Curriculum Development

In view of their decentralisation within the network of the National Agencies of the Youth in Action programme, the Partnership decided to transform the existing Modules into one single Training Course on European Citizenship.

To that end, the Partnership started to develop a new curriculum, aimed at supporting the smooth implementation of the new Training Course, which should be carried out several times in 2007/2008 (in different countries and with different participants).

The future series of NA network Training Courses on European Citizenship will be implemented by the National Agencies, in conjunction with the SALTO Training and Cooperation RC and the Partnership.

Curriculum development process: some milestones

- July 2006: three educational consultants were recruited after a call, in order to develop the curriculum of the future single training course on European Citizenship.

- Curriculum Development Seminar (5 September 2006): this meeting provided an occasion to some of the main Partnership stakeholders (Council of Europe, National Agencies, SALTO, European Youth Forum) to underline their expectations towards the future Training Course on European Citizenship and to share their views with the three educational consultants.

• The conceptual framework of the future Training Course on European Citizenship was discussed at length. This discussion helped to define the contents of the Training Course.
• An agreement was reached on the aim, objectives and target group of the future Training Course on European Citizenship.
• The format of the current Modules (5-day training course) was deemed appropriate for the future Training Course on European Citizenship. The future Course should be innovative and carry forward the experience accumulated in the previous years.
• The original aim and objectives of the Modules were adapted in order to take into account the request to have a simpler and less academic language. This should facilitate the understanding of the potential participants.
• The original profile of participants was slightly modified so that the course could target newcomers in the topic but with experience in youth work.

- Partnership Sectorial Group Meeting on European Citizenship (13 September 2006): this meeting approved the suggestions made by the Curriculum Development Seminar and also discussed in details the implementation of the future Training Course on European Citizenship. On this occasion, the Sectorial Group decided that the Training Course on European Citizenship would become a NA network Training Course (implemented by the network of Youth in Action National Agencies) from 2007 already, with a methodological support from the Partnership. This decision was confirmed by the Partnership Management Board (5 October 2006).

- Evaluation Seminar of the training Modules 2006 (Bonn, 1-2 November, 2006): following these discussions in the Partnership management structures, the participants in the Evaluation Seminar were invited to discuss and contribute to the new curriculum.

- TCP Seminar (29 November - 1 December 2006): the future Training Course was presented to National Agencies representatives (TCP officers), who had an opportunity to discuss its curriculum and concept.

- Consultants' meeting on European Citizenship (18-20 January 2007): the educational consultants integrated all received feedback and further developed the curriculum. The curriculum document was finalised by the educational consultants in the following weeks.

- Partnership Management Board (2 April 2007): the curriculum of the future network Training Courses on European Citizenship was formally approved by the Partnership Management Board (gathering representatives of the Council of Europe and the European Commission).

The concept of the training course will then be tested throughout 2007-2008 (implementation of the first series of 6 Training Courses). The curriculum could be adapted and revised, if necessary, at the evaluation and development meeting of Training Courses on European Citizenship (to be organised in spring 2008)