How do you plan an effective citizenship action?
How to plan citizenship action, setting clear and realistic aims, choosing appropriate methods, working with others and assigning roles, identifying who can influence the issue, and anticipating risks and obstacles.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on planning citizenship action: setting clear and realistic aims, choosing appropriate methods, working with others and assigning roles, identifying who can influence the issue, and anticipating risks and obstacles.
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What this dot point is asking
OCR wants you to explain how to plan an effective citizenship action: setting clear and realistic aims, choosing appropriate methods, working with others and assigning roles, identifying who can influence the issue, and anticipating risks and obstacles. This Section 4 skill is central to your own Citizenship Action and is assessed through Paper 2 questions on planning.
Setting clear and realistic aims
Some students set SMART aims (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound). Whatever the format, the aim must be achievable within your time and resources.
Choosing methods and identifying who can influence the issue
Working with others, roles, timelines and risks
OCR rewards showing that you can plan realistically, direct action at the right target, work effectively with others, and prepare for problems. The strongest answers explain how each part of the plan increases the chance of success.
Try this
Q1. Give one feature of a good aim for a citizenship action. [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. It is specific and realistic (and ideally measurable), so the action has a clear purpose and can be evaluated.
Q2. Explain why it is important to identify who has the power to make a change. [Short explanation]
- Cue. Because directing your action at the right person or body (such as a councillor, school or company) makes it far more likely to succeed, rather than wasting effort on those who cannot make the change.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR J270 20202 marksState why it is important to set a clear aim for a citizenship action.Show worked answer →
A short knowledge question (2 marks). Reward a clear reason plus a developing detail.
A clear aim gives the action a definite purpose and direction, so everyone knows what they are trying to achieve (1 mark); it also makes it possible to judge afterwards whether the action succeeded, by comparing the result against the aim (second mark for development).
Top marks. A reason plus a developed point linking the aim to direction and to later evaluation.
OCR J270 20228 marksExplain how a student should plan a citizenship action to give it the best chance of success.Show worked answer →
An extended "Explain" question (8 marks, AO1 and AO2). Reward developed planning steps, each explained.
Step one (clear, realistic aims). Set a specific, achievable aim so the action has a clear purpose and can be evaluated; an over-ambitious aim is likely to fail.
Step two (appropriate methods and target). Choose methods that fit the aim (for example a petition and lobbying to influence a decision) and identify who has the power to make the change, so effort is directed where it can work.
Step three (working with others and managing risks). Work as a team, assigning roles to use everyone's strengths, agree a timeline, and anticipate obstacles and risks (such as time, cost or low response) with a plan to handle them.
Top band. Three developed steps (aims, methods and target, teamwork and risks), with a judgement on which is most important for success.
Related dot points
- The meaning of active citizenship, the Citizenship Action requirement in OCR J270, the difference between advocacy and direct action, examples of how citizens take action, and why active citizenship matters in a democracy.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on active citizenship: what it means, the Citizenship Action requirement in J270, the difference between advocacy and direct action, examples of citizens taking action, and why active citizenship matters in a democracy.
- How to choose a citizenship issue, the difference between primary and secondary research, how to use sources critically and check their reliability, gathering different viewpoints, and forming an aim for your action.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on researching a citizenship issue for the Citizenship Action: choosing an issue, the difference between primary and secondary research, using sources critically and checking reliability, gathering viewpoints, and forming an aim.
- The methods of advocacy and campaigning, including petitions, lobbying, demonstrations, using the media and social media, working with pressure groups, the difference between advocacy and direct action, and what makes a campaign effective.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on advocacy and campaigning: the methods citizens use to bring about change (petitions, lobbying, demonstrations, the media, social media and pressure groups), the difference between advocacy and direct action, and what makes a campaign effective.
- How to carry out citizenship action, working collaboratively and solving problems as they arise, communicating with others and decision-makers, keeping a record and evidence of what was done, and reflecting on your own contribution and the teamwork.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on carrying out and recording citizenship action: working collaboratively, solving problems, communicating with others and decision-makers, keeping evidence of what was done, and reflecting on your contribution and teamwork.
- How to evaluate citizenship action against its aims, measuring impact and success, judging what went well and what could be improved, the difference between the action and its outcome, and reflecting on the skills and learning gained.
A focused answer for OCR GCSE Citizenship Studies on evaluating citizenship action: judging it against its aims, measuring impact and success, identifying what went well and what could be improved, the difference between the action and its outcome, and reflecting on skills and learning.
Sources & how we know this
- OCR GCSE (9-1) Citizenship Studies J270 specification — OCR (2016)
- Citizenship in action (J270/02) sample assessment material — OCR (2016)