• Building a citizenship programme
• Putting citizenship first in a new college
• Citizenship through group tutorials
• Taking action in college and community
• Giving students a voice
• Pathways to citizenship

Building a citizenship programme

The City of Bristol College is the third largest college in the UK, offering over 1,500 learning opportunities in a variety of subject areas. It began to offer citizenship two years ago as a course for students working towards the CACHE certificate in childcare and education.

The students have taken part in a range of citizenship activities in college and the community - from topical research projects to presenting proposals to the City Council. Using the ASDAN active citizenship award, they choose their own approach to citizenship through themes that are relevant to their childcare work. As a result of the success of the programme, citizenship courses are now developing in other faculties across the college.

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Putting citizenship first in a new college

B6 Sixth Form College in the London Borough of Hackney opened in 2002 to offer young people the opportunity to access high-quality academic education. From the outset, citizenship values have been at the centre of the college's ethos and tutorial curriculum.

Students are encouraged to feel that they have ownership of the college. They play an active part in decision making through representation on the college's governing body and committees, and are also involved in promoting the college in the local community. Citizenship forms an important part of the curriculum through both one-off events and regular tutorial group activities.

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Citizenship through group tutorials

Richmond Upon Thames College is a tertiary college with a large number of full-time students aged 16 to 19 from across south-west and inner London. The college has recently introduced citizenship into its group tutorial programme, with the key aim of equipping students to become active citizens in college and their wider communities.

The students have experienced a wide range of citizenship activities as part of their tutorial programme, including a tutor group conference, taking part in student union elections and campaigning for change in college. Some of the students have gained the confidence to organise and take part in national citizenship events.

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Taking action in college and community

Tower Hamlets Sixth Form College offers vocational and academic programmes to around 2,000 students, most of whom are Muslim. The college sees its citizenship programme as a central part of student development, not least as a way of opening the minds and broadening the perspectives of its students, irrespective of culture or faith.

Students play an active part in both campaigning in college and taking action in the community. The college has a strong students' union and regular open space meetings are held to discuss college-related issues. The tutorial programme gives students an opportunity to debate citizenship issues and students take part in a range of community-based events.

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Giving students a voice

Merton College is a large further education college in south London that offers a range of vocational, academic and basic education courses up to level 3. It currently runs a citizenship programme for 140 students, which it is planning to extend to all students in the near future.

The citizenship programme has given students a stronger voice both within the college and the borough. Students take part in a range of citizenship activities through tutorial programmes, college parliaments and conferences. Students taking English as a second or other language (ESOL) courses follow a specially developed citizenship programme that gives them a basic knowledge of British life and encourages them to get involved in college life.

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Pathways to citizenship

Aylesbury College is a medium-sized further education college with approximately 6,500 students. It draws most of its students from the central part of Buckinghamshire, and about 17 per cent are of minority ethnic background. The college currently operates on a main site close to the town centre and a second site about three miles away, but a rebuilding programme is under way to provide state-of-the-art facilities on one site.

The college offers more than 60 courses in both academic and vocational subjects, and it provides vocational learning at the college for key stage 4 pupils from local schools. The college also offers 'pathways programmes' for learners with difficulties and/or disabilities, and the four special schools in the area are feeders for these programmes.

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