommodate and feed the volunteers for the durations of their stay (normally 2 - 3 weeks) and have an interesting programme of work for them to engage with. The accommodation can be simple, for example past volunteers have stayed at a local community hall, camped or been put up by host families.

For more information, email the UK Volunteer Programme Co-ordinator or call 01273422535.

Informed Theatre Company

21.12.2009

Informed Theatre Company is now touring schools with a brand new play 'Cast Away'. This play follows ESDGC guidelines, dealing with recycling by exploring the theme of "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle", and explaining what a sustainable world is. It is suitable for Key Stage 2, and alongside the show the company also provides a workshop consisting of games and activities that enhance what the children learn from the play. They invite the children to share their thoughts on the issues discussed and explore the themes mentioned.

For further information email Glenn Phillips, or phone on 01633 671464 or 07535469010, or visit the website.

Education for sustainable development is making a difference, says Ofsted

21.12.2009

Ofsted has today (16 December 2009) released the findings of a three-year inspection programme looking at improvement in education for sustainable development in a selection of schools.

The small-scale survey, which followed a group of schools over a three-year period, reveals that a focus on sustainable development is not only having a direct impact on the actions of pupils and their families but on the wider community. It also shows that schools themselves are reaping benefits from improved provision through cost savings and better behaviour.

Download the report here...

TES article on schools teaching about climate change

21.12.2009

The following article featured in the Times Educational Supplement on 11 December 2009:
Heated Debate: As world leaders assemble in Copenhagen, climate change will be brought to the fore in schools around Britain. But how can you convey the harsh realities sensitively and effectively?

Who Do We Think We Are? Project Grants for Schools

10.12.2009

The WDWTWA project awarded 10 grants to schools (Primary and Secondary) across England in 2009 and grants for 2010 are now being advertised on the website and more information can be found on their leaflet. The grant application guidance can be downloaded here.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 12th February 2010.

To find out more email Harprett Kaur Sanghera or call on 0207 591 3057.

PASSAGE Interactive Roadshows

10.12.2009

PASSAGE provides a one day Roadshow aimed at school years 7 to 9 exploring the realities of immigration and the UK asylum process via an interactive teaching package. The 'Refugee Experience', creative workshops, quizzes, interviews, videos, games and lessons will all make for a day students wont forget. Click here to read an article about them.

For further information email The Passage team or phone on 01509 550438. The Passage Flier is available to download by visiting the website where you can also book online.

Connecting Classrooms India and Sri Lanka

10.12.2009

There is a exciting opportunity for clusters or schools in your Local Authority to establish a Connecting Classrooms link with schools in a brand new region, India and Sri Lanka.

It is likely to be a competitive application process so please apply in time for the deadline and with the correct number and type of schools. All the details for the programme are below but should you have any questions or queries please contact Liz Rawlinson

The invitation to apply for CC ISL can be seen here. Please note that we MUST have both an electronic and a signed hardcopy version of the application by 15th December. Successful applicants will be notified no later than 15th January.
UK queries and applications should be addressed to CC_ISL@britishcouncil.org
We are recruiting a total of 20 UK clusters (16 for India and 4 for Sri Lanka). Each cluster MUST have 4 schools and MUST include at least ONE secondary school and the partnership will be funded for three years.
Each UK cluster will be working with one Indian OR Sri Lankan cluster made of 8 schools each. Therefore, the 4 UK schools will be linked to 8 schools in India or Sri Lanka.
Successful clusters will receive £1,000 per year for administration costs (the first payment will be made before 31st March 2010). And in 2010/11 (after April and the submission of an approved project plan) the UK cluster will receive a travel grant of £4,000 (in addition to the £1,000 for admin cost for the second year).
Successful applicants we will be asked to identify two representatives per cluster to attend the following:

A one day UK Pre Contact Seminar Briefing on either 28 th or 29 th January at British Council, London.
A Contact Seminar the weekend of 27th & 28th February which will be extended to the morning of Monday 1st March. Immediately after the contact seminar there will be visits by the Indian/Sri Lankan teachers to their new partners' local authorities and schools. These visits will be an opportunity to introduce the whole school to your new partners and the Connecting Classrooms India/Sri Lanka project.
All UK travel costs for the briefing and the contacts seminar will be covered by the British Council and will not come from the grant.

6. We will be pre-matching the clusters prior to the Contact Seminar so partners will be able to concentrate on their project plans.

Traidcraft's Snack Attack Challenge

7.12.2009

The Snack Attack Challenge is a competition for school groups (years 3-13 and equivalent) to design a brand new Fairtrade Snack, its packaging and accompanying marketing campaign. Whether a healthy snack or an addition to Traidcraft's confectionery range, this challenge is an opportunity for students to use their creativity and develop their business skills. With links to many subjects including Design & Technology, English and Literacy, Citizenship, Enterprise and ICT, the competition can be run as part of the curriculum or as an activity in a Fairtrade club or school group.

Prizes include £350 for the school, goody bags, a visit and prizegiving presentation. Traidcraft also plans to produce a new snack and packaging based on competition entries and to credit on the packaging any school whose entry is used.

The closing date for entries is 31 March 2010 so schools can make the Snack Attack Challenge part of their activities in Fairtrade Fortnight. Download the full competition pack here

DFID report on public attitudes to development September 2009

7.12.2009

DFID have just published their latest poll on public attitudes to development - click here see website. The poll was conducted in September 2009.

The results showed a mixed picture in relation to public attitudes: on the positive side, the proportion of the population categorised as 'active enthusiasts' (those most engaged with global poverty) has bounced back from a low of 11% in February 2009 to 16% in September 2009. The proportion of the population who say that they are 'very' or 'fairly' concerned about global poverty has remained broadly stable in recent years, at just over 7 in 10 people, although the proportion who are 'very concerned' has dropped from 1 in 4 (25%) to 1 in 5 (21%) over the past six months.

Of further concern, support for increased Government action on global poverty has dropped from half of the population (49%) a year ago to only 2 in 5 (42%) today. At the same time, the proportion of the population who believe that 'most aid is wasted' has jumped by almost 10%, from 47% a year ago to 55% today.

DCSF plans to reform the primary curriculum

7.12.2009

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has confirmed plans to undertake a major reform of the primary curriculum, based on Sir Jim Rose's recommendations earlier this year. DEA welcomes the new curriculum plans, particularly the promise of more flexibility for teachers and the opportunities for greater linking between subjects, which can enable global learning. However we believe for the curriculum to be truly fit for the 21st century there needs to be a stronger emphasis on sustainability and global perspectives throughout.

The curriculum announcement includes compulsory teaching of evolution in schools and the introduction of sex education and media outlets have focused on these (Times, Guardian). Beyond this, however, the plans entail a major shake-up of the way in which primary schools approach subjects, with six 'areas of learning' replacing 13 individual subjects from September 2011. More flexibility for schools and teachers has also been promised, and is much needed.

However, we believe that DCSF has missed an opportunity to develop a curriculum that would allow primary age children to think critically about the major global challenges of the 21st century: global poverty, climate change and sustainability, and community cohesion.
Global learning can help schools with their statutory duty to promote community cohesion and so counteract extreme political voices at a time when they are growing louder.
Primary age children are clamouring to learn about what we can do to counteract climate change and make progress towards sustainability; incorporating this into the curriculum would help to turn fear into agency for change as has been shown by the Cambridge Primary Review.

And for a generation that will grow up in a truly interdependent global economy, learning about international development and poverty is an essential prerequisite to developing global citizens who are engaged in promoting a more just world.

We will be working with DCSF and statutory education agencies in the coming months to continue to make these arguments and to support teachers to make the most of the promised curriculum flexibility to embed global learning.

7.12.2009

As mentioned in a recent e-noticeboard, DEA has been trialling a new approach to the blog on our website. We regularly come across interesting policy documents, great bits of practice or other interesting news stories that we are keen to share with you, our members. Building on feedback from the recent members' survey, we are using the blog to keep you up to date with policy developments and good practice. Expect to see posts at least once a week on various topics; in the past few weeks we have been blogging on:

• DCSF plans to reform the curriculum
• NFER citizenship research published
• Development Journalism
• Research on school linking

We would love to get your feedback on whether you find the blog useful, and how it could be improved. So please take a look our website and send comments to Max Hogg. Thanks!

Community Cohesion factsheets

26.11.2009

Two new factsheets have been added to the Community Cohesion page of the Leicestershire Together website - one on Zoroastrianism (download here) and the second on Volunteering (download here). They can also be found alongside the other factsheets in the 'Community Cohesion Toolkit' section of the website.

Could your life story become a published book?

26.11.2009

My Story is about finding remarkable true stories of ordinary people that could be turned into bestselling books. We’re looking for extra-ordinary true life stories from all over Britain. They might be dramatic, heartwarming, funny or sad - as long as they’re true, we want to read them.

Fifteen people's stories will be told in a major new five part series to go out next year on BBC1. Five of these people will win book deals plus a cash advance of £20,000.

My Story is not a writing competition as the winning stories will be ghostwritten by the publisher Harper Collins. But if your story is chosen, your name would appear on the cover of your own book.

Applications should be made via the website with a summary of your story in no more than 1500 words. All applications should be written in English or Welsh. If applicants don't have access to the internet, please apply via post to My Story, PO Box 65655 London W12 2BG.

The closing dates for entries is 16th December 2009.

Ministers announce a new Primary Curriculum

24.11.2009

It was announced, by ministers as part of the Children, Schools and Families Bill that the outcomes of the primary curriculum consultation have been accepted and the new primary national curriculum should be established in law (click here to read annoucement)

This follows a 12 week public consultation organised by QCDA on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Over 10,000 responses were received to the consultation which looked at proposals to change the primary curriculum along with proposed changes to the subject level descriptions, proposals to make Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education statutory and an updated non-statutory guidance document on Religious Education. In particular, we received over 3,300 responses to the primary curriculum through the online survey, conferences and seminars.

Three weeks ago the revised level descriptions were accepted by ministers (click here to download) and last week the announcement was made that PSHE education was to be made statutory (for further information visit the teachernet website). The announcement that a new primary curriculum is going to be introduced is the next part of the Government's commitment to ensure that our nation's curriculum meets the needs of all learners in the 21st century.

The curriculum proposals were positively received during the public consultation and at conferences and seminars held across the country. The proposals built on the evidence gathered from a wide range of stakeholders over the last 18 months including the views of teachers and headteachers, parents, children, employers, governors and others in the education community.

The DCSF is now leading a close collaboration between QCDA, the National College, the National Strategies, and Becta, to work on guidance and support for the new curriculum to ensure that it is well received in schools across the country.

The first part of this support will be two conferences for local authorities and headteachers in London on 7 December and York on 10 December. If you are a local authority representative or headteacher, and would like to find about attending these events please contact your Head of School Improvement who has further details and information about the nomination process.

In January the National Curriculum website will be relaunched and will feature new interactive design tools, illustrative case studies and guidance. It will be updated frequently, as more material is generated and we respond to user feedback. This will be followed by a further series of events and opportunities for colleagues to find out more.

The thinking primary website contains all the latest information about the primary curriculum. It also has a blog to share experiences and relevant materials that can be downloaded.

National Inter-faith Week

19.11.2009

On 18 November Rohini Corfield joined other volunteers from different faith backgrounds to staff an information stand put together by Leicester Council of Faiths in the High Cross Shopping Centre.

The purpose of the event was to mark the first National Interfaith Week by demonstrating unity in diversity and showing mutual respect and understanding between different faith groups.

Leicester is often quoted as an example of a city with good community relations and postive cohesion. Leicestershire County Council also held an event to launch the week.

Call for Evidence from the EHRC - have your say about progress on equality, good relations and human rights

16.11.2009

Every three years, the Equality & Human Rights Commission has to publish a report that shows how far society is making progress in equality, good relations and human rights. This 'Triennial Review' will highlight critical issues that society is currently facing and help set their agenda for future work. The review will be published in October 2010.

Over the next year, the Commission is looking for input and feedback from everyone who has an interest in helping them identify the main challenges that face our society. More information is available on their website.

The EHRC has made a Call for Evidence from people who work with or who represent disadvantaged groups. For more information about the different ways of feeding into the review, including an on-line survey, telephone interviews and a series of events click here

Global Dimension in Schools NI invites tenders for a policy consultancy

16.11.2009

Global Dimension in Schools NI invites tenders for a policy consultancy. Global Dimension in Schools NI is the regional programme for the Department for International Development’s Enabling Effective Support (EES) initiative. The initiative has the aim of strengthening the policy environment in the formal education sector and supporting teachers in the delivery of global issues in the classroom.

Aims of Consultancy
To strengthen the policy framework for the global dimension in schools through research, consultation and the production of a policy resource.

More specifically the consultancy aims to support delivery of the following activities:

The consult key stakeholders and decision makers in formal education to strengthen the policy environment for the global dimension in schools.
The production of a policy resource to inform an implementation strategy for a global dimension in education policy.
To present the policy resource at a global dimension formal sector conference in June 2010.

Timescale and Fee
The timescale for the consultancy is 1 January 2010 – 30 June 2010. The research timescale and days worked within these dates is negotiable. The total amount available for the consultant’s fees is £10,800 including VAT and expenses.

Skills Criteria
The following skills and experiences are considered essential toward undertaking this practice-based research project:

Essential Criteria
1. A third level degree
2. Proven knowledge or background in formal education
3. An understanding of the global dimension and knowledge of the global education sector
4. Proven record in research and analysis, including experience in qualitative and/or quantitative research
5. Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the production of high quality reports
6. IT skills commensurate with publishing a high quality report and delivering presentations.
7. Knowledge of the recently revised Northern Ireland Curriculum.

Desirable Criteria
1. A Masters Level/ post graduate qualification.
2. A proven knowledge of the NI education system including present education policies and policy making procedures.
3. Work experience with a development organization.
4. Experience in advocacy work/ lobbying for policy development.
5. Experience in writing policies or policy resources.
6. Working knowledge of the NI Curriculum.

Deadline for Tenders: Your tender should be received by 5pm on Friday, 4th December 2009 and sent by e-mail to Nora McQuaid:

Nora McQuaid
Global Dimension in Schools
9 University Street
Belfast
BT7 1FY

Tel: (028) 9024 1879
Website: click here

Terms of Reference:
Click here to download the full Terms of Reference attached.

This consultancy has been undertaken as part of a Department for International Development’s (DFID) initiative.

Starter Grants For Schools

12.11.2009

The Gov Monitor reported that DFID has announced new funding to provide 1,000 £250 starter grants for teachers to develop global education within the curriculum and establish school partnerships with developing countries. They can be used towards lesson cover and travel costs for teachers to attend information workshops and also in-school training to build development education expertise.

Find out more...

DFID consultation - Building Support for Development reviews: DFID's proposed way forward

12.11.2009

DFID have opened a further four-week consultation period on their proposed way forward for the Building Support for Development Reviews. The consultation is available from their website.

Responses must be send by 8 December 2009 to bsdr@dfid.gov.uk

DEA will be responding to DFID on the proposed way forwards both in writing and in face-to-face discussions. We encourage members to respond individually to the consultation, and we are also keen to hear your comments and thoughts to inform our own response; please email Max or call 0207 922 7939 if you would like to make a comment, or to send DEA a copy of your response. In light of the short period of consultation, please let Max have any comments by Monday 16 November 2009 at the latest.

DEA AGM

12.11.2009

On 4 November four EMNGPS members attended the DEA's AGM.

DFID made a number of important announcements at the AGM about their plans following their recent reviews. They plan to consult on their proposals for the next month and then take forward implementation in the New Year.

The main proposals are:

- To end the Enabling Effective Support (EES) programme from August 2010;
- To phase out the Development Awareness Fund (DAF) major grants - this year's grant scheme will be the last.
- To expand the Mini grants scheme and to focus it on non schools work.
- To take the money from EES and DAF major grants which goes towards schools projects and to use this to create a new single programme of support for schools with national, regional and local elements. This programme will be run jointly with DCSF and will be put out to tender - see their website

The DEA also launched their new strategy 2010 - 2013 (click here). There will be a lot of continuity: DEA will continue to focus on strengthening policy, practice and profile of global learning. Over the next 3 year period DEA intend to broaden our work from a focus on schools and youth work to working with a wider range of institutions.

Community Cohesion and the Global Dimension

12.11.2009

On 4 November three EMNGPS members contributed to Community Cohesion and the Global Dimention conference, organised by the National Consortium of DECs with a range of partners including the Association for School and College Leaders, Institute of Community Cohesion, DEA and Oxfam.

Alex Kosogorin and Kapka Nilan ran a workshop about Early Years whilst Rohini Corfield staffed a stand with information about the Locality Groups and EMNGPS work.

The conference attracted 145 teachers, Local Authority Officers and NGO staff to share their expertise. As well as keynote speakers, students from Appelby Grammar showcased their work which involved learning about the Appelby Fair and the cultures of Gypsy, Roma and Travellers.

Development Education Update from the Development Education Research Centre (DERC)

12.11.2009

Click here to download the first Newsletter from the Development Education Research Centre!

Teachers from Northamptonshire visit Bahrain

6.11.2009

Click here to download press release

Teachers from Northamptionshire visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

6.11.2009

Click here to download press relase

Citizenship through photography competition

6.11.2009

'The Real Picture: strong communities or broken society?'

Citizenship through photography competition. Encourage young people to explore community cohesion through photography. This opportunity invites young people to draw on their creative ability and use photography to explore the citizenship issue of community cohesion.

The competition aims to engage learners by encouraging them to think about what community cohesion is, what we as citizens have in common, and whether communities can be fairer and friendlier places in which everyone has a say.

Final entries need to be in by 18 December and entries should be from individuals or groups aged 16 - 19.

Shortlisted entrants will be invited to an exhibition event in London where they will have the opportunity to display and discuss their entries with a panel of prestigious adjudicators. Prizes for learners will be announced on the day and are subject to the size of any shortlisted group entries but are likely to include an experience day plus a cash or equipment prize.

Form more information phone Helen Wiles on 020 7492 5000, email or visit the website.

Discover Rwanda 2010

6.11.2009

In 2010 there will be two Discover Rwanda trips for youth and students and a one week educators and professionals field seminar.

Discover Rwanda is a 3 week long trip for youth and students to Rwanda, packed full of different activities with a focus on learning about the genocide which tore Rwanda apart in 1994, meeting the survivors and engaging in activities to confront its legacy and understand what we can do, to help prevent it occurring again.

Participants in Discover Rwanda will experience Rwanda's vibrant culture, visit genocide memorial sites, build meaningful relationships, participate in social activities, discover the tourist sites, attend specially orgnanised seminars, engage with like-minded students in Rwandan Aegis Students groups and contribute to Aegis Trust's projects in Rwanda.

Participants also have the opportunity to develop and pursue research objectives through the structure of the trip and will be supported by the Discover Rwanda team in this.

The dates for the student trips are as follows:
Discover Rwanda 1: July 2010
Discover Rwanda 2: August 2010
Discover Rwanda Professional Seminar: August 2010

Discover Rwanda costs £2399 and includes flights (return to Rwanda from the UK), accommodation, transport in Rwanda, food, activities & seminars (including Aegis Students’ International Conference held annually in Kigali), safari, pre-trip preparatory seminar, information and resources pack. The Discover Rwanda team will also assist you in developing a personal project plan so you can contribute and use your skills within the volunteering section of the trip.

For more information, email the Aegis Trust of visit their website.

DFID Letter to EES: proposed way forward

6.11.2009

Click here to download the letter from DFID outlining how they propose to go forward with their Education work in the light of recent Reviews.

One proposal is to cancel EES contracts in Aug 2010 and the Development Awareness Fund (DAF) and combine EES money with DAF money to fund a new co-ordinated Global Learning Plan for formal education.

There is another Consultation period on these proposals with a deadline of 8th December 2009. Visit the DFID website for more information.

Raul Valdivia's U-tube interview!

5.11.2009

Please log on to the DFID news webpage to read about:-

the announcement of more money for DFID Global School Partnerships (posted 2 Nov)
Douglas Alexander's visit to Nottingham University on 29 October, including the U-tube of Raul articulating the importance of global education in UK schools - very well-done Raul! (posted 30 October)

New connecting classrooms projects

5.11.2009

India and Sri Lanka: We are currently recruiting groups of UK schools and their local authorities/federations of schools to work with partners in India and Sri Lanka. In each partnership, a mixed group of four UK primary, secondary and/or special schools, supported by their local authority, or federation of schools, will collaborate with a district and group of eight schools in either India or Sri Lanka. We are looking for 20 groups of UK schools in total. Read more and download the application form and guidance.

Latin America and the Caribbean: We are currently recruiting groups of UK schools and their local authorities/federations of schools to work with partners in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia. In each partnership, a group of five schools, supported by their local authority/federation of schools, will work with a district and group of five schools in either Argentina, Brazil, Chile or Colombia. We are looking for 11 groups of UK schools in total. Read more and download the application form and guidance.

Eligibility
Applications from groups of UK schools must meet these three requirements:

• Schools in the cluster should not already be receiving funding (nor have applications pending for funding) from another source for work with the chosen partner country.

• You must apply with the right number and combination of schools in your cluster, according to the requirements of the region of the world that you are applying to work in partnership with. Follow the links above to find out the requirements for partnerships with India and Sri Lanka, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

• All schools in the cluster must have at least Foundation Level of the DCSF International School Award. Registration for the Foundation ISA is simple – download the ISA Statement of Intent, then follow the instructions on the ISA website. All schools accepted onto Connecting Classrooms will be expected, and supported, to work towards the next levels of the ISA during the course of their involvement in the programme.

You should also ensure that your application has:
• Support from your local authority/federation of schools – to confirm this support, the form must be signed by the Director of Children’s Services (or equivalent, or nominee) in your local authority, or the head of your federation of schools.

• A named partnership co-ordinator - to complete the application and co-ordinate all the UK schools in the partnership. This is usually an official in the supporting body, or a representative from the lead school in a family of schools, the local Youth Sport Trust or the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.

• Connecting Classrooms co-ordinators – a named person from each school to manage the project in their school.

****Please note the application deadline is 15th December 2009 ****

'Internationalising' CPD for teachers and school leaders - from Jan 2010

28.10.2009

The CPD Programme organised by the National Union of Teachers is recruiting now for its 'Internationalising Learning - On the global stage' CPD courses open to all teachers and school leaders in England & Wales.

Supported by a grant from DFID these high quality opportunities are offered FREE to pairs of primary (including early years) and secondary participants.

The first courses will be in London, Grantham, Cardiff, Southampton and Newcastle. For full details and to apply please visit the website

New Global Dimension web page on Copenhagen Summit

27.10.2009

A new page has been added to the Global Dimension Website bringing together information and educational resources about COP15 - the United Nations Climate Change Summit that will be held in Copenhagen this December.

Click here to visit the page

If you have further information or resources to suggest for inclusion on this page, please email Moira Jenkins

Rainforests: The Burning Issue - new online interactive booklet

27.10.2009

The Princes Rainforest Project has just released a new online, interactive booklet, Rainforests: The Burning Issue, that describes how rainforests are in the front line in the fight against climate change and explains how a new form of international collaboration could help to reduce tropical deforestation, with many benefits for developed and developing countries.

You can view the booklet at on their website

Hard copies of the booklet are also available free in stores such as M & S, Waterstones, HMV, John Lewis, W H Smith and Tesco.

DirectGovKids website

27.10.2009

The Government have produced a DirectGov website for children, teachers and parents. The website is designed to help young people understand the services that are available in their local area, and it also has a section on climate change (accessed through the local wind farm). The teachers' section has lesson plans on climate change and food, as well as several aspects of citizenship teaching. Click here to visit the website.

Aegis Students...action against genocide

27.10.2009

Aegis Students targets the powerlessness and apathy many young people feel towards international affairs. Providing young people with the skills and opportunities to become informed, tolerant and active global citizens, Aegis Students encourages them to take on leadership roles to affect positive change in their local and global communities.

Through an Education and Leadership Programme, students learn about the ideologies that perpetuate genocide and come to understand it as a result of prejudice, exclusion and racism at its most extreme. Aegis Students will support pupils in their own grassroots campaigns and provide them with opportunities to volunteer on a local, national and international level.

Committed to empowering young people to take positive action against genocide and connecting them to Aegis Students throughout the UK, Rwanda and the rest of the world, the global dimension is at the heart of what the organisation does. Their presentations and issue-based workshops are carefully adapted to support and enrich each school's Holocaust education programme.

Aegis Students believes that by enabling young people to think in a global perspective, we can foster tolerance within them, their schools and their communities and support educators in inspiring and empowering young leaders.

For more information on Aegis Students Education and Leadership Programme visit the website or email Sophie.

Race equality awards to be promoted across the country

27.10.2009

On 8 October Ed Balls praised a race equality initiative in Leeds and announced plans to promote the Stephen Lawrence Education Awards to all local authorities across the country.

The awards, which are supported by Stephen Lawrence's mother Doreen, help schools to promote race equality by formally recognising and ‘kitemarking' good practice in schools.

Leeds City Council has developed the scheme as a way to target parts of their local area facing particular community tensions. The Stephen Lawrence Standard was developed in partnership between Education Leeds, Leeds City Council and Black and minority community representatives, in response to the tragic murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993 and the publication of the MacPherson Inquiry Report into Stephen's death in 1999.

Two-thirds of schools in Leeds are already taking part in the initiative and Ed Balls now aims to promote this and similar initiatives to all local authorities across the country.

Click here for further details.

New DEA Thinkpiece: Critical thinking in the context of global learning

27.10.2009

DEA uses the term ‘global learning' to describe education that puts learning in a global context. For us, an important part of such learning involves developing critical and creative thinking about how we can create a more just and sustainable world. The term ‘critical thinking', and associated notions such as ‘critical pedagogy', are much contested. This article by Hetan Shah and Kate Brown contributes to the debate by reflecting on what critical thinking means in the context of global learning. Six elements of critical global thinking are explored before the discussion turns to consider what such an understanding of critical thinking may mean in the classroom.

Read the Thinkpiece here

Global Dimension newsletter

22.10.2009

Click here to download the latest newsletter

Prize winner in Asian Dialogues project

22.10.2009

A Leicestershire student won a national prize in the Asian Dialogues project - now called Connecting Classrooms East Asia. The award-wnning student is now set for Taiwan trip.

Please click here to download the Press Release from Leicestershire County Council

Think Food and Farming website

22.10.2009

The Think Food and Farming website update has been completed. The Information Areas page now has links to the National Visits, Growing, Cooking and Careers pages and it has the regional multimap. The page also now features a ‘Latest Editions' box, showing you what's been added recently. Each regional home page will also have the latest additions displayed, so you can see what's new in your region.

For more information about Think Food and Farming and to sign up to their e-newsletter click here.

Bumper award haul for global links

19.10.2009

Please click here to download a Press Release from Leicestershire County Council celebrating the amazing range of international /global work happening in schools across the County due to Helen Trilling's impressive efforts and sterling support.

Volunteer opportunity in Rwanda

19.10.2009

VSO is trying to recruit for a long-term volunteer for 12-18 months to work at the Centre as Education Advisor to support and capacity build a Rwandan national so that they can lead on our Genocide Education programme. This programme has been developed by the Aegis Trust over the last couple of years, and seeks to educate young people within Rwandan secondary schools about how and why genocide ideology develops, and to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills that will help to challenge racism and prejudice in their everyday lives. In its next stage, we aim to develop a teacher training programme to equip teachers with the skills and knowledge to manage this issue in the classroom, as well as conducting a robust evaluation on the impact that the project in changing attitudes and values. This is a very sensitive subject in a society which is still bearing the impact of the genocide in 1994.

VSO and the Aegis Trust pay for flights, accommodation and all insurances, and a small allowance is paid to volunteers. For more information, please contact Andrea Bacsfalusi

DCSF research summary on the impacts of P4C

14.10.2009

DCSF regularly produce practice-focused 'research bites', which are summaries of education research for teachers and school leaders to use. The Department has just published one on the positive impacts of Philosophy for Children.

The summary reports that P4C led to 'significant gains' in numeracy, literacy and learning compared with control groups, that are consistent across both boys and girls. It's available here

The Bigger Picture

14.10.2009

DEA is working with the New Economics Foundation and a wide range of other organisations to put together a series of events in response to the present economic, social and environmental challenges we are facing. Titled 'The Bigger Picture' we'll be hosting discussions, actions and exhibitions, ending with a major Festival of Interdependence in London on 24 October 2009. The festival will bring together artists, thinkers, activists for a day of learning, making, celebrating and debating, about how we can move towards a more just and sustainable world.

Speakers include the psychologist Oliver James, Richard Wilkinson who has done excellent work on inequality, Professor Tim Lang - expert on food policy, Andrew Simms from the New Economics Foundation and Claire Melamed from ActionAid. Hetan from DEA will be speaking on how learning and education must play a role in moving us towards a more just and sustainable world.

If you would like to attend, please register on the website

Regional Network for International Learning (RNIL) autumn newsletter

14.10.2009

Click here to read the Regional Network for International Learning (RNIL) autumn newsletter, which is full of information about opportunities for international and global learning.

Platform2: Your platform to change your world

07.10.2009

Platform2 is a fully-funded global volunteering scheme for 18 to 25 year olds. This amazing programme enables young people who do not normally get the opportunity to volunteer for 10 weeks in a developing country such as Ghana, South Africa, Peru, India, Kenya or Nepal.

With new opportunities opening up, now is the time to invite all your contacts in the UK who are 18-25 and might be interested to sign up – spaces for January and March departures are currently being filled. The deadline for January is October 12th 2009 so apply now by visiting the platform2 website.

DFID Youth Reporters

05.10.2009

DFID are recruiting a new team of youth reporters from around the UK to help generate enthusiasm and awareness amongst other young people on issues like climate change, conflict and the global financial crisis.

Young people aged between 13-19 will be selected to attend and report on key events from the world of international development between October 2009-March 2010, including key events linked to the 1GOAL campaign and the Copenhagen summit on climate change in December.

The team of youth reporters will:

Gain privileged press access to key events and campaign launches, and interview politicians, celebrities and activists
Work alongside professionals from the media who will mentor them on creating content
Have articles, videos, photos and thoughts published on their own website and viewed by thousands of other young people
Get the chance to go on press trips abroad, such as to Copenhagen for the summit on climate change
Feature in, and even write for, magazines, newspapers, and youth publications both on and offline.

If you're 13-19 years of age, available between September 2009 and March 2010, and interested in being a youth reporter, please email Kate for more information and an application form. Deadline: 27 September 2009.

For more information on the first ever panel of reporters, visit the DFID website

DCSF green email to schools

05.10.2009

This month, the DCSF has sent an email to all schools about preparing schools for a sustainable future. The message is dedicated to sustainable development, including climate change.

You can read the email via a link on the Sustainable Schools website (see right-hand column). You can also download a longer version containing extra details, including information about the United Nations climate change summit in Copenhagen.

Pupils 'spend too little time on Holocaust'

05.10.2009

The Guardian reported on 16 September that "some pupils are spending just an hour of their school lives learning about the Holocaust, according to research which suggests there is too much variation in how the events of the second world war are taught". This refers to a survey conducted by the Holocaust Education Development Programme (HEDP) and part-funded by DCSF. Read the full article...

Trip of a lifetime for Leicestershire students

22.09.2009

Leicestershire young people are among a handful of students from across the country to have spent the summer immersed in the world's most important developing economies.

The college-leavers were part of a 100-strong group chosen to take part in the Prime Minister's Global Fellowship programme and have just returned after spending six weeks in China and India.

Every summer, the scheme sends young people to Brazil, China or India to gain first-hand experience of culture, language, education and global enterprise. The trip was split into three segments - two weeks language and cultural immersion, two weeks in a local school and staying with a host family and two weeks as the guest of a global company.

The four Leicestershire teenagers involved left school this summer and are:

- Annie Webborn from Burleigh Community College who visited China
- Nimisha Thanki from Burleigh Community College who visited India
- Jasvinder Ahluwalia from Beauchamp College who visited China
- James Winfield from Wreake Valley Community College who visited India

Annie, who is 18, said: "The trip was a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime experience which offered me the chance to see a country from a grass-roots level. By having language lessons and staying with a family, we had the opportunity to experience a country in a very different way although we did have time to visit tourist sites such as the Great Wall too."

Ivan Ould, County Council Cabinet Member for the Children and Young People's Service, said: "These talented young people from Leicestershire were very privileged to be selected for this wonderful opportunity. It is so important that our young people are prepared for work in a global economy and develop an understanding of other cultures."

All of the young people involved will share their experiences about what it means being a young person looking to live and work in the 21st Century global economy both locally and nationally. For more information, please visit the global feloowship website.

For photos or interviews with the young people, please email the County Council's Press Office or call them on 0116 305 6274

The Prime Minister's Global Fellowship

18.09.2009

The Prime Minister's Global Fellowship programme works with school and college leavers, youth community representatives and apprentices to give them a strong foundation in interacting with one of the major countries of the new global economy. Every year in July and August the British Council send 100 young people to Brazil, China or India to investigate issues of culture, language, education and global enterprise. The fully-funded six week journey is an investigation into the social, economic and environmental effects of globalisation and learning what a positive role we can play in the process. On their return all Fellows automatically become part of a network of active globally-minded young people in England with a role to share their experiences and learning on local and national platforms.

On Thursday 8th October there will be an information session provided by the British Council on the Prime Minister's Global Fellowship Scheme at County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8RA at 4.00pm. Successful Leicestershire fellows from 2009 will be there to share their experiences with you.

For more information, please visit the website. Please note that online application for 2010 is open from 14 September until 18 December.

From the Local to the Global: Key Issues in Development Studies, 2nd Edition

10.09.2009

‘Think globally, act locally' is a phrase often used to describe the importance of popular activism and an awareness of the issues surrounding globalization and development. This book is an introduction to concepts in development that are central to understanding the causes of poverty, inequality and injustice in the global North and South.

The second edition contains new chapters on climate change, neoliberalism, child labour, popular movements in Latin America and the development process in Africa. Existing chapters have been revised and completely updated to analyse the impact of the global economic recession on international development.

Issues covered include: trade, aid, debt, child labour, development education, Latin America, the Millennium Development Goals, climate change and the European Union's development policy. Contributors include leading experts from academia,and the human rights and development sectors.

To request an order and for more information please email the centre for global education.

New Geographical Association website

10.09.2009

The website of the Geographical Association has been redesigned and restructured to give it a fresh new look and make it easier to navigate.

It includes a range of new features including:
- Homepage highlighting new additions and popular content
- Resource Finder tool allowing users to search online resources using a variety of criteria
- Tabbed Shop panel listing new books, recommendations and shopping basket contents
- Members' panel containing personal account details, bookmarks and recently viewed pages
- New look Journals area with easy access to articles and associated resources
- Cloud tags - a new way to find similar content using keyword matching
- RSS Feeds - sign up for the latest website updates

The Geographical Association is a subject association with a mission to further the study, learning and teaching of geography. A free guide to the new website is available to download by visiting their website.

Geocube toolkit to help promote Geography

10.09.2009

The HERODOT Network with EUROGEO has recently launched the Geocube. The Geocube has been created as part of a toolkit to help promote Geography and the work of geographers. The target audiences are the general public and decision makers. Multimedioa mterials available on the Geocube (1000 photos and 100 video clips) can be freely used for education purposes. The Geocube is also being translated into different languages. If you are keen to help with this please email Karl Donert

Visit the Geocube by clicking here

Photo competition: 'The Real Picture: strong communities or broken society?'

10.09.2009

Encourage young people to explore community cohesion through photography - the citizenship through photography competition

The competition asks 'The Real Picture: strong communities or broken society?' and seeks entries from individuals or groups aged 16-19.

Shortlisted entrants will be invited to an exhibition event in London where they will have the opportunity to display and discuss their entries with a panel of prestigious adjudicators and win a prize. Entrants must be available to attend the exhibition event on Tuesday 9 March 2010.

If you are interested in involving young people you work with in this competition, please complete an expression of interest form and return it to us as soon as possible or no later than 1 October 2009.

The deadline for completed entries accompanied by a final entry form is 18 December 2009.
For more information, please visit the website or contact Helen Wiles by phone on 020 7492 5000 or email.

DEA Events

10.09.2009

Mike Foster, International Development Minister at DFID, will be speaking at this year's DEA AGM on the evening of 4 th November. The Minister will offer his thoughts on the recent reviews of the DFID Building Support for Development work, and the wider context of DFID's new White Paper. The Minister has allowed time to field questions from DEA members after he speaks. If you would like to register to attend the AGM, please email Dean Weston

This year DEA is holding five events at the Party Conferences with two events at each of the Labour and Conservative conferences and one event at the Liberal Democrat conference. Speakers include Shahid Malik (Communities Minister), Tim Loughton (Shadow Childrens Minister), Baroness Warsi (Shadow Community Cohesion Minister) and David Laws (Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Children, Schools and Families). We hope members will be able to come and support DEA's events, and hear what key political figures have to say. To find full details of all speakers and events at conferences please check our website

A new report attacks DFID's work on development awareness and funding for advocacy as ‘Fake Aid'. The report makes some reference to DEA member organisations including Global Education Derby, DECSY and NUT. DEA will be rebutting the report when we speak to the decision makers it is trying to influence. We will also make a formal response if the report is picked up by the mainstream media. Please on the report to download it: ‘ Fake Aid: How foreign aid is being used to support the self-serving political activities of NGOs'

Oxfam Youth & Schools: Climate Change - Term of Action

09.09.2009

2009 is a very important year for Climate Change negotiations. The poor are at the greatest risk from climate change. If a progressive deal, that acknowledges the human impact of climate change, is not reached at this years' Copenhagen summit of world leaders then international efforts to address it may fragment into individual national strategies. This would be a disaster for the world's poor. Oxfam are pushing for a greater awareness of the human impact of climate change and urging people to take action.

What you and your students can do:

Attend Oxfam’s Active Global Citizenship Conference 2009: ‘Young people and Climate Change’, 12th October, Birmingham University

This October Oxfam is hosting a regional conference in Birmingham for young people and we are inviting 25 secondary schools across the Midlands to get involved, we are hoping that you will be interested. Each school is asked to bring up to 4 young delegates and 1 teacher.

The day will focus on the human impact of climate change, and the significance of the forthcoming UN climate change conference to be held in Copenhagen this December. The conference will be an empowering curriculum-linked experience centred on young people bringing the climate change debate to life. Student’s voices and participation will steer the day.

Attendance is free of charge so book your places ASAP as they are expected to go quickly. Email Sophia or call her on 0121 364 3611

Teach about it
There are loads of new teaching resources on the Oxfam education website to teach about the human impact of climate change. Look at case studies across the world, from Peru, to Bangladesh to Malawi, and explore the effects of climate change on people’s everyday lives and how they are dealing with those changes. Go to the Oxfam education website for more information.

Oxfam speakers
Want to bring Global Citizenship to life in the classroom? Oxfam’s School Speakers are here to help! Oxfam School Speakers are fully trained volunteers who work with local schools to raise awareness of the issues surrounding climate change & global poverty, Oxfam’s work, and what teachers and pupils can do to make a positive difference in the world. Please book through the website

Take Action
Throughout the term there will be opportunities for your students to make their voice heard and to be part of a growing movement of people who are concerned about climate change.

Wake Up Call Action – 21st September
At 12.18 on 20th September Tck Tck Tck’s massive human clock in New York City will deliver a global wake-up call for world leaders to go to Copenhagen and agree an ambitious, fair and binding treaty to prevent catastrophic climate change. 24 hours later, at 12.18 on Monday 21st September, Tck Tck Tck, is calling on people around the world to deliver a wake up call to leaders on their mobile phone, watch and clock alarms. Oxfam in England is asking schools to ring the school bell or design a similar action at 12.18 on Monday 21st September or as soon as possible after this date.

We would like as many schools as possible to be part of this global action by holding an assembly, making as much noise as possible, then telling us about it. Resources are on the Oxfam education website

Work on a project
The regional Youth & Schools campaigner is available to work with local schools across the Midlands, delivering exciting & challenging, bespoke projects to inspire young people to become active global citizens, and providing training, advice and support. Contact Sophia for more information.

Keep up-to-date
Sign up for our termly e-newsletter and get the latest news, resources and advice for teaching about global issues straight into your inbox! Please visit the website.

For more information about any of Oxfam’s work with youth and schools in the Midlands please contact Sophia Ireland - Midlands youth & Schools Campaigner on 0121 634 3611 or through email.

Diversity in Diction

02.09.2009

The TUC have produced "Diversity in Diction: Equality in Action" - a document that provides guidance on the appropriate use of language. It identifies terminology which is broadly acceptable and which promotes best practices and professionalism.

To download the document, please click here.

Swine Flu teaching resources

02.09.2009

The British Red Cross have uploaded a new set of education resources on their website which look at swine flu. They include a photo-based lesson plan with PowerPoint for secondary schools, which provide useful points for students to discuss. There is also an assembly for primary schools and a briefing for teachers.

You can download the resources from the British Red Cross website

Steve Sinnott Award 2009

02.09.2009

This award scheme has been launched for the second year running to further the skills of young education campaigners. Year 10 students in the UK are invited to apply for the award which will give two committed individuals, and their teacher, the chance to travel out to a developing country and report back on the progress of the Education Millennium Development Goals.

The award will give an amazing opportunity for the winners to investigate the barriers to education in a developing country. They will meet children, teachers, union members and politicians and will hear first-hand the progress and issues on education in that country. On return, the UK young campaigners would be requested to ‘help spread the word' by speaking at union conferences and to the media. They will have a chance to get involved during the Global Action Week 2010 and initiate their own activities.

To be considered for this award, schools will need to demonstrate that they have already been involved in campaigning for global education and give some ideas of future activities they would like to undertake as a result of this scheme.

The closing date for this award is 30 October 2009. Pupils will need to travel from 15-19 February 2010 (half term for the majority of schools).

For further details please visit the website or email stevesinnottaward@plan-international.org

Platform2 Volunteering Programme

19.08.2009

Platform2 is a global volunteering experience funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development and run by Christian Aid and BUNAC. It is a volunteering opportunity for 18-25 year olds who otherwise could not afford to volunteer overseas. Applications have just opened for January and March 2010 trips. These are the opportunities:

- South Africa. Volunteering with the Johannesburg Child Welfare Society which directly assists over 18,000 abused, abandoned, neglected, orphaned and vulnerable children each year.

- Nepal. Constructing a much-needed new secondary school building and teaching at the after-school clubs. Read Adam's blog from Nepal.

- Kenya. Working on a project to conserve the forest ecosystem by improving the livelihoods of communities nearby through environmentally sustainable income generating activities such as fish farming and bee-keeping.

Apply online or download the application.

Completed applications, references and either a photocopy of your passport (or if you don't have a passport, your birth certificate) need to be received by October.

Parliamentary Question on Global Learning

19.08.2009

Before Parliament rose for the summer recess DEA spoke to Annette Brooke, MP (Mid Dorset & North Poole, Liberal Democrat Shadow Children's Minister) about the importance of global learning. As a result, Annette put forward a parliamentary question asking the government to justify its activities. This helped to put on record the value of global learning within the curriculum and raise the profile of the issue. The question she asked was:

"To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
(1) what support his Department provides to teachers to assist them in educating students in issues related to (a) international poverty, (b) sustainable development and (c) cultural diversity;
(2) if he will take steps to ensure that schools educate pupils on (a) global learning, (b) community cohesion and (c) international development; and if he will make a statement."

The Schools Minister, Diana Johnson, gave a wide ranging response. The parliamentary question provided an opportunity for DCSF officials who are working in separate units to show how different parts of their work help to support global learning. DEA hopes to follow up on this work in future with more in depth questioning.

Both question and answer can be viewed here.

DFID publishes Reviews on Building Support for Development

19.08.2009

In April 2009, DFID announced the commissioning of a series of reviews of its work to build support for development in the UK (click here to go to their website).

The reports of the reviews are now available as follows:

- Review of DFID's Work to Build support for Development through the Education System, by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (please note that this is a big document and will take time to download);

- Review of DFID's Work to Build Support for Development through the Media, by Oxford Global