Living Values International Train-the-Trainers Summary Report 2005
Current Status -
February 2007
Living Values Education has been active in the British Isles since the inception
of Living Values, which has been presented at numerous conferences and meetings,
and to many heads, deputies, teachers and parents, both inside and outside the
British Isles.
Living Values activity books are being used in homes, foster homes, parenting
groups, childcare centres, nurseries, primary and secondary schools, colleges,
training colleges, universities, education departments, outdoor education
centres, young offenders institutions, prisons and by management, health and
social workers. Recently there has been more interest from parenting groups,
those working with the early years and those working with young adults.
Training
The Working Groups around the British Isles have held meetings, introductions
and trainings in schools, nurseries and parenting groups. Educators from the
British Isles have assisted at training sessions around the world. Some Working
Groups meet to sustain those who have attended a Train-the-Trainers.
Weekend residential seminars are held each November, to support parents,
teachers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals working with
young people. They provide an opportunity to further personal growth and
professional development. The topics are of current interest in the field of
education.
The November 2006 seminar was Understanding Behaviour – ways to support young
people and ourselves.
David Rowse (the Founder Director of The Collegiate Centre for Values
Education for Life, a Lecturer at Birmingham University and Vice President of
the Values Education Council of the UK) gave a philosophical approach to
understanding behaviour.
John Hawkins (Headteacher of a large primary school in Didcot, Oxfordshire)
took a practical approach to understanding behaviour.
Lindsey Weimers (headteacher of an Oxford primary school where a Values
curriculum has been at the heart of school life since 1998) looked at
understanding ourselves.
Other topics investigated over the years have been:-
2005 Parenting Matters
2004 Values 4 All
2003 Citizenship through Values
2002 Building Positive Behaviour
2001 Reflections
2000 Making A Difference (Music, Art and Drama)
1999 Raising Self-Esteem
1998 SMSC Made Easy! (spiritual, moral, social and
cultural education)
International Train-the-Trainer workshops for
educators from over 50 countries, together with members of LVEP's
sponsoring/supporting organisations (UNESCO, UNICEF and the Brahma Kumaris) have
been held near Oxford.
Train-the-Trainers (Europe) in April 2006 trained educators from 14
countries (Belgium, England, Germany, India, Isle of Man, Israel, Mexico,
Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Scotland, Somalia, Turkey, Wales). Each day
included sessions on parenting skills, creative visualisation and values
activities, where peer practice gave every participant the opportunity to
conduct an activity.
There are now over 500 locations in the British Isles, where Living Values books
are available as a resource. More than 200 educators have attended a
Train-the-Trainers course.
"Respect" at Faringdon Special School
Number of Sites Using Living Values Education
Total number of sites
As many educators are now getting the books from the
publisher and from bookstores, all we can say is that there are over 500 sites
that have the Living Values Education Programme activity books.
Impact
a. In schools.
A special educational needs teacher in a secondary school,
who has just started to use Living Values, says, “I have started to use LVEP in
my projects and individual work with the students I teach. I am noticing a more
loving, supportive, calmer climate amongst the students. They appreciate
discussions about love, honesty, respect etc. and it helps them to focus on
their core beings rather than the false selves they get caught up in whilst
being dragged along by the tides of negativity in a school environment e.g.
fighting, arguing, shouting, swearing etc. These values are imperative to the
holistic growth of a child and I hope to co-ordinate them throughout the school
once I have had experience of using them first hand with the students. Thank
you.”
A teacher at a primary school noted that there had been no miscreants standing
outside the head teacher's office when a Living Values team spent 4 days
demonstrating values activities in the school!
A head teacher states, "Ofsted noted that because we work on values education,
our academic standards were obviously higher."
b. In prisons.
Living Values activities and creative visualisation are also
being used in prisons to benefit drug rehabilitation groups and young offenders,
men and women. It is helping them to deal with oppressive aspects of prison
life, such as bullying, to regain their self-respect and to strengthen their
values in preparation for their release.
c. In the community.
“I worked with 18 ladies in a predominantly Islamic
community, age range 18 to 50, using LVEP values and art based activities. The
content was Confidence building & Understanding your community with Day 1 -
Peace, Day 2 - Respect. Participants were so empowered that they have gone on to
apply for further courses. For some, the 'Confirmation of Attendance'
certificate was the first educational recognition they had ever received.”
“Although I haven't been using LVEP overtly this year, one thing I have noticed
is that, since I've been using LVEP principles in my own life, students'
response is warmer and their achievement is good - they are able to find
inspiration in class. Students who came to my Interior Design class considered
themselves to be inartistic, but they’re all going on to take creative subjects
like watercolour painting next year. So.........”
