Global Education Derby works together with young people, communities and educators to bring about personal, local and global change for a fairer, more sustainable world. It is a registered charity with more than 25 years of experience helping teachers, youth workers and community educators develop the thinking skills that we all need to make sense of a complex and rapidly changing world. Rapid and
complex change is becoming the defining feature of modern life as globalisation accelerates problems of environmental degradation, inequality, insecure livelihoods and migration. These issues affect us all - impacting on local communities and challenging our sense of identity and security. Education programmes have to reflect this new reality if they are to remain relevant. People need thinking skills, the ability to research information, analyse and make informed choices rather than just absorb a set of facts. We all need to be flexible cultural navigators, think outside “the box” and develop the confidence to be positive citizens in an uncertain, challenging world. Adapting to change and living in uncertain futures isn’t straightforward or easy. Specialising in education for the 21st century – the thinking and emotional skills to deal with social challenges stemming from globalisation. Global Education Derby projects have personal, local and global dimensions:
Participants gain opportunities to develop interpersonal awareness, teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills. The local community gains from a reduction in negative stereotyping and improved cohesion. Global learning produces greater awareness of the wider world and action in support of international development. The learning methodologies that lie at the centre of our approach always:
Produce a more outward looking mindset through exposure to global contexts and multiple perspectives. Develop critical thinking. Increase self-awareness through reflexive questioning of values and ideas
Give the confidence and skills to take positive action. For schools we run teacher training programmes and student workshops on a range of topics. We offer customised support for whole school programmes and provide practical advice on curriculum enrichment. For youth and community workers we provide training, networking opportunities and showcase events. We also work directly with young people through small projects that demonstrate the effectiveness of global youth work in reaching disaffected young people and breaking the cycle of exclusion. We have a wide range of resources – online and paper - to help educators with their task. These cover all key stages and curriculum areas. Materials include issues-based teaching packs, locality packs, environmental resources and artefact boxes, as well as youth resources for Global Youth Work. Most of our work is carried out locally in Derby and Derbyshire, with some regional provision across the East Midlands.
