Citizenship champions
Access keys Skip navigation
Zenith Apprenticeship
Post-16 Citizenship activity at Zenith Apprenticeship
Zenith Apprenticeships is the work based learning unit within Warwickshire College. Our cross college focus for citizenship activities includes:
- Links to shared training opportunities, within the local community, during cross college training days and LSN central training days to promote the ethos of citizenship within the culture of the organisation.
- Development of Learner participation, within college and the community.
- Working with Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to develop initiatives to bring young peoples' ideas into closer focus with local service providers.
- The appointment of a “Total Respect Project Officer”, as a result of our partnership with WCC. Details of the Total Respect Project here.
- Participation in the AQA Active Citizenship Studies level 3 trial has been a particular success. The early years' full time national diploma group have promoted a healthy eating campaign to primary schools in the area via a puppet show and the Equine Apprenticeship students have looked at the impact of the travelling community during the horse fair at Stow on the Wold. This has now progressed to a Pilot stage and is delivered via the AS programme.
- The Entry to Employment programme delivers the personal and social skills curriculum via a citizenship project within the Key Skills qualifications. Other foundation courses within the college also link to the ONC accreditation for active citizenship at entry level and level 1.
- Two designated citizenship theme weeks per year link to support tutorials and cross college activities. One of these weeks is during the National Democracy week in October and helps to promote voting for the Student Association elections.
Citizenship coordinator's top tips for setting up post-16 citizenship activity:
- Gain support from senior management and agree a citizenship policy through consultation with the whole organisation to develop an ethos of citizenship within the organisation's culture.
- Use the LSN resources and materials for staff training and to promote citizenship within your organisaton
- Use a "Good News" medium to celebrate your successes such as a customised newsletter/website/intranet
- Use the Citizenship Development "Progress File - Achievement Planner" to plan and risk assess the chosen citizenship activity.
- Use the content of an Active Citizenship project to deliver Key Skills as part of an Apprenticeship framework. This has improved retention and achievement as the students can "own" the project from a learner led perspective. Evidence distance travelled via RARPA as soft outcomes.
How this organisation could help you:
- Partnership projects to benefit all organisations involved.
- Continuing the development of learner participation within college and the community. Learners across the county becoming involved in the organisation of a citizenship conference for young people. Linking to schools in the area with specialist citizenship skills.
- Offering opportunities for staff from external training organisations to experience citizenship within the work-based learning sector.
- Invitation to citizenship training activities within the college and to provide resources for further training.
Contact information
Name of citizenship coordinator:
Alice Pethick
Citizenship coordinator’s telephone:
01926 319072
Citizenship coordinator’s email: apethick@warkscol.ac.uk
Organisation website:
www.warkscol.ac.uk
Back to top