The project aims to build resilience in young people through workshops that bring together two different cohorts of young people – predominately marginalised Muslim youth and those sympathetic to the Far Right. The course explores life in modern Britain from all sides and investigates issues around identity, values, grievances, hate crime and what it means to have a sense of belonging.
Who is it for?
Young people between 14-19 years of age in secondary school, further education or higher education who are vulnerable to extremist messaging.
What is it?
The project aims to build resilience in young people through workshops that bring together two different cohorts of young people – predominately marginalised Muslim youth and those sympathetic to the Far Right. The course explores life in modern Britain from all sides and investigates issues around identity, values, grievances, hate crime and what it means to have a sense of belonging.
How long does it take?
The six to 12 week programme can be built around the needs of schools, colleges and universities and consists of two, two-hour long sessions each week with the option of an additional weekend residential course.
What it involves?
The two groups of participants will initially investigate their own grievances and ideologies across different topic areas, before identifying common values. In the final sessions the two groups come together to discuss perceived grievances and establish common values they all share.
Specific activities include:
• Interaction with key speakers including former extremists and community safeguarding practitioners;
• Role-play of real-life situations, putting new strategies of managing conflict into practice;
• Airing of grievances and challenging of narratives through dialogue and interrogation of views;
• Interactive sessions and exercises for kinesthetic learning, interspersed with group and individual reflection;
• Creating media campaigns to articulate views on contemporary issues of race, faith, nationalism and extremism.
What it achieves?
The programme engages individuals on a number of levels and encourages them to think independently and challenge themselves and their views.
Over the course of the programme participants will gain:
• Critical Thinking Skills – an ability to think critically and confidently about themselves and others as well as personal, social and political conflict and its consequences;
• Awareness of Myths About Extremism – a deeper understanding of how people can be drawn towards groups and ideologies that offer firm black-and-white solutions;
• Awareness of Counter Narratives – with greater knowledge comes the ability to both identify and challenge persuasive extremist views with their own alternative narratives;
• Communication Skills – an ability to better understand and build bridges across different social groups and minorities;
• Increased Self Awareness – increased emotional intelligence and compassionate empathy, specifically in the ability to recognise how beliefs and values directly affect attitudes and behaviour;
• Conflict Resolution Skills – the confidence and capacity to manage and resolve personal, social and political conflicts in a non-violent way;
• Upstanding Neighbourhoods Membership – ongoing support as part of a wider Youth Network with access to other projects for support, advice and information.
What others have said?
“The Made in Britain course has made the students truly think about what it is to live and be a citizen within the UK and we’ve definitely seen an upturn in their overall attitudes toward each other, not to mention the impact it’s had on the standard of some of their work.”