Hello, my name is Ms. Wyatt, and I'm so pleased that you could join me here today for our lesson.

Welcome to today's lesson on How Do Citizens Take Action from the unit, How Can Citizens Bring About Change? By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to explain how citizens can take action in a democracy and what makes an action effective.

We will be using the following keywords in today's lesson, and some of these may be new to you, but it is okay, as I'm here to guide you.

Our key words are democracy, citizen, and effective.

Democracy is a system of government in which citizens vote in regular, fair elections for representatives who then make laws and decisions on their behalf.

A citizen is a person who was born in a particular country and has certain rights, or has been given certain rights because of having lived there.

And effective is getting the results you want in a way that works well and doesn't waste time or effort.

Our lesson is broken up into two parts today with the first part exploring the question of how can citizens take action in a democracy? And then the final part of the lesson, we will explore what makes an action effective.

So when you are ready, let's start today's lesson on How Do Citizens Take Action? A democracy is a country where its citizens choose their government.

The UK is a representative democracy, so representatives include members of parliament, or MPs for short, members of the Scottish Parliament, or MSPs, members of the Senate, so MS, which is the parliament in Wales, members of the Legislative Assembly, and local counsellors.

So what are the key features of a democracy? Well, there has to be regular and fair elections.

So they need to happen regular, if not every five years.

Freedom to stand in elections.

So you should be able to stand for an election if you meet certain criteria.

Free and secret ballot.

So it's anonymous.

Political parties.

Freedom of assembly.

Rights for minorities.

And equal rights.

And free media.

So let's check our understanding so far.

Which of these is a key feature of a democracy? Is it A, discrimination, B, one political party, C, fair voting, or D, censored media? Which one is a key feature of democracy? Pause the video and make your choice.

Okay, it is time for answers now.

So hopefully we worked out that the key feature of a democracy is C, fair voting.

Well done if you got that correct.

As citizens of a democratic country, we all have the right to take action.

This is part of the law in a democracy and also part of several international treaties.

For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

So just in case we don't know, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a document in the history of human rights, okay? It was drafted by lots of different representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world.

The declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations in Paris on 10th of December, 1948.

So just after World War II.

Article 21 of the UDHR states that we have the right to take part in our country's political affairs, we have the right to freely choose politicians to represent us, we can belong to the government ourselves, we should be able to vote for governments regularly, and we should be able to vote in secret.

So how can citizens take part in the democratic process to bring about change? So how does this even start? How does it happen? Well, there are lots of ways that citizens can become a part of the democratic process by becoming active citizens.

So for example, voting in all elections shows that you are thinking about different policies and opinions, and you're wanting to have your say about how the country is run.

This is democracy.

So one way that we can become part of the democratic process is by being active citizens.

So making sure that we're voting in all elections, making sure that we're using our right to vote when we can.

Is a petition, a form of action? So, hmm, who knows about petitions? Do we know what they are? When citizens sign a petition, it serves as a collective action that shows the government that there is a public support for addressing an issue.

UK citizens or residents can create a petition on the government website.

If it gets 10,000 signatures, the government will respond.

With 100,000 signatures, it may be debated in parliament so we can result in action.

So not only do we get involved with the democratic process by becoming active citizens, or we can also start petitions and get people to sign them or sign petitions.

So what are petitions about? Petitions can be about anything.

They can help change laws, raise awareness about important issues, start inquiries, and get compensation for citizens who have experienced a miscarriage of justice, so something that isn't fair has happened to them.

For example, in 2024, a petition opposing Wales' default 20 miles per hour speed limit got nearly half a million signatures.

This significant public opposition may have contributed to the Welsh government's decision to allow local authorities to revert certain roads back to 30 miles per hour speed limits, illustrating how collective action through petitions in a democracy can impact government decisions.

So back in 2024, a petition went round opposing Wales' 20 miles per hour speed limit, okay? And that was gonna be the norm.

Now, it got nearly half a million signatures.

So, actually, the Welsh government had to then allow local authorities to revert certain roads back to that 30 miles per hour limit.

So let's check our understanding.

What is a petition? Is it A, joining together as a group campaign on the streets? Is it B, gathering signatures to show support for a cause? Is it C, refusing to buy a product or use a service as a protest? Which one is a petition? Pause the video and have a think about this question.

Okay, well done everyone.

So it's time for answers now.

Hopefully we remembered that a petition is B, gathering signatures to show support for a cause.

Joining together as a grouped campaign on the streets is known as a protest.

And C, refusing to buy a product or use a service as a protest, is known as a boycott.

So what is lobbying? Wonder if we've ever heard of this word before.

Lobbying.

So lobbying is when you try to influence politicians to support your cause.

Citizens can write to or meet with their MP, explaining what action they want to take.

If enough people support it, politicians might raise the issue in parliament or speak about it publicly, which might help their campaign.

This is an important part of democracy.

So if there's something that you want to raise awareness about or change, you can write to your MP and explain the action that you want to take.

And this is known as lobbying.

Has lobbying ever helped? Hmm, let's think.

Do we think it's ever helped before? Do you reckon it's an effective way to take action in democracy? Well, in the past, youth-led lobbying efforts have significantly influenced UK government policies affecting teenagers.

So they are effective.

For example, the "Votes at 16" campaign, driven by young activists and organisations, successfully lowered the voting age to 16 for Scottish parliament and local elections in 2015 and for Welsh elections in 2020.

So this was all about lobbying and writing to your MP about getting young people at the age of 16 to be able to vote in certain elections.

And as we can see, it successfully lowered the voting age to 16 for Scottish parliament and local elections in 2015, and for Welsh elections, it was 2020.

So these changes empowered thousands of teenagers to participate in the democratic process.

So a lot younger than 18 years old.

True or false? Lobbying is persuading your family to take action.

Is that true or is it false? Let's think.

Okay, hopefully we've had a good think about this.

It is false.

Well done, if we got that right.

It's false because lobbying is persuading politicians to take action on a particular issue or cause you are passionate about and want to see change.

Lobbying is an essential part of an effective democracy.

What is a demonstration? Well, a demonstration is when a group of citizens gather in public to show they care strongly about an issue and want something to change.

It could look like marching through the streets, holding protest signs, chanting slogans, or standing together in a specific place.

What is the aim of a demonstration? Well, the aim of a demonstration is to grab attention, whether it's from the government, businesses, or the public.

It shows how many citizens feel the same way about a cause.

For example, some children, with the support of their parents or carers, have chosen to demonstrate for better mental health services.

By doing this, they send a powerful message that their concerns need to be taken seriously.

So maybe you've seen some demonstrations before, perhaps in the media or in real life in public.

Now, what is a boycott? So I mentioned boycott just very quickly at the beginning of the lesson.

Do we know what a boycott is? Well, a boycott is when a citizen refuses to buy a product or use a service as a protest.

So for example, some popular high street clothing brands have been boycotted in recent years.

This is due to concerns about child labour and other unethical practises in their factories.

So let's fill in the missing words.

When a group of people gather in public to show they care strongly about an issue and want something to change, it is called a blank.

A blank is when a citizen refuses to buy a product or use a service as a form of protest.

So do we know what those two missing words are? Let's pause the video and have a think about what these missing words could be.

Okay, it's time for answers.

So when a group of people gather in public to show they care strongly about an issue and want something to change, it is called a demonstration.

A boycott is when a citizen refuses to buy a product or use a service as a form of protest.

Well done you, if you got those words correct.

So how can social media be used as a form of action? Well, social media can be used to raise awareness about important issues by sharing posts, videos, and petitions.

It helps connect people who care about the same cause, making it easier to organise events or campaigns.

By using hashtags and tagging important figures, citizens can get more attention and influence change.

Can social media be influential for change? In 2024, the UK government launched the new media unit to promote its agenda on social media platforms. By working with influencers and creators, the government aims to connect with the public directly rather than going through traditional news channels.

So they're trying to connect with the public directly, perhaps maybe the type of public that doesn't necessarily use those traditional news channels, and it brings in a different kind of audience for them.

This strategy reflects the growing importance of social media in political communication and as a vehicle for social change.

So what was the new media unit set up for? Was it to stop so many citizens contacting the government? Was it to use traditional methods of political communication? Or was it to connect directly with the public through social media? Pause the video and make a decision about what the new media unit was set up for.

Okay, well done everyone.

So hopefully, we know that the new media unit was set up to connect directly with the public through social media.

Well done, if you got that correct.

For this task, I would like us to draw a mind map of the main ways that citizens can take action in a democracy.

So you've heard me speak today about all the different ways citizens can take action in a democracy.

So can we pause the video now and have a go at creating a mind map on the main ways that citizens can take action in democracy? Good luck and enjoy this task.

Okay, good job everyone.

So hopefully our mind map is looking really nice and full of all the ways that citizens can take action in a democracy.

So your answer might have included some of mine.

So we heard about social media posting.

We heard about boycotts, when we refuse to use or buy into a product.

We have demonstrations.

We have lobbying, which is writing or meeting with your MP to influence them.

Petitioning, which is signing something to get as many signatures as possible.

And voting.

So well done, if you managed to write about the different ways to take action in a democracy.

Good efforts.

I would now like us to have a go at matching the campaign methods with their definitions.

So you've got the campaign methods on the left hand side of the screen and their definitions on the right hand side, but they need matching up because they are currently not in the right order.

Pause the video here and have a go at matching the campaign method to their definition.

Okay, let's go through our answers.

So social media posting, we should have to getting wide audience and reach online.

Lobbying, we should have influencing those in power.

Boycotting, refusing to buy or do something.

Voting, having your say in elections.

Petitioning, signing to give your view.

And then that leaves us with demonstrating, which is campaigning on the streets.

Well done if you manage to match the campaign methods correctly to their definitions.

We have now looked at how can citizens take action in a democracy, and we're onto the final part of our lesson, which is what makes an action effective.

Izzy says, "Are all the different methods of action effective?" Jacob says, "All campaign methods can be successful.

The effectiveness of the action is about how it's organised and run.

It does not matter what form of action you take.

It is about organising it properly so it's effective and successful." So it's about how it's organised, and how it's run, and that's what makes it effective.

When it comes to creating change, not all actions have the same impact.

Understanding what makes an action effective is key to being an active citizen who wants to make a difference.

Whether it's starting a campaign or participating in one, knowing how to make your efforts count can shape the outcome, and this will result in it being more effective and ultimately more successful.

So understanding what makes an action effective is key to being an what is that? What is those missing words? What are they? Is it silent bystander? Is it passive observer? Is it active citizen? Or is it neutral spectator? Pause the video and have a great finishing off this sentence.

Okay, hopefully we know that the answer is C, active citizen.

Well done, if we got that right.

Some of the factors that make an action effective are clear issue, issue affects a large number of citizens, peaceful methods of campaigning used, support from the media, high level of media coverage, campaign aimed at target group, support from those in a position of power, public support, financial backing, celebrity backing, and determination to succeed.

So these are some of the factors that make an action effective and successful.

So if you have some of these, it's more likely that your action will be effective and successful.

Lucas says, "I think the most important thing that makes an action effective is to have a clear message that everyone understands.

It's also important for citizens to get public support." Laura says, "I think least important is aiming it at a target group because there might be a whole range of citizens interested even if it doesn't directly affect them." So to make an action effective, you should follow the steps of the act of citizenship process.

Now, there are three steps, overall steps.

There's get planning, take action, and then measure impact.

So you can see on our diagram here, we've got seven different steps on how to be an active citizen with your action.

There are examples of effective campaigns from every area of life, including health, crimes, the environment, homelessness, miscarriages of justice.

An effective campaign in the UK is the repeal of the Vagrancy Act.

The Vagrancy Act of 1824 made it a crime to sleep rough or beg in England and Wales.

So I wonder if you knew that, that it was a crime in 1824.

So homelessness charities, including Crisis UK, campaign for its repeal, which is removal, arguing that it punished vulnerable people rather than providing support.

Now in 2022, after lots of advocacy and public pressure, the UK government agreed to repeal the act, marking a significant step towards more compassionate treatment of homeless individuals.

So in the end, from 1824 up to 2022, it was a crime to sleep rough or to beg in England and Wales.

But after lots of public pressure, lots of advocacy, and sort of raising awareness of this issue, the government did remove the act.

The campaign to repeal the Vagrancy Act was effective because it combined several low-cost methods that made a real impact.

Charities like Crisis UK lobbied MPs to raise the issue in parliament and built political support for the change.

They also use social media to share stories of citizens affected by the law, which helps generate public empathy and support.

So rather than punishing these people that are having to sleep rough and beg, let's actually show them some empathy and support.

Petitioning was another key tactic with thousands signing to show the widespread support.

Additionally, the campaign organised public awareness events and partnered with journalists to keep the issue in the news, ensuring there was sustained pressure on the government to act.

This kept coming up and kept being approached.

It wasn't sort of like, oh, it's a hot topic, it's a popular topic at the minute.

It kept on going.

It kept that sustained pressure with the government, and, therefore, they had to act.

So true or false? Crisis UK used a variety of methods, including lobbying MPs, to help repeal the Vagrancy Act.

Is that true or false? Okay, it is true.

Crisis UK used a lot of methods to act on their campaign, and this helped repeal the Vagrancy Act.

Another effective campaign run by active citizens was the Stop the Cambo campaign in 2021.

This is an illustration of an oil field, okay? It was effective because it successfully halted the development of the Cambo Oil Field off the coast of Scotland.

Environmental groups, like Greenpeace and Stop Cambo, used petition, social media campaigns, and peaceful demonstrations to highlight the climate risks of opening a new oil field.

The name Stop Cambo made their message clear, which helped to make their campaign effective.

The campaign also lobbied politicians, raised awareness of environmental impacts, and pushed for sustainable energy policies.

This approach was effective because it combined public pressure, direct action, and engaging storytelling, ultimately leading to Shell withdrawing its investment and the UK government pausing the project.

So what methods did the Stop Cambo campaign not use in 2021? Was it petitions? Was it lobbying? Or was it violence? Which method did they not use? Hopefully we've worked out that they didn't use violence.

"It's important in a democracy that actions are peaceful.

Members of Stop Cambo and Greenpeace used petitions and lobbying to campaign for effective change." If your campaigns and your protests and the different types of methods that you use to campaign are violent, you're not going to put out the correct message.

So for this task, I would like us to order these features of effective action from most important to least important according to your own opinion, with number one being the most important.

So there's not necessarily any correct answer to this task, okay? Because this is all based on our own opinion of what we think is the most effective and what works.

So you've got lots of different types of effective action on the grid, and we need to number them.

Number one is going to be the most important, and number seven is going to be the least important.

So pause the video, and have a go at this task.

Okay, so hopefully we've managed to have a go at numbering our different types of action from most important to least important.

Now, your answers might look like mine, and they might also look very, very different as well.

So I said clear message would be the most important of an effective action because you need to know what the campaign's all about, and it needs to be a clear message for everyone to understand, not just the target group.

And then I said financial backing would be the least important because there's different ways that you can get around things and different people that you know that could lend you favours and so on and so on.

I wonder what yours look like.

Now, I would like us to write one paragraph to justify our choice of both the most important and the least important feature of effective action.

So have a look again at which one was your most important and which one was the least important, and tell us why.

Justify your choice of why it's the most important and the least important.

Have a go.

Okay, so your answer for most important choice might have looked like: A clear issue is the foundation of any effective action because without a well-defined problem or aim, citizens won't understand what they're fighting for or how they can help.

Clarity and organisation ensures the campaign stays focused and communicates effectively with its audience.

An example of this is the effective Stop Cambo campaign.

The campaign's group's name clearly showed their aim and what they wish to achieve.

Least important might have looked like: While financial support can be helpful, it's not essential for success or effective action.

Many impactful campaigns succeeded with limited funding by using community efforts, public support, and creative ideas to make a difference.

For example, the repeal of the Vagrancy Act used low cost methods of action, such as lobbying MPs and use of social media to make it effective.

So well done on justifying your choice of both the most important and least important feature of effective action.

We have now come to the end of our lesson on how do citizens take action, and I'd like to summarise this into a few points for us.

So the UK is a representative democracy where all citizens can take action to contribute to the running of the country.

Article 21 of the UDHR outlines that all citizens have a right to participate in politics through voting and choosing representatives.

Citizens can take action in a democracy in many ways.

For example, by voting in all elections, petitioning, lobbying, attending or holding demonstrations, boycotting, and posting on social media.

Methods of effective action are used in successful campaigns.

These methods include having a clear message, getting support from people in power, having financial backing, aiming at the target group, gaining public support, and persevering with a determination to succeed.

I really hope that you have learned a lot about how the citizens take action and what makes an effective action as well.

I've really loved learning today with you, and thank you all for your efforts.

I hope to see you in the next one.

Bye-bye.