Section 2: Course Content

The central concept of Civic, Social and Political Education is citizenship. The seven concepts named above are explored and examined by students in the quest for greater understanding of this central concept. This course in education for and through citizenship allows for a flexible approach in its teaching. Regardless of the approachchosen when teaching CSPE, the seven concepts are anintegral part of this course and students are required tohave a broad and basic understanding of each of theseat the end of three years.

Two possible approaches are outlined here.

2.1 THE CONCEPT APPROACH

Below are the syllabus definitions of the seven concepts, surrounded by various key terms/words that can be associated with them. Each term or word represents potential learning opportunities connected to the concept, which, when developed in greater depth will give students an understanding of what the concept is about. Attached to each concept you will note the phrase `Topical Issues'. Topical issues provide excellent opportunities for students to explore and develop their understanding of the concepts.

This concept approach need not necessarily be sequential. A recommended time scale based on the concept approach, related to age and ability, is outlined on page 13. However, this time scale should only be regarded as a suggestion. CSPE is happening all around us, and the flexibility on which this course has been built allows for these opportunities to be seized and dealt with in the classroom at the appropriate time.

COURSE CONTENT

CITIZENSHIP:

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

HUMAN DIGNITY

DEVELOPMENT

DEMOCRACY

STEWARDSHIP

LAW

INTERDEPENDENCE

The central concept of Civic, Social and Political Education is citizenship. The seven concepts named above are explored and examined by students in the quest for greater understanding of this central concept. This course in education for and through citizenship allows for a flexible approach in its teaching. Regardless of the approach
chosen when teaching CSPE, the seven concepts are an integral part of this course and students are required to have a broad and basic understanding of each of these at the end of three years.
Two possible approaches are outlined here.

2.1 THE CONCEPT APPROACH

Below are the syllabus definitions of the seven concepts, surrounded by various key terms/words that can be associated with them. Each term or word represents potential learning opportunities connected to the concept, which, when developed in greater depth will give students an understanding of what the concept is about. Attached to each concept you will note the phrase 'Topical Issues'.
Topical issues provide excellent opportunities for students to explore and develop their understanding of the concepts.

This concept approach need not necessarily be sequential.
A recommended time scale based on the concept approach, related to age and ability, is outlined on page 13. However, this time scale should only be regarded as a suggestion.
CSPE is happening all around us, and the flexibility on which this course has been built allows for these opportunities to be seized and dealt with in the classroom at the appropriate time.

DEMOCRACY

Students should be aware that through the democratic process, at all levels of society, every individual can exercise power through participation. Participation at an individual or group level represents a central right and responsibility in an ordered democratic society. Nonparticipation or exclusion can lead to alienation, apathy and lack of responsibility on the part of the individual.

Topical Issues

• Trade Unions
• Minister
• Dáil/Seanad
• Voting
• Councillor
• Student Councils
• Constitution
• Local Authorities
• Northern Ireland
• Taoiseach
• Elections
• Citizens
• Senator
• President
• T.D.
• P.R.
• Referendum
• Political Parties
• Local/National/Global

HUMANDIGNITY

Students should be aware of the dignity which should be accorded to every individual as a human being, and of how the provision of basic needs (e.g. food, health, security, education) is vital to human dignity.

Topical Issues

• Developing World
• Food
• Poverty
• Equality
• Reconciliation
• Conflict
• Gender
• Stereotyping
• Unemployment
• Education
• Lack of Basic Needs
• Travellers
• Famine
• Disability
• Homelessness
• Shelter
• Basic Needs
• Discrimination

RIGHTS ANDRESPONSIBILITIES

Students should be aware that every individual is entitled to basic social, cultural, economic, civic, religious and political rights and to the protection of these rights. Denial of human rights results in the domination and oppression of people. Responsibilities go hand in hand with the rights accorded to individuals. Every person is responsible for his/her actions towards other people and is responsible for the safeguarding of other people's rights.

Topical Issues

• Human Rights
• Poverty
• Respect
• Older People
• Refugees
• Racism
• Bullying
• Animals
• Prejudice
• Travellers
• Organisations
• Disability
• Homelessness
• Equality
• Wants
• Needs
• UNCRC
• UDHR
• Responsibilities

INTERDEPENDENCE

Students should be aware of the interrelatedness of all human life at the individual, community, national and global levels. The actions of individuals can have effects, sometimes in places and situations they have never seen, e.g. the effects of the purchases we make as consumers on economies, businesses and the environment, and the effects of our votes in elections on developments at local, national and international levels. Absence of an understanding of interdependence leads to an isolated, powerless and self-interested view of events.

Topical Issues

• United Nations
• World Debt
• Fair Trade
• War/Conflict
• Technology
• Trade
• Aid
• Media
• Local/National/Global
• Refugees
• Asylum Seekers
• Terrorism
• European Union
• Council of Europe
• Globalisation
• Peacebuilding
• International Groupings

DEVELOPMENT

Development can be defined as a process of improvement (social, economic, cultural, political) to meet the needs in people's lives at all levels. Students should be aware that development is usually planned and can often be influenced through the democratic process. They should also be aware that the process of development is complex, often controversial, and one where planned solutions do not always meet the needs of all parties involved.

Topical Issues

• Change
• Planning
• Compromise
• Negotiation
• Controversy
• Conflict
• Improvement
• Local/National/Global
• Fair Trade
• Local Development Plan
• Community
• Local Government
• Developing World
• Underdevelopment

LAW

Students should be aware that laws and rules serve important purposes in any community or society. They order and set out common codes of conduct for relationships between individuals, and between individuals, groups and society as a whole. They are a means through which we ensure that the rights of individuals are protected and promoted. They inform us of our rights and of our responsibilities for the observance of those rights. Laws and rules are subject to change. Changes in laws may reflect developments in society or may result from the actions of individuals. A belief in justice and fairness is basic to the process of developing, implementing and valuing laws. Lawlessness and ignorance of the value of laws results in the denial of the rights of each and every individual and a decline in the quality of life in communities and society.

Topical Issues

• Ombudsman
• Protection
• Criminal Law
• Garda Siochana
• Houses ofOireachtas
• Witness
• Community
• Rights
• Judge
• Civil Law
• Court System
• Solicitor
• Reconciliation
• NeighbourhoodWatch/CommunityAlert
• Victim Support
• Rules
• Consumer Rights
• Justice
• Laws
• Prisons
• Barrister
• Local/National/Global

STEWARDSHIP

Students should be aware that, as individuals born on the planet, every person becomes a temporary owner or steward entrusted and empowered with its care and maintenance. Absence of stewardship leads to the belief that our role in relation to the natural world, the environment, other peoples and cultures is incidental or just for our own use and benefit. This results in phenomena such as unnecessary depletion of resources, pollution of the environment and diminishment of cultural heritage.

Topical Issues

• Global Warming
• Reduce
• Recycle
• Reuse
• Repair
• Litter
• Environment
• Incinerators
• Sustainable Development
• G8 Summit
• Tidy Towns
• Pollution
• Nuclear Energy
• Green Flag
• Resources
• Wind Farms
• Conservation
• Responsibility
• Ozone Layer
• Acid Rain

RECOMMENDED PLANNING SCHEDULE USING A CONCEPT APPROACH

YEAR 1:
Introduction to CSPE
Human Rights & Responsibilities
Human Dignity
Stewardship
Action Project*

YEAR 2:
Development
Democracy
Action Project*
Law

YEAR 3
Interdependence
Action Project*
Assessment
Revision

* Students are required to undertake TWO Action Projects over the three years of the junior cycle. Students are also required to submit either a report on ONE of their Action Projects or a course-work assessment book for assessment purposes. The information above is purely a reminder that Action Projects can take place at any time and oppotunities for action should be taken where posssible, rather than adhering to a prescribed schedule.

2.2 THE UNIT APPROACH

The CSPE syllabus divides this course into four units of study. The seven concepts dealt with earlier are fundamental to each of these units. One or more of the concepts feature in each individual unit of study. This section takes a closer look at each of these units and, again, various key words associated with potential learning opportunities are attached to the units.

The four units are:

1. The Individual and Citizenship
2. The Community
3. The State ­ Ireland
4. Ireland and the World.

UNIT ONE -THE INDIVIDUAL ANDCITIZENSHIP

Every individual is important and unique, but what does it mean to be a citizen? What is our civic, social and political dimension? We can achieve an understanding of citizenship by exploring and applying it in various contexts, for example, the individual, the family, the school, the local/national/international community, government, the environment and the world of work. Building skills for citizenship is inseparable from personal development. All of the concepts outlined earlier are relevant to this unit of the course, but of particular importance are the concepts of Human Dignity and Stewardship.

Topical Issues

• Needs
• Wants
• Actions
• Effects
• Resolving Conflict
• Dignity
• Equality
• Human Rights
• Responsibilities
• Consequences
• UDHR
• ECHR
• UNCRC
• Recycling
• Litter
• Stewardship
• Environment
• School
• Individual

UNIT TWOTHE COMMUNITY

We are all members of various communities, for example, the family community, the school community, the local community. Comparison of communities enables identification of similarities and differences between them. Communities are characterised and can be described by different phenomena, e.g. their origins, their membership, the rights and duties of their members and the organisations they contain. People participate in and are represented in many communities through particular structures and procedures. Development and improvement is an important aim of most communities. All of the concepts are relevant to this unit of the course, but of particular importance is the concept of Democracy.

Topical Issues

• Structures
• Rights
• Dignity
• Family
• Local Planning
• Local Government
• Participation
• Negotiation andReconciliation
• Controversy
• Diversity
• Conflict
• Prejudice
• Community
• Belonging
• Identity
• Development
• Responsibilities

UNIT THREE - THE STATE ­ IRELAND

The State can be seen as a large grouping of communities. Any individual or community can seek to influence what happens at a national level by accessing representative and participative state structures. Through participation in community groups, organisations, local government and other structures, we can influence both important issues of national development and decisions made at national level which have an impact on individuals and local communities. As citizens, we should have a basic understanding of the political system and structures in Ireland. We are responsible for the election of representatives at local, national and European level, for the observance of law and order and for any changes to the constitution. The concepts of Rights and Responsibilities, Democracy and Law underpin much of the content of this unit.

Topical Issues

• Gardaí
• Rules
• Justice
• Law
• Judges
• Courts
• Seanad
• Democracy
• Elections
• Referendum
• Reconciliation andPeacebuilding
• President
• Minister
• Rights & Responsibilities
• Northern Ireland
• P.R.
• Voting
• Taoiseach
• The Dáil
• Responsibilities
• Local Government
• Political Parties
• Constitution

UNIT FOURIRELAND AND THEWORLD

States seldom exist in isolation from other states. Why do they group? How do states group? These questions can be explored through study of Ireland's membership of international groupings, for example, the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations. Through participation in larger groupings, countries such as Ireland have responsibilities and potential influence beyond their borders. Important world development issues can be influenced by Ireland directly and through the state groupings of which it is a member. The concepts of Development and Interdependence are closely associated with the content of this unit.

Topical Issues

• Peacebuilding
• MEP
• Trade
• Media
• European Commission
• European Union
• European Parliament
• Council of Europe
• Rights &Responsibilities
• Global Citizen
• United Nations
• Influence
• Underdevelopment
• Interdependence

Recommended Planning Schedule for the Four Units

UNIT 1 - September to February (Year 1)

The Individual and Citizenship

Action Project*

UNIT 2 - February (Year 1) to November (Year 2)

The Community

Action Project*

UNIT 3 - November to June (Year 2)

The State ­ Ireland

Action Project*

UNIT 4 - September to April (Year 3)

Ireland and the World

Action Project*

Revision

*Students are required to undertake TWO Action Projects over the three years of the junior cycle. Students are also required to submit either a report on ONE of their Action Projects or a course-work assessment booklet for assessment purposes. The information above is purely a reminder that Action Projects can take place at any time and therefore opportunities for action should be taken where possible, rather than adhering to a prescribed schedule.

2.3 SKILLS

The emphasis in CSPE is on active participatory citizenship and on taking meaningful action. Through their participation in active learning and in their engagement in Action Projects, students will learn what it means to be participative citizens. During the process students are also learning key skills, which enable them to engage with their community, society and the wider world. On page thirteen of the CSPE syllabus various types of skills are outlined. These skills are expanded below. It is important to note that this list is not an exhaustive one and may be added to.

IDENTIFICATION/AWARENESS SKILLS

These are the skills that enable students to access and acquire information and include the following:

• Contacting people and/or organisations via
  • letter writing
  • making telephone calls
  • sending faxes
  • sending e-mails.
    
• Finding out information through
  • library networks
  • Internet
  • surveys
  • interviews
  • asking questions.
    
• As part of this process students may need to develop
  • computer skills
  • keyboard skills
  • word-processing skills

ANALYSIS/EVALUATION SKILLS

These are the skills that enable students to analyse, interpret, process and evaluate any information acquired.

• Once students have identified and accessed sources of information they then need to
  • organise the information
  • sort the information to discard irrelevant and unnecessary material
  • read and summarise the information into manageable pieces
  • analyse and evaluate the information
  • decide how to represent the information.
    
• In the case of facts and figures students may use such skills as
  • counting
  • collating
  • tabulating
  • presenting.
    
• Where students intend to visually present the information such skills may be required as
  • designing and drawing a poster
  • making out a pie chart
  • making out a bar graph
  • designing a diagram
  • designing and publishing a booklet.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

These are the skills which allow students to engage with other people, to participate in group discussion and to present knowledge and information.

• When working in groups, students learn to cooperate with each other and develop team-working skills such as
  • listening to others
  • discussing
  • learning to speak and voice opinions in a group
  • assigning tasks
  • negotiating with group members
  • valuing different perspectives
  • compromising in cases of disagreement
  • taking responsibility
  • being accountable to the group.
    
• When engaging with people or organisations as part of an Action Project a level of formality is required, as students are developing skills such as
  • making appointments
  • liaising with people
  • seeking permission from school management
  • meeting and greeting people
  • introducing and thanking people
  • chairing meetings
  • briefing speakers
  • preparing in advance.
    
• Whilst presenting information, making a speech or debating, students are developing skills such as
  • organising and planning
  • structuring the information or ideas
  • deciding on key information
  • speaking in public with confidence
  • using appropriate language
  • seeing the other point of view
  • arguing with conviction
  • summarising what has been said
  • reflecting upon what has been learned/experienced.
    
• Using drama, role-play or mime as methods for communicating information or portraying issues develops skills in
  • empathising
  • acting
  • interpreting
  • discussing.

ACTION SKILLS

Below are the practical skills that students develop which enable them to act upon an issue or situation:

• The organisation of a drama, debate, meeting or presentation enables students to use skills in
  • organising and planning
  • finding out numbers
  • deciding seating arrangements
  • assessing equipment requirements, e.g. data projector, OHP, white board, markers, flip chart
  • checking that the venue is clean and suitable
  • providing refreshments, if required.
    
• Hosting a meeting, debate or drama requires students to
  • welcome formally and begin procedures
  • oversee the event from start to finish
  • arrange follow-up as appropriate.

Leadership skills are very much to the forefront in organising and hosting events, as students are encouraged to take responsibility for the events.

• Class elections, mock elections and the use of democratic procedures and principles develop very valuable skills. They involve students in
  • identifying the issues
  • seeing and accepting that there are different sides and opinions
  • thinking about the issue
  • making a conscious decision on the issue
  • making a commitment to vote in a particular way
  • evaluating the result.
    
• Where students decide to fundraise as part of an Action Project they are developing skills such as:
  • identifying a need
  • researching the cause
  • choosing an activity
  • allocating tasks and venues
  • choosing and appointing a fund manager
  • organising a means of collection
  • disseminating information about the cause
  • opening a bank account
  • handling money
  • budgeting
  • recording all transactions
    
• Where students decide to engage in a campaign as part of an Action Project they are developing skills such as:
  • identifying a problem and agreeing its root cause(s)
  • exploring possible solutions
  • investigating possible campaigning actions and deciding the best course of action to bring about change
  • identifying groups already working on this issue
  • drawing up a plan of action
  • developing a letter writing or postcard campaign
  • using local media to publicise a campaign
  • evaluating what has been achieved.

2.4 PLANNING FOR CSPE

As CSPE is a short course (approximately seventy hours over the three years of the junior cycle) which is typically time-tabled for one class period per week, good organisation and planning of the course is of paramount importance. Normal school events and holidays may, on occasion, mean a considerable time lapse between CSPE classes. It is also necessary to factor in the time to be allocated to the carrying out and completion of an Action Project.

A module of work may be a useful way of structuring and planning this subject. A module for CSPE is 12 to 15 weeks of work including an Action Project. When planning a module of work the first step is to highlight the concept, unit, theme or issue chosen. Once chosen, seven or eight different aspects of this need to be identified. Different stimuli and active learning methodologies should be used in order to ensure the uniqueness of each lesson, (for more on this see Section 3).

The Action Project is an integral part of the module. This may be undertaken at any stage of the module. The exact nature of the Action Project should emerge during the module of work. The students themselves should be helped to generate their ideas for an Action Project and how they would like to participate in it.

"An active citizen...is someone who not only believes in the concept of a democraticsociety but who is willing and able to translate that belief into action. Active citizenshipis a compound of knowledge, skills and attitudes: knowledge about how society works;the skills needed to participate effectively; and a conviction that activeparticipation is the right of all citizens."

(Commonwealth of Australia, Education for Active Citizenship, p. 7, Australian Government, Canberra, 1989).

GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT

Civic, Social and Political Education aims to encourage students to become active participative citizens. Active learning methodologies are central to the successful delivery of CSPE as students will not become active citizens if their learning about citizenship has been passive. The diagram above illustrates the balance required for a meaningful CSPE experience with a greater emphasis placed on the methods of teaching/learning and action than on course content and information.

"Citizenship education is a combination ofapproaches which can be summarised as:

1. Education about citizenship ­ knowledgeof the political system operating inIreland, Europe and the world;

2. Education for citizenship ­ thedevelopment of skills and values as ameans to encourage active citizens;

3. Education through citizenship ­emphasis on learning by doing throughexperiences in and out of school."

(James Arthur and Daniel Wright, Teaching Citizenship inthe Secondary School, p.8. David Fulton Publishers, London, 2001)

2.5 EXAMPLE OF A MODULE OF WORK USING THE CONCEPT OF LAW

Outlined here is an example of how one might teach a module on concept of law

Lesson 1: Introducing the law

Show the class a short news clip featuring a crime report or a law report. Then have a brainstorming session on laws. Ask students to name some of the laws that have been broken in the video. Pose the question `What would happen if we did not have laws?' An alternative activity is TheDesert Island Law Activity: `Imagine that you were a passenger on an aeroplane which got into difficulty and was forced to land on an island in the middle of nowhere, like in Lord of the Flies by William Goulding. There are 250 passengers and crew on board. Your chances of rescue are very slim. However, there is a limited supply of food and water and shelter available on the island. The task is to (a) List 5 laws you need to make in order to survive, (b) Explain why each law is necessary and (c) Explain what will happen if someone breaks each of these laws.'

Lesson 2: Structures in law

Break the class into groups. Give the students a `Who am I?' game. Each group has a list of titles of different people involved in the legal/judicial system such as DPP, Garda, judge, jury member and a set of definitions/job descriptions. The students have to match the definition to the title. Do a similar activity for the different types of courts that deal with offences in Ireland.

Lesson 3: People involved in the law

Divide the class into groups. Give each group a different case study and a set of questions about a person involved in law enforcement or upholding the law (A Day in the Life of - a Garda, solicitor, barrister, judge, jury member). Each group must answer the questions. At the end of the exercise each group nominates a spokesperson to present the information about their particular case study, in character, to the rest of the class.

Lesson 4: Opinions on the law

Organise a walking debate on the following topic: `It's okay to break the law' (see Section 3, Exemplar 3).

Lesson 5: Punishment/retribution

Bring in newspapers containing court reports and ask students to read and discuss them in groups. Give the students the following headings: Probation, Donations to Charity, Fines, Penalty Points, Community Service, Prison Sentence. What did they think of the court decisions? Make a list of crimes that they think deserve each of the above mentioned punishments.

Lesson 6: Law in action

Organise a simulation that highlights the workings of the legal system. The students act out the roles of people involved (Garda, Judge, Barristers, Jury, witnesses, law breaker). Any student not involved in the simulation could be a journalist covering the case for a local paper or radio station, or the defendant's family in the courtroom crowd. (See attached role cards).

Lesson 7-11 Law Action Project

Some possible Action Projects might include:

• invite a guest speaker (Garda, Solicitor, Barrister, Judge, Victim Support, etc.) to visit the class
• organise a visit to a prison, a courthouse or a Garda Station
• carry out a survey on `What young people know about the law'.

Making the decision as to which Action Project to do could take one full class. Another class could be taken up with the allocation of tasks and groups. A number of classes may be required for the preparation and organisation of the Action Project.

Lesson 12: Reflection on the law

Provide students with opportunities to think back over their experiences of this module of work. What have they learned? How has their understanding of the law changed? How might they be able to become more active in understanding the law and how it works in the future?

Information for trial proceedings

1. Barristers introduce themselves.
2. Each side outlines its case.
3. Prosecution questions each witness in turn.
4. Defence cross-examines each in turn.
5. Prosecution may re-examine each witness after cross-examination, if necessary.
6. Defence questions each witness in turn.
7. Prosecution cross-examines and defence may reexamine, if necessary.
8. Judge sums up to jury and explains the law.
9. Jury retires to consider the verdict.
10. Jury delivers its verdict.
11. If defendant is found guilty, judge delivers sentence or if defendant found not guilty she/he is discharged.

2.6 EXAMPLE OF A MODULEOF WORK BASED ON THE UNIT OF COMMUNITY.

Lesson 1: Personal community networks

Give each student a sheet with a set of five concentric circles. They start by putting their own name in the central circle, the next circle will contain the names of their friends and families and working out into the next circles, the names of the people they encounter on a less frequent basis. Put the students into groups of four and ask them to compare their personal networks. After about ten minutes invite comments from the class as a group. Point out to the students that they belong to a number of communities. By looking at their circles again, ask them to name the communities to which they belong, e.g. family, school, sports/hobby, street, town, parish, etc.

Lesson 2: Types of community

Display photos showing different types of communities. For example, Traveller, farming, urban, rural, ethnic. Invite students to name the communities depicted in the photos. Discuss other communities that may exist. What is common and what is distinctive about different communities? Do different communities have different needs?

Lesson 3: Good community, bad community

Divide participants into groups of four or five and give each group a large selection of old newspapers and magazines. The task for each group, using headlines and pictures, is to create two collages, one describing good community and one describing bad community. Allow 10-15 minutes for this. Then display the collages on the walls and invite everyone to take a look.. Discuss, in the case of good community, what makes a community good, and in the case of bad community, what makes a community bad. Finally, discuss what steps can be taken to move from bad to good community.

Note for the teacher: the strength of a community is revealed by the degree to which its members experience a sense of security, of significance and of solidarity within it. To feel secure one needs to feel physically safe. To feel significant one needs to have a role to play and a function to fulfil in the community. Solidarity comes from feeling one belongs to a particular group. (Partners Companion toTraining for Transformation, p.86).

Lesson 4: Community development

Introduce this lesson by explaining that improvement and development is an important aim of most communities. Invite students to brainstorm ways in which groups might work to improve their communities. Divide the students into groups of four or five and give each group a set of cards (See page 26). Ask them to arrange the cards in a diamond shape with the statement that is the best definition of development at the top and the one they least agree with at the bottom. Compare the different responses.

Discuss: Are development and wealth the same thing? How might people in different parts of the world have different views on what development means? How might different groups within a community have different views on development, e.g. business people, politicians, young people, women.

Lesson 5: Progress towards development today

Present students with a number of statistics in the form of a true/false quiz. (The fact sheet on page 27 can be used, or various websites which provide statistics, e.g. www.undp.org, www.developmenteducation.ie, www.trocaire.org, www.combatpoverty.ie, www.cso.ie). This exercise can help students to see what progress has been made towards development at both a local and global level and the challenges that remain.

Lesson 6­7: Communities taking action

Using newspapers, websites and NGO materials, present the students with a number of stories about communities taking action (See page 28). Divide the students into groups of four or five and instruct the students to read the stories. Invite each group to summarise the community action project that they studied under the headings: Who is involved? What are they trying to achieve? Who is benefiting?

Then ask the students to imagine themselves as the editorial team for a local newspaper. They must agree a headline for the story and decide what type of photo they would use alongside the story.

The photo can be presented in a `freeze frame' to the rest of the class (See Section 3: active learning methods).

As a class, discuss which stories provide the best examples of community development and why.

Lesson 8­11: ACTION PROJECT

Possible action projects that would link in with the above classes would include:

• prepare and present of a profile of your community
• design and draw a mural which you feel represents your community ­ the various people and their interests, etc.
• interview representatives from different local community groups, ask them about the work they do, their hopes for the future, etc.
• survey students in the school to assess the needs of young people in the community and possible ways in which these needs could be met. (This might lead to a lobbying action with the relevant local body to press for the provision of facilities)
• invite a speaker from a development agency to talk about its work with communities in the developing world
• make a link between your school/class and a community project in the developing world (Trócaire can help with this)
• volunteer to do some community work
• hold an exhibition entitled `A Day in the Life of the Community' (in photographs)
  produce a booklet or website on services and facilities in the community
• investigate diverse communities on the island of Ireland, including Northern Ireland
• link with a school in Northern Ireland to exchange information on cross-community issues.

Lesson 12: Reflection

This final class allows the students to reflect on the learning and the action carried out. Students should be given a chance to do this individually and as a group.

Useful Resources on the theme of Community ­ Exploring Cultural Values in the Community, published by Interculture Ireland and CSPE Support Service.

Changing Perspectives: Cultural Values, Diversity andEquality in Ireland and the Wider World, published by CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit.

Counted Out, Challenging Poverty and Social Exclusion, CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit, Fala Favela, published by Trócaire.

Painting Life: Painting Hope ­ A set of posters based on a community project with young people in Nicaragua, published and available from Trócaire.

On the Right Track, Peace and Reconciliation Education, aHandbook for Citizenship Education Teachers, published by Education for Reconciliation Project, CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit.

For full details on these and other resources see Section 7.

CARDS FOR LESSON 4: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Reprinted with permission from Trócaire website

Fact Sheet for Lesson 5:Progress towards development

• Approximately 34 million people in Europe suffer food poverty ­ up to40 million when the new member states are included.
• Ireland has the highest level of poverty in Europe.
• The level of poverty in Ireland is 21%. (Poverty defined as below 60%of the median income).
• Ireland is the second richest member of the EU, behind onlyLuxembourg.
• 1.2 billion people (20% of the world population) live on income lessthan $1 a day. 2.8 billion live on less than $2 per person per day.
• In the year 2000 world military spending came to 800 billion.
• The cost of one Trident submarine is the same as the cost of a year'sschooling for 16 million children in the developing world.
• Over one billion people lack access to safe water and over two billionlive without proper sanitation.
• Currently, 115 million children globally receive no education. 860million adults in the world cannot read and two thirds of them arewomen.
• Providing basic health care to those currently without it in thedeveloping world would cost an extra $15 billion per annum.
• Providing literacy for all would cost an additional $5 billion perannum.
• To provide clean water for all would cost $50 billion per annum.

Sources: www.combatpoverty.ie, www.developmenteducation.ie, www.trocaire.org

Student Handout for Lesson 6­7

Sample story of a community taking action

The Muralismo project in Nicaragua is a project that encourages young people to paint their stories, hopes and dreams on the walls of the city of Esteli. It began when a community, which is based in the shanty towns of Esteli, wanted to do something about the problems of crime, poverty and drug abuse that were destroying young people's lives. The young people were invited to come together to talk, paint and design murals that were then painted onto the walls of their city. The Muralismo project, which began in 1988, is bringing young people together to talk about their lives and how they can be improved. The project runs workshops where the young people rebuild their confidence and begin to imagine what they want for their futures. Most of the young people come from the poorest parts of Esteli and include a number of street children, child labourers and disabled children. The hopes and dreams of the young people can now be seen all over the walls of the city.

In September 2001, four young people from Esteli travelled to Mayfield Community Arts Centre, Cork to share their experiences with young people there. The visit was organised with the support of Trócaire. The Nicaraguan `artists' shared their story and showed the techniques of mural painting. Then the young people compared ideas about life in Cork and Nicaragua and came up with an idea for a jointly designed mural called `The Preservation of our Planet'.

Story and image courtesy of Trócaire.