Captains
Young people across Scotland are to lead an important campaign for change throughout 2022.
The Scottish Government’s Race Equality and Anti-Racism in Education Programme (REAREP) aims to inspire and drive change and improvement throughout the Scottish education system. REAREP members will agree on actions and solutions for short, medium and long term changes to support the desired outcome, which is that as a result of an anti-racist approach and a culture of racial literacy amongst all school staff and pupils, no minority ethnic child, young person, teacher or member of staff will experience race inequality in a school setting.
It is crucial to the success of the programme that children and young people from all minority ethnic backgrounds who experience race inequality and racism, have their voices heard and can feed in to the decision making and implementation of this group’s objectives.
‘Captains’, by Show Racism the Red Card, is giving over 40 young people the platform to use their voices and experiences of racism in schools as a blueprint to embed race equality and anti-racism within our education system.
Pupils from primary and secondary schools, from Ayrshire to the Western Isles, will come together as part of the year-long Scottish Government funded initiative.
Captains aims to ensure the voices and experiences of Scotland’s ethnic minority young people are heard and will feed directly into the decision making process for curricular reform.
Jordan Allison, Campaign Manager for Scotland said:
“Captains is an exciting, first-of-its-kind opportunity for our young people to lead change from within our education system. We thank the Scottish Government for supporting this with £43,000 of funding to deliver the campaign.
“Sadly, Show Racism the Red Card has heard from hundreds of pupils, parents and teachers in Scotland on their traumatic experiences of racism in our schools. The lived experience of our young people can and will play a crucial role in ensuring our schools are a safe place for all.”
Ava-Marie Di Folco, a pupil at Southwood Primary School in Fife said:
“I am so happy and super excited to be selected as a Red Card Captain. I’m looking forward to hearing the views of others and giving my voice to such an important campaign to help other children understand their opinions on racism matters.”
Jismaria Jijo, a pupil at St. Mungo’s RC High School in Falkirk said:
“Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to be a voice for those out there who face racism on a daily basis. For those who feel like they don’t have a voice. I will do my best to fulfil my job as a Captain.”
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
“Diversity, equality and respect for others are at the heart of policies that underpin education in Scotland.
“We need to be vigilant in challenging racist behaviour and focused in creating anti-racist environments in our schools. That is why this work, which Show Racism the Red Card is doing to ensure children and young people’s input to our Race Equality and Anti-Racism in Education Programme, is so important.
“Where racism occurs, it must be challenged using appropriate reporting mechanisms, and prevented through the development of an anti-racist curriculum, delivered by racially literate educators and school staff.”
For more information, please reach out to young.people@theredcardscotland.org
