Dáil na nÓg is the annual national youth parliament for young people aged 12 to 18.

2. What is Dáil na nÓg? • Dáil na nÓg is the annual national youth parliament for young people aged 12 to 18. • 200 delegates are elected to Dáil na nÓg through their local Comhairle na nÓg.

3. What is the Dáil na nÓg Council? Each of the 34 Comhairle na nÓg elects one delegate to become a member of the Dáil na nÓg Council. The Council meets once a month and works on the themes selected and voted on at Dáil na nÓg. We are facilitated and supported by staff from the Department Children and Youth Affairs and the National Youth Council of Ireland. Role of Dáil na nÓg Councillors: • To follow-up on recommendations from Dáil na nÓg and work to make changes for young people in those areas. • To research the top issues voted at Dáil na nÓg. • To prepare arguments and presentations for adult policy makers. • To represent the young people who took part in Dáil na nÓg and the young people in their Comhairle na nÓg.

4. Themes discussed at Dáil na nÓg 2010 • Equality of access to education • Mental health The top recommendation under ‘Equality of access to education’ was: • The Department of Education and Skills should lengthen the Leaving Cert cycle to three years and reduce the Junior Cert cycle to two years. The top recommendation under ‘Mental health’ was: • The Irish Government should enforce a law that all altered advertisements/images must indicate that they have been altered by means of a symbol and text.

5. Our work on ‘Mental Health’ • We met with the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI). The ASAI Code covers advertising in Irish media. As with national legislation, they do not have jurisdiction over media imported from other jurisdictions. • As neither the Irish Government nor the ASAI have any control over advertisments or image in media from outside Ireland, we decided to change the focus of our work. • Through our research we discovered that there is no national data on teenagers body image • We decided to do a survey of young people on this topic • Researchers from UCC helped us to develop a survey • Our survey is currently being completed by young people in all 34 Comhairle na nÓg • It has received a GREAT reaction – because we had such a huge influence in every aspect of the survey, from the design to the words • The results will be analysed later this year and we plan to launch a report of the findings early in 2012

7. Work on Education theme • Following Dáil na nÓg 2010, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) announced a consultation process on reform of the Junior Cycle. • At the first meeting of the Dáil na nÓg Council in May 2010, members decided that the Council should take the opportunity of influencing the NCCA’s consultation process. • They proposed a special consultation for young people to discuss the ideas presented by the NCCA.

8. Junior Cycle consultation with young people • The consultation took place on 13th November 2010 in Dublin Castle • 88 young people (12-18) from Comhairle na nÓg all over the country attended • The main aim of the consultation was to encourage young people to think outside the box and come up with ‘blue sky’ thinking about improving the Junior Cycle • After the consultation, a report was written with the main findings and recommendations

9. Launch of the report of consultations with young people on the Junior Cycle • Our report was launched by • Ruairí Quinn TD, Minister for Education and Skills and • Frances Fitzgerald, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs • on 11th July 2011

11. Findings: Easing the transition from Primary School Students say that the move from Primary School can be very stressful and suggest some excellent ideas, including: • Introductory sessions in 6th class • Visits to second-level schools in 6th class • Visits from second-level teachers to explain how it works • Mentoring and buddy programmes in 1st year • More clubs, social activities and team-building in 1st year • Giving 1st year students school maps • In 1st year - make the teachers move and not the students

12. Core and taster subjects • SPHE, CSPE, English and Maths are the ONLY subjects that young people agreed should be compulsory in Junior Cycle • Students believe that schools should NOT be allowed to develop their own courses • Students want a broad range of taster subjects in 1st year, as it is difficult to choose which subjects they like

13. SPHE and CSPE improvements • Young people believe that the essential skills and subjects they need at Junior Cycle are life skills and social skills • More classes and time should be allocated to SPHE and CSPE • Courses and teaching of SPHE and CSPE need to be improved • Issues such as sexuality, sex education, personal health, alcohol and drug education, politics and study skills need to be covered • SPHE should not be taught by religion teachers, so teaching is not biased • Outside experts need to come into schools to support students with life skills issues

14. Making learning more enjoyable Sports, arts-based activities and life skills are excellent subjects for Junior Cycle because they are: • Fun • Interesting • Practical • Encourage creativity and self-expression Good teachers and support from family and friends also help make learning more enjoyable

15. New teaching methods Students suggested: • ALL students should experience success at school • Positive feedback • Encouragement • More interesting and fun teaching methods • Constructive criticism

16. Feedback and assessment Students suggested: • Positive feedback • Assessment of activities that we enjoy learning, such as PE, dance, drama, computers • Feedback on exam performance should be detailed

17. Too-exam focussed • Current Junior Cert Exam is: • A negative form of assessment • A memory test • Does not take into account the different abilities of students

18. Continuous assessment vs Exams • Mixed feelings among young people • Some feel small exams are a great idea • Others think this would be more stressful and minimise the importance of the end of year exam • Those who support continuous assessment think that it would relieve stress and encourage individuality • Students suggested practical assessment of subjects such as portfolios, journals, projects, presentations, group work, quizzes, interviews, homework assignments

19. More student participation in decision-making Students want to be involved in decision-making on: • Assessment of teachers • Curriculum development • Decision-making within schools Students believe that their participation in decision- making should not JUST be done through student councils, but should become a part of everything done in schools

20. Junior Cycle changes proposed by Minister Quinn We welcome Minster Quinn’s recent comments: ‘the Junior Certificate examination has a serious, negative backwash effect on students’ learning and is out of line with international practice’; and ‘students are not developing the skills they need to learn, to live and to work’ We also welcome his proposals: • A maximum of eight subjects will be taken for Junior Certificate • 50% of final Junior Certificate marks will be given through continuous assessment

21. What YOU can do to help us Put pressure on the the Minister for Education and Skills to: • Give young people a voice in educational matters • Put more emphasis on practical and creative subjects in the Junior Cycle • Improve SPHE and CSPE • Ease the transition from Primary to Secondary school • Ensure that the Junior Cycle is about learning for life and not just for an exam

22. And Finally…. • Support and work with your local Comhairle na nÓg. • Attend your local Comhairle na nÓg AGM • Ensure that Comhairle na nÓg are adequately funded. • Put teenage issues on your party agenda!