Education

Project summary

To celebrate, understand, bridge, engage and support members of the school community from all backgrounds, the school employs a specialist teacher to work with English as an Additional Language (EAL) parents and children. Activities include: 

• Volunteer reader scheme - supports language development and develops relationship between EAL parents and school
• Parents education group - for EAL parents to understand our education methods and meet other parents
• Sign making group - social network for parents making signs in different languages
• Celebration of all major cultural/religious celebrations
• Whole world is our neighbour and travelling bear display celebrates origins and travels
• ESOL language group
• Curriculum planning with creative/international focus.

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Project summary

The English Club is a project aimed at people from all cultural backgrounds who wish to improve their language skills in a friendly and fun environment. It is delivered through Crisis Learning Zone, an accredited training centre offering courses in basic skills, IT and ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) which is one of a number of projects run by Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people.

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Project summary

Aik Saath’s Community Cohesion Project is designed to support intercultural dialogue amongst young people.  It does this through four strands of activity:

• Training to encourage an inclusive understanding of ‘Britishness’ and encourage young people from different backgrounds to feel comfortable with each other and value their differences
• ‘Lived experiences’ including trips to sites of historic significance and residential events to bring young people together
• Creating activities for young people to improve their environment or the lives of people around them, such as repainting a wall covered in hate messages
• Presentation evenings for participants to show case their learning to peers, parents and guardians

The Community Cohesion Project benefits a wide range of different communities from different cultures, faiths and neighbourhoods.  It actively recruits young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

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Project summary

Give Racism Evils involved young people from different backgrounds working and learning together through creativity.  Lead by Birmingham City Council's Northfield Constituency and partners, the project aimed to break down barriers that young people felt existed and to support them to challenge prejudice and discrimination. Activities included poetry sessions, theatre performances and asylum seeker myth-dispelling sessions. Twinning the participating school with one in a more diverse area allowed peer education to take place. The creative format of sessions allowed young people to express themselves and understand the many similarities which exist between different groups, creating trust and respect.

Give Racism Evils has resulted in significant strides forward in the profile of interculturality in the local area. 

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Project summary

The Media Initiative for Children was developed by Early Years and aims to deal with the legacy of sectarianism, racism and ethnic divisions in Northern Ireland by investing in young children (three - six years), their parents and pre-school workers.  Activity includes:

• Developing animated messages dealing with sectarianism, racism and ethnicity, shown on national television
• In depth training for parents and teachers which supports participants to reflect on their experience of and develop understanding for difference
• A ‘Respecting Difference’ curriculum and set of resources for children in pre-school groups
• A research programme to measure change in attitude and behaviour of children, their parents and teachers.

So far, the project has provided training to 700 pre-school groups, 1,400 staff and 6,000 parents. Initial evaluation shows real impact in terms of changing attitudes of children and their willingness to play with others they consider to be different.  For parents and teachers, it has provided opportunities to come together in a safe environment to explore issues of difference and develop meaningful relationships.

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Project summary

The ‘Grow Our Own’ Scheme was set up after research showed a lack of local, positive role models, lack of youth workers, particularly from a Black and Minority Ethnic background and poor community cohesion in the St Peters’ area of Tameside, Lancashire. The project aims to provide local people with voluntary experience, training and employment leading to becoming qualified youth workers, outdoor education workers and sports coaches.

Through the shared interest of wanting to make a difference in their local community, training and employment, local people from different backgrounds have the opportunity to work together. Through daily experiences, interaction and training they can learn about and question each others’ beliefs on a range of issues including equality and racism. A positive shift in community cohesion and fall in crime has been attributed to the work of the St Peters Youth ‘Grow our Own’ scheme.

Project summary

The Three Faiths Forum runs a range of interfaith, intercultural and inter-communal programmes that focus on education and engagement. With activities taking place in over 60 schools and over 5,000 young people participating, the project aims to:

• Give young people opportunities to talk about their beliefs and values
• Increase understanding of different faiths and beliefs
• Support dialogue between people of different faiths and those of non-religious beliefs
• Challenge preconceptions
• Facilitate shared action to improve communities and society

School staff or youth workers choose from a menu of activities to create a programme for their students that will increase understanding, tolerance and respect. Tools for Trialogue uses verses from religious texts as the springboard for discussions on social and civic themes. These workshops give young people opportunities to explore issues of concern and speak about their own identities, learn more about others and find connections.

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Project summary

The Take2 Project, based in the Shankill area of Belfast, was created four years ago.  It aims to move men away from bigotry and politically motivated violence and to reach across the peace-line to achieve reconciliation between local communities.

Starting with a small group of men from Shankill, it explores their history, cultural roots and identity.  The emphasis has now shifted to explore the background of other groups within the wider Belfast area including Palastinian and Jewish.  Activities to support Take2’s goals include using cross-community drama, visits to a community radio station, a Republican Museum and cemetery to see the graves of IRA volunteers.

Take2 has provided opportunities to express strong views and hear different points of views.  It has created a greater understanding of history, tradition, culture and outlook amongst participants.

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