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Personalisation through participation: A new script for public services by Charles Leadbeater (2004)hot!
- 01.05.2006
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Personalized Learning: Building a New Relationship with Schools, by David Miliband (Jan. 2004)hot!
- 01.05.2006
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Race Equality and Community Cohesion News (HO Race, Cohesion and Faiths Directorate), Spring 2006hot!
- 05.05.2006
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Paul Goggins, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, writes: ‘Many members of Black and Minority Ethnic communities are thriving in Britain today, but others still suffer poorer outcomes in education, health, employment, the Criminal Justice System and the labour market. The Government is determined to change this and set out its strategy fordoing so in ‘Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society’ which was launched in 2005. This policy reinforces the Government’s commitment to create a society in which every individual, whatever their faith, racial or ethnic origin, is able to fulfil his or her potential through the enjoyment of equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities. IOSS also looks beyond opportunities for individuals, to the importance of strengthening society as a whole: bringing people from different backgrounds together; supporting and encouraging people to make their contribution to society; and taking a stand against racism and extremists who promote hatred. Since the launch of IOSS a great deal has happened across Government. This newsletter is an opportunity to update you on some of the progress we have made so far and to promote debate about what further steps we need to take. In order to be effective, our plan of action must include you. All of us – central and local Government, public services, the voluntary sector and local communities – have a role to play in creating a society where there is mutual understanding, trust and respect.
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Respect for All: Promoting Community Cohesion through Religious Education by Joyce Millerhot!
- 02.05.2006
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In March 2003, teachers of religious education and citizenship from eight secondary schools in four different local education authorities came together for a training day at the Interfaith Education Centre in Bradford to begin a project that culminated in a national conference, funded by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), in September 2005. The purpose of the first meeting and the project that developed from it was, as the title of this article clearly shows, to find effective and innovative ways of promoting community cohesion through religious education. There were two pairs of key concepts that underpinned this project: identity/ies and community/ies; and diversity and respect. All of them were essential in promoting community cohesion using the definition of a cohesive community set out in the report of the committee chaired by Ted Cantle, following disturbances in northern cities, including Bradford. Central to our understanding was the view that identity and community are not ‘fixed’ and they are not singular. Each of us possesses many identities and we work and move and live in a range of communities. All communities are diverse, including religious communities, and all are in a process of change. Commonality and difference co-exist within and between different communities and these must be identified, recognised, talked about and worked with.
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Responding to Hate at School. A Guide for Teachers, Counsellors and Administrators Tolerance.orghot!
- 04.05.2006
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It can happen in any school — a hateful act by a student, staff member or person outside the school family suddenly poisons the air. Most schools have plans in place for responding to fires, hazardous weather, weapons possession, fights, medical emergencies and other situations that call for quick assessment and decisive action. Unfortunately, when bias-motivated incidents occur, many educators discover that they have not planned ahead. At such a moment, school officials face a number of difficult challenges that include ensuring safety and preventing escalation. As painful and disruptive as a hateful act can be, it’s important to remember that a bias incident does not define the school’s character. Rather, the real test is the message the school sends to everyone concerned — each day as well as in emergencies. Responding to Hate at School is designed to help administrators, teachers and counsellors react promptly and effectively to all bias incidents, and to involve students, as well as parents and community leaders, in finding solutions to underlying tensions. It offers proven strategies and concrete steps for addressing day-to-day problems such as casual use of putdowns, emergency situations like hate crimes, and long-term issues including school policies and staff development designed to promote harmony. We have defined bias incidents broadly as any acts directed against people or property that are motivated by prejudice based on race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, social affiliation, ability or appearance. These include hate crimes, ranging from violent assault and harassment to vandalism and graffiti, as well as hate speech, hate literature and derogatory language and imagery in all media. The events cited in this guide are actual incidents that have occurred in recent years. In developing model responses for similar incidents, we talked to administrators, teachers and students in school districts across the country. They generously described and evaluated steps their schools took when bias incidents occurred, sometimes adding steps they wished they had taken. We also talked to victims of campus incidents, teachers who train student conflict mediators, religious leaders, and organizations concerned with hate at school. We thank them all.
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