The International Global Citizen’s Award
3. Influence and involvement with others

Working with others is an important aspect of citizenship and community involvement and responsibility. In some cases, we work with other people collaboratively to do things we cannot do on our own – for instance as part of a group or committee organising something. In other cases, we are working to benefit other people – for instance, we may be helping people directly during our community service.

This section involves three distinct types of activity:

3.1 Personal community service

This involves undertaking some form of service activity which is of benefit to individuals or a community – local, national or international.

This could take many forms. There are some examples below. Many schools have established service programmes, and many of these activities could form part of the Global Citizen’s Award programme.

Personal community service may be done individually, or it may involve working with others in the service activity.

Examples:

• fund-raising for a charity
• recycling activities within a local community
• helping elderly or disabled people
• serving in a charity shop, and developing an understanding and awareness of the work of the charity, and the role of the shops in its funding
• litter picking, and an understanding of the harmful effects of litter on wildlife and the environment
• conservation work such as tree planting, shrub clearance and an understanding of the ecological importance of this

3.2 Advocacy, persuasion or promotion

If we care about something, we usually want to make others care about it too.
This is an important part of active citizenship.

Advocacy is about arguing the case on behalf of someone or something.
Persuasion is trying to change someone’s mind by information and argument.
Promotion is making your point better known, for instance by speaking or writing.

This section involves taking up an appropriate cause (or causes) and bringing it to the attention of others, for instance at home, among friends, within a school, or within the wider community.
Examples:

• persuading friends and family to attend a fund-raising auction (partly by explaining the cause)
• speaking on behalf of something at a public meeting
• campaigning against the death penalty
• lobbying at school for fair-trade products to be introduced, or promoting them to students
• persuading parents to choose a car with lower fuel consumption and emissions
• promoting a fund-raising sports tournament at school
• meeting a local politician to express concern about development of an area of woodland
• writing to a local newspaper on a matter of local concern
• writing to a national politician on a matter of concern
• Amnesty International membership

(These could involve collaborative and team activities).

3.3 Active participation in decision-making processes

If we are to be effective citizens, global or otherwise, we will find ourselves involved in decision-making of various kinds. Taking an active part in decisions that affect us and the things we care about is an important part of active citizenship.

For the award, active decision-making might involve

• being part of a student council
• being a member of a committee
• working with other members of a group to decide the topic of a group project in a school subject
• taking part in decisions relating to the operation of the global citizen’s award itself

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