Community Action and Active Citizenship

• This topic is all about how to go out there and make a difference.

• It is about you working out the best ways of doing that.

• It is very topical so keep up to date with the news.

• How to make a difference:

There are 2 ways you can go about making a difference:

• Direct Action – directly acting to create the change you wish to see in the world. E.g. starting a community garden, blockading a road

• Indirect Action – asking someone else (often someone in a position of power) to make the change you wish to see in the world. e.g. writing a letter, lobbying, signing a petition

Direct action: 11th October 2009: Greenpeace demonstration on the roof

of the Houses of Parliament

• Youtube: Greenpeace volunteers occupy the roof of parliament to save the climate

Questions:

• Was this Direct action/Indirect action? Give a reason for your answer

• Describe what Greenpeace were doing, include their slogan.

• Why did Greenpeace campaign using direct action and not indirect action.

• Sometimes, groups that use Direct Action use unlawful pressure. (destroy fields of GM crops, release animals in labs) Do you think this is right?

Indirect action

• Number10.gov.uk

• Petitions

• On the number 10 website, people can upload……. (give an example)

• This is an example of indirect action because……

Hope not Hate Campaign October 2009

My message to Nick Griffin

• Nick Griffin is lucky enough to live in a democratic society that is Britain where he can exercise his Right to free speech. I do not begrudge him exercising this Right. A Right that is entirely “British”. What is wrong is his abuse of this right. To act in a way that is totally disrespectful to other cultures and races is not what being “British” is all about!

• Describe this campaign.

• Does it use Direct or Indirect Action. Give reasons for your answers.

• How effective do you think this method is?

• Give reasons for your answer.

You feel strongly about this and want it to stop. Which action would

you use?

• Complete the Sheet: Bringing About Change

Homework:

• Does signing a petition work? Print of source sheet and stick in book. Complete table in book.

• Online classroom, citizenship, year 10.