Students’ self- government- school of democracy Public institution Educational Debate Centre, Lithuania January 2004-December 2005

IDEA, Lithuania, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Great Britain (Essex); Project “YOUTH PARLIAMENTS”; A child, who is able to form his opinion should be given an opportunity to freely express it, besides his point of view should be taken into consideration according to the age and maturity.

Problems with Lithuanian students and school councils: The lack of democratic traditions establishing and organizing students’ self-government; The passiveness of students and self- government representatives solving the problems in schools; students’ lack of responsibility; Formal functioning of Self- governments (the majority of students’ representatives take part in the activity just formally and associate it with personal, but not public interests); Absence of dialogue, lack of motivation for youth activity

Goals: To promote the sense of belonging to a society, critical way of thinking, team work, argumentation skills that are crucial for representing students effectively; To get acquainted with the most democratic and modern methods of education and promote their usage in self- governments and during the lessons; To promote students’ interest in school’s society, educational and youth problems; Form youth’s position while searching for appropriate decisions; To promote tolerance and democratic values and their proliferation in schools.

The project activities: National team planning meeting ( , Vilnius) Trainers’ team meeting ( , Druskininkai) Teacher training seminar “Debate & its methodology for working with youth” ( ) National Youth Conference ( , Drusk.) Int.Y.C. “Youth Against Violence & Substance Abuse” ( ) Youth Forum in Panevezys ( )

Youth Forum in Panevezys The main goal to discuss the idea of the Panevezys Initiative Youth Institute

TOT

The project activities: Strategic planning meeting ( ,Vilnius) Seminars for teachers. “Student governments in schools makes for schools of democracy” The main goal- to raise skills necessary for youth leaders and active citizens. (Oct – April 2005; 12 seminars, 237 teachers )

Seminars for the students. “Participation in school student council is working for the benefit of your peers & self-development” The main goal- to provide young people with necessary social skills, which they need to participate in self-government and express their opinion. (Oct – April 2005; 11 seminars, 257 students)

The project activities: National Youth Forum at Kedainiai “Sviesioji” gymnasium ( ; 170 participants) Topic: “Students should have more opportunities in school governance”

The role of Debate clubs in schools: students find out new ways of expression; use public debates and discussions to attract the attention of the society to their problems; democratic traditions are proliferated.