In this blog, Professor Bryony Hoskins from the University of Roehampton shares insights from a recent event in the Houses of Parliament, where the groundbreaking G-EPIC (Gender Empowerment through Politics in Classrooms) project unveiled its transformative results. She offers a summary of the day, reflecting on the project’s successful presentation to MPs.
Hosted by Kirsty Blackman MP on behalf of the APPG on Political and Media Literacy and the APPG on Women in Parliament, the event saw a packed Churchill Room filled with MPs, policymakers, educators, and students. Professor Jean-Noël Ezingeard, Vice-Chancellor of Roehampton University, proudly opened the session, highlighting how the university’s core values of advancing equality, diversity, and inclusion align perfectly with G-EPIC’s mission to ensure all voices, particularly those from intersectional disadvantaged backgrounds, are empowered within a democratic society.
A Proven Path to Empowerment
The G-EPIC intervention research, a three-year, €3 million EU Horizon/UKRI-funded initiative led by Professor Bryony Hoskins from Roehampton University, has developed a five-lesson educational programme designed to tackle the gender gap in confidence in politics head-on.
Its effectiveness was tested through rigorous quasi-experimental research, involving 1,340 Year 9 students across 45 schools and five countries. Working with these students, especially disadvantaged girls, the programme aims to boost political knowledge, enhance confidence in political activities, and challenge deep-seated gender stereotypes.
Students and teachers from UK schools like Mulberry School and La Sainte Union Catholic School brought the findings to life, sharing powerful firsthand accounts of how the programme shaped their confidence and views on their future role in democracy. Their stories underscored the project’s success in:
- Significantly increasing political knowledge and confidence to participate in democracy.
- Strengthened girls’ belief that they can influence government decisions.
- Improved their ability to speak publicly on complex political issues.
The G-EPIC Method: What Works
The secret to G-EPIC’s success lies in its innovative and inclusive methodologies, carefully embedded across the 5 lessons:
- Counter Narratives: Real-world case studies and short films featuring women and minority MPs playing key roles in law and politics inspired students, demonstrating how real change happens and challenging preconceptions about who belongs in politics.
- Small Group Work: This collaborative approach fostered a safe environment for students to develop and articulate their opinions, building confidence and addressing power dynamics within the classroom.
- Behaviour Expectations & Active Listening Rewards: Clear guidelines for respectful discussion ensured that all voices, particularly quieter ones, felt heard and valued, creating an inclusive space for meaningful engagement.
A Call to Action for the UK Parliament
The event culminated in a clear and urgent call for action from Professor Hoskins and the G-EPIC consortium. The results from the UK, where G-EPIC achieved some of its strongest outcomes, provide a robust blueprint for national scale-up. To empower thousands more young people across the country, we urge MPs, educators, and civil society organisation to support the following:
- Embed the G-EPIC Programme within the new national curriculum to ensure widespread impact and make political literacy a core component of education for every child.
- Scale Up G-EPIC to reach thousands more schools and teachers across the UK immediately, providing the necessary resources and infrastructure for rapid adoption.
- Integrate Inclusive and Empowering Teaching Methods into standard teacher training for all educators, ensuring that future teachers are equipped with these proven techniques to foster political confidence and civic engagement.
G-EPIC is more than just a programme; it’s a vital tool for nurturing the next generation of confident, politically engaged citizens – a generation that truly reflects the diversity and strength of our nation. Let’s work together to make this happen and ensure that young women are not just present in our democracy, but powerful within it.