‘‘Life in the UK’Life in the UK’A Journey to Citizenship,A Journey to Citizenship,would you pass the test?would you pass the test?

5 Nations Conference5 Nations ConferenceDec 2013Dec 2013

Balbir.sohal@coventry.gov.uk

New Life in the UK Test 2013New Life in the UK Test 2013• The website has been The website has been

designed for UK designed for UK citizenship seekers who citizenship seekers who want to get ready to take want to get ready to take the the Life in the UK Life in the UK test. test.

• Our British citizenship Our British citizenship practice tests are made practice tests are made so easy for UK citizenship so easy for UK citizenship applicants that even an applicants that even an amateur to computers or amateur to computers or English will find it easy to English will find it easy to faceface

• It doesnIt doesn’’t matter if your t matter if your English is poor or you English is poor or you lack basic computer lack basic computer skills.skills.

Do you want to have a Do you want to have a go?go?

• http://www.britishcitizenshiptest.co.uk/free-sample-test.aspx

Who do you think you are?Who do you think you are?

My identity today?My identity today?

‘Nations and peoples are largely the stories they feed themselves. If they tell themselves stories that are lies, they will suffer the future consequences of those lies. If they tell themselves stories that face their own truths, they will free their histories for future flowerings.’

Ben Okri

Aims of the sessionAims of the session

•To explore the concepts of diversity,

identity and community cohesion,

• How do schools know they are

addressing SMSC

•To reflect on practical ideas which can

be used with children and young people

Why?Why?

Learning about identity and cultural diversity can help young people to live and work together in diverse communities in their country and the wider world.

It can also help them develop their identity and a sense of belonging, which are fundamental to personal wellbeing and the achievements of a flourishing and cohesive society.

What role do we as citizenship What role do we as citizenship practitioners have?practitioners have?

to support many communities?to support many communities?

to promote positive identities?to promote positive identities?

to welcome the new?to welcome the new?

to welcome diversity of all kinds?to welcome diversity of all kinds?to act positively to promote this to act positively to promote this

pluralist view?pluralist view?to deliver political literacy?to deliver political literacy?

Reflection

Can you think of an example in your setting that would support Citizenship and identities?

What role do schools have?What role do schools have?

Schools are central community institutionsSchools are central community institutions

Shape children and young peopleShape children and young people’’s s experiences of each other and of the adult experiences of each other and of the adult worldworld

Model positive values of cohesion & inclusionModel positive values of cohesion & inclusion

Help children & young people join and Help children & young people join and establish identitiesestablish identities

Help children & young people talk about Help children & young people talk about cohesion and kinds of differencecohesion and kinds of difference

Know how children & young people are doingKnow how children & young people are doing

Where?Where?

Teacher interactionTeacher interaction

Student interactionStudent interaction

School policies and practice School policies and practice Active citizenship programs Active citizenship programs Involving local community Involving local community

Teacher/facilitator Teacher/facilitator interaction ...interaction ...• Active learning approaches - Games, quizzes, stories Active learning approaches - Games, quizzes, stories

and testimony, surveys and media projectsand testimony, surveys and media projects• Peer mentoring & group workPeer mentoring & group work• Listening to diverse voices & stories Listening to diverse voices & stories • Using a wide range of literatureUsing a wide range of literature• Empathy & empowerment - Using role play/Empathy & empowerment - Using role play/ problem problem

solvingsolving• The development of trust between young peopleThe development of trust between young people• Communicative skills to be explicitly taught and Communicative skills to be explicitly taught and

promotedpromoted• Developing Developing knowledge & understanding: legal/human knowledge & understanding: legal/human

rights, public discourse, political literacyrights, public discourse, political literacy

Identities and diversityIdentities and diversity

““Everywhere, cultural identities are Everywhere, cultural identities are emerging which are not fixed, but emerging which are not fixed, but poised, in transition between different poised, in transition between different positions; which draw on different positions; which draw on different cultural traditions at the same time: and cultural traditions at the same time: and which are the product of those which are the product of those complicated cross-overs and cultural complicated cross-overs and cultural mixes which are increasingly common in mixes which are increasingly common in a globalised world.a globalised world.””

(S. Hall, (S. Hall, The Question of Cultural IdentityThe Question of Cultural Identity in in ““Modernity and its FuturesModernity and its Futures””, Polity, Polity

Press, OU, 1992)Press, OU, 1992)

Community CohesionCommunity Cohesion

““Working towards a a society in which there Working towards a a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which the by all communities; a society in which the diversity of peoplediversity of people’’s backgrounds and s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and valued; a circumstances is appreciated and valued; a society in which life opportunities are society in which life opportunities are available to all; and a society in which available to all; and a society in which strong and positive relationships exist and strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the workplace, continue to be developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider communityin schools and in the wider community””..Alan Johnson November 2006Alan Johnson November 2006

• Shared values a common vision for societyShared values a common vision for society• A sense of belonging by all communities A sense of belonging by all communities • The diversity of peopleThe diversity of people’’s backgrounds s backgrounds

appreciated & valued appreciated & valued • Equal and fair life opportunities available to Equal and fair life opportunities available to

all all • Strong and positive relationshipsStrong and positive relationships• Knowing responsibilities & rightsKnowing responsibilities & rights• Trust in each other, schools & local Trust in each other, schools & local

institutionsinstitutions

Defining & Understanding Community Cohesion

• East European background pupil in a rural comprehensive: East European background pupil in a rural comprehensive: ‘‘I I see Africa as poor, Asia as a famine and war zone, Eastern see Africa as poor, Asia as a famine and war zone, Eastern Europe as second class and England having snobby whites and Europe as second class and England having snobby whites and poor blacks.poor blacks.’’ WHERE DO I FIT IN?WHERE DO I FIT IN?

• A black pupil: A black pupil: ‘‘I live in London- itI live in London- it’’s my home. My parents are s my home. My parents are from the Caribbean. Ifrom the Caribbean. I’’m a Christian, but Im a Christian, but I’’m E17- thatm E17- that’’s where I s where I hang, theyhang, they’’re my people. Thatre my people. That’’s who I am.s who I am.’’ GANG CULTUREGANG CULTURE

• A white pupil: A white pupil: ‘‘II’’m not from a Caribbean country or an exotic m not from a Caribbean country or an exotic country. Icountry. I’’m from nowhere like that, Im from nowhere like that, I’’m just plain English.m just plain English.’’ WHITE WORKING CLASS ISOLATIONWHITE WORKING CLASS ISOLATION

• A Head in a largely white area: A Head in a largely white area: ‘‘We have no problem here. We We have no problem here. We have a very low percentage of children from different cultural have a very low percentage of children from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Weand ethnic backgrounds. We’’re very wary of the Duty becoming re very wary of the Duty becoming a contrived situation.a contrived situation.’’ MISREPRESENTATIONMISREPRESENTATION

Some of the challenges the Duty seeks to address

Theme :Diversity & Identity

Silent Dialogue

What is ‘Britishness?’

Picture perfect

Reflection

What can you take back to school from today and implement to enhance your work with the students around diversity & identity within a citizenship framework?

‘‘If you take skins and If you take skins and stuff off, we are all the stuff off, we are all the

same.same.’’ (Primary students)(Primary students)