Our Community
A fun and interactive classroom programme in which primary students are guided to discover how people and businesses operate within a community. They assess the needs and wants of communities and set about taking responsibility for a community they have designed through voting in a decision-making activity.
Purpose and process
To help students investigate:
- The interdependent roles of workers in a community
- The kinds of work they have to perform
- How the economy of that community works.
The Our Community programme is a series of 5 lessons presented by a business volunteer in school to a whole class. Pupils aged 8-10 are led through a discovery of how people and businesses operate within a community. They assess the needs and wants of communities and set about taking responsibility for a community they have designed through voting in a decision-making activity.
Learning outcomes
Students can learn to:
- Recognize how people live and work in a community
- Appreciate the variety of jobs there are in a community
- Compare production methods and strategies for different types of products
- Understand taxation and the importance of government jobs in the community
- Define choices and recognize the need to make informed decisions
- Distinguish how money flows through a community’s economy.
Curricular or thematic relevance
Standalone enterprise activity or could be linked to any curriculum subject, particularly: Citizenship; PSHE; Careers Education.
Our Community programme is implemented in 25 countries in Europe and in more than half of them it is accredited by the education authorities for teaching within the school curriculum.
How to organise:
Series of 5 sessons - could be run as part of timetabled lessons over a series of weeks or in a one-day format or as an extra-curricular activity
Volunteer involvement
All 5 sessions are led by a business volunteer
Additional comments
Our community is available in the countries below. In 2013/2014 120 000 students participated in this program
Belgium FR
Belgium FL
Bulgaria
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Hungary
Ireland
Isle of Man
Italy
Latvia
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malta
Moldova
Norway
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
A brochure is available for download here.
Provider country
Contact your national JA-YE organisation
Files for download:
Our Community / 4529kB
Provider Institution:
, JA Europe Belgium
helper do TM detail body (June 6th, 1st half)
JTT
18.02.2014
I have tried Our Community a few times, and it works really well. Among the best programs for 9-11 years old children. It makes them think a lot, about what is important, how to vote, who pays for their school, salaries + + +. I have also seen volunteers in action in the classroom, and they always have a good time doing this program. You should try it!
Aga
23.02.2014
The Our Community programme seems to be a very useful tool. It is opportunity to show pupils how the community is organized. Children can have fun and at the same time, they learn a lot about the world they are part of.