CITIZENSHIP DAY - 25 JUNE 2003, 8.45AM-3.40PM
GEORGE ABBOT SCHOOL, GUILDFORD, SURREY

The South East England Regional Assembly and George Abbot School in Guildford have formed a unique partnership to pilot a citizenship project, which encourages young people to think about important issues, that affect their, and other people's, lives. If successful, the pilot could be rolled out as a teaching template for citizenship in schools across Surrey and the South East.

The pilot will be launched at George Abbot School in Woodruff Avenue, Burpham, Guildford on Wednesday 25 June 2003, when 300 Year 10 students will take a day out of the regular school timetable to participate in six different group activities as part of the new citizenship module of the national curriculum.

Two celebrities from Hollyoaks will be making a personal appearance at the opening ceremony, and the citizenship activities begin at 9.15am. Assembly partners, members, and school stakeholders will act as sounding boards for the students during their various challenges, which include a town planning debate, an exercise on European issues, budgeting and marketing activities, a business board game, and an activity based on global trade issues.

Contact

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Alex Butlin, PR Executive - 01483 555221

Notes to editors:

1. The Regional Assembly is the “voluntary regional chamber” for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
2. The Assembly is made up of 111 members including elected councillors nominated by the region’s local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations).
3. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007