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To cite this project blog<\/strong>: Ralls, D. (2023) Redefining Education: Becoming Relational<\/em>. Available at: https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/redefiningeducation\/<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rio de Janeiro Young People\u2019s Project: The Kite Flyers of the Mar\u00e9<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Overview –<\/strong> An International Comparative Research Study<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research sets out to develop a shared understanding of the range of children and young people’s everyday socio-educational situations and experiences and the extent to which approaches to education (<\/strong>pedagogy, curriculum or governance)<\/strong><\/em> can help to develop powerful, (re)connected communities for a fairer, more relational city<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study shows how developing education policies and practices based on reciprocal learning<\/strong> relationships and decision making for children and young people (‘becoming relational’) is essential in supporting place based alternative economic models that ‘think beyond GDP’.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This 45 month international comparative research project across 4 cities (Barcelona, Berlin, New York and Rio de Janeiro),<\/strong> funded by the Leverhulme Trust<\/a>, explores the experiences of policymakers, educators and, most importantly, children and young people<\/strong><\/em>, by asking how they think that approaches to education can help make their city a fairer place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case studies provide examples of how thinking ‘beyond examination results’ can create reciprocal and collaborative learning environments that value the type of skills, knowledge and relationships needed to build places and economies that look ‘beyond GDP’. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The children and young people’s experiences and expertise resulted in key messages for communities, policymakers and professionals on how education can help make the city a fairer place. More information can be found on the specific city pages. Their films are available here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children and young people in these education initiatives are respected as experts and decision makers for fairer places – citizens of now<\/strong>. How can we ensure that such activities are not a one off and that children and young people can contribute their expertise in the places where they live, to build more socially just, collaborative places and economies? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Becoming Relational: The Relational Toolkit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Places wanting to develop education policies for alternative, more socially economies can start by looking at the types of collaborative relationships and reciprocal learning activities that are developed with children, young people and their communities in their schools, institutions such as hospitals and universities, community projects – and through their own range of civic engagement activities. The Relational Toolkit<\/a>, developed as a result of this research, as a starting point for children and young people to co-evaluate such activities, can help.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are interested in discussing how the Toolk<\/a>it<\/strong> could be used in your organisation, please contact: Deborah Ralls<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Research Focus <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research focus on repositioning children and young people as experts in their own lives<\/strong> is particularly timely after the global pandemic. It aligns with the aims of the international Sustainable Development Goals <\/a>(SDGs), the UN Rights of the Child Article 12<\/a>, which says that children and young people have the human right to have opinions and for these opinions to be heard and taken seriously, as well as more recent developments such as the EU Child Guarantee<\/a> and the European Year of Youth 2022.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The participatory, creative and artistic methods used with children and young people in this project and the creative outputs produced, enable children and young people to speak directly to their communities, peers, families, academics and policymakers, using the approach that they chose. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The children and young people from the 4 case studies were asked to create a public message, in the format of their choice, on how education can help make the city a fairer place. <\/em>They chose to use a range of creative methods to produce their message: film making, song writing, musical composition, ceramics and kite flying. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than focusing on improved exam results or job outcomes as educational priorities for a fairer place, the children and young people chose to emphasise the role that education has \u2013 or could have \u2013 in the following areas: <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n