Using the findings from this programme, Will Ord and Don Rowe from the Citizenship Foundation devised an activity pack for use with young people aged 14 and over, with the aim of helping them think about the rights and responsibilities of citizens, the nature of politics and government and the opportunities for individuals and voluntary groups to bring about change in society.
Alongside the action — young people engaged in community service — the book focuses on the development of the ability to understand the significance of these actions and to be able to reflect on the underlying morality of social events. The young people from the groups show themselves to be actively engaged in puzzling out a wide range of issues concerning who they are and how they relate to others. Through their actions they gain experiences that they need to make sense of, which means they need the space, words and the concepts, to be able to do that.
This material will assist youth workers in the task of enabling young people to become more self-aware and better able to critically reflect on their surroundings. It is divided into a number of themes, with each theme divided into two - notes for youth leaders providing a discussion of key ideas and notes on activities they might use; and material that can spark off ideas and open up discussion.
Action for a Change: An Activity Pack on Young People and Social Change is available from NYA Sales for £12.95 plus postage. Email sales@nya.org.uk.
