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LIFE SKILLS & CITIZENSHIP

In 2017 UNICEF published a unique framework for Life Skills and Citizenship Education, born of research in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA).


Both conceptual and pragmatic, it applies a holistic, lifelong, and rights-based systems approach to 21st century skills.


...A light bulb moment.

World-leading academic in Citizenship Education, Professor Bryony Hoskins of University of Roehampton (who was involved in the development of that framework) has, over the last 5 years, worked on the development of instruments to measure these skills with the IEA and National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), under the auspices of UNICEF. The aim of this work has been to support the development of life skills of young people in MENA.


UNICEF's circular model (attached below) connects four quadrants of skills:

1. Learning to know - education

2. Learning to do - work

3. Learning to be - self-knowledge, power, esteem

4. Learning to live together - citizenship


When Christy Traore and I started developing our own circular model of personal development for New Working Class, we could never have foreseen that it would mirror this globally recognised framework.


The only fundamental difference in our model is a founding belief that we are better able and more motivated to learn, do, and unite as active citizens, if we come to know our selves first. We can then make choices based on that understanding and self-belief.


So, the opening step in our 'work-study-life' programme is to invite a student to own their story, discover and reflect upon their strengths, get comfortable with what makes them tick and where they fit; a foundation of self-knowledge, upon which they ignite the confidence, ambition and impetus to progress in life.

Importantly, we are working with Bryony on developing a research proposal to test these skills longitudinally.

We will utilise NWC as a sandbox to explore the efficacy of a new model of applied learning - combining learning and working on the high street, embedded within a wider community of employers and local groups.


We hope to validate the model and prove that our programme design and delivery creates a new talent pipeline. NWC learner-workers will be more connected to their talents, actively choose their path, and therefore demonstrate a greater propensity to be committed, productive, ambitious and loyal to their work.

And we therefore expect to recalibrate the cost of recruitment and employee training, pay back quicker, to deliver a net positive contribution to business, and meaningful participation in communities.

We are not arrogant enough to believe our approach is definitive. We are happy to be proven wrong.

We want to test and learn... And in that, instil in students a principle of testing and learning through life, without fear of failure.

We want to prove our efficacy.


As the education sector looks to better prepare students for work and life, NWC can be its pilot.

To play your part, get in touch.




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