1 Project Title: Active Citizenship for youths by enhancing LIFECOMP competencies through innovative teaching tools and techniques Project Number: 2021-1-ES02-KA220-YOU-000028702 R1.T2 TRAINING MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT MODULE 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness Active Citizen. (2018, November 4). [Photo]. UniDiversity. http://rosaledaunidiversity3.blogspot.com/2018/11/active-citizen.html ‘Active citizenship begins with an envisioning of the desired outcome and a conscious application of spiritual principles. [Dennis Kucinich] Prepared by
2 Table of Contents \ Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Learning Unit 1: Introduction to Active Citizensship: definition, meaning, key elements and dimensions ................... 6 Learning Unit 2: Main theories about youth participations and their important role and engagement……………10 Learning Unit 3: Sustainability and its ecosystemic vision…………………………………………………………14. Learning Unit 4: Competences and Tools needed to develop meaningful engagement of Youths and make change………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….18 References……………………………………………………………………………………………………………25
3 Glossary Key Word Description Active Citizenship Active citizenship means getting involved in their communities and democracy at all levels, from local to national and global. Active Citizen An active citizen promotes the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes developing a combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to work to make a difference in society. Dimension of Active Citizenship Active citizenship has four dimensions related to citizenship practices which summarise sociological conditions represent as capacity (how people can act based on their rights), connection (relationship with others), challenge (desire of self in practices during involvement) and context (how people aware of diverse options during social practices) (Clarke and Missingham, 2009). Sustainability Sustainable development requires an integrated approach that takes into consideration environmental concerns along with economic development. In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Source: United Nations. (n.d.). Sustainability. https://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/sustainability Sustainable Development Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present whilst ensuring future generations can meet their own needs. It has three pillars: economic, environmental and social. To achieve sustainable development, policies in these three areas have to work together and support each other. In 2015, world leaders agreed on Agenda 2030, a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets proposed by the United Nations. The EU was instrumental in shaping Agenda 2030. The EU and its member countries are fully committed to implementing Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals into EU policies. Source: Sustainable development. (2022, July 14). Trade. https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/development-and-sustainability/sustainable-development_en#:%7E:text=Sustainable%20development%20means%20meeting%20the,together%20and%20support%20each%20other. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Countries have committed to prioritize progress for those who're furthest behind. The SDGs are designed to end poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls. Source: Sustainable Development Goals | United Nations Development Programme. (n.d.). UNDP. https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals
4 Systemic Thinking a comprehensive analytical approach to understanding how different elements interact within a system or structure Youth Empowerment Youth empowerment is a process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives. They do this by addressing their situation and then take action in order to improve their access to resources and transform their consciousness through their beliefs, values, and attitudes. Youth empowerment aims to improve quality of life. Youth empowerment is achieved through participation in youth empowerment programs. Source: What does youth empowerment mean? (n.d.). Definitions. https://www.definitions.net/definition/youth+empowerment Youth Participation Participation is a fundamental right. It is one of the guiding principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that has been reiterated in many other Conventions and Declarations. Through active participation, young people are empowered to play a vital role in their own development as well as in that of their communities, helping them to learn vital life-skills, develop knowledge on human rights and citizenship and to promote positive civic action. To participate effectively, young people must be given the proper tools, such as information, education about and access to their civil rights. Source: The United Nations. (n.d.). Youth Participation. https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/youth/fact-sheets/youth-participation.pdf
5 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness INTRODUCTION Participating in local communities and democracy on all scales, from local to national, is what is meant by active citizenship. Active citizenship might take the form of something little like organizing a street cleanup effort or something huge like teaching young people about democratic values, participation, and skills. One of the most crucial elements in creating healthy communities is active citizenship. For all of those working through this module, we hope it helps stimulate active citizenship – in the widest sense of the term! We wish to develop broader awareness of active citizenship through active participants in their community and want to explore active citizenship further. This module will address the definition, meaning, key elements and dimensions of active citizenship and active citizenship’s role in EU sustainable development awareness. Moreover, it will provide you with details about how to use Systemic Thinking in order to analayse social and / or environmental problems providing alternative solutions that go beyond the problem itself making you realize the big picture! Learning Outcomes Knowledge -After the completion of this module, you will: ü Be aware of what active citizenship is and the related terms to it ü Be familiar with the holistic vision of sustainability and its connection with active citizenship ü Be aware of the SDGs goal as a critical precursor to an active engagement of citizens, communities and other agents ü Be aware of the role that civil society and youth can have in building the future ü Be familiar with theories about youth participation and engagement Skills – After the completion of this module, you will: ü Be able to select and apply tools for engaging youths ü Be able to develop system thinking that fosters thinking about complex issues of youths ü Be able to provide different examples of active citizenship Competences – After the completion of this module, you will: ü Be competent to develop civic responsibility, engage and act toward certain problems ü Be comfortable with uncertainty by identifying multiple, open-ended, alternative, and preferable futures to be created collectively
6 LEARNING UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP: DEFINITION, MEANING, KEY ELEMENTS AND DIMENSIONS The term Influential citizen engagement is related with an engaged citizenry having the power to make flexible decisions. These decisions could be achieved through a number of actions like voting, attending public hearings, being a member of citizen boards, and taking part in public opinion surveys (Ahrari et al, 2014). Every culture and community has a different definition of active citizenship, but overall, these definitions are comparable. For example, in the European meaning, it means having the ability to deal with contemporary concerns as well as understanding of shared standards and identities with regard to social and cultural globalization (European Commission-Education and Training, 2010). As for the key elements that provide the basis of citizenship in general and active citizenship in particular, these entail (Sociology group, 2017) i) the civil element where it is composed by the rights necessary for one’s freedom; ii) the political element that refers to the right of participation in exercise of political power; and iii) the social element which is related to the ability of living in a society as a civilized person according with the standards of economic welfare and security. Dimensions of active citizenship According to the Council of Europe (2006) active citizenship is characterized by four main dimensions: ü The political dimension where citizenship is reflected through the knowledge of political system and the promotion of democratic attitudes and participatory skills ü The social dimension which is intertwined with individual’s behavior in non-governmental actions. This element of citizenship is detected by analyzing people’s loyalty and solidarity with one another ü The cultural dimension which constitutes the common cultural heritage shared by a number of people as well as by the basic skills and history they have in common (for example, language competence, reading skills etc) ü The economic dimension which is directly related to the labour market. It englobes those rights in the working environment, economic skills, training In general, there are two approaches through which one can comprehend the context of active citizenship. The first one refers to Sociological theories, which place more emphasis on preparing people for new jobs through socializing them at each stage of life (Ahrari et al, 2014). Moreover, Socialization serves two seemingly opposing purposes: the one foresees "fitting people into social roles" whilst the second one leads to "individuating" people from each other. Contrary to sociologists' attention on social and structural forces and environment during socialization, psychological theories frequently place a greater emphasis on personal development and how it affects people to participate actively in their communities. As Eguz& Kafandar (2020) foresee in their work, Active citizenship will be for sure determined by individuals’ competences in a sense that it will be shaped by their personal knowledge, skills, attitudes and values.
7 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness In order to summarize sociological conditions, active citizenship has four dimensions that are related to citizenship practices (Ahrari et al, 2014): o Capacity which refers to the way that people act in accordance with their rights, o Connection reveals the relationship that people have with others, o Challenge describes the desire of oneself in practices during involvement, and o Context describes the way people become aware of diverse options during social practices Each of the aforementioned points represents a unique way that a person has contributed to citizenship. (Jansen et al., 2006). As shown in Fig. 1, there are numerous social settings or public spheres for varied active participation behaviors. In fact, this diagram illustrates the significance of participation for social integration, and the role of identification in achieving social cohesion through the development of relationships that encourage and promote civic engagement. How do we become active citizens? Numerous research on citizenship emphasize on the role that competences have as the key for someone to becoming engaged citizen. How this can be achieved? Through training that focuses on raising participants' knowledge. Active methods and learning techniques are usually employed such as “learning by doing”, “discussions”, or “acquisition of new skills” in order to cultivate the civic competences of the learners. For getting better results practice and experience sharing between all parties involved, should be ensured, guaranteeing the effective transfer of knowledge and the promotion of high levels of engagement and commitment not only to the training process but to the undertaking of civic activities in the community. But why is essential for Youth’s to learn about active citizenship? Young people are expected to possess the necessary civic knowledge to play an active role in their community. Being an engaged citizen requires learning the necessary skills that will enhance your involvement. These skills are essential for everyone to live in a modern society, but especially for young people. Active citizenship is increasingly being addressed in education because of its growing importance not only as a component of lifelong learning but also as a key Fig.2: Active Citizenship. (n.d.-b). [Photo]. https://www.thesynergycentre.org/active-citizenship/ Fig. 1: Dimension of active citizenship (Jansen et al., 2006)
8 element for leading youths to prosperity and well-being making them also agents of change of their communities. Additional information The strategy's key component, Active Citizenship, emphasizes ideals, representative democracy, and civil society. How exactly can a term like "active citizenship" be measured: Visit the link here, to learn more about Active Citizenship, Examples of Active Citizenship and Why Is Being an Active Citizen Important? Visit also here, this link to learn more about things you can do to become an active citizen. Visit also here, this link to learn more about the definition and framework for developing composite indicators of active citizenship, the process of building a composite indicator and the results obtained from the indicators in terms of European cross-country comparisons. “Did you know?” Did you know that you can make your voice heard in your youth group, organisation and/or school? Fig 3: RMSOS approach You can take part in the Council of Europe's Youth Participation program. The youth policy of the Council of Europe is to give young people of all genders and sexes equal opportunities and experiences that will enable them to gain the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to fully participate in all facets of society. ‘Participation and active citizenship are about having the right, the means, the space and the opportunity and, where necessary, the support to participate in and influence decisions and engage in actions and activities so as to contribute to building a better society’. Source: Council of Europe. (n.d.-c). Citizenship and Participation. Manual for Human Rights Education with Young People. https://www.coe.int/en/web/compass/citizenship-and-participation#:%7E:text=Participation%20and%20active%20citizenship%20is,to%20building%20a%20better%20society.
9 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness “Best practices” The foundation of being an active citizen is volunteering. Volunteering is an act of human solidarity, empowerment, and active citizenship, as described in a 2011 United Nations report. Volunteering for organizations that provide food or medical care to people in war zones and developing nations is an option for those interested in global issues. These include Oxfam International, International Committee of the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. Other examples include working as a volunteer at a homeless shelter, delivering groceries or medications to neighbours who are housebound, showing up at community meetings, or setting up a network to advocate for a certain policy. By lowering waste, even a simple action like recycling benefits society as a whole. Fig. 4: Youth discuss volunteering, active citizenship in Emerging Stronger Conversations dialogue. (2020, October 31). [Photo]. https://socsc.smu.edu.sg/news/2020/oct/31/youth-discuss-volunteering-active-citizenship-emerging-stronger-conversations Source: Active Citizenship | The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2019b, October 31). The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/active-citizenship#:%7E:text=Examples%20of%20Active%20Citizenship,part%20in%20the%20democratic%20process. “Tips” Watch your ecological footprint You don’t want to live in a smoggy nightmare full of dirt and litter, and your neighbours don’t, either. Keeping your community clean and healthy is an individual responsibility for everyone. Reduce the amount of useless plastic or non-recyclables you buy, see what you can re-use, and recycle the rest! Or maybe join #TrashTuesdays and take 10 minutes to pick up litter while you’re out walking.
10 Take matters into your own hands Yes, this one does require a little extra time and work. But do you have a particular issue that you are passionate about trying to change? Why not create your own citizen proposal then? Join a group of likeminded peers, collect the necessary signatures to put your plan on the council's agenda, or why not run for office locally? Join a neighborhood party, assist them in their electioneering efforts in your town or city, or even put your name on the ballot! Ways to be civically engaged We have more power than we realize as citizens. If we put our minds to it, we can significantly alter and enhance our communities and the lives of the people who live there. Let's start working now! How do you intend to begin? Source: Lodewijckx, I. (2019, November 8). How to be an engaged citizen: 10 ways to get involved. CitizenLab’s Blog. https://www.citizenlab.co/blog/civic-engagement/10-easy-ways-to-be-a-more-engaged-citizen/ Time for a quiz! Peer activity / group assignment List problems that sometimes occur in your community and prevent you from being an active citizen. You can share your list of problems with one of your peers or a small group to make a combined list. As a group, categorise the problems under major headings. Experiential activity – Writing a reflective note Please provide some examples where your decisions/choices negatively or positively affected your community. Now that you know how your actions/choices affect the wider community, describe what you should have done differently. LEARNING UNIT 2: MAIN THEORIES ABOUT YOUTH PARTICIPATIONS AND THEIR IMPORTANT ROLE AND ENGAGEMENT The strategies used to encourage youth engagement provide insight into how nations view democracy. The notion of democracy is incomplete if youth engagement is viewed as participating in already established systems without having the opportunity to
11 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness change the community from what it was. To alter cultures and preexisting ways of thought, democratic action is conducted in collaboration with others (Poyntz 2009). Youth involvement may increase and improve public life if the democratic mechanisms that support it are developed and rebuilt to satisfy young people’s needs and provide them the opportunity to interact with adult society. Video Check this educational video regarding Youth Empowerment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJnLaj7fRZg Typology of Youth Participation and Empowerment (TYPE) Pyramid There are various models that promote youth participation and empowerment. One of the most known models that describes Youth Participation and Empowerment is the so called “TYPE Pyramid’ which was introduced by Wong, Zimmerman and Parker (2010). According to their proposed model, three categorical categories of participation are distinguished—adult control, youth control, and shared control—which are represented by the TYPE Pyramid. Whereas shared control is raised over youth and grown-up control, proposing that degrees of strengthening increment for both youth and grown-ups as participatory exercises climb toward more perfect shapes of youth-adult organization, grown-up control and youth control are set on the same level, suggesting relatively equal levels of empowerment on a continuum. Furthermore, the pyramidal presentation of the concept is purposefully created to "avoid the presumption that youthdriven engagement is ideal," which was a frequent misunderstanding of past ladder-based models of empowerment and participation. Fig. 2: The Type Pyramid (Source: S. (2019, November 5). Typology of Youth Participation and Empowerment Pyramid. Organizing Engagement. https://organizingengagement.org/models/typology-of-youthparticipation-and-empowerment-pyramid/#:%7E:text=The%20Typology%20of%20Youth%20Participation,positive%20youth%20development%20and%20empowerment) Additional information If you want to learn more on the different models that represent Youth participation visit the links here, here, and here
12 Why is Youth Engagement important and What makes it difficult? The younger generation has a lot of societal influence. Statistics show that there are now 1.8 billion young people worldwide between the ages of 10 and 24. Although there are a lot of them, there are other factors at play. Through a number of outlets, they are more involved in political discussions and international negotiations. The level of young engagement on a worldwide scale has never been higher. Youth may make a positive difference if they are given the right to do so. They become more capable, their world views are shaped, and their attitudes and beliefs are affected by the discussion of global concerns including healthcare, poverty, human rights, and inequality. They acquire improved problem-solving skills through the engagement and meaningful conversation processes, which will eventually help them develop into effective leaders. In addition, youth involvement is thought to be more enduring and productive when addressing regional and international issues. Their original concepts spur social transformation and produce beneficial effects. Their participation encourages social interaction and more extensive discussions. Building social cohesiveness in conflict-affected communities can be achieved by involving the younger generation in decisionmaking. However, numerous obstacles prevent young people from participating. There are few options for young people to engage in and approach decision-making because so many of them reside in low-income countries. The topics are unappealing, which is why people are unwilling to participate in typical participation events. They can view the involvement process as tedious and protracted. Inequalities based on race and gender might also prevent participation. Their ability to participate is also being hampered by the availability of information and the absence of suitable engagement tools. Therefore, the vast majority of young people are unable to take part in international negotiations and have no opportunity to speak up and make a contribution in the social sphere. Source: Peng, Y. (2020, November 6). Youth Engagement: Why Is It Important? WeSolve. https://wesolve.app/youth-engagement-why-is-it-important/
13 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness Fig 3: Youth Engagement | World Scouting. (2019, September 29). SCOUTS for SDGs. https://sdgs.scout.org/project/youth-engagement-12 Additional information Visit also here, this link to learn more about Why Is Youth Civic Engagement Important? Visit also here, this link to learn more about Youth Participation Strategy “Did you know?” Did you know that youth involvement or participation has been one of the main techniques for effective youth development? This means that by contributing and embracing expertise specific to each group and working together to make decisions that have an impact on others, young people and adults form a partnership that is mutually beneficial. What does that look like exactly? Do young people have to have positions of authority or leadership on boards or steering committees? Young people can participate in decision-making, planning, and implementation processes inside a company or a community initiative in a variety of ways. Keeping young people involved Increasing participation at meetings will keep young people engaged. They require respect from adults who will listen to them. This has been repeatedly expressed by youth in all projects. They are prepared to contribute and have their own distinctive viewpoints. They want to matter and to be regarded seriously. Adults should carefully consider their own attitudes and behaviors in light of this, especially how they interact with children. Youth retention rates are significantly influenced by the statements they make, how they say them, and the accompanying body language. Source: Strengthening Youth Involvement. (2004, February). Act for Youth. https://www.actforyouth.net/resources/pm/pm_strengthenyouthinvolv_0204.cfm “Tips” Where should we start? The greatest place to start is with a strategy that you and your peers are both confident in and that you think can have an influence on your neighbourhood. Your "community" may consist of your school, the parents of the children there, residents of the neighbourhood, local businesses, local religious organizations, or local sports teams. Whatever the chosen approach, it will be simpler to win over your audience's trust if you direct community action campaigns at people with whom you are already acquainted and have a working connection.
14 Source: Youth Climate Action Guide - Take Action! (n.d.). Youth Climate Action Guide. https://sites.google.com/tdsb.on.ca/youthclimateactionguide/take-action Time for a quiz! Experiential activity Please provide some examples where your decisions/ choices had a negative or positive effect on your community. Now that you know the extent to which your actions/ choices affect the decision making, describe what you should have done differently? LEARNING UNIT 3: SUSTAINABILITY AND ITS ECO-SYSTEMIC VISION Sustainability refers to meeting our needs without affecting the capacity of coming generations to achieve their goals. We require social and economic resources in addition to natural resources. Sustainability extends beyond environmental activism. Most conceptions of sustainability include considerations for social equality and economic development. A unified roadmap for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, both now and in the future, is provided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was accepted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call to action for all nations—developed and developing—in a global partnership, are at the center of it. They understand that combating poverty and other forms of deprivation necessitates policies that enhance health and education, lessen inequality, promote economic growth, combat climate change, and seek to protect our oceans and forests. For more information on the topic please see Module 1- Climate Change, Sustainable Development. In general, three dimensions of sustainability are identified: ü Environmental Sustainability All of the earth's environmental systems are kept in balance and ecological integrity is upheld while natural resources are consumed by humans at a rate that allows them to replenish themselves. ü Economic Sustainability Around the world, human communities are able to remain autonomous and have access to the resources they need, both material and non-material. Economic systems are functioning normally, and everyone has access to activities like stable sources of income. ü Social Sustainability All people can access universal human rights and the essentials of life if they have access to enough resources to maintain the safety and well-being of their families and communities. Just leaders ensure that
15 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness personal, labor, and cultural rights are upheld in healthy communities and that everyone is protected from discrimination. What is the intention behind the SDGs? The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) served as a crucial development framework between 2000 and 2015 and were successful in a number of areas, including lowering poverty and enhancing health and education in poor nations. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by embracing a wide range of interconnected topics across the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, expand the challenges that must be addressed in order to eradicate poverty. The SDGs were developed through what is likely the most inclusive process in the history of the UN, taking into account significant input from all societal sectors and geographical locations. More than 1,500 businesses contributed suggestions and recommendations through the UN Global Compact alone. The objectives apply to both wealthy and developing nations equally. They are supposed to be translated by governments into national action plans, programs, and initiatives that take into account the various capacities and realities that exist in each nation. The SDGs are intended to unite a wide range of organizations and form objectives and aspirations for sustainable development initiatives around a common framework, even though they primarily target governments. The SDGs, above all else, acknowledge the crucial role that business can and must play in achieving them. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which strives to promote a more sustainable future, includes the SDGs as an essential component. This agenda aims to address major issues like justice, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. It is built on the assumptions that: ü Environmental protection, social advancement, and economic prosperity all go hand in hand and must be combined. All of the SDGs must be cooperatively achieved because of their interdependence. ü To transform our global society, multiple actors (including governments, corporations, and the civil society) must work together. The SDGs are viewed as a way to unite these various players' efforts behind a single goal. The 17th SDG is significant in this sense because it explicitly emphasizes the need for new cross-sectoral and multistakeholder partnerships. Without it, it will be impossible to fulfill the goal of resolving the world's major problems. Fig 1: Social Development for Sustainable Development. (n.d.). [Photo]. United Nations. https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/2030agenda-sdgs.html
16 From the abovementioned, you will realize that active citizenship constitutes the main vehicle for humanity in achieving these goals. Without having citizens that care about their communities and their co fellows trying to make a difference on how things are done till now, in terms of environmental, social and economic sustainability and with a view to eradicating poverty, injustice for all human beings, then undoubtedly this context will be doomed to fail. Additional information Visit also here, this link to learn more about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development See also here, this video by United Nations regarding the 17 SDGs Video See also here, this ted talk by Michael Green about How We Can Make the World a Better Place by 2030 See also here, this video about What is Sustainable Development “Did you know?” Did you know that, the “Go Green” signs you see displayed around various stores and window fronts are more than a catchy, mainstream term to be thrown around? “Go Green”, as well as other environmental awareness campaigns, are intended to spur humanity into taking proactive steps to protect the environment. In reality, protecting the planet's sustainability and survival for future generations is a moral duty of people. It's feasible that without human assistance in this endeavor, mankind as a whole won't be able to endure on this planet for very long. And since the majority of environmental harm is caused by human actions, only by making better, healthier decisions can the planet's wellbeing and, by extension, the wellbeing of people, change. As a result, it is up to us to alter our behavior and develop better ways to treat the environment.
17 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness Being more environmentally conscious and teaching others how to do the same are two of the best ways to take proactive action in the correct direction. Understanding how our behavior affects the environment will enable us to change our behavior, saving not only the planet but also mankind as a whole. Source: HEART WATER. (2021, September 21). Heart Water - Environmental Awareness: Save the Planet. https://drinkheartwater.com/blog/environmental-awareness Fig. 2: Environmental awareness and protection. (2020, January 16). [Photo]. EPALE. https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/epale-focus-environmental-awareness-and-protection “Tips” Be the Change You Wish to See in the World. 6 Ways to Raise Awareness About Environmental Issues: • Attend a rally or march • Use social media • Contact elected officials • Recommend books and movies • Be more accommodating • Write articles and create videos
18 LEARNING UNIT 4: COMPETENCES AND TOOLS NEEDED TO DEVELOP MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT OF YOUTHS AND TO MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN As it was presented above there are some key elements that constitute the major factors that lead to the cultivation of active citizenship competence to youths. First of all, the youths need to feel engaged towards their community and the social mission by participating actively in the activities that taking place within its framework. But for this to happen, the youths need to be able to realize what the problem is analyzing each and every component and/or factor that affect it. In order to be able to proceed with such an analysis, the youths need to cultivate their systemic thinking skills. Can you describe in your own words what the process of systemic thinking entails? More specifically, “Systemic Thinking” refers to a comprehensive analytical approach to understanding how different elements interact within a system or structure (indeed, nd). As a starting line considers that by researching/ analyzing a part of the system certainly could not provide you with valuable results since this part does not work autonomously. On the contrary, it is affected by the other parts of the system that interact with each other developing the system as a whole. Source: https://aventislearning.com/what-is-systems-thinking/
19 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness Video If you want to learn how systems thinking work, please watch the following video in this link Watch also, here this video about A Systems Story But why Systems Thinking is so important? The primary advantage that system thinking provide us is the fact that it recognizes that there is no one absolute solution of a problem. Instead of that it highlights that people have the opportunity to choose among various solutions through different perspectives and approaches. However, what it should be made clear to them is that all of the proposed solutions are going to have an impact either negative or positive, of minor or of major importance, on the other parts of the system. But undoubtedly, as a procedure helps us to broaden our thinking by finding and/or articulating problems in new and different ways. There are five key principles that define system thinking (Aventis Learning Group, 2020): ü It promotes thinking of the “big picture” ü It facilitates the balance between short-term and long-term perspectives ü It recognizes the dynamic, complex, and interdependent nature of systems ü It takes into account not only measurable but also non-measurable factors ü It reminds to us that we are all part of the systems in which we function and that we each influence those systems even as we are being influenced by them In the following graph you will see the differences between a linear thinker and a system thinker. Source: https://itchronicles.com/technology/systems-thinking-the-vocabulary-tools-and-theory/
20 Additional information If you want to learn more, please read the following article about Systems Thinking: The vocabulary, Tools and theory “Tips” In order to apply the systems thinking approach you need to follow the steps presented below: ü Step 1: Start by observing the social problem ü Step 2: Identify and analyse the problem ü Step 3: Devise a list of possible interventions that change the interconnectedness of different elements or change the speed of their interaction ü Step 4: Apply solutions beginning from the most obvious t=and the likely one to be the most suitable ü Step 5: Gather feedback and evaluate results ü Step 6: Continue the improvement process Source: https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/systemic-thinking “Did you know?” There are six powerful tools that can help you use the system thinking approach
21 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness Source: https://www.fsg.org/blog/tools-supporting-systems-thinking-and-change/ Additional information If you want to learn more, please read the following article about New System Thinking Tool: Eco cycle mapping Video If you want to learn how systems thinking work, please watch the following video about the tool of ECO CYCLE PLANNNG Watch also, here this video about World Cafe Method Time for a quiz! Experiential activity Please think one big problem that your community is faced with. You are asked to suggest some solutions on it. Taking as a starting point the method of system thinking try to analyze it by using the tool of Eco cycle mapping. What were the results? Would you use another tool for this analysis and why? CONCLUSION Active Citizens are those who feel inspired because change can occur through us rather than merely to us. They are people who are inspired and empowered to change the world. People having the motivation and expertise to make sure that ideas don't just stay ideas. A vital component of civic involvement, active citizenship encompasses a variety of ideals and pursuits. Through active citizenship, people can challenge current systems, strengthen social connections, and gain the knowledge and understanding necessary to make informed judgments and have a say in the decisions that affect their life. The ultimate goal of our work—to increase the levels of active citizenship in Europe—will be accomplished by increasing awareness of active citizenship, motivating people to consider their levels of engagement, and inspiring them to consider the factors that affect their capacity to become active citizens. This Unit has explored the below elements of Active Citizenship
22 Test what you’ve learnt! 1. An active citizen promotes the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes developing a combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to work to make a difference in society. • True • False 2. Active citizenship means people getting involved in their communities and democracy at all levels, from local to national and global. • True SYSTEMIC THINKING APPROACHES TOOLS THAT ENHANCE YOUTHS ENGAGEMENT YOUTH PARTICIPATION CONNECTION TO SUSTAINABILITY KEY ELEMENTS DIMENSIONS ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
23 R1.T2 – Module 2: The role of Active Citizenship in EU in sustainable development awareness • False 3. Which of the following barriers might discourage youths to participate actively in their communities? a) Few opportunities to reach and approach decision making b) Limited accessibility to information concerning their rights and power c) Lack of platforms that promote youths’ engagement d) Lack of willingness in attending traditional participation activities e) all of the above 4. What are the steps for applying the system thinking process? a) Identification, solutions’ Implementation, list of interventions, observation, feedback and evaluation, and improvement b) Observation, Identification, list of interventions, solutions’ Implementation, feedback and evaluation, and improvement Six c) Observation, Identification, solutions’ Implementation, intervention, feedback and evaluation, and improvement d) Identification, list of interventions, solutions’ Implementation, feedback and evaluation, observation, and improvement 5. If you wanted to make a change in society and you used a method of collecting signatures which method would you be using? a) Demonstration b) Ethical Consumption c) Joining a Press Group d) Petitioning https://kahoot.it/challenge/05546040?challenge-id=afe6f546-7b41-4ec6-aaee67db29f42423_1664860735678 Annex: Answers 1-True, 2-True, 3-e, 4-b, 5-d
24 REFERENCES Active Citizenship. (n.d.). Euca. https://www.euca.eu/activecitizenship Active Citizenship Can Change Your Country For the Better. (2013, February 25). Open Society Foundations. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/voices/active-citizenship-can-change-your-country-better Active Citizenship | The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2019b, October 31). The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/active-citizenship#:%7E:text=Examples%20of%20Active%20Citizenship,part%20in%20the%20democratic%20process. Ahrari, S., Othman, J., Hassan, S., Abu Samah, B. and D`Silva, J.L. (2014). Active Citizenship by Active Learning. Journal of Applied Sciences, 14: 2450-2459. Available at: https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=jas.2014.2450.2459 Council of Europe. (n.d.-c). Citizenship and Participation. Manual for Human Rights Education with Young People. https://www.coe.int/en/web/compass/citizenship-and-participation#:%7E:text=Participation%20and%20active%20citizenship%20is,to%20building%20a%20better%20society. Council of Europe (2008), The future of the Council of Europe youth policy: AGENDA 2020, Background document, https://rm.coe.int/1680702428, 14.2.2020. Environmental awareness and protection. (2020, January 16). [Photo]. EPALE. https://epale.ec.europa.eu/en/blog/epale-focus-environmental-awareness-and-protection European Commission (2018a), Engaging, Connecting and Empowering young people: a new EU Youth Strategy, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0269&from=en, 14.2.2020. EGÜZ & KAFADAR (2020). Active citizenship from the perspective of pre-service social studies teachers (page 569) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339831278_Active_Citizenship_from_the_Perspective_of_Pre-Service_Social_Studies_Teachers HEART WATER. (2021, September 21). Heart Water - Environmental Awareness: Save the Planet. https://drinkheartwater.com/blog/environmental-awareness Lodewijckx, I. (2019, November 8). How to be an engaged citizen: 10 ways to get involved. CitizenLab’s Blog. https://www.citizenlab.co/blog/civic-engagement/10-easy-ways-to-be-a-more-engaged-citizen/ Peng, Y. (2020, November 6). Youth Engagement: Why Is It Important? WeSolve. https://wesolve.app/youth-engagement-why-is-it-important/ Poyntz, S. R. (2009), “‘On Behalf of a Shared World’: Arendtian Politics in a Culture of Youth Media Participation”, The Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies 31, 365-86. S. (2019, November 5). Typology of Youth Participation and Empowerment Pyramid. Organizing Engagement. https://organizingengagement.org/models/typology-of-youth-participation-and-empowerment-pyramid/#:%7E:text=The%20Typology%20of%20Youth%20Participation,positive%20youth%20development%20and%20empowerment Seyedali Ahrari, Jamilah Othman, Salleh Hassan, Bahaman Abu Samah and Jeffrey Lawrence D`Silva, 2014. Active Citizenship by Active Learning. Journal of Applied Sciences, 14: 2450-2459.
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