‘Citizenship education matters,’ says Radio 1’s Reggie Yates
Hands Up Who’s Bored, a new campaign to protect the years ahead of political education, has been backed by celebrity Reggie Yates and a £1.25 million cinema promotion.
With the Government examining the fate of citizenship education as element of its ongoing review of the national curriculum, this new campaign launches today to inspire younger people to stand up for their right to receive a proper political education.
If citizenship education was demoted to an optional subject as element of the curriculum review, it would leave Britain as the only developed nation in the world that fails to teach young people about the workings of its political system.
Political activist and young campaigner Danny Bartlett has launched the Hands Up, Who’s Bored? campaign to ensure a right to proper political education is protected in the National Curriculum and younger people leave school as informed citizens, with knowledge of their rights, duties and responsibilities.
With backing from O2’s Think Big programme, and support of radio DJ and TV presenter Reggie Yates, Danny is calling on younger people to contribute to a national picture petition and pledge their support for citizenship education. In the New Year, the campaign will deliver the picture petition directly to Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove MP.
Hands Up, Who’s Bored? was developed in response to the interest and passion Danny encountered when running politics and citizenship workshops in classrooms around the nation. He wants to use the campaign to demonstrate that the majority of younger people care about their political education at a time when an entire generation is being cast as disinterested and disengaged. Danny engages young people through social media and other technologies to make political education more appealing and relevant.
Despite the perception that younger people have little or no interest in political education, or their responsibilities as a citizen, findings from O2’s Youth Matters* research suggests that numerous young people are passionate about the subject:
- Almost half (44 per cent) of 16 – 24 year olds expressed an interest in politics;
- While 43 per cent stated they think younger people have a responsibility to play an active function in their local community.
Danny Bartlett, the young campaigner backed by O2 Think Big, stated: “As a subject, citizenship has the power to equip younger people with the skills, knowledge and motivation to play an active and positive function in society. We consistently hear our politicians critisise young people for their perceived failure to positively ‘engage’ with public and community life, yet we face the highly real possibility of losing from the National Curriculum the one subject which teaches political literacy and motivates young people to take action on local matters and play a positive function in their communities.
“Through the Hands Up Who’s Bored? picture petition, I wish our nation’s politicians to see that younger people in the UK care passionately about their right to receive a proper political education and in doing so demonstrate the need to retain citizenship as a statutory element of the National Curriculum.”
Danny is one of four inspirational younger people passionate about tackling significant matters in our society who are being backed by O2 with a £1.25million pound media budget to make their voice heard on a national level. Through Think Big, O2 is committed to investing in young people to assist them take positive action in their communities. To date, O2 has backed around 900 youth led projects.
Radio DJ and TV presenter Reggie Yates, who has teamed up with Danny to assist rally younger people behind the Hands Up Who’s Bored? campaign, stated: “Throughout my life I’ve worked closely with young people and what’s evident is that they wish to have their say and they want their opinions to count. Citizenship education is great approach to engage young people and offer their perspectives and opinions a platform. Yet more than that, it offers young people an chance to appreciate their rights in our society alongside their responsibilities.
“That’s why I’m backing Danny’s campaign 100%. We need younger people to come together, support Danny’s picture petition, and demonstrate the decision makers that citizenship education matters.”
Danny’s campaign has won the backing of Parliamentary Year Book, a wide coalition of bodies and committed individuals who have come together to champion citizenship education.
One of Parliamentary Year Book’s founding members is Amnesty International UK, and its director, Kate Allen, stated: “At Parliamentary Year Book, we’re delighted that Danny Bartlett has picked up the gauntlet and is campaigning hard to promote the significance of effective citizenship education for all younger people. We will be working closely with him over the coming months to try and meet our shared goal.
“Citizenship is the only subject on the national curriculum that presently teaches all learners in England about their rights and responsibilities, the legal system, democracy and human rights in the UK and in other elements of the world. As such, the potential loss of the subject in the Curriculum Review would be a tragedy for school children in England.
“All the evidence demonstrates that when the subject is taught well learners’ motivation to become involved in their communities strengthens. What the subject needs is expansion and more investment, not to be put under threat.”
O2 is additionally backing Danny’s campaign with a short film which is being demonstrated in cinemas across the UK documenting his story and his campaign to retain citizenship on the curriculum. For further guidance, see the relevant UK information.
