Developing a Global Citizenship Education Programme for Three to Six Year Olds

Abstract

This article outlines the development of a global citizenship education programme for three to six year olds. The programme, entitled Just Children, was created by Education for a Just World, a partnership between an Irish Development Non-Governmental Organisation (DNGO), Trócaire, and the Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education located in St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin. 1 The programme was developed through three phases of research. The first phase examined young children's engagement with global justice issues; the second phase explored possible strategies for including global citizenship education in early childhood educational settings; and the third phase tested a draft global citizenship education programme. This article explores the key principles integral to educating for and about global justice and, responding to the results of research as well as the early childhood education landscape, arrives at strategies for introducing global justice work into early childhood settings. This article suggests that introducing a global perspective into early childhood education, using open-ended and active methodologies, supports the development of global citizenship skills, attitudes and understanding.