Hi, I'm Mrs. Allchin and I'm going to be taking you through this Citizenship lesson today.

I'm going to give you all the information that you need to be successful and I'm also going to pause and tell you when to complete a check for understanding or a task.

I hope you enjoy the lesson.

This lesson is called "How do I choose a topic to investigate?" And it comes from the unit of lessons "How can I be a change-maker in my community?" By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to choose an appropriate topic that will make a difference.

Our keywords for today's lesson are appropriate, which is suitable and relevant to the issue, community, and your ability to take action.

Action, which is practical steps designed to try to raise public awareness or influence key decision-makers.

And difference, a positive impact or change that addresses a real need or improves the situation.

Our lesson outline for the lesson "How do I choose a topic to investigate?" is first we're going to think about, how can I ensure my topic is appropriate? We're then going to think about, how can I ensure my topic will make a difference? So we're going to start by thinking about how we can ensure that the topic is appropriate.

So choosing your issue is step one of your active citizenship project and it's a really important one for lots of different reasons.

Choosing an inappropriate action at this stage can cause huge problems later on as you move through the rest of the steps, so it is important to take your time and get this step right.

So this is absolutely not something that should be rushed, this isn't something you should just randomly pick an issue and not really think about it.

This step is really, really important and it's also something that should be quite enjoyable because you're ultimately picking something that you're passionate about, but it's really important at this stage that you get it right and you're making sure that you are choosing something that's appropriate and that isn't inappropriate.

So Lucas is asking, "What does appropriate mean?" So pause and have a go at answering that question.

So appropriate means something that is suitable, relevant, or just right for the situation.

And as we are looking at becoming active citizens, we need to make sure the topic we choose is appropriate in relation to how well it links with citizenship education.

There might be lots of topics that you are passionate about and these might be genuinely good causes to support and get behind.

But unless they are related to citizenship studies, so the actual lesson of citizenship, they would not be appropriate active citizenship topics.

So I'm not saying they wouldn't be worthwhile, they might be really great things to get involved with, but for the purpose of your citizenship project, it's absolutely vital that what you are choosing is clearly linked to and relates to the lesson of citizenship and the teaching of citizenship studies.

So Lucas is asking, "What sort of topics might be good causes but not appropriate for my active citizenship project?" So let's think about that.

Can you think of any topics that might be a worthy cause, a good cause to get behind, but actually they wouldn't be appropriate for citizenship because they're ultimately not a citizenship topic? Pause while you have a think.

So topics are not appropriate if they are tackling PSHE topics rather than citizenship issues.

So for example, topics like mental health, drugs education, and sex and relationships education are PSHE topics.

So therefore, actions such as educating people about the dangers of cannabis or raising money for a local sexual health service or planning a mental health awareness assembly might be worthwhile but are not appropriate.

It might be that you can find some sort of subtle links there with how some of these topics do link back to citizenship, but really they're not really standalone citizenship topics, they do very much steer into and veer into PSHE topics, so it's really, really important that when you're picking your topic, you really think about something that is clearly linked to citizenship.

Let's have a check for understanding.

So why was Aisha's action judged to be appropriate and Jun's was not? So let's have a look at them.

So for Aisha, we've got, "For my action, I'm going to be lobbying our local council to try and improve youth services in the local area." Jun is saying, "I wanted to try and get our school canteen to have a better vegetable selection, but I was told it wasn't appropriate." So pause and have a think why.

So Aisha's topic relates to citizenship as it involved local government and public services, whereas Jun's topic does not relate to citizenship.

It is more of a PSHE topic because it looks at healthy eating.

So it could still be important, but for this case it's not appropriate because it's not a citizenship topic.

You can make sure your topic is appropriate by thinking carefully, have I been taught about this specific topic in my citizenship lessons? If the answer is yes, it is likely to be an appropriate topic.

If the answer is no, it's likely that it could be a PSHE topic.

So really think carefully, have you literally been taught about the issue that you want to do for your action? Looking through your classwork can be helpful and that can really get your brain going as well and give you some ideas.

So flipping back through your book will really, really help you think about whether something is appropriate.

If it's in, if it's in your exercise book, it's likely to be appropriate.

If it's missing, it's likely to not be appropriate or definitely something you should check with your teacher.

You can also choose a topic that aligns to a key citizenship concept and this could be another way to look at different issues and really explore what is appropriate.

So Lucas is asking, "What are citizenship concepts?" So pause while you have think about that yourself.

So citizenship concepts are those big concept areas, often they link towards each other quite a lot as well, and they include democracy, government, law, justice, rights and responsibilities, media, participation, community, equality, identities and diversity.

So thinking really carefully about those citizenship concepts and then thinking about issues that fall within them is another way to help you choose something that is appropriate.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Explain which citizenship concepts Aisha's action aligns with.

So let's have her just to remind ourselves what she's doing.

So she's saying, "For my action, I'm going to be lobbying our local council to try and improve youth services in the local area." And just to remind you, our citizenship concepts include democracy, government, law, justice, rights and responsibilities, media, participation, community, equality, identities and diversity.

So her action links to democracy because she's having a say in how her local area is managed.

Government, because she's lobbying local government.

Community, because she's trying to improve community facilities.

Participation, because she's both participating herself but also trying to improve participation of others.

So you can see there how Aisha's idea and her issue all really, really clearly link to citizenship concepts.

Some citizenship actions might align very clearly to one or two concepts, whereas others may align with lots.

As long as there is a clear link, the action is appropriate.

So Aisha's saying, "Another group in my class are trying to persuade the electorate that the current age of criminal responsibility is too low.

They are hoping to gather a large petition and send this to their MP.

This action links to democracy, the government, law and justice, rights and equality." So you can see there another idea for an action that's appropriate because it's clearly linked to citizenship and it also clearly links to those citizenship concepts.

If you're still a little bit stuck and you're still a bit unsure about what topic to look at and being a bit worried that you might be picking a topic that doesn't link to citizenship, another idea is to look at the 30 articles within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UDHR.

Rights is a key citizenship concept, so an action that seeks to address one of these articles will likely be appropriate.

Always a good idea to check with your teacher, but if ultimately pick one of these 30 articles and you think about how that's perhaps not being met in your local area, nationally, or even globally, that might give you some more ideas as well.

So Jacob is saying, "My group has made links with a local charity providing education for asylum seekers.

We are going to be asking local businesses to donate products and we're going to link with our Year 13 volunteer programme to help with tutoring.

This links to the right to an education." Alex is saying, "We are educating the whole school about sweatshops and fast fashion.

We're hoping the school will pledge to shop more sustainably and think about the working conditions of others.

This links to the right to fair wages and to be free from slavery." Let's have a check for understanding.

State three tips for ensuring that your topic is appropriate.

So you might have included making sure that it isn't a PSHE topic, checking you've been taught the topic in citizenship, finding the topic in your citizenship book, choosing a topic that aligns with citizenship concepts, choosing a topic that clearly addresses an article from the UDHR.

For Task A, I'd like you to write an active citizenship brief that explains the steps that can be taken to ensure a citizenship action topic is appropriate.

The audience is your school's next GCSE cohort.

So this brief is going to be read by the next GCSE class that comes through, and Jacob is telling you that "a brief is a simple-to-read document that provides advice and guidance for us students to follow.

Keep it concise and focused." Pause while you have a go at this task.

Your active citizenship brief may have included active citizenship brief, choosing the right topic.

Advice from a clever Year 10 student to the next GCSE crew.

Make it about citizenship, not PSHE.

PSHE is more about personal wellbeing, e.

g.

mental health and relationships.

Citizenship is about society, rights, laws, democracy, communities, and taking real action that impacts others.

You might have also included check it links to key citizenship concepts.

For example, you could ask yourself, does it connect to democracy? E.

g.

voting, representation, making change.

Does it involve the law or understanding how rules affect people? Is it about human rights, defending or promoting them? Use the UDHR, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

There are 30 articles, pick one your action supports.

It might have also included it has to be more than just a good cause.

Does it help people understand their rights? Does it push for change or challenge injustice? Can you explain how it links to citizenship topics in class? Make it meaningful and relevant.

The best projects aren't just interesting, they make a difference and show how young people can be active citizens.

So we've thought about the ways in which you can ensure that your topic is appropriate.

Now we're going to really think about, how can I ensure my topic will make a difference? So another aspect of ensuring a positive topic choice is to carefully consider whether or not the action you have chosen will make a difference.

It's useful to look ahead to the final step, which is step seven.

At this point, you will need to evaluate your action, and this includes considering whether or not you made a difference.

So if we look right ahead to this wheel at step seven, it says, "Time to reflect, evaluate, and report on your story" and your action and what you did.

So you need to make sure that that's possible, you need to make sure that your topic will show a difference so that you are able to then evaluate that at the end.

So therefore, you need to ensure your topic is allowing you to demonstrate that you have been able to make a difference.

Aligning a citizenship action topic with a citizenship concept will ensure the steps are already in place to make a difference as an action will naturally lean towards elements of social justice, advocacy, and awareness raising.

So Jacob is saying, "My teacher mentioned SMART targets and they're useful in ensuring our action makes a difference.

What are these?" So pause and think.

Have you heard about SMART targets before? How might they be useful? Setting SMART goals will help your citizenship action be clear and achievable and better ensure you are able to make a difference.

So let's have a look at what they actually are.

Specific, be clear about what you want to achieve.

So for example, we want to raise awareness about the impact of fast fashion with pupils at our school.

It needs to be measurable.

Make sure that you can track your progress and this will often involve using numbers.

So for example, we will hand out 100 leaflets and get at least 50 pupils to sign our pledge.

Make it achievable.

Choose a goal that you can realistically reach.

So for example, we will run one assembly and aim to change the opinions of at least 50 students instead of trying to change a national law, for example.

Make sure it's relevant.

Make sure your goal links to your citizenship topic, and this is what we've already looked at in today's lesson.

For example, our project connects to rights and equality, which are citizenship concepts.

Fashion is also a relevant topic for teenagers.

And make sure it's time-bound, so set a deadline and make sure that you're keeping on track of that deadline.

So for example, we will complete our project within six weeks.

So let's have a check for understanding.

What are the SMART targets? Can you remember what each letter stands for? So the SMART targets are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Whilst it's great to be ambitious, it is also important to be realistic.

To do this, you may wish to look at your citizenship action in a slightly different way.

So what can I do to make a difference now in the parameters of my active citizenship project? It's about being realistic and really thinking about the time and the resources that you've got available to you.

What can I do to continue making a difference in the future when there are no time constraints or parameters to work within? So rather than feeling a bit down or a bit dejected, that you might not be able to achieve the huge goals that you set for yourself, there's no reason why you can't continue to do this in the future and work towards this in the future.

But you can also think about the here and now and really think about how you can make a difference now.

So Aisha is saying, "For my action, I plan to lobby our local council to improve youth services in the area.

I know the impact may be small at first, but I hope to raise awareness among politicians and educate my peers.

In the future, I aim to become a member of Youth Parliament, continue lobbying the government, and explore other ways to support youth services, including community fundraising." So this is a really, really good example.

Aisha's thought about what she can do now within the parameters of time and resources available, but she's also realistic and passionate about the topic and has thought about ways in which she can continue to do this once the active citizenship project is over.

So that's a really, really great way to look at this, what can you do now for the actual active citizenship project in school but what could you continue to do in the future if you wanted to? There are many subtle ways to make a difference as well, and these can include educating others, changing people's opinions towards things, communicating with decision-makers, and making links with organisations.

So Jacob is saying, "How do these outcomes prove I have made a difference?" So pause and have a think.

How do these outcomes prove that a difference has been made? Let's have a check for understanding.

There are many subtle ways to make a difference, including something others, changing something, communicating with something makers, making something with organisations.

Let's see if you could work out what the missing words were.

So there are many subtle ways to make a difference, including educating others, changing opinions, communicating with decision-makers, and making links with organisations.

So let's think back to the question, how can I really show that you've made a difference? Educating others and raising awareness can be a powerful way to make a difference, even if it's not always visible.

It helps to shift opinions, encourages more people to support your cause, and can even influence how people vote or engage with decision-makers.

So Laura is saying, "We held a school referendum on changing the age of criminal responsibility.

After presenting our views to staff who disagreed, we changed some opinions.

If there's ever a national campaign, we hope that they'll support it." So this is really good example there of making that subtle difference without something that's an unrealistic goal.

So it wasn't about Laura saying, "We're going to change the law in relation to criminal responsibility." What she was able to do was talk to adults and help them think about things in a different way to raise awareness of the issue and change some opinions there.

So that is a subtle difference, it's still really valid.

Contacting decision-makers by email, letter, or in person is a way to make a difference as well.

As constituents in a representative democracy, we have the right to share our views.

Even if they don't reply, you've still made your voice heard.

So Laura is saying, "We sent our citizenship action and presentation to our local MP.

Although we haven't had a reply yet, it's good to know their office is aware of how some constituents feel about this issue." So you're still being an active citizen there, you're still making your voice heard and making sure that decision-makers are aware of feelings towards an issue.

Working with organisations is another way to make a difference.

You can support their work and even build lasting links between them and your school for future collaboration.

So Laura is saying, "We also contacted organisations that support changing the age of criminal responsibility.

Some provided letter templates for MPS and other useful information on their websites that helped strengthen our presentation." So Jacob's asking, "What about raising money? Is that a good way to make a difference?" So I want you to really carefully consider this question, so pause while you have a think about that.

So this is very much a yes and no answer, and it really does depend.

So many charities and organisations require funding to make an impact.

So if you are contributing to this, you are making a difference.

Ultimately, by providing money to a charity, to an organisation, that is going to help them do their work, so you are helping them to make a difference.

So in that sense, absolutely.

While fundraising can be valuable, it's important that it's paired with raising awareness.

Donating money alone shouldn't be the only focus of your action.

So yes, raising money is absolutely making a difference, but don't just be about raising money.

Think about how you can be really educating and raising awareness at the same time.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Identify three ways in which you can ensure your topic will make a difference.

So you might have come up with choosing an appropriate topic, setting SMART targets, educating others, changing opinions, communicating with decision-makers, making links with organisations, and raising money alongside awareness.

For Task B, I'd like you to continue your active citizenship brief, this time explaining the steps that can be taken to ensure the citizenship action topic makes a difference.

The audience is still your school's next GCSE cohort.

Your brief to ensure the citizenship action topic makes a difference might have included choosing the right topic.

Start by picking the topic that clearly links to citizenship.

Think about local issues or national causes that you feel passionate about and can influence.

Setting SMART targets.

Plan your goals using SMART targets.

For example, instead of saying raise awareness, aim to run a school-wide campaign over two weeks to get 100 signatures on a petition.

Educating others.

To make a real impact, inform your peers and the wider community.

Use posters, assembly, social media, or newsletters to share facts and explain why your topic matters.

You might also included changing opinions.

Challenge common misconceptions and encourage positive change.

This could involve debates, presentations, or real stories that help others see things from a new perspective.

Communicating with decision-makers.

Write to MPs, councillors, or school leaders to ask for support and to let them know your thoughts on the matter.

Linking with organisations.

Work with charities, campaign groups, or local services already involved in your issue.

They can offer advice, resources, and credibility to boost your project.

Raising money and awareness.

Fundraising can be useful, but it should happen alongside awareness raising.

So in summary of the lesson "How do I choose a topic to investigate?" The topic you choose must clearly link to citizenship to be appropriate.

To do this, ensure your topic links to a citizenship concept and it's something you've studied in class.

To ensure your topic will make a difference, it's important you make SMART targets and also consider subtle ways you can make a difference, such as educating others, changing opinions, communicating with decision-makers, or making links with organisations.

Raising money is a way of making a difference, but they should always run alongside awareness raising so it is not just a worthy act.

That brings us to the end of today's lesson, well done for all your hard work and I hope you'll come back for some more citizenship lessons in the future.