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Supporting Citizenship Education in Ireland

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*Video Series on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with worksheets. Click here.
*'Famous Faces' Powerpoint - key figures in civic and political life. (Irish language version available) On request. Use contact details above.
*'Famous Buildings' Powerpoint - key buildings in civic and political life (Irish language version available). Use contact details above.
*'Famous Buildings' Emaze presentation here.
*CSPE-The Numbers - A numeracy resource for CSPE here.

	Growing the Future: Growing the Future is a new resources for CSPE written by Stephen Farley for Trócaire. The blurb: 'Growing the Future supports teachers and students to understand the current issues facing families and communities in Zimbabwe, primarily food security, but also climate change and Covid-19. The activities focus on understanding the current situation, but also looking to the future, and encouraging students to come up with solutions for existing problems, leading to a brighter future for all.'The pack includes lessons, worksheets, access to Powerpoint presentations and more. The resource, which is also available in Irish, is available for download at this link.
	Call To Action is a new CSPE Textbook written by Gearóid O'Brien and published by Gill Education. It is written to align with the 100 hour CSPE Short Course and features a textbook, an e-book and a teachers' resource book. The text and supporting materials can be viewed at this link.
	Resources on National Flag: Respect and protocols relating to the national flag are provided for in resources from the the Thomas Francis Meagher Foundation. Some of the educational resources relate more to history but there is interest for citizenship education as well. There is a wide variety of lesson plans, and a chance to register your school for 'flag day' along with various other school programmes and awards, including a link to Gaisce.
	Fairtrade Resources: #CreateFairtrade: A CSPE Action Guide is a resource from Development Education.ie This CSPE action guide can be adapted to build on and practice key Civic, Social and Political Education themes and supports three learning strands: Rights and Responsibilities, Global Citizenship and Exploring Democracy. The materials correspond with the Junior Cycle Statements of Learning (SOL) 9, 10 and 11. The resource is available for download at this link.
	Alone is a group that looks after the needs of older people. Their comprehensive CSPE resource is available for download. The language of the resource is based on the CSPE Syllabus (still relevant until Sept 2022), but can easily be adapted to the CSPE Short Course, especially Strand 1 'Rights and Responsibilities'. There are many suggestions for projects and actions. The resource should download when this link is clicked.
	The Courts Service has a programme 'Look at the Law' designed for CSPE classes. Let's Look At the Law is intended as an important introduction for students to the nature and operation of our legal system, presented in an accessible manner online. This series of modules was developed by the Courts Service in consultation with legal professionals, teachers and the Department of Education & Skills. Check it out here.
	Global Citizenship Education in a Time of Covid-19 is a new resource that aims to support teachers of Junior Cycle subjects and short courses to use a cross-curricular approach to teach about some of the global issues brought into sharp relief in contemporary times, specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The resource will download automatically when this link is clicked.
	Resilient - Trócaire Resource Resilient is a new resource from Trócaire which explores the Sustainable Development Goals through the stories of families in South Sudan. It can be downloaded for free and there's an accompanying Powerpoint presentation - at this link.
	The Global Citizen’s Journey: A Resource for Global Citizenship Education is an activity based resource to help develop the critical thinking skills to explore the realities and complexities of the interconnected world and recognize the imperative for active solidarity at local and global levels. The resource can be downloaded from here.
	Make A Difference - this is the 5th Edition 2021 and follows the CSPE Short Course. It is written by by Conor Harrison and Máirín Wilson There is information on the textbook on the Folens website (here).
	The Central Statistics Office has a range of resources for a range of subjects incl CSPE. The full range can be accessed here. The specific resource will download directly when this link is clicked: People Count.
	Financial Justice Ireland has produced a new resource aimed at the Maths curriculum but very relevant for CSPE. 'We Can Solve It!' contains a huge amount of relevant information and lots of classroom exercises. The resource can be downloaded here.
	Take a Stand is a new CSPE textbook for the new Junior Cycle and is written by High Holmes and Robert Cloughter. It includes a Student Portfolio and an e-book version is also available. More info here.
	Citizen is a CSPE from Educate.ie, written by Donal McCarthy. From the blurb: 'With an up-to-date approach, Citizen was written with the Wellbeing guidelines and CSPE Short Course specification in mind, so Citizen is right up to date with course requirements and recent developments in human rights, citizenship and democracy. It has been published to coincide with the final written exam in CSPE and a new era for the subject in schools.' More info here.
	The 7th edition of the book 80/20 - Development in a Unequal World is a new and completely revised edition of the popular development education resource – now widely used at introductory university level, among teachers and students at senior post-primary level, by NGO personnel in education and training as well as in adult and youth education contexts. 80-20 introduces, explores and debates key issues and topics in human development, human rights and sustainability. Its 15 chapters define and debate development, climate change and sustainability, hunger, population, women’s rights, human rights, migration, the economics and politics of inequality and overseas aid. It is designed to be useful for CSPE and Politics and Society. Info and order options are here.
	World of Wellbeing New CSPE textbook from Edco. Includes free e-book. Designed with NCCA CSPE short Course in mind. Wide range of activities included. Also available - accompanying Teacher's Resource Book and Reflective Journal for students. More info here.
	Amnesty School Pack Resource Pack highlighting the role of young people in human rights activism.
	Ar Scáth a Chéile: CSPE textbook in Irish by Brendan Dufaigh. Available from cogg.ie or for download here.
	Making Children's Rights Real: Resource on children's rights from the Ombudsman for Children' Office. Emphasis on the Convention of the Rights of the Child. Available for download here.
	Make a Difference - Fourth Edition (2017) of CSPE text by Conor Harrison and Máirín Wilson. Published by Folens. There's a student text, Teacher's Guide, topical digital updates, free E-Text and more. For more info click here.
	Resources tailored for CSPE From The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. There are lesson plans, ideas for Action Projects, and the One Good Idea initiative. Access the website here.
	Refugee Education Pack The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) had produced a revised education pack for CSPE and we are glad to be able to offer this pack for download from our website. This is a high quality pack with full colour images, that deals thoroughly with a topical issue. Among the topics explored are the distinction between refugees, migrants and asylum seekers; the reasons why people become refugees; the risks refugees take; the countries most affected; what UNHCR does to support refugees; the issue of repatriation; the experiences of child refugees; the concept of ‘stateless people’; the Irish experience of welcoming refugees. There are many suggested activities, infographics and links to supporting video clips. Download it here.
	Working for a Better Life ‘Working for a Better Life’is a new pack on development and human rights education. A Partnership with Africa (APA), in cooperation with the CDETB Curriculum Development Unit, has been working with a group of post-primary teachers to produce and pilot curriculum materials addressing global citizenship themes. This work was made possible with assistance from the European Union, and mirrored similar activities in 5 other partner countries: Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Bulgaria. Working for a better life: A junior cycle Civic, Social and Political Education Unit exploring human rights and development has been developed by APA in collaboration with an experienced CSPE teachers, and has been piloted extensively, with the resultant learning evident from the student quotes embedded throughout the unit. Download it here.
	Census 2016 - A resource pack, 'People Count' for the 2016 Census with lots of information, images and activities, - available for download here. There's also an Irish language version here.
	Oireachtas Education Programme - The new online resource of the Oireachtas Communications Office explores many aspects of political education relating to the Oireachtas. There are videos narrated by students, pdfs of the lessons, action project ideas and much more. The resource is now available online here: education.oireachtas.ie
	The Working World (2014) A teaching resource manual for secondary schools developed as part of Youth Connect’s free school programme. This six module resource manual is accompanied by a free introductory lesson by one of Youth Connect’s trained school champions. The Working World resource has been developed with clear teaching objectives in mind and each module contains 14 lessons, 4 handouts and 14 worksheets. This high quality colour manual is an invaluable resource for schools and has particular relevance for CSPE teachers. The six modules included are: The World of Work; Unions & Solidarity; Know Your Rights; Globalisation & Global Solidarity; An Unequal Society; The 1913 Lockout & struggle for Decent Work. The resource is designed to help CSPE teachers help young people become informed about all aspects of the world of work, their rights & responsibilities, issues of inequality and discrimination in the workplace, and engage them with the idea of global solidarity and decent work for all. The resource is available through our school visit programme and lessons can be booked via our website www.youth-connect.ie Teachers who have booked a lesson will receive 2 hard copies of the resource and a password to enable access to the resource online. Youth Connect is an initiative of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
	Proudly Made in Africa (2013) Proudly Made in Africa: A Business Studies and Development Education Transition Unit - While the Proudly Made in Africa resource has been produced with Business Studies teachers/students in mind, it has explicit links to a number of other curricular areas, including CSPE and Geography (at Junior and LC level). As a development education resource it focuses on the development of key skills including critical and creative thinking, collaborative research and taking action. Student-centred learning methodologies are central to this unit and the Student Portfolio includes different approaches including reflective self-assessment. The material can be used by any teacher. It does not require specialised knowledge of Africa, trade or global development issues. The Resource can be downloaded here Additional related resources and information here.
	What Do You Say? (2010) A new range of materials for CSPE from the Ombudsman's Office, and is downloadable from the website: www.oco.ie . A limited number of printed copies is also available. Contact oco@oco.ie or ring (01) 8656800 . Topics include "Having a Voice", "Family Care", "Wealth and Material Deprivation", "Young People and Education". The pack comes with a set of posters, suggested activities and ideas for Action Projects. From the introduction: "The purpose of this resource is to make young people more aware of children's rights and to highlight how they apply to them in their everyday lives. The materials also highlight the role and work of the Ombudsman for Children's Office".
	Impact! 5th Edition (2010) CSPE Textbook by Jeanne Barrett and Fiona Richardson, taking into account all recent major social and political changes, Up-to-date case studies and topics including: - Cyber-bullying - Climate change - Human Rights and Children’s Rights - The Ombudsman for Children - Micro-credit for the poor - Aids orphans - Your Rights in Law Comprehensive • including guides to Action Projects and Skills, Core Concepts of the CSPE course, current issues and topics, how to complete a Report on an Action project (RAP). Online testing for homework and revision will be available for this textbook on the new eTest.ie website. Gill & Macmillan Publication.
	Stand Up, Speak Up! (2010) Stand Up, Speak Up is written by Hugh Holmes and Gearóidín O'Dwyer, and comes with a "CSPE Activity Book". The text is organised in accorance with the 7 Concepts of CSPE. There are case studies, glossaries of terms in English and Irish, Exam Practice exercises and a section on assessment. It is published by Mentor.
	One World, Second Edition (2010) This revised text is written by Deirdre Murphy and Jim Ryan, and published by the Educational Company. It comes with a free workbook, Each section focuses on one of the the 7 Key Concepts of CSPE. Exam-type questions are included and an entire section is dedicated to assessment. There are online resources and backup at edcodigital.ie
	Focus Ireland Resource: The module is titled "Without Your Home Your Life Develops Differently", and is a practical teaching tool for Civic Social & Political Education (CSPE) classes to help inform students about homelessness and housing need in Ireland. The free learning resource aims to help break down stereotypes about people who are homeless, and also support efforts to prevent young people who may be at risk of becoming homeless. Focus Ireland's education programme is supported by essential funding from City of Dublin Youth Services Board (CDYSB). CSPE teachers can order the module from Focus Ireland’s Research Officer, Sinead McGinley at 01 8815900 or Advocacy Support Worker Sara Dennedy at 01 881 5942 or dennedys@focusireland.ie.
	ThinkB4UClick This is a Resource for CSPE that aims to empower students to be effective, autonomous and safe users of new media. The various activities, including surveys, comic strip, reflections and Action Project ideas deal with issues such as privacy online and legal issues relating to use of new media. Included is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Webwise Charter of Online Rights of the Child. The resource can be downloaded from here, either in full or section by section. ThinkB4UClick is jointly published by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the National Centre for Technology in Education.
	Pictureogs Pictureogs: Engaging and Exploring Irish Traveller Culture , a free DVD from the Kildare County Library Service - an 18 min visual representation of stories, songs and textile works by Travellers from Athy. It is part of the library's Cultural Inclusion and Social Cohesion Programme. The video, insegmented form is also available to view on the library's website.
	Know Your City Council The ‘Knowing Dublin’ guide is designed to be used by Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) teachers across the City to help young people get to grips with what the Council does for them and how they can engage with their city. It was researched and written by public library staff. Students outside Dublin will also find useful information on local government. The ‘Knowing Dublin’ guide, in both English and Irish, is available from the Central Library, Ilac Centre, Dublin 1. Each Dublin City branch library has a reference and a lending copy. The resource can also be downloaded from here.
	What in the World? This new DVD was sent to schools by the CSPE Support Service - What in the World - Coffee Matters in Gautamala, is about fair trade issues, and is presented by Rodney Rice
	The 6 Steps - A Guide to Action Projects, is a new DVD on Action Projects for CSPE. The CSPE Action Project is broken into six steps which are followed in the DVD. For more information contact National Co-ordinator Conor Harrison (01-6102805) or the Citizenship Education Administrator Vicky Geraghty (01-4020422). The DVD has was given out at inservice in 07/08 and sent to schools Spring 2008. .
	The President of Ireland: Role and Functions This is a new DVD (2008) the title of which explains it all. It is an educational resource produced by the Office of the President with advice from the Department of Education and Science. It is bilingual and comes with a CD-Rom of teachers' notes. It was sent to schools in early 2008.
	New CSPE Resource on Data Protection and Privacy! The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, in conjunction with the Curriculum Development Unit of the Dept of Education and Science, has developed a resource for the CSPE (Civic, Social and Political Education) programme for Junior Certificate Students. The resource is called 'Sign Up, Log In, Opt Out: Protecting your Privacy & Controlling your Data' and deals with 2 of the core concepts of CSPE; 'Rights & Responsibilities' and 'Law'. The resource will raise awareness amongst young people of their rights to privacy, the importance of taking control of their personal information, the rights they have when it comes to how their personal information may be collected or used and also how they may access their personal information. The resource was distributed to all secondary schools nationwide (07/08) and is also available to download from www.dataprotection.ie/teens
	Exploring Refugee Issues is a new resource sent to schools by Comhlámh. It is for students 13 and over, and is produced by the A Part of Ireland Now Project, in conjunction with Know Racism, Ireland Aid and Trócaire. There is a variety of classroom activities, worksheets that can be photocopied, with a glossary of terms and a teacher’s guide. Further copies are available for €5 each from Comhlámh at 10 Upper Camden St Dublin 2—01-4783490 (ask for Jennifer).
	Education For All -- a CSPE Resource Pack from the Irish Coalition for the Global Campaign for Education. There are plenty of class plans, games, case studies, action projects and a teacher's guide. It is promoted by the teacher unions and was sent to schools.
	Every Child Has A Right to a Childhood - The Trócaire Lenten Campaign for 2006 focussed on children's rights. A comprehensive pack was sent to schools, containing a CD-Rom (including ready made Powerpoint presentations), and a booklet of resources specifically aimed at CSPE. There are games, case studies, posters, action projects.
	CSPE Starter Pack - CD Rom , with all the basic CSPE documents - The Syllabus, The Revised Teacher Guidelines, a slide show for induction inservice, past examination papers, Blank RAPs and CWABs and more. A must have!
	Vote - Exploring Democracy, Equality, Participation and Elections is a resource pack for CSPE published by the Gender Equality Unit of the Dept of Education and Science and the City of Dublin VEC Curriculum Development Unit, and written by Deirdre Phelan. There are teachers' notes, Ideas and plans for Action Projects (such as Mock Election), profiles of female politicians, worksheets and more. The pack is accompanied by a CD Rom. Copies were sent to schools in late October 2005.
	Making a Difference - A new resource from the National Youth Development Education Programme, 3 Montague St Dublin 2. (01-4784122) It has a wider application than CSPE, and features a variety of activities related to citizenship and youth participation. There is also a separate Teachers' Guide.
	The new Guidelines for Teachers of CSPE arrived in schools late September 2005. There is Course Content, sample lessons, Active Learning Methodologies, Action Project Ideas, a guide to useful resources assessment and more. Each school got a number of copies.
	The Plain English Guide to Citizenship Terms has been published by the National Adult Literacy Agency. It contains explanations to around 400 citizenship terms. It wasn't designed for CSPE but it should be of great benefit nevertheless. And it's available free from the Agency, and can be downloaded free from www.nala.ie Alternatively email literacy"at"nala.ie or ring 01-8554332.
	Second Level Student Councils in Ireland: A Study of Enablers, Barriers and Supports is a research report by The Children's Research Centre, Trinity College, on behalf of The National Children's Office, and runs to 138 pages. It is an invaluable resource for schools, and particularly relevant for CSPE classes using the Student Council elections as an Action Project. For an example of the Student Council election as an Action Project see our Action Projects section or click here.

Theme Packs
	Counted Out - Challenging Poverty and Social Exclusion by Sandra Gowran is a new resource useful for CSPE. A complimentary copy has been delivered to schools by representatives of Folens publishers who are involved in the production of this resource. t has information, games, worksheets, photos and class plans. It is jointly produced by Folens, CDVEC Curriculum Development Unit (01-4535487) and the Combat Poverty Agency (01-6706746).
	Changing Perspectives: A Resource for CSPE on issues of cultural values, diversity and equality in Ireland and the wider world. It is produced by the City of Dubllin VEC Curriculum Development Unit and The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism. There are a variety of worksheets and activities.
Video/DVD
	Know Racism: Video sent to schools as part of the Know Racism Campaign. See the campaign's website for more details.
Reference
	80: 20 - Development in an Unequal World* - 5th edition - is an updated version of a popular resource dealing with the inequalities in the world. It is described as a comprehenive introduction to development, justice and human rights issues. There is plenty of well presented information suitable for research. It is available from 80:20 Educating & Acting for a Better World, St. Cronans BNS, Vevay Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow. ph: 01-2860487. Cost is 25 Euro + Post and Packing.