Skills for Life: Democracy In Action
Democracy in action is a 20 hour Skills for Life unit about who makes decisions locally and nationally in Wales, how people can have their say, and how to research, debate and decide on a political or local issue. It is one unit that learners combine with others into a Skills for Life or Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma, from Entry 1 to Level 2. Digital demand is low: no criterion requires technology. Digital work sits in researching an issue from official, news and social media sources, then judging how credible they are, knowing online ways to have a say, and optional digital presentations or survey data.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Low
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): Three learning outcomes (decision makers who represent others, ways people share their views, taking part in a group discussion or debate) with assessment criteria at Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: Four learning outcomes (what democracy means, how people participate, researching, presenting and discussing viewpoints on an issue, making an informed decision) with assessment criteria at Level 1 and Level 2. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
Skills that use Creating digital content
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Presenting a viewpoint with digital tools
At Level 1 learners present their own viewpoint with reasons, and at Level 2 a well reasoned argument using evidence. Presenting is required, but the digital format is a choice: the pack suggests a short presentation or digital story, and slides or digital stories are listed as evidence.
DCF: Creating digital content, Evaluating and improving digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils make three slides giving their view on a school rule, with one image and one reason on each slide.
- Year 8
- Pupils build a short slide presentation arguing for or against votes at 16, adding a chart and a quotation and choosing a layout that suits a class audience.
- Year 9
- Pupils record a two minute digital story with narration and images explaining how a council decision affects young people, and adjust it after a partner's feedback.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 3, assessment criterion 3.2, page 6; suggested activities, page 9; sources of evidence, page 10
“Create a short presentation or digital story explaining how democracy affects everyday life.”
Progression step 3
I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:
- text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
- presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.
I can ensure my output is appropriate for specific purposes.
Progression step 4
I can select and use a variety of appropriate software, tools and techniques to create, modify and combine multimedia components for a range of audiences and purposes, such as:
- text and images, e.g. explore and use effectively image manipulation techniques; explore and use appropriately the many aspects of document layout; use animation, video and audio effects such as echo, tempo, envelope, layering, frame rate, key frames
- presentation, e.g. use design tools; adapt themes and colours to suit the purpose; create master templates.
Good to know
- Unit codes run from Entry 1 to Level 2: "S605E1" to "S605L2", and the unit is 20 guided learning hours (Unit overview, page 3).
- No special equipment is needed: "Assessment of this unit should not require any specific resources" (Resources required for assessment, page 12), and delivery uses "standard classroom environments" (page 11).
- Evidence can be digital or recorded. The pack lists "Audio or video recordings" of debates, role plays or interviews, and "Presentation slides or digital stories" (Sources of evidence, page 10), and a portfolio "is not limited to paper-based materials" (Specification section 4.1, page 18).
- Suggested activities and assessment tasks are optional: the specification says "These tasks are not mandatory" (section 4.1, page 18), and extended writing "is not required unless appropriate" (Sources of evidence, page 10).
- AI tools must be acknowledged. Using AI "to complete parts of the assessment so that the work does not reflect the learner's own work" is listed as misuse (Specification section 4.6, page 21).
- Social media appears as a way to have a say, but the pack warns that the UK Government "has announced plans to restrict social media use by children under 16" (Contents, page 2), so plan online participation activities with care.
Links with other qualifications
The pack names links with GCSE Social Studies and GCSE History, and the work on Senedd and council decisions, rights and civic participation also sits close to the Social Studies and History units of Foundation Humanities. The debate and argument work overlaps with spoken language and persuasive writing in GCSE English Language and Literature. Within the Skills Suite the pack suggests delivering it alongside Community participation, Equality, diversity, and inclusion, Ethical choices, Everyday law, Values for life, Fairness and inclusion in the workplace, Rights and responsibilities in the workplace, Exploring career pathways and Working in Wales.
Source: WJEC Democracy in action unit delivery and assessment pack, read with the WJEC Entry 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life and Skills for Work specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).