Embracing Tolerance Youth Programme

Our programme aims to address problems of social exclusion, which can lead to increasing levels of intolerance, discrimination, bullying, and violent crimes including knifings and gun crime in our schools and on our streets. The main objective of the programme is to improve community relations, promote cohesion and offer a positive alternative to violence. The overall aim is to strengthen and consolidate a shared sense of belonging and community cohesion by bringing together youth from different races, cultures, socio-cultural backgrounds and diverse persuasions. We will achieve this by supporting the youth in changing their attitudes and values, addressing issues of social intolerance and religious extremism, and promoting respect for the diversity of cultures, ethnic groups and nationalities. Social exclusion can also occur when young people feel alienated and polarised due to ethnic and /or religious tensions. These vulnerable young people need a rational counterbalance to help them withstand the influence of extremist groups, who actively recruit disenfranchised young people to support their cause.

Methodology

Under the leadership of the Programme Coordinator, a team of volunteers specialising in multicultural and multidisciplinary techniques, will work in close partnership with appropriately religious, educational and community-based agencies. We welcome sensitive partnerships with the police.

The programme is delivered through workshops. Using scenarios presenting discriminatory behaviour as initial stimuli, staff will act as facilitators, guiding the students through focused activities, allowing for exploration of prejudice, discrimination and tolerance, and their results on individuals. Diversity will be explored and the audience will be given the opportunity to analyse good practice.

The learning objectives of the vocational educational programme "Embracing Tolerance":

·Understanding inequalities

·Respecting diversities

·Understanding different communities

·Developing knowledge of various faiths

·Learning to be tolerant

Areas of potential conflict should be examined with a view to offering viable and tolerant alternatives. Staff will provide information regarding the cultures of others.

(1)Case-study led discussion

·  Examining an incident of intolerance or discrimination (for example, of a person or group because of their religious beliefs).

·  Imagining in some detail what might be involved for all the participants (perpetrator, bystander and    victim).

·  Encouraging participation through the discussion of personal experience,

·  Neutrality will be maintained throughout the session, avoiding any moral comment with the aim of understanding the views and opinions of the participants.

(2) Examination of images.

• Observing images of a variety of people; some represented in the public eye, others unknown to the public.

• Brainstorming of associations with that image, to examine prejudices and stimulate discussion amongst participants.

• Discussion of different outcomes, including how stereotypical attitudes portrayed by the media and other sources can influence personal judgements.

(3) Cross-over role-play.

• Participants asked to present a situation where some form of intolerance or discrimination can be portrayed (ranging from simple neighbourly or school based disputes to issues concerning racial or religious intolerance or discrimination).

• Participants asked to take on the roles of those involved, by producing dialogue and acting out scenes, with the goal of finding a positive outcome to overcome discrimination.

• Done in a cross-over way, so that participants play a non-familiar role. Here moralising, natural comment would be allowed, especially those taken from the perspective of a non-familiar role (i.e., white/non-white, Muslim/Christian, male/female, etc.)

Workshops will last over 1 – 3 sessions depending upon the audience. We are working towards having our workshops accredited for vocational and educational purposes; as such we seek to have the programme accredited as a Vocationally Recognised Qualification with a view to extending the wider benefits. In association with local schools we are applying our programme to the principles of ASDAN and Citizenship, as required by curriculum standards. We are already working in schools in the London boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Enfield and Merton. Our staff will also take on additional service user support roles such as advocacy and sign-posting to other appropriate support agencies where specific needs are identified.

 Monitoring and Evaluation

There will be regular monitoring and evaluation of the programme. Participatory monitoring and evaluation with the beneficiaries will be used to adjust the programme to be more in line with the expectations of the target audience. The programme outcomes will be measured by monitoring:

·  attendance

·  number of courses

·  feedback forms or questionnaires

·  successful attainment of points

·  feedback from religious leaders

·  six month review

Budget to implement Embracing Tolerance Vocational Education Programme per school with, 120 students in 4 classes in one year group, 3 workshops for groups of 15-30 students: