Keywords & concepts
Get to the heart of what the Active Citizens programme aims to achieve with this useful A-Z of our most commonly used terms and titles. These terms could help you to define your own projects and goals.
| Keyword sort icon | Definition |
|---|---|
| Active Citizens network |
The Active Citizens network is a large and ever-growing global community of participants and partners within the Active Citizens programme. This network allows participants to engage in cultural... |
| Active Citizens programme |
A British Council initiative that brings together communities in different countries with the aim of exchanging ideas and perspectives on their community development work, and of working together... |
| Active Citizenship |
A citizen who commits his or herself to an action that benefits society. Active citizens not only appreciate their culture but also are open to understanding and valuing those cultures with which... |
| British Council |
Connecting the UK to the world and the world to the UK, the British Council is Britain's international cultural relations body. In a turbulent, inter-dependent world, the British Council believes... |
| Civil society |
Usually refers to voluntary collective action around shared interests, purposes and values. According to the Centre for Civil Society, London School of Economics, “Civil societies are often... |
| Critical and creative thinking | Critical thinking is the process of reflective judgement. It is based on the ability to identify problems and create solutions; gather and interpret information; evaluate outcomes; raise questions... |
| Cultural identity | This refers not only to wider societies but also to smaller groups of people. Many different aspects make up cultural identity, including location, gender, race, history, nationality, language,... |
| Cultural relations | Cultural relations is the sharing of knowledge or ideas between people of different cultures. It also refers to the building of mutual trust and respect between those cultures. Read the British... |
| Culture |
A culture is made up of the consistent values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours learned and shared by a community. Culture also encompasses the way people are expected to behave within society,... |
| Facilitator | A facilitator is an active citizen who has undergone training that enables them to have a greater understanding of the Active Citizens programme. This training allows the facilitator to offer support... |
| Global Citizenship |
The concept of identifying oneself not only as a member of a specific community but as a citizen of the world, sharing values and beliefs with others across the world. Global citizenship is often... |
| Globally connected, locally engaged | The slogan for the Active Citizens programme. This refers to the belief that, through dialogue and social participation, active citizens can establish positive, sustainable development of communities... |
| Government funding | Your SAP may be eligible for grants offered by your country’s Government. The Active Citizens programme can help raise your awareness of possible SAP funding methods. The programme will also help you... |
| Inclusivity | The act of involving participants based on their gender, race, class, sexuality, disability, etc. This is essential to maintaining social justice within communities, as well as creating positive and... |
| Intercultural dialogue (ICD) |
Intercultural dialogue is a process that comprises an open and respectful exchange or interaction between individuals, groups and organisations with different cultural backgrounds or world views.... |
| NGO | A non-governmental organisation (or ‘NGO’) is a non-profit, voluntary citizens' group that is organised on a local, national or international level. Active citizens work with various NGOs in... |
| Partners | Partners are those organisations or individuals that help deliver, at a local level, both the Active Citizens programme and individual SAPs. More information about how the Active Citizens programme... |
| Positive action |
Describes a project or practical activity undertaken by an Active Citizen in order to support or bring about fair, inclusive and sustainable communities. Positive action can take various forms,... |
| Programme manager | A member of British Council staff who helps to deliver the Active Citizens programme within their local region. Existing active citizens can access contact information about programme managers in... |
| Project leader | A person responsible for designing and delivering a SAP (Social Action Project). The Active Citizens programme offers training on topics such as project planning, teamwork and leadership skills, all... |
| Seed-funding | The money required to launch a SAP (Social Action Project) is known as ‘seed-funding’. Seed-funding ensures that the SAP can sustain itself over a period of development until it is able to fund... |
| Social Action Projects (SAPs) |
Specific projects undertaken as part the Active Citizens programme. SAP participants collaborate in order to promote a deeper understanding of the cultural and social issues that affect different... |
| Social enterprise |
A not-for-profit business that gets most of its income from trading. Often, trade itself will also benefit the people served by the enterprise. For example, an enterprise might employ members of a... |
| Social justice | Social justice is the creating and maintaining of a society or institution based on the principles of equality and solidarity, as well as valuing the human rights of every individual. |
| Social responsibility | Social responsibility is the general understanding that individuals and groups of people – including businesses, organisations and Governments – have an ethical duty to make a positive impact on the... |
| Sustainable development |
This term was originally coined by the Brundtland Commission, formally the World Commission on Environment and Development. Sustainable development refers to the responsible growth or progression... |
