THE ART OF A CREATIVE APPROACH TO SUPPORTING SCHOOLS IN THEIR A partnership programme delivered by CONTRIBUTION TO THE PREVENTION OF VIOLENT EXTREMISM Lancashire Constabulary and Curious Minds Curious Minds Lancashire Constabulary Curious Minds is a charitable organisation Lancashire Constabulary seeks to work building creative and collaborative partner- closely with communities and our statutory ships to bring about positive personal and and voluntary sector partners to achieve social change through the development a safer Lancashire for everyone. of curiosity, creativity and learning. We work in this way for all aspects of crime We work towards a vision of society where prevention and we see no difference in this children and young people have plentiful very complex and important area of crime opportunities to participate actively in creative prevention. Terrorism and violent extremism learning and cultural production, leading to is another form of criminal activity. The nature the development of knowledge, skills and of the global effect of terrorism present attitudes that will enable them to contribute significant challenges for all of us, but we will fully to society and lead positive and only make a difference if we work together productive lives. to a common goal. All of us want to be safe. It is this goal we are working towards. We work towards a vision of schools where creative and sustainable Lancashire County Council and its partners approaches to teaching and learning lead have achieved Beacon status for Community to the development of creative learning Cohesion in 2009/10. We have only ach- communities, with schools at the heart ieved this through partnership work and of a diverse network of partners, working appreciating that the issues that face different collaboratively to support and enrich learning. communities can be difficult ones to resolve. Time and creative responses will help us in Maximising curiosity is a key element of becoming even more cohesive. our work. Curious minds are engaged, purposeful, imaginative, playful and open. We aim to stimulate the curiosity of children and young people and help adults cultivate a curious attitude. Through enabling a broad range of creative collaborations we contribute to building thriving and prosperous communities, grow- ing capacity to apply creative solutions to the challenges and opportunities facing society. CONTENTS FOREWORD 2 Hermione Gough, Department for Children, Schools and Families INTRODUCTION 3 Andrew Pratt, Lancashire Constabulary THE CURIOUS MINDS APPROACH 4 Kate Hobson, Curious Minds Projects 1 CHALLENGING STORIES, OPENING MINDS 6 Marsden Heights Community College 2 COMMUNITY ROLE MODELS 10 Accrington Academy 3 WE CHOOSE TO CREATE 14 Rhyddings Business & Enterprise School 4 HOT HEADS 18 Colne Primet High School 5 MYTHS V FACTS 22 Pendle Vale College 6 WE ARE ALL ONE 26 Darwen Aldridge Community Academy REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 30 Chris May, Curious Minds 1 FOREWORD The DCSF’s toolkit for how schools can contribute to preventing violent extremism, Learning Together to be Safe, highlights that young people have said they want more opportunities at school to explore complex issues. Through this project, Curious Minds have shown how art and creativity can be powerful media for doing that, helping young people to gain a better understanding of the issues and to develop their own skills and confidence at the same time. I was delighted to have the chance to see presentations from all of the schools featured in this booklet and hear first hand from the pupils involved. Each school chose a different approach but displayed similar levels of imagination, energy and talent. I hope others will find this booklet and DVD an inspiration to embark on similar projects in their schools. Hermione Gough, Head of the Community Cohesion Unit, Department for Children, Schools and Families 2 INTRODUCTION Lancashire, like many other parts of the UK and abroad, faces a threat We need to work in partnership with communities to challenge and from terrorism and violent extremism. A very small minority of people undermine the ideology that sanctions and encourages indiscriminate seek to harm innocent people in the name of an ideology which violence. We need to work together to stop people, especially young causes division, hatred and violence. people, getting drawn into illegal activities associated with violent extremism. We seek to empower communities to reject and condemn This position is not new to the county and Lancashire has had violent extremism. to address all forms of terrorism and violent extremism that have emanated from both the UK and overseas. Terrorism and use of Local authorities, the police and their partners in schools, other violence are crimes and terrorists are criminals. educational institutions and elsewhere, have a critical role in preventing violent extremism in Lancashire. This local understanding of the The violence arising from the issues around the IRA/UDA and their community context will enable the strategy to be delivered effectively associated organisations has largely subsided, but is still of some as all partners continue to talk to our local communities, hear their concern. Issues around violent protest with regard to animal liberation concerns and enable people to work together. are real and recent arrests and convictions (2007) have revealed activity within Lancashire. The violence attributed to the National Front, It is very important to work together and by doing this effectively we Combat 18 and other far right organisations (2006) has an even greater can protect ourselves as individuals, as families and as communities. focus for us, especially as these organisations’ activities severely affect We can all help to identify and unlock new ways of working in the wellbeing of all communities and people’s ability to feel safe. partnership, develop and drive initiatives across diverse communities and provide sustained longevity essential to success. I am convinced Al-Qaeda inspired activity within the county is also real, as shown by that the work delivered by Curious Minds and their team of project arrests in Blackburn in 2003, 2004 and 2008. The intelligence picture managers and creative practitioners makes a real difference in people’s shows an extensive network of individuals connected to criminal lives. It helps to give young people both an understanding of these activity across the UK and overseas. Traditionally it has been the role complex issues and the confidence to make a difference, in order to of Lancashire Constabulary and other enforcement agencies to take enable us all to live and work in a safe society. the security measures needed to keep people safe. But a security response alone is not enough; as with so many other challenges, a multi-agency partnership approach is required for long term solutions. Superintendent Andrew Pratt, Lancashire Constabulary 3 THE CURIOUS MINDS APPROACH How can creative approaches to Six Lancashire secondary schools have It is vital that this agenda is not seen as learning develop young people’s skills been involved in developing Curious another bolt-on to the curriculum but as a and confidence to challenge extremist Minds projects with a range of creative long term approach designed to encourage ideologies? practitioners from a variety of artistic and teachers and pupils, along with community creative backgrounds, including film, sound partners and creative practitioners to work This was the question posed by Lancashire art, visual art and the performing arts. The together to keep asking and exploring Constabulary when we were asked to projects were designed to equip young the difficult questions and issues that are devise a series of innovative projects in six people with the knowledge and skills to relevant to all of us today. secondary schools across Lancashire earlier articulate, challenge and debate complex this year. and often controversial ideas around This publication, along with the extremism in a safe environment. They also accompanying DVD tells the story of a The programme, funded by Lancashire gave young people the opportunity to learn creative and challenging programme of Constabulary and delivered by Curious about different cultures and faiths and to work from the perspectives of the pupils, Minds, has been designed to support challenge stereotypes and prejudice, while teachers and creative practitioners involved. schools in the practical delivery of Learning providing good links with the wider national Alongside the feature documentary on the Together to be Safe, a toolkit produced curriculum and supporting the delivery of DVD, produced by filmmaker Graham Kay, by the Department for Children, Schools subjects as diverse as Citizenship, Media you will also find examples of the work and Families to help schools tackle issues Studies, English, Geography, Art and produced by some of the schools involved in around violent extremism. Religious Education. the projects. We hope you will find the stories behind these projects illuminating and inspiring. Kate Hobson Director of Programmes, Curious Minds 4 5 VIOLENT EXTREMISM IS LIKE... Pupil, Marsden Heights Community College 6 VIOLENT EXTREMISM IS LIKE... SETTING FIRE TO YOUR HEART… 7 1 PROJECT CHALLENGING STORIES, OPENING MINDS Mike Tull, Headteacher of Marsden Heights Community College in Pendle, offers an insight into his school’s strategy for working in partnership to challenge violent extremism. Marsden Heights Community College is an and disadvantages which exist at home or in Minimising the threat of violent extremism 11–16 college serving an area of considerable the wider community are left at the college within the school environment requires a socio-economic disadvantage and attended gates. This establishes an ‘inclusion dome’, high level of awareness of the possible by significant numbers of Asian heritage within which holistic learning and personal nature of the threat, the means through pupils. Our students face many challenges development can flourish, unhampered by the which vulnerable young people are targeted in their daily lives, ranging from economic prejudices and barriers of the outside world.