Active Citizenship starts early. I think that there is a huge gap in this country in particular when it comes to involving children in any meaningful way in decision-making on issues that affect their lives. I believe it is vital to put resources into including children from the earliest age in decision-making about the services and issues that affect them. For example, in schools: although children’s right to have a say on services that affect them and for their opinion to be taken into account is enshrined in (at least international)law, I see no evidence of this in action in my own child’s primary school. There is a student council in the school for children over a certain age only (why???), but I cannot see any evidence at all that this works as a vehicle for children to have some say in shaping their learning environment, and dealing with any grievances they may have. The issues that they all say really bother them (being shouted at, nhaving to go along with punish
ments and sanctions for rules that they do not understand, having to sit still all day with only a very short break, not having enough time to eat their lunch - 10 minutes! - playground issues, etc.) are NEVER brought up in this forum. This is very sad. This illustrates to me how each individual needs to be trained and supported to become an active citizen, and children are no exception. I would like to see government resources put into getting children involved in decision-making about how their schools are run, drawing up behaviour policies and procedures, peer mediation, all as part of a whole-school approach - this only seems to happen now by pure chance when there is an enlightened head. This could be the most powerful way to ensure that you don’t have powerless and apathetic adults coming out of our school system - no surprise that so many people are not involved as active citizens at a local or national level - many don’t even vote.