Young People and Race Issues
Racism 'Still An Issue' In English Schools
Sky News, 4 July 2011
Racism is still an issue in England's schools, with both pupils and teachers showing racist behaviour, research has suggested.
A third of those questioned said they had seen racist behaviour among teachers
More than four-fifths (83%) of teachers questioned said they had witnessed racist attitudes or behaviour among their students.
This included name calling, comments, jokes and stereotyping of different races.
Almost a third of those questioned said they had seen similar behaviour among teachers, showing the attitudes were not just restricted to pupils.
In some cases, they used racist terminology, or had lower expectations of ethnic minority pupils.
Some interviewees had come across "teachers with racist attitudes, for example those who were dismissive of the Asian pupils due to perceived language issues".
There was evidence of a lack of action against racist attitudes and behaviour and a lack of understanding of the mechanisms and reasons for reporting racist incidents.
Show Racism the Red Card report
The study, by anti-racism charity Show Racism the Red Card, supported by the National Union of Teachers (NUT), is based on a survey of 148 teachers, plus interviews, pupil observations and a research journal.
It aims to investigate the issues of racism and inequality in the education system.
More than a third (39%) of those questioned said they had not received any training in tackling racism.
The vast majority of teachers surveyed (93%) said that if they saw a racist incident they would feel they could report it.
But it adds: "There was evidence of a lack of action against racist attitudes and behaviour and a lack of understanding of the mechanisms and reasons for reporting racist incidents.
"The research highlighted a reluctance to report incidents which were considered a first offence or where it was felt that the racism was unintentional."
The report also says: "In the majority of cases where action is taken it is purely punitive.
"This does not address the underlying issues and may breed further resentment."
The report called for teachers to be given more training in tackling racism.
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InterACT
Connecting communities through social action.
InterAct brings 16-25 year-old asylum-seekers and refugees together with local young people to tackle issues affecting their communities.
As well as helping them identify issues of concern to them, we support them in working together to design their own social action projects to address those concerns.
InterACT seeks to:
- build greater community cohesion by breaking down barriers to integration for young asylum-seekers and refugees
- support young people to develop skills and knowledge that enable and empower them to participate actively in their local community
- increase opportunities for community organisations to work together
- build a greater appreciation among community institutions of the potential for young asylum-seekers and refugees to contribute to the community.
Where is it happening?
- In 2010, InterACT worked in Cardiff, Swansea, Birmingham and Bristol.
- In 2011 it is running in Cardiff, Barnsley, Bradford, Leeds and Liverpool.
How does it work?
In each location we work with two partner organisations, one that works with young refugees and asylum seekers and one that works with local young people.
The partner organisations each identify one key worker. They both work together to deliver the project in their local area. The key workers each recruit up to 15 young people.
InterACT is broken down into four stages:
Stage 1 - Getting To Know My Community (June)
- Young people go out into their local community and explore local issues through a creative project (eg using photography).
Stage 2 -Introduction to InterACT (July)
- Young people meet, share their experiences of Stage 1 and start to identify common issues they would like to tackle.
Stage 3 - Social Action Project (July/August)
Young people participate in a series of sessions covering topics such as:
- communication;
- team-building;
- project planning;
- campaigning;
- influencing local decision makers.
- Young people design and organise a social action project and apply for a seed grant from InterACT of up to £2000.
Stage 4 - Celebration Event (September)
- Young people organise a celebration event in their local community.
What do we offer?
- A tool kit of training materials for key workers;
- A free training event for partner organisations;
- £250 towards planning and delivering an activity during Stage 1;
- An initial session for the young people in Stage 2;
- Seed grants of up to £2000 to groups of young people to run a social action project;
- £1,500 to each partner organisation to cover the planning and delivery of six sessions to young people;
- Support for key workers from partner organisations throughout the process
- £300 towards putting on a celebratory event;
- To raise awareness of the project in the area through local media.
What is expected of the partner organisations?
- To appoint a key worker;To recruit and support at least 15 young people to participate in the programme;
- To work with the other key worker in the same city to deliver a series of 6 workshops to the young people on the programme;
- To find venues where sessions can be held;
- To keep in regular contact with the InterACT project co-ordinator at the Citizenship Foundation;
- To support young people to put on a celebration event.
How does it affect people?
‘I am inspired by the work of the Citizenship Foundation and believe that the InterACT project is a fantastic way of improving levels of integration and sense of community.'
- Displaced People in Action, Swansea (InterACT Partner 2010)
‘InterACT has really challenged the young people we work with to think differently about young refugees and asylum seekers and it's been fantastic working with them and watching bonds form between them as they recognise that at the end of the day, they're all just young people.'
- Fairbridge, Birmingham (InterACT Partner 2010)
‘[The best thing about InterACT is] feeling free to express myself, improving my English, and making new friends. The friends I've made on this project, they are like my new family.'
- Young person, Birmingham
Interested?
For more information contact Leila Nicholas (InterACT Project Co-ordinator):
- Tel: 020 7566 4153
InterACT is a three year project funded by Comic Relief and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.