Education Resources
The Commissioner has partnered with Collaborators and Supporters on development of a range of educational resources designed specifically to support teachers engage young people in the civics and citizenship curriculum. You can support your students by bringing these resources directly into your school or classroom, or by making your students aware of them. All initiatives are FREE.
yChange for Schools
yChange is South Australia’s first curriculum aligned, project based, action civics resource for primary and secondary educators. It was developed by the Commissioner for Children and Young People with signficant input from students, educators and civic experts. It has been designed to empower young South Australians with the attitudes, skills and knowledge they need to become active, responsible citizens. yChange is not a political resource, nor is it intended to be a social change project resource. The focus of yChange is to build connections and relationships between young people and their community through development and implementation of their yChange project. This is achieved with guidance and support from teachers, the school and the broader community with whom they are encouraged to interact.
Engagement Toolbox
To support educators, teachers, community staff, and parents and carers to engage effectively with children and young people, the Commissioner for Children and Young People has devised a South Australian focused Civics and Citizenship Engagement Toolbox. It includes a Field Guide designed to inspire and guide the planning, processing and delivery of strategies and activities to engage children and young people in civics and citizenship. A set of seven ‘How To’ guides on developing surveys, doing vox pops, hosting a focus group, workshop and youth advisory council with young people, complements the Field Guide to complete the Commissioner’s Civics and Citizenship Engagement Toolbox.
A-Z of CCYP Resources
To find out what young people have been saying on a full range of issues that matter to them most, visit the A-Z of CCYP Resources on the SA Commissioner for Children and Young People’s website. It’s where you’ll find a complete list of project reports, survey summaries, fact sheets, issues briefs, position briefs, and guides containing information about what South Australian children and young people have told their Commissioner would make their lives better on a whole range of issues ranging from climate change to mental health.
Civics Directory
The standout feature of this website is the Civics Directory section offering over 230 civics and citizenship related resources that can be searched according to audience, type and areas of interest. If you can’t find something here that you think should be added please let us know via email to commissionercyp@ccyp.com.au
Check it out today!
SA SRC
Young South Australians have a growing appetite for mechanisms that are representative of their lives and experiences and which deliver on their agendas – not those of adults, which they see as being slow and ill-informed. If your child is a student in Year 10, 11 or 12 and is interested in civics and citizenship, you may wish to encourage them to apply to become a member of the South Australian Student Representative Council. The SA SRC offer senior school students a new model of representation that will ensure they have a voice in policy and decision making that is being led by young people themselves. A partnership between the Commissioner for Children and Young People and the Foundation for Young Australians with support from the National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition, the SA SRC consists of up to 150 student members from Years 10, 11 and 12 across the state, working together to create genuine, student-led change within their own communities.
Child Rights
Child rights have been put in place to protect children and young people around the world. The main international treaty setting out these universal rights is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It was established in 1989 and Australia is a signatory. This important agreement sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children around the world. Below you’ll find a link to this treaty and to some of the other South Australian legislation and frameworks that have been put in place to guide and protect young people’s rights.
Civics Awards for Young People
There are numerous opportunities for educators to support young South Australians to enter and achieve awards for their civics and citizenship participation, projects, initiatives and activities. They include the Governor’s Civic Awards and South Australia’s Young Citizen of the Year Award to name just two. Click on the link below to find out more and encourage your students to apply.
Need more information?
Contact us to find out more: commissionercyp@sa.gov.au