Introduction
Wolverhampton, the smallest of the 7 West Midland boroughs with a population 240,000 and covering an area of 26 square miles, nestles on the north-west edge of the conurbation surrounded on three sides by the district of South Staffordshire. The city council’s Working with Communities and Community Safety Scrutiny Panel, reported that there were between 2,000 and 2,500 asylum seekers (often referred to as New Arrivals) living in the city with some Wards of the borough, particularly Heath Town, having higher concentrations than others.
NIFsecured funding from the Home Office’s Purposeful Activities Fund to work on broad citizenship issues focusing on respect for diversity with Asylum Seeker children between the ages of 8 and 13.
The project, ‘New Citizens, New Futures’ was designed to develop a group made up of children of Asylum Seeking families, unaccompanied minors and local children (from a range of ethnic backgrounds) who were resident in the West Midlands. The purpose of the project was to aid the development of citizenship amongst the target age group and bring about a greater cultural understanding of both UK history and culture, and that of the home countries the children had left. One of the desired outcomes of the project was to develop cross-cultural peer mentoring amongst the young people involved in the pilot.
Behind the project was a deep belief by NIF that by targeting the chosen age group barriers could be broken down and relationships cemented before racial tensions develop. Through the work the Foundation expected to bring about a greater desire from the children and young people to work together on purposeful activities and in the long term have a desire to take a more active role in the communities where they live.
Even though the children targeted were young the Foundation felt that it was essential to undertake the work at this stage in their lives to encourage a desire in them to be more actively purposeful citizens.
The impact of the project was to raise awareness of cultural differences and bring about a greater tolerance and understanding amongst the groups. It aimed to enable young people to recognise the commonality between the different cultures and dispel many of the myths that are perpetuated. The long term benefits were to break down the barriers that currently exist and enhance opportunities for cross cultural peer mentoring, particularly for some of the children of Asylum Seekers who have suffered distress and loss before coming to this country.
Resources
The Home Office’s Purposeful Activities Fund grant of £40,000 provided funding for a pilot scheme and development of a small number of packs consisting of a work book and guidance video.
However, without the co-operation of local schools delivery of the project would have been impossible, but the Foundation was given access to two groups of children in local schools, delivering the project in 12 three hour sessions in each. In addition, teachers were on hand, but not always present, to help with the more energetic elements of the groups. . The schools chosen exuded a boisterous but educationally vibrant atmosphere and the children were all energetic and keen to be involved in new activities. In both cases, the Foundation was welcomed with open arms and given either whole morning or whole afternoon sessions with the groups of children. Delivery of the project was by 2 members of the Foundation’s staff and an Associate with filming of the video by an outside specialist. The pack is being compiled a member of staff and the Associate.
Methodology
With a successful track record of working in Wolverhampton and in particular with children from Heath Town, the Foundation approached a number of primary schools finally identifying Woden Primary School as the most appropriate. The secondary school chosen was Deansfield High School with whom the Foundation had previously worked on another citizenship scheme, The Mayfields Project.
Woden Primary School is, for the city, a large primary school with 390 pupils, drawing from an area where 28% of the population are from visible ethnic minorities and 40% of residents are economically inactive. Almost one in three children in the school speaks English as a second language and 16% of children have Special Educational Needs.
Gill with children from Woden School
Deansfield High School has 775 pupils on role, 70 of whom are in year 12 and 13. The school draws children from across the city and is developing a reputation for innovative approaches to education. It has a Hearing Impaired Unit and particular provision for the children of New Arrivals. The school has a high percentage of pupils with special educational needs, around 30%, and a rich ethnic mix, which includes children of asylum seekers. The school is now a lead school in an ‘Excellence in Cities Action Zone’ and a ‘Creative Partnerships’ school.
Girls at Deansfield School
The initial proposal was to develop a programme of activities in 12 sessions of 3 hours with 20 children in each group enabling the group to share information about their lives and cultures. There were to be 4 elements to the sessions:
- Homes, Family and environment;
- Food and celebrations
- Dress and celebratory costume
- Leisure and recreation time
The 2 schools provided lists of children who had volunteered to be involved in the project; if children didn’t want to be involved they were not induced to be. At Woden Primary School the group was made up of a good mix of New Arrival children and those born, or long term settled in the city. Countries of birth of the New Arrivals included Afghanistan, Argentina, Bosnia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, India, Jamaica, Mauritius, Pakistan, Somalia, Turkey and Zimbabwe.
At Deansfield, the group was made up entirely of New Arrivals, although some had been resident in the city for up to 6 years. On meeting this group it was quickly evident that working solely with them and not bringing in native ‘Wulfrunians’ (as residents of the city are termed) would be more beneficial particularly when the city has a good track record of integrating New Arrivals and racially motivated bullying within the school is almost unheard of. The countries of birth of these children included, Iraq, Pakistan, Poland, Rwanda, Slovakia, Somalia, and Yugoslavia.
The first session format was the same with both groups and after initial introductions children were encouraged to talk about the places where they were born and brought up, what the seasons are like, whether they lived in rural or urban environments, and what the schools were like that they went to. In addition, those who could remember were asked about their feelings on arriving in the UK and about their hopes and fears. All of this information was recorded and subsequent to some later recapping, mapped visually using a range of creative techniques such as painting, drawing, model making and textile work.
Both of the groups made life-sized self-portraits, drawing around the prone outline each other then decorating the outlines according to their own preferences. This use of creative ‘self-mapping’ allows the expression of self-esteem and confidence in an almost subconscious way and it was noticeable that many of the boys chose to picture themselves in football shirts and jeans, i.e. classic Western teen wear, whereas the girls often chose traditional costume from their countries of origin or culturally acceptable modes of dress.
Making Flags at Deansfield
Subsequent sessions, were developed to take into account the ages of the children, with the younger group constructing models of their homes or former homes, and describing and making models of traditional food. Recipes from home were brought in and discussed, but favourite foods turned out to be pizza and Indian curry!! Further work with this group produced small self-portrait dolls, many in traditional costume that were mounted onto a quilt for display. Flags from each of the countries the children were born in were also made and mounted onto the quilt as were patterns of their hands. To finish the display, hopes and fears for the future were recorded and added to the quilt giving a wonderful overall effect.
The approach taken with the older children was a little different although the final display has many similarities to the one produced in the primary school. The production of dolls was not employed, but time was taken with national flags and the reproduction of 2 of the life-sized paper self-portraits in fabric was undertaken. As with the younger group, hopes and fears were recorded and then displayed using symbols made out of fabric, such as a semi-automatic rifle with a red ‘X’ through it to symbolise the groups desire for a ban on weapons. With these symbols sewn to a piece of cloth along with the national flags, fabric hands, two trees with written hopes and desires, the reproduction of the self-portraits and the names of the countries from where the children originate written in several different scripts, the effect is stunning.
The Quilt - nearly done !
Outcomes
The target outcomes were to raise awareness of cultural differences and bring about a greater tolerance and understanding amongst the group. Additionally, there was a hope that the project would enable young people to recognise the commonality between the different cultures nipping in the bud many of the myths that are currently perpetuated. The long term benefits were perceived as being a breaking down of the barriers that currently exist and enhancing opportunities for cross cultural peer mentoring, particularly for some of the children of Asylum Seekers who have suffered distress and loss before coming to this country.
Overall, it seems clear from the feedback and monitoring, and indications received from the Home Office’s Administrators for the project, Michael Bell Associates, that the project has hit all of its targets. Indeed, it has been suggested that the project should be cited as an example of best practice. Part of the monitoring of the project has been the production of a video, where many of the children gave their comments directly to camera and without the project deliverers present. All of their comments suggest that they now better understand each other and have benefited from the project.
Summing Up
NIF is delighted with the way that this project has developed and on the basis of comments received has applied for further funding from the Purposeful Activities Fund to roll it out across the rest of the West Midlands. The age group of Asylum Seekers targeted, falls outside most grant schemes and children of the age are generally perceived to benefit vicariously through other grant programmes. The real success of this project suggests they should benefit more directly.
For more information about this contact NIF on 01952 590777 or email admin@nif.co.uk
