1. The Pathfinder is building on the take part network (the learning framework) funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and managed by the Community Development Foundation financially.

2. Take Part local pathfinder programme White Paper: ‘Communities in Control - Real People, Real Power
Citizenship learning is also important for adults. Some people want to know more about how local services are managed and local democracy operates. Some people need support and encouragement to have the confidence to speak up and get involved.
We will support a Take Part local pathfinder programme, offering information and training on how to be an active citizen. It will build on the existing Take Part network. (paragraph 2.22, p. 39)
Too many people are not getting involved in local decision-making because they don’t know how local services are managed and how local democracy operates.
The white paper identified ‘citizenship learning’ as one of the pathways to a stronger local democracy. “Communities in Control: Real People, Real Power” includes citizenship adult education in the paragraph 2.22 and is to reinforce citizenship education for adults.
The White Paper states that “The government will support a Take Part Pathfinder Programme and it will be based in the existing Take Part Network.” Working in partnership with local authorities and educational institutions, the Government Office Network, the Community Development Foundation and Regional Empowerment Partnerships, the Take Part Network was set up in 2005 as a consequence of the Active Learning for Active Citizenship Programme.
The Take Part Pathfinder Programme will have has a reference the national learning framework for adult education, and citizenship.
The Take Part Pathfinder Programme will promote the principles for adult citizenship learning from the national Take Part Learning Framework.

3. What is the learning framework about?
It’s a manual for practitioners and providers who want to deliver Active Citizenship Learning programmes.
It’s a package which informs people and gives practical advice to individuals, community groups and organisations.
It also aims to encourage policy makers, funding bodies and planners to take seriously the topic of informal learning for active citizenship.
Active citizenship learning programmes have resulted in citizen learning outcomes for individuals, and citizenship outcomes for wider society.
One of the elements is about ‘what I am learning’, and the other is about ‘what I’m able to do’. These two are the main parts of the whole journey.
The following diagrams show the different aspects in which active citizenship learning can have an effect, starting with personal change and spreading outwards.

5. If we are able to learn about and values our skills, knowledge and confidence about how we live our own life and take action on the things that matter to us,
We will be able to identify and articulate our own issues and problems, take part in leadership roles in our community and to have a power to make a choice about our life and to have a voice. Our confidence will increase and will feel more able to do things.

6. The next level is Community Relations.

7. Community relations work to form community relationships.
In community relations, we are recognising social inclusion and social exclusion. We also learn about equality and diversity and about power and structure. Put simply, actions that bring people together to recognise inequality and exclusion.
This leads to improved relationships, community projects, networking activities among and between diverse communities. We can then begin to accept the principles of social justice and opportunities for all.

8. The third element of the programme is Civil Participation

9. Civil Participation means that if we can understand how groups and networks work, know how to support fair and democratic processes and be able to encourage and support volunteers – actions that support and strengthen the range of quality and organisation in communities,
There will be thriving community groups and networks in which people are active and involved. This in turn leads to an increase in formal learning, community organisation and voice, as well as promoting fair democracy and increased volunteering opportunities.

10. The last role in this journey is Civic Engagement.

11. Civic engagement is about building skills, knowledge, confidence and understanding about engagement and lay-governance roles – ways in which people and communities interact with the outside world to achieve change.
This leads to more people being capable and willing to have responsible roles in formal and informal democratic structures, which forms strong, democratic and effective community organisations, responsive services and governance structures.

12. That means that we have 4 elements:
Individual actions
Collective actions

13. Informal engagement
Formal engagement
These 4 elements all produce different actions. Let’s take a look.

14. If we do individual actions in informal engagement we will have actions such as:
Making certain consumer choices,
Taking the neighbour’s dog for a walk,
Or making a donation.

15. If we have individual actions with formal engagement we have types of outcomes which include:
Volunteering,
Attending a meeting or providing support by being there,
Sharing experiences, knowledge and skills through training,
Voting.

16. If we have informal engagement with Collective action we will have actions like:
Taking part in a demonstration
Or being a member of a tenants’ association

17. And finally, collective action with formal engagement – which is our aim within Pathfinder, and includes actions like:
Making links with decision makers,
Being involved in local politics
Campaigning and lobbying,
Being a school governor,
Or Trusteeship.
People are likely to be engaged on different levels at the same time. Active learning for active citizenship needs to be conceptualised as a process. For example, individuals may become active as volunteers, but this in no way suggests that individuals may not be supported to engage as members of community groups, actively participating in governance structures. Or as active members of organisations campaigning on human rights, the environment and social justice issues. Equally, people are likely to be active at different levels at the same time.