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BT - Reed Elsevier Education and Lifelong Learning Award 2004

Reed Elsevier Education and Lifelong Learning Award 2004 supported by the Department for Education and Skills

Citizenship was introduced to the National Curriculum as a compulsory subject in September 2002. BT developed a programme to support citizenship education in UK schools, with an emphasis on communications skills. The new programme was launched in September 2003 to raise awareness in schools about what citizenship means, help improve communications skills of young people and provide a resource for teachers.

Processes

The programme is supported by BT volunteers in schools across the UK. BT offers 300 free drama workshops, which use the issue of bullying as a catalyst to explore “fairness” and the role that communication plays in our lives and includes an awards scheme, which is made up of 240 grants of £2000 each for schools' citizenship projects with a strong communications theme.

The programme is also supported by an education DVD, (communication skills for young citizens) that features interactive teaching materials, with a focus on how effective communication can make you a better citizen. Other resources include an online resources bank and a special resource pack for secondary schools (requested by almost 2800 schools), regional workshops and a competition, produced in collaboration with the Institute for citizenship and the BBC.

Impact

Involvement in the programme has resulted in a measurable improvement in the reputation of BT with both employees and customers

The BT Volunteers scheme has built a local club based network with more than 2500 active volunteers. Feedback about benefits both to employees and the workplace has been very positive

Senior BT regional managers have been involved in the programme as a way of increasing their visibility within their communities

324 events held in schools across the UK, involving 37,063 young people and delivered in Welsh, as well as English

BT Schools Awards scheme that makes up to 240 grants of £2000 each for schools communication skills projects with a citizenship theme attracted 1228 entries against a target of 1100

Since September the BT Schools Awards have generated 2215 pieces of media coverage and almost 120 million WOTS (weighted opportunities to see)