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Description
In this project, we are developing the civic competences of students in vocational schools by strengthening the democratic function of student governments. These are one of the most important spaces for giving young people positive, personal experiences of active citizenship such as participating in elections, making laws and rules, influencing decisions affecting the school community and taking grassroots student action. When these procedures work, school students become familiar with democratic culture and learn it in action. Our project is needed because vocational schools'' students have fewer opportunities to develop civic competences compared to students in other types of secondary schools. According to a Centre''s for Public Opinion Research survey of 2018, 58% of vocational schools'' graduates describe their interest in politics as little or none. For high school graduates, it is 32%. The aim of the project is to develop a model of student government that allows for the development of democratic and civic skills in practice as well as the participation of all students in a given vocational school in democratic procedures. We want to implement this model in 6 vocational schools. Our partner is the Warmian-Masurian Teacher Training Centre in Elbląg.
Summary of project results
The essence of the project was to develop the civic competences of students and apprentices in vocational schools by strengthening the democratic function of student governments (SU). We addressed the project to vocational schools, because their students particularly need support in the development of civic competences. Student self-government in these schools is marginalized to an even greater extent than in others, and the number of hours of social education is half that in high schools. As a result, this is a group of young people who enter adult life with fewer opportunities to actively participate in democracy. Therefore, the essence of the project was to develop an SU operating model adequate to the needs and everyday life of play-off schools. SUs are one of the most important spaces for giving young people positive, personal experiences of civic activities such as:
• participation in elections (for SU representatives)
• creating law and rules (by developing and voting in a referendum on SU regulations)
• influencing decisions regarding the school community by expressing opinions and conclusions in school matters (e.g. consultations on decisions prepared by the management, school meetings)
• undertaking grassroots student activities (in line with the diagnosis of community needs).
We implemented the project together with the Warmia-Masuria Teacher Training Center in Elbląg. In the first stage, in cooperation with researchers from the University of Warsaw, we carried out a quantitative and qualitative study of the attitudes and social and civic activity of young people from vocational schools. Based on the results of the study, we published the report "School autocracy" showing the challenges that young people from industry sectors have to deal with on a daily basis. In the next stage, together with teachers and teaching methodologists, we developed a SU operating model tailored to the characteristics and needs of vocational schools. It takes into account educational and educational goals, contains detailed instructions for SU supervisors, students and leaders, as well as practical materials. The inaugural conference was held in June 2023. During the event, we presented the results of the study, talked about the situation of civic education in vocational schools, and presented the model and assumptions of cooperation, so that willing schools consciously volunteered to participate in the next stage of the project. Over the following months, we implemented and tested the SU operating model in 6 vocational schools. The project teams adopted SU regulations, collected opinions and motions on school matters, and organized transparent elections to SU bodies. The final stage was to launch a grassroots climate initiative. We described the activities in schools in more detail in the form of a presentation and a film, reflecting the voice and perspective of the participants themselves (students, teachers, principals). The project was completed with an on-site summary conference. The invited guests included: Paulina Piechna- Więckiewicz. The conference was held under the Honorary Patronage of ORE, and 120 people were present. During the event, we presented students'' good practices and discussed how to systematically and locally strengthen the constructive voice of students on school matters.
RESULTS:
- 156 people from all over the country (mainly teachers/pedagogues/employees of ODNs/NGOs) took part in the inauguration and dissemination conference
- 198 teachers and 24 students were trained in testing the SU model;
- 511 students of trades from the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship took part in an attitude survey
- 10 people took part in creative workshops, enriching their knowledge about student self-government
- in 6 vocational schools in the province. warm-maz SU functioning has improved.
The implementation of the project allowed for benefits on two levels:
- LOCAL, in six school communities, we implemented activities allowing students to have real school civic participation, i.e. greater influence on matters important to them;
- NATIONAL - we conducted advocacy activities aimed at increasing the importance of democratic education in vocational schools, better understanding the conditions in which civic education takes place there and readiness to take action for better civic education for this group of students.