The first annual Parliament Week is launching on 31 October 2011 and running through 6 November. This is an exciting opportunity for teachers and young people to explore the work and role of Parliament and, through the theme of ‘Stories of Democracy’, to see how decisions made in Westminster have an impact on everyone’s lives. It’s also a great opportunity for you to invite your MP in to find out about his/her work and demonstrate all the good work done through the citizenship education curriculum.

Below are some ideas for how teachers and young people can take part in Parliament Week:

• Hansard Society Young People’s Question Time The Hansard Society is hosting a special event in Parliament to encourage young people to put their questions to a cross-party panel of MPs, chaired by Krishnan Guru-Murthy (Channel 4 news). The event is free to attend and open to all young people. Monday 31 October, 2011, 6.30pm, Houses of Parliament.
• Parliament and Schools A resource pack to prepare students for a visit from either an MP or a member of the House of Lords.
• MyUK online A resource that allows players to take charge of Britain as the prime minister and to choose and pass new laws, customise their country and pursue their own vision of the UK.
• Schools Questions and Answers An opportunity for students to run their own question time webcast, broadcast live on the BBC website or host an edition of BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions at their school.
• UK Youth Parliament Debate in the House of Commons On the 4th November, Members of the UK Youth Parliament will travel from all parts of the UK to debate and vote on the top five topics from their manifesto in the House of Commons chamber. Why not hold your own debate in your school in the same week?
• Speak Free This Amnesty resource contains assembly and lesson plans sharing the story of Peter Benenson, founder of Amnesty International. The resource explores the right of freedom of expression and asks students to think about how they can participate in democracy and stand up for the rights of those whose democratic freedoms are denied.
• I Talk Out Loud A film that tells the story of the extra-curricular Amnesty Youth Group at Eastlea School and their campaign to end stoning in Iran. It’s a great example of how ordinary young people can engage in democracy through campaigning and make a real difference in the world. Why not show the DVD during Parliament Week and inspire your students to get campaigning for human rights?
• Picturing Democracy This national photography project encourages people to take a picture that commemorates an historical event or person that contributed to the development of democracy, or an image that represents a modern story of democracy in the UK.

Whatever you do to celebrate Parliament Week, let us know!

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• This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 11th, 2011 at 3:10 pm