Aik Saath

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Aik Saath

Exploring Community Cohesion in Schools
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Background

• Sikh, Muslim and Hindu young people in conflict
• Calls for peer-led conflict resolution
  anti-racism
• Aik One, Saath Together
• Together As One
• Peer education process starts
• Work with all communities

1998
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Peer Training Team

• Variety of backgrounds including, Somali,
  Gambian and White British.
• Made up of young people aged 14-21 from across
  Slough.
• Since 1998, approximately 90 young people part
  of the peer training team.
• Worked with just over 1,500 people in the last
  financial year.

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Beechwood
Britwell 86 White Population (compared to 64 in
the rest of Slough) Higher levels of deprivation
crime than the average
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Slough Eton
Chalvey 60 Black or Minority Ethnic
Communities In Slough Eton 90 from BME
Communities (68 Pakistani or British Pakistani)
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Aim

• Provide training in conflict resolution
  anti-racism to the pupils
• Bring young people from these different
  communities together
• Encourage greater mutual understanding
  /establish common ground
• Dispel myths and stereotypes

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Format

• 16 pupils from each school
• 3 sessions
• Residential weekend
• 2 sessions
• Presentation

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What happened?

• Attitudinal change
• Positive evaluative feedback received
• Positive feedback received from teachers
• Consequently, the project was run for a second
  year
• Tweaked structure / content

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Community Cohesion

• The community where the school is located
• Beechwood Secondary School
• Slough Eton Church of England School
• The school community
• St Josephs Catholic School

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St Josephs Catholic School

• Increase in the number of Polish children
• High enrolment in Catholic Schools
• Often from non-diverse, rural areas
• Victims of racism / Feel isolated
• We wanted to
• Make them feel more comfortable
• Tackle any prejudices they might have
• Help give them a sense of belonging
• Foster relationships between the pupils

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St Josephs Catholic School

• 2 sessions
• A teambuilding trip Outdoor Activities
• 3 sessions
• A teambuilding trip Polish War Memorial
• 1 session

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St Josephs Catholic School
You provided the opportunity that the normal
curriculum would have taken terms/years to
explore.
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Conclusion

• A peer-led approach
• Customised programmes
• Robust monitoring and evaluation
• Find dedicated partners
• Share best practice

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Contact Details

• Aik Saath
• 1st Floor
• 29 Church Street
• Slough
• SL1 1PL
• T/F 01753 574780
• E info_at_aiksaath.com
• W www.aiksaath.com
• Friends of Aik Saath (Group)