Global Village Schools Pilot Programme

The programme supports teachers to embed Global Citizenship Education (GCE) into their classroom and whole school planning and practice.

Ballinteer Educate Together National School
Ballyroan Boys’ National School
Bray School Project
Clonburris National School
Francis Street School
Gaelscoil Naomh Padraig
Goresbridge National School
Grace Park Educate Together National School
Granagh National School
Griffith Barracks Multi-Denominational School
Kilglass National School
Kilkenny School Project
Melview National School
Stratford National School
St. Mary’s Primary School
St. Peter the Apostle Junior National School

Who it involves

During 2022/2023 16 schools participated in the Global Village Pilot Programme, with representatives from each school attending CPD days and contributing to a community of practice. The group included educators with years of GCE experience, and those who were at the beginning or earlier stages in their GCE journey. All shared the motivation for discovering new approaches and embedding GCE into their classroom and wider school community.

Key Elements of Global Citizenship Education

Knowledge

The knowledge element of GCE engages learners with facts, statistics and accounts of global challenges and their impacts on individual people, communities, and the natural world. These global challenges include poverty, inequality, discrimination, the climate crisis, human rights violations, loss of biodiversity, unsustainable development and much more. To avoid circulating disinformation, it is imperative that GCE lessons and activities draw upon reputable sources. In addition, learners should be taught to critically analyse information and distinguish fact from opinion.

Skills

GCE sets out to support learners to develop a wide range of skills which will help them to understand and engage with the world as active global citizens. These skills include critical thinking, research and analysis, team work and collaboration, discussion and debate, problem solving, empathy and reflection.

Values & Attitudes

GCE is focused on achieving a more just and sustainable world. The core values of social justice, equity, inclusivity and solidarity are central to this mission. By engaging in GCE lessons and activities, learners reflect upon, discuss and develop their own attitudes towards global challenges. While learning about and considering the weight of these challenges, learners are supported to develop hope and to imagine and believe that a more just world is achievable.

Action

Taking action is an inherent element of GCE. Learners are supported to imagine a fairer and more sustainable world, and to identify and pursue opportunities for positive change. Actions grounded in social justice and solidarity are a central and crucial component of critical GCE and stand in contrast to charity-based responses to global issues. Critical GCE sets out to challenge structural inequalites to achieve lasting change.