-
Lord Norton, Professor of Government in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Hull and member of the Hansard Society's Advisory Council has written a staunch defence of Citizenship's place in the National Curriculum for Democratic Life:
When I visit schools as part of the House of Lords ‘Peers in Schools’ programme, I begin by explaining why Parliament matters. Parliament matters because politics matter. We exist within a society where we are bound by rules. Politics constitute the means by which those rules are debated and agreed. Rules that are to have legal force – that constitute the law – are agreed by Parliament. Acts of Parliament are enforced by the courts, police and by other public agencies. Parliament is thus a central part of our constitutional arrangements. Government may wish to pursue a particular policy – that is, apply a particular rule – but that policy will not be enforceable until approved by Parliament.
-
Our next HeadsUp forum runs from Monday 21 November – Friday 9 December. “The Media…is it doing its job?” will give young people the chance to discuss the role of the media in our society with their peers from across the UK, and with parliamentarians and other influential decision-makers.
-
The latest HeadsUp forum was the most successful yet, attracting a record 1,169 posts from young people across the UK. This time the theme was “How equal is Britain?” and this topic prompted passionate debate on a range of issues, including: the causes of the riots earlier this year; women’s representation in parliament; equality in the education system; and discrimination against women in the world of sport.
For an in-depth look at the forum, read the full report here.
-
![]()
Hands Up, Who’s Bored? is a campaign to save Citizenship Education in Britain’s schools, run by Danny Bartlett with sponsorship from O2’s ThinkBig project, and supported by Radio One DJ Reggie Yates and Citizenship Education advocates Democratic Life. Danny wants signatories for a petition urging Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove not to remove Citizenship from the National Curriculum. But not only that, Danny wants to revamp the way the subject is taught in this country using creative teaching and new technology. As strong supporters of Citizenship Education in the UK, and as founding members of Democratic Life, The Hansard Society is firmly behind Danny’s campaign.
-
HeadsUp is an online debating space for 11-18 year-olds, to
enable young people to discuss their views on political issues with their peers
and influential decision-makers. It aims to build levels of political awareness
and participation so that young people can play an effective role in the
democratic processes affecting their lives.
HeadsUp is also a space that
politicians and political parties can use to consult with young people and find
out their ideas, experiences and opinions.
The HeadsUp topic debates for 2011-2012 have now been
decided and they include:
Equality
(Sept 26 - Oct 14, 2011)
The
Media (Nov 21-Dec 9, 2011)
The
Family (March 5-23, 2012)
You
and Society (April 30 -May 18, 2012)
Olympic
and Paralympic Games (June 18 -July 6, 2012)
Register as a teacher here or as a student here.
-
Anna Mammedova, one of the winner's of the Lord Speaker's 2011 competition for young people, gives an account of the competition winners day:
5.30am, my alarm went off. After getting ready me and my mother left home to catch our 6.58am train. Despite it being a long journey, me, my mother and Keith Ross, my Peer Factor nomination, arrived at Westminster and began to make our way forward to Parliament. After being welcomed by the Lord Speaker's personal secretary at the Black Rod's Garden Entrance, we walked up to the River Room, where I was amazed at the view of the River Thames. Here I met the other winners, whom I also congratulated...
-
The HeadsUp online forums are a great way for 11-18s to discuss political issues and have their voices heard by a range of decision-makers.
In the next forum we have MPs, Peers, MEPs and MSPs taking part as well as representatives from influential NGOs such as the RSPCA. To see exactly who will be debating with the young people click here.
The forum runs from 20 June - 8 July and is the last forum of this school year. It's a topic likely to prompt lots of discussion with a range of animal welfare issues up for debate, including:
Born to be wild? Are Zoos safer places for animals than
their natural habitats? Should the use of animals in circuses be
banned?
Animal welfare - Should there be heavier penalties for
animal cruelty? With 1 in 3 dogs overweight, how can we make sure
everyone is a responsible pet owner?
Endangered Animals and climate change - Do you think the government needs to get
more serious about the effects of climate change on animals? Would you
go veggie to help save the planet?
Farming methods - Would you think about buying meat
with 'better animal welfare' labels? Should ALL cage systems be banned?
The forums are fully supported by teachers' notes and background information aimed at students to help young people get the most out of their discussions with policy makers.
If you are a teacher that would like to use the forum in class or if you know an 11-18 year old that you think would like to take part click here to register with HeadsUp.
-
EU Explained is the Hansard Society’s new teaching resource on the European Union and it is now available to teachers for free.
Developed with the support of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), EU Explained helps teachers to give their students a greater awareness about how the EU operates, the impact it has on the UK and how they can seek to influence the decisions made there.
-
"Our health...who is responsible?" will ask 11-18 year olds what they think about a range of health issues.
Should the government do more to regulate smoking, alcohol and junk food? Does anyone listen to advice about healthy lifestyles? Should there be more information about mental health for teenagers?
The HeadsUp forum will run from Monday 9 - Friday 27 May and is a FREE, interactive, online teaching resource perfect for use in citizenship and PSHE lessons.
Students will have the unique opportunity to discuss the issues with influencial decision-makers such as MPs, Peers, AMs, MSPs. To register as a teacher/youth worker or student click here.
-
We’re pleased to announce the launch of this year’s Lord Speaker’s competition, ‘The Peer Factor: Who Would You Put in the House of Lords and Why?’
The Hansard Society is supporting the House of Lords in the competition which will get 11-16 year olds thinking about the function and membership of the House of Lords, and gives them the chance to argue for who they think should be a Member.