Pyadyky, Ivano-Frankivsk region
The head of the Pyadyky Stepan Melnychuk Lyceum Vitaliy Kostyuk and a representative of the local non-governmental organization Maria Piddubrivna visited the Youth Centre in Kosice, Slovak Republic on ajob shadowing visit within the program "Increasing the competences of democratic citizenship through formal, non-formal and informal education".
After the study visit to Slovakia, the community of Pyadyky in general, and the Lyceum in particular, have grasped the importance of synergies between formal and non-formal education for the upbringing of responsible and active citizens. This became one of the strategic goals of the Lyceum work.
To better work in this direction, the Lyceum has joined the innovative education project of all-Ukrainian level "Development and assessment of civic competences in secondary schools". Within it, the teachers are trained to develop civic competences of students in different subjects. Also, this project develops the civic competences of the teachers themselves. According to Vitaliy Kostyuk, "We need to change ourselves first."
The Lyceum has started a collaboration with local government. Now Lyceum students can participate in internships and assist various officials, secretary, lawyer, and even the chairman of the community.
Students are now attending local government meetings. They also suggest their ideas, and commit to activiites in the community. For instance, the Europe Day celebrations were largely organized by the youth.
Student self-government also actively works with the younger students, in particular, organizes activities for them, animates games during breaks, etc.
According to the parents of the students of the Pyadyky Lyceum, these activities change their children. They become more responsible and more democratic.
Pyadyky lyceum
Practical advice:
- To organize internships with local authorities for school students;
- To make sure that school students are allowed to and encouraged to visit working meetings of local authorities;
- school youth can be made in charge of some local community events, celebrations;
- to establish youth council and maintain working relations of the youth council and local authorities.
Materials that can be used:
Projects on getting to know one’s local authorities and how they function (in Polish and in Ukrainian)
Have your say! Manual on the revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life
80 exercises to develop civic competence in different subjects
Competences developed by youth: civic competences (civic-mindedness, responsibility, accountability), social competences.
Additional positive effects: teachers acknowledged that they have developed civic competences in the course of this project as well.
