Civic participation through the curriculum

Abstract

Young people's civic participation has positive outcomes for their educational achievement, but is insufficiently supported by formal curricula and pedagogy in Australian schools. The ruMAD? (are you Making a Difference?) program encourages, educates and empowers young people to enact social change within their school and community. A recent evaluation of the program included a case study of two schools - one primary and one secondary - that are using ruMAD? to engage students and drive community change in highly disadvantaged areas of Queensland and Tasmania.