Creating the conditions for an inclusive, intercultural learning environment for children & youth’s well-being:
A rights-based approach – with Jonathan Levy
You can’t go back and change the beginning,
but you can start where you are and change the ending
C.S.Lewis
Our understanding of the importance of diversity and intercultural learning needs to start at our
earliest age. A lot of work on Intercultural understanding starts at the age of adults when prejudices
and prejudgements have been already anchored.Children and youth often find themselves in cultural settings where they feel excluded, unable to participate fully, leading to low self-esteem and a sense of injustice.
This presentation focuses on the right to be different. Diversity is a human right. Looking at issues related to Human/Children’s Rights, Diversity, and Inclusion. This is based on the respect and dignity as universal values are considered entitlements for all people whatever their age, origins, beliefs, gender, or context. How diversity can create a rich learning environment and increased self-esteem Exploring the conditions: Exploring obstacles to intercultural participation & creating an enabling environment for participation.
For children’s rights to become a reality in everyday life, they need to be not just understood as a legal/political narrative but need to be fully integrated in our relations to each other, and society. Therefore, an educational and pedagogical approach is fundamental in helping children from the earliest age learn and integrate behaviours, attitudes, values, and practices which are in harmony with human rights. This can happen when the underlying aspects of openness, transparency, participation,
and especially critical analysis are the basis of this approach.
In this presentation we will illustrate these aspects based on the UNCRC 3 Ps: Provision, Protection and Participation, how can we bring children’s rights alive, accessible, and active in order that all children can learn to be enabled to act and not left out?
This presentation will help participants to understand the principles, methods & environment which
can lead to effective activities led by children & adults to take positive & constructive action.
We will explore the educational heritage of great leaders in the field and find relevant ideas for today’s
children and youth (including early years).
We will also look at whether this is values education approach or learning competences or both.
The participant will have the opportunity to have practical work and discussion on the subject.
Jonathan Levy is an experienced educator, teacher trainer and trainer of child professionals. He is educated in Pedagogy and Philosophy of Education and trains/teaches in the education, social, Intergovernmental and NGO sectors. He was the initiator, program, and scientific director of international programmes, CATS (Children as Actors for Transforming Society) and now CRIA (Child Rights in Action). He is also a consultant for UNICEF in pedagogy and children’s rights, Vice-president
of the French Korczak Association and past member of the High Commission on Children’s Issues
created by the French government.