Diversity Is Our Strength

Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada has put this photo on his Facebook and Twitter page with the following statement:
"To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength.#WelcometoCanada"

What's happening in the picture?

explain the story

- Why has the Prime Minister of Canada released this photo with this statement?
- What does the photo tell us about the Prime Minister of Canada?
- What does the statement tell us about how the Prime Minister of Canada wants people to see Canada?
- How do you think the people who live in Canada feel about this?
- What does the Prime Minister mean by, "Diversity is our strength"?
- What can we learn from this picture?
- What can we learn from Justin Trudeau?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?


No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools by Andrew Moffat

equalitiesprimary

No Outsiders Shopping

http://www.smartcompany.com.au/industries/retail/81598-tesco-adding-slow-lane-supermarkets/

https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2017/01/tesco-introduces-slow-lane-pilot

Tesco Supermarkets in Scotland have introduced a relaxed checkout lane to help shoppers who have dementia. Alzheimer's Scotland have worked with Tesco to find a way to help some shoppers who may have additional needs. 

The 'slow' lanes are designed to help people who may need more time to organise and pay for their shopping without feeling rushed. Tesco employee Kerry Speed told the BBC, "It was highlighted to me that people living with dementia can feel under pressure when they reach the checkout, and it struck me that this could be true for others as well.... we want them to feel confident they can shop at their own pace."

What do you see in the photo?

Where is the picture taken?

explain the story

- Why has Tesco introduced a relaxed lane?

- What is dementia? (where a person's brain becomes ill and has difficulty doing the jobs that brains do. The person has problems remembering, thinking or speaking. They may appear to be a different person. https://kids.alzheimersresearchuk.org/young-kids/what-is-dementia/test-question-1-2/)

- how will the relaxed checkout help?

- why do you think Tesco has introduced this?

- What if you don't have dementia? Is this fair? Will this make other shoppers frustrated? (no, they can pay at other tills)

- What can we learn from Tesco?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

equlaitiesprimary 

Cultural Sportswear

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sukoon/activewear-redefined-by-sukoon

Arshiya Kherani loves to run and keep fit but struggled to find sportswear she felt comfortable in, so she designed her own. Arshiya says she found hundreds of women who were unable to find active wear hijabs, shirts and pants to meet their cultural and personal needs.

Arshiya's friend noticed her struggling during a marathon, to keep her bandana in place and they talked about solutions. Arshiya decided to design her own sports wear and set up her own business; "Sakoon". In Urdu, Sakoon means 'relief''.

 Sakoon is part of a movement of women creating solutions for unsolved problems. Arshiya says, "We believe in an active lifestyle and we believe that every woman deserves options regardless of her cultural, religious or personal beliefs."

What's happening in the picture?
What do you notice about the person? What is she wearing?

explain the story

- What problem has Arshiya solved?
- Why is this important?
- How is she feeling in the picture? Why?
- Why does Arshiya say "every woman deserves options regardless of cultural, religious or personal beliefs"?
- What can we learn from Arshiya?
Why is this story about No Outsiders?

resilience after rejection

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/teen-claudia-vulliamy-oxford-university-rejection-letter-viral-artwork_uk_5878ee87e4b0f3b82a378dde?ir=UK+Universities+%26+Education&utm_hp_ref=uk-universities-education

18 year old Claudia Vulliamy applied to Oxford University to do Classics. Unfortunately she was unsuccessful in her application and received a rejection letter. 

Claudia immediately set to work on creating a piece of abstract art based on the letter. The art has now been shared 43,000 times on twitter; 142,000 people have liked the image and there are hundreds of comments including offers to buy the work.

Claudia said, "It's a bit disappointing to be rejected. But it's rare to get a personal letter from Oxford and it seemed quite monumental."

One of the comments on twitter read, "The key to greatness is learning how to handle rejection - never seen anyone handle it better."

Claudia has now accepted a place to study at Durham University.

- What do you see in the picture
- what do you think this story is about?

explain the story

- how do you think Claudia felt when she received her letter of rejection?
- "The key to greatness is learning how to handle rejection" why?
- Why do you think Claudia chose to make an art piece from her letter?
- Why do you think so many people have liked and commented on this picture?
- look at the words Claudia chose to highlight in her art. Why do you think she chose those words?
- Every time Claudia looks at the art piece, what do you think she will feel?
- This story is about resilience. What does resilience mean? Why is this story about resilience?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools by Andrew Moffat

equalitiesprimary

Remembering Orlando

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/orlando-soccer-honors-pulse-victims_us_586e589be4b0c56eb4b7364c

Orlando City SC have installed 49 rainbow seats in their soccer stadium as a permanent feature to honour the 49 people who died in the attack on Pulse, a gay nightclub in June 2016. Each seat honours one of the people who died in the tragic event. Each seat has a stamp reading #OrlandoUnited.

The team's founder, Phil Rawlins said about the seats, "They'll certainly be seen by everybody in the stadium, and a very significant reminder of that day.".

What do you see in the picture?
Where do you think it is?

explain the story

- Why are the seats rainbow coloured?
- Why are the people around the seats clapping?
- Why has a football stadium decided to remember people who died in an attack on a gay club?
- What does this show us about the football stadium?
- What does #OrlandoUnited mean? What  does this show us about people in Orlando and their attitudes towards difference and diversity?
- What can we learn from Orlando and this story?
- Why is this about No Outsiders?


No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools by Andrew Moffat

equalitiesprimary 

Acceptance matters - trans awareness

http://www.independent.ie/life/transgender-woman-incredibly-touched-by-amazing-letter-from-colleagues-after-returning-to-the-workplace-as-aoife-35347132.html

A trans woman returned to work to find flowers and a message from her colleagues. Aoife Martin works at Mastercard in Dublin, Ireland. A colleague supported Aoife to transition at work and together they decided that after the Christmas break Aoife would be herself in the office for the first time.

On Aoife's first day back in the office, flowers were left on her desk with a note saying, "Acceptance matters to us! From all your friends and colleagues at Mastercard."

What do you see in the picture?
What do you think the message is about?

explain the story

- What does trans mean? (A trans person is a different gender to the one people say they are. People might tell a child he is a girl, when inside he is a boy)
- What does transition mean? (Change. When a trans person transitions, they are living as their true selves for the first time.)
- Aoife appeared in the office "for the first time as herself" what does this mean? (it means she was living as female for the first time. Before, Aoife was living as male because that was what everyone expected)
- Why was Aoife nervous about transitioning at work? (Aoife was nervous because she had been living as a male. Now she was able to live as the woman she had always been inside)
- Why did Aoife's colleagues leave the note on her desk?
- What does "Acceptance matters" mean?
- What does this tell us about Aoife's colleagues?
- What can we learn from Aoife?
- What can we learn from Aoife's colleagues?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

Read "Introducing Teddy" by Jessica Walton as a supporting text in this assembly

"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools" by Andrew Moffat

equalities primary 

Disability awareness

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38517649

Ben Moore was born with a leg that worked differently. His condition was called fibular hemimelia; it left him in constant pain and struggling to walk. At the age of 10, Ben took the brave decision to have his leg amputated. He was fitted with an artificial leg which enabled him to walk but not to compete in the sport he loved.

Now aged 13, Ben has become one of the first children to be fitted with a false leg designed for sport by the NHS and his aim is to compete in the Paralympics. Ben can switch between his sporting leg and his other leg depending on the activity he is doing.

Ben says he loves his new leg; "I wanted the blade to do more running so I didn't have to stick with cricket and stuff like that to do with upper body. I wanted to do more things with my lower body, run faster and get a bit more speed in football." 

Ben is now competing with his peers in sports. He recently beat his cousin in a race.

- what do you see in the picture?

explain the story

- How is Ben different to you?
- How is Ben similar to you?
- Ben is choosing to wear shorts; he doesn't want to cover up his leg - why not?
- How do you think Ben feels about having a leg that works differently to his friends?
- What does this show us about Ben and being different?
- What can we learn from Ben?
- Why is this about No Outsiders?

Gender stereotypes

https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/publicacts-stereotype-blasting-in-chili-b-hobres-tejedores-lbkr/

http://www.vix.com/es/ciudadanos/173575/hombres-tejedores-una-iniciativa-que-busca-derribar-mitos-sobre-los-roles-de-genero?utm_medium=VixCiencia&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Facebook&utm_term=Autofeed#link_time=1482198481


Men in Chili are breaking down gender stereotypes by knitting. The group called Hombres Tejedores translates as "Knitting men" and they meet to knit together in public spaces.

Their campaign #NosGustaTejer (we like to knit) raises money to hold workshops around the country. The campaign is growing with new groups setting up in Argentina, Mexico and Columbia. Their aim is to "weave together a more inclusive society and to promote inclusive spaces.

- what's happening in the picture?
- why does knitting break down gender stereotypes?
- why do you think the men have chosen to use pink wool for this photo?
- what do you think is meant by "inclusive space"?
- how does men knitting together in public make a space inclusive?
- what can we learn from this story?
-why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools by Andrew Moffat

equalitiesprimary