Select Committee on Education and Skills Written Evidence


Memorandum submitted by the Institute for Global Ethics UK Trust

  The Institute for Global Ethics UK Trust (IGE UK), a registered charity since 1995 and incorporated in 2001, aims to promote ethical behaviour in individuals, institutions and nations.

  In the UK, this is pursued through four principle roles; as convenor (organising a series of consultations at St Georges House, Windsor Castle to elevate public discussion and practical action) as educator (delivering the UK-wide impetus awards programme for young people and Ethical Fitness® seminars to private, public and voluntary organisations) as communicator (organising the annual Five Nations Conference on Education for Citizenship) and as networker (working collaboratively with organisations which pursue similar objectives).

  IGE-UK's impetus youth programme which can be delivered through citizenship education has very relevant experience which it wishes to contribute to the Committee's discussions, in particular on citizenship education's potential to contribute to social cohesion, and implementing the active aspects of the curriculum. We make three recommendations following a brief overview of our work.

  Impetus aims to be a leading programme in developing a culture of shared ethical values and human rights across the UK.

  We believe the Human Rights Act (and other human rights instruments) and the ethical values which underpin it—mutual respect, honesty and integrity, fairness of treatment and individual freedom and personal responsibility—can provide a new cultural reference point around which to foster relationships and perspectives of both an ethical and legal basis. The "Parek Report" (2000) which contained the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain, echoed multi-cultural reports before it, when it stated that "human rights principles provide a sound framework for handling differences, and a body of values around which society can unite".

  Working in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for three years since its official launch in 2003, impetus has learnt that local relationships and perspectives based on shared ethical values can create fertile soil for implementing and maintaining a culture of human rights standards, and the mechanisms for dealing with conflict.

  Impetus awards are given to every project that demonstrates:

    (1)  Exploration of human rights and obligations.

    (2)  Creative application of shared values.

    (3)  Whole School/organisation involvement.

    (4)  Engagement with local communities.

  Teachers have used impetus to:

    —  bring a specific dialogue about ethical values and human rights to existing work;

    —  establish class projects or long term whole school programmes that model democratic relations and foster an ethos of shared ethical values; and

    —  as a means to build links with local and global communities.

  Young people themselves have started impetus projects which allow them to build on their experiences, understandings and tackle their concerns.

RECOMMENDATIONS

  1.  The Human Rights Act and the shared ethical values which underpin it provide a framework around which to define and implement a cohesion dimension to citizenship education.

  2.  Opportunities need to be developed which allow what young people discuss and think about outside of school, to become a learning experience in school. Citizenship education policy and practice needs to build on young people's experiences, understandings and concerns.

  3.  There needs to be renewed national leadership in the promotion of citizenship education which highlights the learning and democratic possibilities that exist if schools adopt a participatory approach to delivering the citizenship curriculum.

March 2006





 
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