About Us

Our vision is that all Island of Ireland teachers and children will be engaged in Global Citizenship Education and that schools will take regular and consistent primary school appropriate ACTION to help make the world a better place for all. The G.C.S. motto states that “We are working for a better and fairer world for everyone, and it starts with me. Ní neart go cur le chéile.”

We strive to have Global Citizenship mainstreamed in the curriculum and to help all pupils to become active global citizens. Our website states: “GCS supports teachers and schools in helping pupils become Active Global Citizens”. We also aim to be a go-to support for anyone involved in Primary School Global Citizenship Education.

Our mission is to promote the ‘mainstreaming’ of Global Citizenship Education* (see footnote) in the School Curriculum and to support teachers & schools in taking human rights based school appropriate action on local, national and global justice, equality and sustainability issues. We encourage maximum pupil involvement, provided all school protocols are adhered to. An example would be pupil opinions being recorded and used to promote Global Citizenship education and actions.

The G.C.S. Steering Committee hold monthly meetings, makes all decisions democratically and maintains records by way of a Minutes Book. Our Steering Committee consists of teachers, former teachers, INTO Head Office officials and elected INTO representatives who subscribe to our Vision and Mission Statement above. We work through the INTO Trade Union which has in access of 54,000 school teacher members island-wise.

Global Citizenship School ACTION PLAN 2025:

1. SUPPORT TEACHERS in taking whole school H. R. actions:
   1. Website Support: Lessons (by age), Teacher Resources and promoting suggested Follow-up Actions
   2. Mail-Chimp & Social media: FB & Twitter and INTO Soc. media
   3. InTouch GCS articles (5/yr) to inspire teachers to take action.
   4. Organising On-line Teacher INTO Summer Course.
   5. Facilitate schools sharing ideas & resources via web, zoom etc.
   6. Work with teachers by facilitating workshops and CPD

2. ORGANISE Global Citizenship ACTIONS for schools:

Manage our ‘One Min. (SDG) Video’ campaign for schools to make and share individual pupil, class and whole-school positive actions with other schools. Alternative approaches via art, music, debate, poetry, performance etc will be promoted. The longer-term plan is to establish this SHARING of successful G.C.E. Actions as standard practice in schools.

3. NETWORK to PROMOTE G.C.E. ACTION:
   1. Promote G.C. learning & actions through the INTO network of teachers, INTO Officials, Elected INTO Reps and all INTO Conferences incl. Congress. We will also maintain a “Communications Plan” with INTO Communications.
   2. Work with the D.Edn. (E.S.D., N.C.C.A., Scoilnet, Education Centres etc.) to promote & support the curricular mainstreaming of Global Citizenship / access to GCE & action for all students.
   3. Liaise with others involved with G.C.E. e.g. Global Village (GCE-Primary), the IPPN and the D.F.A. – Irish Aid and the Taoiseach’s Office/DCCAE (Stakeholders). Liaise with I.T.E. (DICE) and the RTAI. (Retired Teachers). Civic Society: Coalition 20/30, Comhlámh, IDEA, DÓCHAS, UNICEF, Green Schools, Tidy Towns, FairTrade, Red Card etc. The Public & Private Sector incl. Local Authorities, Energy Companies, Chambers of Commerce, Sports Orgs. and Trade Unions etc.

Note: We promote Human Rights based school appropriate actions.

Global Citizenship School works from a Human Rights basis to help establish Justice, Equality and Sustainability locally, nationally and globally.

1. 54,000+ INTO School Teachers.
2. INTO Officials & Elected Representatives @ all levels.         
3. Other organisations: ICTU & the Trade Union movement internationally. Education International. Civil Society. Education partners. Business and Farming organisations. Government and Political Parties. Non-Government Organisations. Sporting Bodies, The media: including local, national, international, traditional & social media.

EVALUATIONS & RESULTS:

Annual review to include statistical and anecdotal data.

WORKPLAN:

Monthly Steering Committee meetings to oversee our Action Plan and Strategic Development Plan.

REQUIRED RESOURCES & COSTED PLAN:

Maintain multi-year funding from the INTO and use of INTO resources & staff. INTO finance committee S.C.2 to continue to oversee all G.C.S. finances. Possible funding and resources from other sources e.g. D.Edn./E.S.D.