Locality Group Co-ordinators Meeting

On 30 June 2009, Co-ordinators from four Locality Groups met with the EMNGPS Project Manager for a peer learning session. Each co-ordinator briefly shared the progress of their Locality Groups and discussed challenges they faced. The group suggested solutions.

Rohini updated colleagues on Global Dimension policy and practice issues at the regional and national level including :-

• DFID's White Paper and Review
• DEA's new publications
• Phase 1 of the School Leadership Project
• Future EMNGPS events
  

The meeting ended with a discussion about the Fairtrade Schools Accreditation Scheme.

ESD Schools Working Group

10 educators from Local Authorities, universities and community organisations across the region met in Leicester on 1 July with an officer from Government Office East Midlands at the Schools Working Group. Items discussed included:-

• plans for regional ESD events for the next academic year
• identifying school case-studies for www.SustainableSchoolsEastMidlands.org.uk
• updates from Government Office on ESD reports and resources
• members sharing information about a variety of new projects

Creative thinkers….Global Citizens

Global Citizens conference (1 July) sponsored by Nottingham City Council, The British Council and EMNGPS.

How can developing creativity in our schools inspire us and young people to become active global citizens?

This conference was an exciting opportunity to….

• Reflect upon the qualities, values and skills we need to nurture within young people and us in order to become global citizens.
• Explore how creative teaching and learning can bring a global dimension to the curriculum.
• Be inspired by examples of innovative practice that have been developed by teachers, young people and external creative partners. Consider the impact that this work has had on young people and the whole school community.
• Discuss how ‘bringing the world into the classroom’ can create learning experiences that are exciting, current, relevant and meaningful.
• Explore how developing young people’s creative thinking skills can empower them to become active citizens who have a ‘voice’ within their schools, local communities and beyond.

The conference attracted 60 teachers from primary and secondary schools across the region nd local Authority advisers. 10 Nottingham City schools showcased the work they had done with Creative Partnerships about all aspects of the Global Dimension. Students from Dunkirk Primary School led and shared a range of activities:-

• Box of possibilities - what action would you take if you became a world leader? Tackle racism? Help poor people? Stop War/Bombing? Look after animals? Take Care of everyone?
• What are the qualities of a global citizen?
• Examples of action taken by Global advocates

Workshops enabled teachers to experience the learning methodologies used and explore the impact of creative learning.

Feedback from the conference has been fantastic - " an inspirational day"

The conference was an important opportunity for EMNGPS to work with new partners.

Meeting 5 - School Leadership Project

QCA Diploma Consultation

On 28 May Rohini Corfield joined teachers, Local Authority Advisers, NGO staff and University lecturers at a QCA Diploma consultation Event - Phase 4 - see www.qca.org.uk/diplomaphase4

The Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences will "equip learners with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to understand themselves and their world and to shape its future."

It is likely to include significant elements of the Global Dimension eg, Sustainable Development, Diversity, Human Rights, Global Citizenship, Globalisation and Interdependence.

The Diploma in Languages and International Communication is a new qualification for students aged 14 - 19, which will be launched in schools in 2011. It will give students an insight into languages, cultures and the wider world. It will also incorporate an understanding of intercultural awareness, global issues, diversity, identity and cohesion work - see www.diploma-in-languages.co.uk

Both provide interesting opportunities for EMNGPS members to share their expertise with schools.

Visit to The Holocaust Centre

26.05.2009

Ideas include:-

• Encouraging schools to visit the THC to experience The Journey - The Story Of Children Who Survived - a new exhibition for primary children. Ed Balls Secretary of State for Children, schools and Families stated "This exhibition will be hugely beneficial to help young children learn about the history of the Holocaust in an appropriate way. But it's not just about absorbing information - it will give young children a chance to question values, behaviours and attitudes and as such will be an investment in the future cohesion of our schools and communities."
  The Journey has been developed by teachers, and meets National Curriculum requirements for history, PSHE and Citizenship.
  Could EMNGPS members work with schools after they have visited The Journey?
• Signpost schools to the History Speaks project, enabling learning with Holocaust and Genoicide Survivors www.historyspeaks.org.uk.
• Exploring possible joint work eg, on Human Rights training for teachers, organising a study visit for educators to the Kigali Memorial Centre, Rwanda.

www.holocaustcentre.net

Skillshare trustees visit MUNDI

On 7 May 2009, new Skillshare International trustees from Southern Africa (Maria Eulalia Vales, who works for the Department of Fisheries in Mozambique) and Motsomi Marobela, a lecturer at the Universtity of Botswana, visited MUNDI with Jake Bharier, Strategic Adviser from Skillshare International, to learn more about  how development education is delivered.

The programme for the visit was:

• 10:30 welcome, tea and coffee - MUNDI office
• 10:45 Raul Valdivia - EMNGPS locality group work and youth work - meeting room
• 11:10 Anna Bourke – Global Dimension and Special Educational Needs project -  meeting room
• 11:35 Kapka Nilan - Global Dimension resources - MUNDI office
• 12 noon - lunch at Café Aspire
  

The Trustees found the visit informative and stimulating.

They then met with Rohini Corfield, EMNGPS Project Manager, to discuss how a regional network funded by DFID mainstreams the global dimension in schools, Local Authorities and universities.

EMNGPS attends DFID White Paper event

On 13 May Rohini Corfield, EMNGPS Project Manager, joined colleagues from Skillshare International and other people interested in international development issues  at the DFID White Paper Consultation Event held in Leicester.

After an introductory DVD about the work of DFID, Martin Dinham, the Director General of DFID gave an overview of the key themes in the draft White Paper (Eliminating World Poverty: Assuring Our Common Future) and took questions from the floor. Skillshare provided the NGO case-study and shared their experiences of tackling poverty, injustice and inequality in Southern Africa. Table discussions took place about:-

• Global economic growth
• Climate Change
• Fragile and conflict-affected countries
• International institutional Reform
• Gender
• Communications with the UK public

Key points to emerge were:-

• Interdependence as a key theme, in relation to the current economic crisis, climate change and gender
• DFID needs to work at both the macro and micro levels - with governments, civil society, and people to people connections
• The importance of public awareness in the UK and leadership of this across different sectors
• Conflict resolution as a priority
• Gender sensitive development: 50% of aid should go to projects supporting women's empowerment
• DFID needed to nurture ambassadors to relay their anti-poverty and interdependence messages eg, young people

EMNGPS Conference

05.05.2009

Key sessions included:-

• An input from the Department for Children, Schools and Families about the duty on schools to promote community cohesion - find out more at www.teachernet.gov.uk/communitycohesion
• Sharing information about the work of Leicester City of Sanctuary.
• An interactive session about the Making the most of the New Secondary Curriculum project led by Leeds DEC - www.leedsdec.org.uk
• A fun session about Globe United - a new project for primary schools based on the idea of fair play
  

Day 1 concluded with the EMNGPS AGM at which the new EMNGPS annual report was distributed.

Kumba Jallow was thanked for her work as Chair of EMNGPS from 2007-9. She agreed to be elected as an Executive Committee member.

Tony Hartley from Rushcliffe school resigned as an Executive Committee member.

Alex Kosogorin was elected as Chair of EMNGPS and Bev Milner was re-elected as Vice Chair.

Helen Trilling, Brian Cavanagh, Danielle Stone and Linda Webster all agreed to continue as Executive Committee members.

Linda Barker, from Global Education Derby and Kate Nash, Headteacher from Silverhill Primary school were elected onto the Executive Committee.

Day 2 began with an interactive session about Integrating Global and Anti-Racist Perspectives in the Curriculum - www.garp.org.uk

A practical session about Measuring Attitudional Change was facilitated by Reading International Solidarity Centre - www.risc.org.uk - which explored how students understanding of the global dimension could be tracked.

The final session explored how EMNGPS could work with the new East Midlands Global Youth Work Project to share learning and participatory methodologies.

As well as the formal sessions, a key aim of the conference was to enable EMNGPS members to network and share ideas.

Feedback has been largely positive and a number of action points will be taken forward.

Download the conference report here.

Regional ESD Schools Working Group

On 12 February eight staff from Local Authorities, GOEM, NGOs, EMNGPS and Consultants met to discuss a variety of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) projects and opportunities:

• The Connect CO2 On the Way to School project - a global school campaign on transport and climate change, www.co2nnect.org
• The East Midlands Sustainable schools website and case studies update, www.EastMidlandsSustainableschools.org.uk
• The Lincolnshire Sustainable Schools Showcase event on 4 March, www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/sss
• An update on ESD progress from DCSF, including projects in other regions.
• Ideas for the future work of this Schools Working Group.

Skillshare International Away Day

16.02.2009

The day began with Cliff Allum, Chief Executive of Skillshare, giving feedback from a field visit to Skillshare projects in Kenya and Tanzania.

Nine different Skillshare teams then gave five-minute updates about recent successes and forthcoming events, without using PowerPoint slides! The Resources and Systems Team had organised a quiz about fundraising, the Human Resources Team had composed a lyrics about international volunteering statistics and EMNGPS began with a rap, interviewed the Project Manager and then finished with a cheerleaders call.

Amanda Khozi Mukwashi then led a session about the new Gender Mainstreaming policy and discussed how it could be put into practice through the efforts of everyone.

The afternoon session focussed on Valuing Ourselves and Valuing Others through displaying personal shields, giving colleagues positive feedback and making pledges to change our behaviour.

School Leadership Project - Meeting 3

11.02.2009

On 9 February 2009, Meeting 3 of the School Leadership project took place. This included discussions about:

• Developing a working definition of what this group meant by the Global Dimension (GD).
• Exploring how the Global Dimension relates to Education for Sustainable Development and Internationalism.
• Analysing how the GD can help deliver the Every Child Matters agenda.
• Developing Top Tips for bringing the GD to life for the CPD tool thinking about the format of the CPD tool.

Meeting with Leicestershire Director of Children's Services

06.02.2009

On 4 February 2009, Helen Trilling (EMNGPS Executive Committee member and International Dimension Co-ordinator for Leicestershire County Council) and Rohini Corfield met with Gareth Williams, Leicestershire Director of Children's Services to discuss how schools in Leicestershire could be encouraged to embrace the Global and International Dimension in education.

Ideas discussed included:

• Headteacher briefing meetings, especially at school cluster level
• Governor briefings
• Peer role modelling

Gareth also praised Helen for her superb work in supporting Leicestershire schools to gain resources from the British Council for school links and innovative global learning projects.

www.leicestershire.gov.uk

DFID visits EMNGPS

22.01.2009

On 21 January 2009 Nicolette Stoddart and Manisha Prajapati from DFID visited Leicester to see how EMNGPS' regional strategy is put into practice.

Richard Parker, Principal at Beauchamp College (www.beauchamp.org.uk) welcomed the visitors and gave a brief overview of Beauchamp's Global Dimension work which included international exchanges, student conferences, Fairtrade Week activities, Curricular projects and local community involvement, all led by Yvonne Rooney.

As the programme shows, EMNGPS members shared:

• Their experiences of being on the EMNGPS Executive Committee.
• The diversity of work and partnerships happening through the Locality Groups.
• Various school case-studies with examples of how the Global Dimension was delivered through the curriculum, school partnerships, an inclusive ethos and extra curricular activities - see Dunkirk Primary School (www.dunkirk.sch.uk) , Brocks Hill Primary (www.brockshill.org.uk) and Gartree High School (www.gartree.org.uk).
• How EMNGPS works with a variety of other regional networks eg, Regional Network for International Learning (RNIL), the Schools Working Group of the ESD regional network (www.rceem.org.uk) and with Oxfam through the School Leadership Project.
• How the Fairtrade Schools Accreditation Scheme is implemented across the region.

Both Nicolette and Manisha were really impressed at the energy and enthusiasm demonstrated and congratulated EMNGPS for the impressive array of work and diversity of partnerships.

Nicolette (Manager for Schools and Youth at DFID) wrote, "We really enjoyed coming over to Leicester to see you, so thank you once again for pulling together such an interesting programme. Please also pass on our thanks to all those who came along and talked about their experiences- it was very inspiring."

Global Dimension in Action - KS3 Training Event

04.02.09

On 23 January 2009, the Nottinghamshire Locality Group organised a conference with funding from EMNGPS for 25 secondary teachers to explore how the Global Dimension (GD) can help deliver the revised secondary curriculum.

The key notespeaker was David Gardener, Senior Programme Manager, Curriculum Division, QCA who outlined the big picture of the curriculum and emphasised that the GD should be at the heart of curriculum planning to "make learning irresistible." He summarised the QCA GD document and referred to a variety of other publications. Find out more at www.qca.org.uk/curriculum.

Djanogly City Academy and Rushcliffe Comprehensive School also presented case-studies illustrating the range of GD curriculum work, international student visits, school links and ethos.

Presentations were given about funding opportunities and key websites to help find partner schools. Teachers were also given a chance to do some action planning.
Evaluations showed that teachers had found the day useful.

Global Education Leicester/shire Meeting

04.02.09

Twenty educators (teachers, Local Authority advisers, staff from NGOs etc) met at Rushey Mead College on 20 January 2009 to share information about Global Dimension events and projects. These included:-

• Activities for International Education Week
• The Leicester City Council delegation to Nicaragua and Guatemala
• A Growing Together event organised by the Global Youth Work Project East Midlands
• One World Multi-faith fair at Oadby, organised by a student at Beauchamp College - Shabaana Kidy
• The City of Sanctauary Christmas party
• Food For Thought
  

The EMNGPS funding application process was discussed and the group decided to investigate Ning and speed dating as a way of enhancing communication between members.

Moat College shared the art work produced by students in different countries as part of the Cold Shoulder project and information was given about another Philosophy for Children training course.

Various members of GELS would also be contributing to the programme for the DFID visit to EMNGPS, sharing the range of work and partnerships developed through GELS.

Locality Group Co-ordinators (LGC) Meeting

On 8 January 2009, LGCs from Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire met with the EMNGPS Project Manager to:

• Discuss the feedback EMNGPS had received from DFID in relation to the regional Monitoring and Evaluation Report
• Share the successes and challenges of their Locality Groups and to identify peer support mechanisms
• Start considering key themes for the 2009/10 LG action plans
• Review the draft EMNGPS / LG Partnership Agreement
• Plan the DFID visit to the East Midlands
• Discuss possible involvement in a new project entitled Making the Most of the Secondary Curriculum

Feedback was positive and the next meeting is planned for 30 June. These meetings are part of the Action Learning approach highlighted in the regional strategy.