Citizenship at key stage 3    (Year 7-9)

• On paper or self-adhesive notes, each pupil notes down three issues that make them proud of where they live, and three that they dislike and want to change. Write these on the board, collating key areas of pride and key areas of concern, and grouping them under suitable headings, eg sport and leisure facilities, refuse and recycling facilities, housing and environment, transport. The pupils discuss the issues raised, and agree on one to take forward for further work.

• Pupils plan how they will investigate their chosen issue. They identify which members of their community have an interest in the issue, eg themselves, their parents, community-based and voluntary groups, businesses. How do members of the community take action and try and influence decision-making and policy? What types of campaigning are used? What is the role of community-based and voluntary organisations? Do any of these people's interests conflict or compete?
• Pupils then find out who in their local council/authority is responsible for dealing with the issue, and how policies regarding the issue are developed and consulted on. How is this area of work funded, eg by council tax, national government, public-private partnership? Pupils should research local spending priorities and relevant local/national policies or initiatives.
• Pupils devise and agree a way of surveying the views and recommendations of local people. Their survey could include a question on whether there is strong enough opinion on the chosen issue to affect voting at the next local election.
• Using libraries and the internet, pupils carry out research into whether other communities, at home or abroad, have tackled similar issues. What can we learn from them?
• The results of the survey could be presented as a report, which should examine the findings and make recommendations about what should be changed. It could also be used at a public meeting (mock or real) with other members of the community.

• Ask pupils to consider the different groups (including relevant community-based and voluntary organisations) they will need to consult/influence in order to get any suggested changes implemented. They may be able to make use of existing consultation procedures. Which methods would work best with which groups, eg a public meeting, a petition, a public display, a public performance website, use of the media (TV, newspapers, radio)? How will the change happen, eg through actions of individuals such as the purchase and sale of fair trade goods in local shops?
• Pupils could then review and implement their chosen strategy, eg organise a public meeting to discuss the issue they have investigated. They could decide how the meeting will be run, who will take on which roles, eg chair, presenter, reporters, and who from the local council and community will be invited. They should then agree the objectives, agenda, venue, format and timings for the meeting.
• After discussion of the findings, the meeting should close with agreements, resolutions and/or next steps.
• Following the meeting, pupils could debrief and review how the meeting went, what they gained from the experience and what they might do differently next time. They should discuss and decide - democratically - whether further action is necessary, and what form this might take.