In September the CHRCE embarks on a Climate Justice project which involves a scoping study in teacher education colleges and the developmment of a Climate Justice Resource for primary schools.

The initial phase of research will assertain:

Current climate justice teaching within teacher education colleges and needs for the future

An understanding of teacher educators and climate justice experts conceptualisations of the term and its relationship with education

The second phase will focus on the development of a resource for Primary schools on Climate Justice.

Funding has been recieved from DICE and Irish Aid to support this project.

The Just Children story sack, a resource for exploring global justice issues in early childhood education, was launched on Thursday 7th April in University College Cork as part of the International Conference on Early Childhood in Developing World Contexts. The resource was produced by the Education for a Just World partnership between the CHRCE and Trócaire.

Dr. Pauric Travers, President of St Patrick’s College and Eamonn Meehan, Deputy Director of Trócaire jointly launched Education for a Just World, an initiative of Trocaire and the Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education (CHRCE), St Patrick’s College, on Friday 4th February. The Partnership builds on the collaboration that has taken place between the CHRCE and Trócaire and brings together the expertise in global education of both partners. 

The Partnership aims to promote and enhance education for global justice in the primary education sector by undertaking research, developing materials and supporting the professional development of teachers and pre-school educators.

A new book, 'Human Rights Education: Reflections on Theory and Practice', edited by CHRCE staff members Dr. Fionnuala Waldron and Brian Ruane, has been published by The Liffey Press. The book brings together expert contributions from a conference held to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The book addresses three themes in Human Rights Education. The first looks at integration of human rights teaching in citizenship education and education for sustainable development. The second addresses the rights of children in education and the concept of 'voice'. The third theme locates human rights education in curriculum design and school practice.

The book is now available from the Centre.

ECO DETECTIVES is a teacher resource pack comprising environmental and climate change investigations for primary schools, produced by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government as part of the CHANGE Campaign. The CHANGE Campaign is Ireland's national awareness campaign on climate change. To develop this resource, CHANGE partnered with the Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education, to ensure the resource is relevant for teachers and educationally sound.

The resource is presented in four units: Junior and Senior Infants, 1st and 2nd Class, 3rd and 4th Class and 5th and 6th Class. This resource, available in Irish and English, draws together some of the most creative ways to teach about climate change, primarily through geography and science. It also enhances childrens’ learning in other curriculum areas, particularly language, mathematics and SPHE. Every primary school in the country will receive a pack and the resources are available on-lline from ENFO

The Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education, St. Patrick's College in cooperation with U.S. Embassy Dublin hosted a discussion on on 23rd February 2011. The topic under consideration was:

Diversity and Education:
Experiences from Irish and American Contexts.

The CHRCE welcomes an panel of American and Irish educators includes:
Ms Nadine Hall, Director of Diversity, Greenhills School; Ms Mary Healy, Principal, Castaheany Educate Together National School and Mr Brian Ruane, Programme Leader, Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education, St Patrick's College.

Nadine Hall and Mary Healy discussed good practices and the challenges of diversity education from the perspective of educators.  Mr. Brian Ruane offered a perspective on diversity in teacher education and professional development from research competed with trainee teachers.

The session was chaired by Dr. Fionnuala Waldron, Dean of Education and Chair of Centre for Human Rights and Citizenship Education, St. Patrick's College