Bringing Bringing Local Voices Local Voices to Policy to Policy makingmaking

Diverse Talents for the Diverse Talents for the Future of Europe Future of Europe ConferenceConference

Brussels, March 5-6, 2012Brussels, March 5-6, 2012

Jana HuttovaJana Huttova

Integration and Diversity Integration and Diversity in Education in Europe in Education in Europe

(IDEE)(IDEE)• On-going initiative of the Education Support On-going initiative of the Education Support program (ESP) of the Open Society Foundation, program (ESP) of the Open Society Foundation, London London

• Combines 2 main lines of action: Combines 2 main lines of action:

– Advocacy actions at the European level:

– Support to collaborative projects at the local level  

• A key element of both strands - research A key element of both strands - research

• ESP’s role:ESP’s role:• to bring together key partners to bring together key partners • to enable the participation of new social actors, to enable the participation of new social actors,

and and • to amplify the voices of the most affected to amplify the voices of the most affected

communitiescommunities

IDEE - BRINGING LOCAL VOICES TO IDEE - BRINGING LOCAL VOICES TO POLICY MAKING POLICY MAKING

The project co-funded by the EU (DG EAC) and the The project co-funded by the EU (DG EAC) and the OSF in 2010OSF in 2010

Five countries: Austria, Germany, United Kingdom Five countries: Austria, Germany, United Kingdom (Northern Ireland), Romania and Slovakia(Northern Ireland), Romania and Slovakia

In partnership with local non-governmental In partnership with local non-governmental organisations with rich experiences in working organisations with rich experiences in working with disenfranchised groups:with disenfranchised groups:- - Interkulturelles Zentrum (IZ), Austria- Interkulturelles Zentrum (IZ), Austria

- - LIFE e.V., Germany- LIFE e.V., Germany

- - Integrated Education Fund (IEF) and Northern Ireland - Integrated Education Fund (IEF) and Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), United KingdomCouncil for Integrated Education (NICIE), United Kingdom

- - Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking Association - Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking Association (RWCT), Romania(RWCT), Romania

- - Wide Open School Foundation, Slovakia- Wide Open School Foundation, Slovakia

MAIN GOALSMAIN GOALS

• To create community level frameworks to combat To create community level frameworks to combat inequality and foster equal educational inequality and foster equal educational opportunity;opportunity;

• To develop innovative methods to enhance youth To develop innovative methods to enhance youth participation in civil society; participation in civil society;

• To promote and develop “the school” as a key To promote and develop “the school” as a key connecting point for activity around learning connecting point for activity around learning and social cohesionand social cohesion

• To look at disenfranchised youth as resources To look at disenfranchised youth as resources in their communities for both personal and in their communities for both personal and professional development.professional development.

Participation, diversity and Participation, diversity and inclusion at the centreinclusion at the centre

Active involvement of diverse and often Active involvement of diverse and often marginalised groups (ethnic minorities marginalised groups (ethnic minorities – Roma, migrant communities, with – Roma, migrant communities, with diverse religion background)diverse religion background)

Diverse age categories of young people Diverse age categories of young people involved (from 10 -26 years old)involved (from 10 -26 years old)

Citizens panels methodologyCitizens panels methodology

Citizens panelsCitizens panels

  

• Method of direct participatory democracy to Method of direct participatory democracy to gathering the opinion of the citizens on specific gathering the opinion of the citizens on specific policy issues (education a central theme for our policy issues (education a central theme for our project) project)

• Method that ensures inclusion of highly Method that ensures inclusion of highly diversified social groups and the quality and diversified social groups and the quality and transparency of the discussionstransparency of the discussions

• Tool of empowermentTool of empowerment as marginalised communities as marginalised communities are directly involved (breaking the traditional are directly involved (breaking the traditional power structure)power structure)

• Research method Research method

Key messages From citizens panelsKey messages From citizens panels

The youth have strong and The youth have strong and vibrant desire to get out vibrant desire to get out of the marginalised of the marginalised position through position through participation.participation.

All students and young All students and young people involved in the people involved in the CPs want to get rid of CPs want to get rid of their victim status.their victim status.

They are eager to They are eager to participate in building participate in building an inclusive education.an inclusive education.

•

KEY PoLICY KEY PoLICY Recommendations Recommendations from the citizens from the citizens

panelspanels

Inclusive educationInclusive education

Combating school Combating school segregationsegregation

Language supportLanguage support

Intercultural competencesIntercultural competences

Empowerment of Empowerment of disenfranchised youthdisenfranchised youth

MediaMedia

Inclusive educationInclusive education

Combating school Combating school segregationsegregation

Language supportLanguage support

Intercultural competencesIntercultural competences

Empowerment of Empowerment of disenfranchised youthdisenfranchised youth

MediaMedia

1. Promote Inclusive 1. Promote Inclusive educationeducation

Inclusive education is the most appropriate Inclusive education is the most appropriate education concept that ensures equal education concept that ensures equal opportunities for all children and youth.opportunities for all children and youth.

Policy recommendations:Policy recommendations:

• Extend comprehensive education for as long as Extend comprehensive education for as long as possible.possible.

• Provide systematic support for disadvantaged and Provide systematic support for disadvantaged and less performing studentsless performing students

• Ensure flexible system allowing easier access to Ensure flexible system allowing easier access to newcomers, recognition of graduation from newcomers, recognition of graduation from emigrant countries, new alternative pathways to emigrant countries, new alternative pathways to career developmentcareer development

2. Combat school 2. Combat school segregationsegregation

• Fund teacher assistants with mother Fund teacher assistants with mother tongue competence of pupils in the tongue competence of pupils in the classroomsclassrooms

• Scholarships to students with Scholarships to students with disadvantaged backgrounddisadvantaged background

• Ensure and fund mentoring and tutoring Ensure and fund mentoring and tutoring programs programs

3. Language support3. Language support

• Start in early childhood and make it part Start in early childhood and make it part of a regular school educationof a regular school education

• Ensure diversity in language tuition Ensure diversity in language tuition provisionprovision

• Create opportunities for language support Create opportunities for language support within and outside schoolswithin and outside schools

• Offer language courses to parentsOffer language courses to parents

• Multilingualism policies should embrace Multilingualism policies should embrace mother tongue languages of children with mother tongue languages of children with migrant backgroundmigrant background

4. Intercultural 4. Intercultural competencescompetences

• All teachers should receive anti-bias All teachers should receive anti-bias training training

• Qualification in intercultural competences Qualification in intercultural competences should be part of regular teachers’ should be part of regular teachers’ educationeducation

• Schools in disadvantaged communities should Schools in disadvantaged communities should have qualified and high quality teachershave qualified and high quality teachers

• Admission policies should encourage greater Admission policies should encourage greater enrollment of teacher students from diverse enrollment of teacher students from diverse backgrounds backgrounds

5. (Self-)Empowerment of 5. (Self-)Empowerment of disenfranchised youthdisenfranchised youth

““Don’t talk about us, talk with us, Don’t talk about us, talk with us, let us talk!”let us talk!”

““If you have learned to believe in If you have learned to believe in yourself, you can achieve your yourself, you can achieve your goals. Learning this requires goals. Learning this requires challenging oneself and getting challenging oneself and getting encouragement from others.”encouragement from others.”

• School policies and pedagogical practice School policies and pedagogical practice should respect diverse and often multiple should respect diverse and often multiple identities of studentsidentities of students

6. media6. media

• Media often convey negative pictures Media often convey negative pictures of minorities and disseminate negative of minorities and disseminate negative stereotypes. stereotypes.

• Media should be seen as a partner to Media should be seen as a partner to raise public awareness about the raise public awareness about the disenfranchisement of people in disenfranchisement of people in general and to increase the positive general and to increase the positive news about that the migrant group is news about that the migrant group is bringing to society.bringing to society.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

• To achieve policy goals, target groups To achieve policy goals, target groups need to brought into policy making need to brought into policy making processprocess

• Need to move beyond project life – Need to move beyond project life – ensure participation, inclusion and ensure participation, inclusion and empowerment of all social partners, empowerment of all social partners, including the most vulnerable onesincluding the most vulnerable ones

•““Don’t talk about us, talk Don’t talk about us, talk with us, let us talk!”with us, let us talk!”