Young people need the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will enable them to participate as full members of a global society. As global citizens, they need to consider rights and responsibilities and the role of citizens in a democratic society.
This means they need to learn about aspects of national and international law and politics such as human rights legislation and Agenda 21.
Young people also need to engage in the global dimension to topical issues that affect them such as global warming, migration, the arms trade, and the prices of goods in the shops. They need to be able critically to assess the information that they receive via the media and to understand their consumer rights and responsibilities and thereby make informed decisions as consumers, employees and later employers. Students can also learn about democracy by studying forms of government, political and justice systems at a national, European and global level.
This topic is sponsored by Trócaire. For ideas and suggestions on how your school can fully explore the Global Dimension topic please go to the Trócaire partner page or directly to their website www.trocaire.org. In partnership with Trócaire, Eco-Schools are proud to launch a new teacher and pupil resource for Key Stage 2 called 'Go Green, Go Global' aimed at supporting classroom activities linked to Global Perspective, Water and Climate Change. Download a copy of this fantastic resource. For a hard copy, please contact us and we will send this out to you whilst stocks last.
Citizenship, in its context of fair decision-making, runs throughout the Eco-Schools process. This global perspective topic seeks to ensure that pupils also consider the environmental, social and economic impacts of the decisions that they make through this process, on the local and global community, in the future as well as for the present.
The Case Studies section outlines how other Eco-Schools have introduced global elements into daily school life. The Partners section provides details of organisations that can help you with your Global Perspective topic.