The Committee received a presentation on the work undertaken by Show Racism the Red Card.

Sunil Patel informed the Committee that Show Racism the Red Card had commenced as a campaign in 1996 as a result of racist abuse suffered by a then professional footballer who influenced several of his fellow professional footballers to visit schools to raise awareness amongst young people about racism in society.  He stated that Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racism charity and UNISON had become the first trade union to become involved in the charity.  He stated that the charity produced resource material with footballers who undertake anti-racism workshops in schools, youth clubs and pupil referral units.  The campaign has enlisted a number of footballers to deliver workshops and has facilitated training on the Equalities Act at Companies House and also undertook training for the Scarlets Rugby Team.

Sunil Patel informed the Committee that up until three years ago the campaign had received funding from the Council to visit schools in the Bridgend area to deliver anti-racism training.  The funding had since ceased and the campaign was keen to explore avenues to work with the Council going forward.

The Committee viewed footage from a workshop it had undertaken with young people in Swansea using players and staff of Swansea City FC.

Sunil Patel highlighted to the Committee a case study involving a young person who was nine years of age at the time, whereby the campaign had undertaken a workshop at her school and two pupils had apologised for racially abusing that person.  The young person had recently got in touch with the campaign as a 15 year old and her self-esteem had now risen.

Amy Jones of Show Racism the Red Card outlined to the Committee the feedback from teachers of Caerau, Pencoed and Bettws Primary schools as a result of anti-racism workshops being delivered there.  The workshop undertaken at Caerau Primary School had been instigated by one of the local Councillors and Police Community Support Officers as a result of racist incidents in Caerau.  An adult training session had been undertaken at the Noddfa Centre, with two more workshops to follow and an all-day football tournament would be held during the summer holidays.

Amy Jones also informed the Committee that the campaign worked with regional co-ordinators on community cohesion and outlined the outcomes of the Community Cohesion Workshops.  She welcomed Councillors to attend and assist in workshops which they would deliver in the future.

In response to a question from the Committee, Sunil Patel stated that there the campaign’s work in delivering workshops was directed by the funders themselves.  He stated that work  is easier to undertake in primary schools than in secondary schools, however its workshops were tailored to the target audience.

In response to a question from the Committee Sunil Patel stated that workshops were undertaken with parents, which was a harder audience to reach and also with teachers.

The Committee questioned whether follow-up workshops were undertaken with schools which had been previously visited.  Ian Simpson stated that the workshops were directed by the funders themselves; however the organisation was keen to undertake follow-up work at schools it had previously conducted workshops to look at the positive outcomes.  Feedback from school visits was stored.  Show Racism the Red Card was keen to undertake workshops with parents, but it was often the case that the audience it wanted to attend did not attend their workshops.

The Committee questioned the levels of racial intolerance in schools.  Sunil Patel informed the Committee that it had been identified that there are issues in schools amongst ethnic minorities where there were representatives from the travelling community attending schools, which presented a different kind of challenge for those schools.  Amy Jones informed the Committee that there was more acceptance and better cohesion in schools with a higher percentage of multi-races.

Sunil Patel informed the Committee that he would encourage Members to attend their events at schools and would pass on dates of their future events to the Committee and he was also exploring working with the Council again. 

The Committee considered the need to empower people and to engage with under-represented groups.

The Chairperson thanked the representatives from Show Racism the Red Card for an excellent presentation.

            RESOLVED:               That the Committee noted the report.