Creator and
Conductor of Just1 Hugh Gibbons says...
One
sign of a great country is that it should care about people in great need –
not only here but across the world. That's a common value with which most UK
schools and pupils - the good citizens of tomorrow - have developed a
special affinity in recent years. Through PSHE, RE and Citizenship Studies -
and family life - they've shown great energy and concern for the fight
against poverty, inequality and injustice in the world today.
So to help them, by a practical eco-friendly project that also reminds UK policy-makers
of their commitments, I've created Weigh Up Your MP. Like Citizenship
in the National Curriculum for England & Wales, it "...addresses issues
relating to social justice, human rights, community cohesion and global
interdependence, and encourages students to challenge injustice,
inequalities and discrimination...It helps students to become informed,
critical, active citizens who have the confidence and conviction to work
collaboratively, take action and try to make a difference."
The concept is simple.
Starting in May 2010...
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Pupils in schools across a
constituency invite their MP to keep and publish on his or her website a
simple record of actions for social justice and against global poverty
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In May 201, they inspect
and rate the first year's record of action - each pupil awarding up to 5
Social Justice Stars
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They send in their scores
on-line to Just1. The data is pooled to give an average for schools in the
constituency, and a ranking for each MP out of 650. You can get some idea from the example on the right.
Go here to see the way
Weigh Up works in a bit more detail.
So Weigh Up is
a practical exercise suitable for PSHE/RE and Citizenship studies for
Years 5/6 and KS3&4 through Years 7-12.
Weigh Up is simple and
quick to arrange and run, needs no budget, has high value for a small amount of time, and offers great potential for good news to share
with local and national media. So it will be...
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Good for pupils
and teachers as a very practical and enjoyable annual exercise in good
citizenship understanding and action. The story will be a great talking point
to share with families and friends – and the local and national press.
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Good
for local communities as they get information on a national activity
with a very warm-hearted humanitarian angle.
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Good for MPs
because it offers a really strong opportunity to help rebuild public trust,
provide a public showcase of their actions on a topic with which young
people have a special affinity, add to their own education and
understanding, and have human interest stories to share with the
media.
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Good
for the UK as a whole, as it will help develop appreciation and
understanding between parliament and the electorate of today and tomorrow.
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Good
for the poor of the world, aid agencies, and campaigners, because it will
provide a fine flow of news of support and solidarity.
Many thanks for your
interest.
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Hoorah for Inverse Ofsted!
EXAMPLE
Weighville South Constituency
MP: Pat Standup
Since: 2010
Party: Independent
MP’s website with
Social Justice Record:
www.standup-weighvsouth.org.uk/poverty
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Total
schools in constituency taking part:
49
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Total of
pupils assessing this MP: 4842
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Total
Social Justice Stars awarded:
16269
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Average Stars Awarded this MP:
3.36 out of 5
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Average of
Stars for all MPs: 2.87
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Ranking of this MP, all Westminster MPs:
27 out of 650
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Ranking this MP, all taking part in Weigh
Up: 27 out of 531
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Total UK schools taking part:
26,214
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Total UK
pupils assessing: 1,563, 431
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Go here
to see the list of participating schools
in the constituency
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Go here
to see the list of all MPs taking part, including links
to their websites and
Social Justice Records
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Go here
to see MPs' ratings analysed by party
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Go here
to see comments by party leaders
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Go here
to see comments by the national media
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Go here
to see comments by UK aid agencies
and others working in overseas
development
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STEP1
Anytime from now on -
and by early in the Autumn Term 2010
Schools write to invite their constituency MP to set up and maintain an
annual public Social Justice Record of his or her actions against world
poverty and for social justice. The letter might include the
signatures of pupils, staff, parents and governors, to show the breadth of
interest.
It'll be a good
idea to identify someone as the WeighUp contact in the school. It's not an
onerous or prestigious duty! In May/June 2011, they'll just have to
add up the number of Social Justice Stars awarded by each class to the MP
and the number of pupils, and send this information on-line to Just1.
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STEP2 During
2010 and early 2011
MPs register
their intention with Just1 using an on-line form.
This form gathers
basic information to set up a simple database of participating MPs:
constituency, MP's name, party, and their usual public domain e-mail address by which
Just1 can contact them.
In registering, they'll be invited to make a
contribution to the funding of the IT needed in Weigh Up: just £20.11.
They'll be able to send this on-line to a charity-giving website (probably
MyCharityPage.com.) The funds will reside with the Jubilee Debt Campaign, the much-respected
organisation campaigning on unjust debt and other issues. These funds will
be used for the IT costs of Weigh Up.
And if any funds are left over? Something everyone should approve of. In the
constituencies of the 10 top-ranked MPs, one school will be drawn out of a
hat - for them to send their share to a school project of their choice
overseas.
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STEP3
By the end April 2011
MPs publish this Social Justice Record on their constituency website
It’s left to MPs to decide what goes on his or her record. But they may want
to include national or local actions, such as taking part in debates,
motions, committees, groups, campaigning, articles, letters or fact-finding.
Their actions might involve debt relief, trade justice, ethical trading,
climate justice, elements in the Millennium Development Goals, human rights
and equality, and other aspects of overseas development. A look at other
MPs' websites may spark some ideas. And Just1 should have a list of
suggestions.
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STEP3 During May/early June 2011
Schools inspect the
Record on the website
– along with any other local information (such as that on They Work For You.)
This may be done by pupils during a class, or at home.
Each pupil then gives the
MP a Social Justice Rating -up to 5 Stars. Schools decide their own
criteria for the rating and how they involve classes. What you'll send in to
Just1 will be the total number of Stars awarded and total number of pupils.
So a teacher might gather and send in: For Years 5&6: 51 pupils, and 147 Stars.
Awards should be confidential.
In primary
schools, perhaps only Years 5&6 would participate. In secondary education schools
and colleges, it's likely that all the Years will want to be included.)
Staff, parents and others? They might want to have a say - but it's
the pupils who do the rating!
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STEP4 June 2011
Schools send in on-line their MP’s rating with Just1. The total
number of Stars and pupils will
be pooled with those from other schools in the constituency to give an
average rating per pupil. This figure will be posted on a special webpage
by the start of July 2011. This will list all MPs -
showing their average star rating, ranking out of 650, and names of schools
joining in.
At a suitable time that term or at the start of the next, schools can
comment on the ratings and invite their MP to do the same again - year after
year!
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This A4 flyer in Word has all the key information
for teachers and others
Download a copy for printing
here.
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