#SRtRCSpotlight: Challenging Harmful Narratives
Last month, the North East Education Team completed a funded programme of work with South Tyneside Council to pilot the delivery of a new programme of work entitled Challenging Harmful Narratives.
The Challenging Harmful Narratives Project comprised of a series of educational workshops in schools combined with a Teacher Training offer aimed to prevent and counter harmful narratives and aligns with the following funding/programme objective – Improves the capability of places to tackle the extremist narratives and ideologies that are driving our communities apart.
In an age of digital media, misinformation and disinformation are powerful tools used to spread hate and division. The workshops developed as part of the Challenging Harmful Narratives project include specific components designed to help participants navigate this challenging landscape. The workshops supported participants to critically evaluate information, discern credible sources, and challenge false narratives.
The project has seen Show Racism the Red Card deliver educational workshops to a total of 380 children and young people across 4 participating schools, and complementary CPD to a total of 118 teachers.
Feedback from children and young people taking part in workshops:
Awareness of extreme/harmful narratives online
Following participation in the workshops, 70% of participants stated that they were more of the presence of extreme/harmful narratives online (this includes anti migrant and refugee sentiment, Islamophobia and antisemitism)
Ability to think critically about extreme/harmful narratives (this includes anti migrant and refugee sentiment, Islamophobia and antisemitism)
Following participation in the workshops, 60% of participants stated that they better understood how to think critically about extreme/harmful narratives (this includes anti migrant and refugee sentiment, Islamophobia and antisemitism) online and know what I can do to protect myself and others.
Awareness of Hate Crime and its impacts
Following participation in the workshops, 70% of participants stated that they were more aware of what Hate Crime is and understand the related support available to me if I experience or witness hate crime.
Understanding of Racism and it’s impacts
- 84% stated that they know what racism is and can give examples of racism following participation in the workshops
- 87% stated that they understand the harm that can be caused by racism following participation in the workshops
- 52% stated that they feel confident to respond to/challenge racism following participation in the workshops
- 52% stated that they enjoyed the workshops
When asked what the biggest thing they had learned during the workshops, children and young people said the following:
“How social media works in promoting these views”
“How to correctly challenge hate crime”
“How big of an influence propaganda has on shaping people’s views”
“The role of the news/media in creating stereotypical views”
“I learned about the negative effects of propaganda and racism”
“It is always important to check the sources of the information & take a step back to see the bigger picture”
Workshop participant
“Racism is always harmful even if some people see it as a joke”
Feedback from teachers taking part in CPD/Training:
Awareness of extreme/harmful narratives online
Following participation in the CPD session, 44% of participants strongly agreed and 56% agreed that they were more aware of the presence of extreme/harmful narratives online (this includes anti-migrant and refugee sentiment, Islamophobia and antisemitism)
Awareness of the damaging impact that engagement with harmful narratives can have on young people
Following participation in the CPD session, 44% of participants strongly agreed and 56% agreed that they were more aware of the damaging impact that engagement with these harmful narratives can have on young people
Confidence to respond effectively to young people referencing harmful narratives
Following participation in the CPD session, 33% of participants strongly agreed and 77% agreed that they felt more confident to respond to young people referencing harmful narratives and can support them to build resilience/reject such narratives
Access to resources, activities and guidance
Following participation in the CPD session, 33% of participants strongly agreed, 56% agreed and 11% neither agreed nor disagreed that they had a better understanding of where I can access resources, activities and guidance to support me in my role as an educator in challenging harmful narratives
Understanding of Racism and it’s impacts
- 33% strongly agreed and 67% agreed that they better understood the role that unconscious bias and privilege has on my teaching
- 76% strongly agreed and 33% agreed that they had a better understanding of the impact that racism has
- 44% strongly agreed and 56% agreed that they felt more confident to respond to/challenge racism in the classroom
When asked what the most useful elements of the course were, participating teachers responded by saying:
- “Very informative”
- “Break out part of the session to enable meaningful discussion between colleagues”
- “The gentleman that facilitated the course was great”
Show Racism the Red Card would like to thank our partners at South Tyneside Council for providing the funding to deliver this pilot. The new workshops and teacher CPD will now become part of the North East Education Team’s offer to schools across the region, based on the identification of specific issues that can be addressed through the workshops and training.
To find out more about how your school or Local Authority can get involved with Show Racism the Red Card in the North East, please complete our enquiry form, with details of the issues that you are looking to tackle.