UNYA (WA) EDUCATION PROGRAMME
- Sid Chakrabarti
Putting Education Programme to the test
What is an education package?
Typically, a UNYA (WA) "education package" is conducted in two separate lessons.
The first lesson is a class style forum, in which UNYA members explain basic international law, policy and structures to students. Included in this section is a breakdown of international political relationships, outlining trade groups, regional alliances and international alliances. UNYA believes that such an understanding is paramount to understanding the nature of international politics.
Discussion in session at WA Parliament.
The right posture.
Who runs education packages at schools?
- UNYA’s membership is limited to people aged between 15 and 24 to fit under the UN definition of youth, and the average age of an UNYA member is approximately 18 years.
- UNYA (WA) financial members run UNYA’s Education packages and as such it is very much a case of peer-to-peer learning. Membership to UNYA is voluntary and as such its members are interested and passionate about the issues they are teaching.
- UNYA sees these as a significant part of its process as it removes age-related barriers usually faced by teachers.
What age group is the UNYA education package suited for?
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The packages are custom made for each year group and as such they are suited for any age group.
- UNYA's members are knowledgeable in international politics, and most not only study in these areas at university but also are actively interested in it. As such all education packages are relevant and educational.
- In the past UNYA has run packages created for primary students ranging to year 12 students, however it finds its content fits best with year 10 students.
- UNYA has also been known to run public speaking forums, and finds that a flexible approach to its packages provides the best outcomes.
- UNYA runs these packages by appointment all year round and is not limited to the metropolitan area. However, in the event that a school is too far away to be supported by UNYA, it is policy to send out written packages to help teachers run such a forum themselves.
- UNYA finds that the packages are especially useful for schools that do not have the resources to send their students to UNYA’s competitions and forums run around the year as UNYA members attend the school themselves.
Why does UNYA run an education package?
- UNYA (WA) believes that an education package is one of the best methods of conveying such information to students. We believe that the peer-to-peer, interactive format of the forum, presented by interested and experienced public speakers, provides the students with a charged learning environment. The interactive section of the forum helps students to understand some of the features of international politics, with interesting results.
- UNYA finds that when encouraged to think about international issues from a countries perspective (as opposed to merely reading about it), students come to logical and insightful realisations about the policies adopted by their countries.
- Furthermore, UNYA members generally find that in discussing these issues, students end up at some semblance of the real international positions on the issues they discussed, limited of course by their shared level of knowledge. As such, UNYA finds education packages significant in teaching students about international politics, and hopes to expand the programme in the future.
Further information:
If you are a schoolteacher interested in the Education Programme, conact UNYA (WA) Education Officer Clare Cole, by email at waed@unya.asn.au.
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