DEx Podcast Donya Lamrhari

Episode 13 focuses on young people's experience of mainstream education and the power of belief and coaching in transforming lives. Doreen CEO of Elevated Minds provides young people with alternative strategies to improve wellbeing focusing on emotional development and leadership skills. In this episode, I speak to Doreen and 5 young people Sahara, Emmanuel, Alessandro, Reuben and Alfa about the Identity project, their experiences of stereotyping and racism in school and how they've been training the police around stop & search. 

Elevated Minds has courses for young people including the Identity Project, Leadership skills, as well as training for teachers and parents. For more information about Elevated Minds support services please find further details on the website  (https://www.elevatedmindscoaching.com/). 

Episode 12 focuses on young people's experiences of the criminal justice system and the power of lived experience, featuring Taylor Price a project lead at Youth Ink. Taylor is 21 years old and has experienced violence and spent time in prison but now uses his experiences to empower other young people in the criminal justice system. 

Youth-Ink is a London-based lived experience led charity led by people with experience of the criminal justice system. Youth Ink uses the power of peer networks to rehabilitate and to create safer communities for the future. They deliver frontline services by which young people seek support and have a voice in the justice system. 

For more information about Youth Ink support services please find further details on the website (https://www.youth-ink.org.uk/).

Support services:


Redthread supports young people who are victims of violence (https://www.redthread.org.uk/what-we-do/). Their youth workers support young people aged 11-24 years in A&E who have experienced violence.
Catch 22 aim to prevent first-time entrance into the criminal justice system (https://www.catch-22.org.uk/offers/youth-justice/#services), intervene when young people have committed an offence and support young people already subject to youth justice.
Disrupting Exploitation programme at The Childrens Society (https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/child-criminal-exploitation-and-county-lines) supports young people who are at risk of or currently being criminally exploited. We have services in London, Manchester and Birmingham. 

Episode 11 focuses on the experiences of young women that are exploited; featuring Amanda Croskell senior practitioner at Abianda and Sienna who has experienced exploitation and wants to champion the voices of young women. 

Abianda is a London-based social enterprise that works with young women affected by gangs and county lines. They deliver frontline services to gang-affected young women up to the ages of 25 years. 

*Trigger warning: this episode contains references to sexual violence that some listeners may find distressing. Please see below for dedicated support services.*

For more information about Abianda support services please find further details on the website (https://www.abianda.com/services)

Articles/podcasts referenced in this episode:


'Lost on the Line' the county lines gangs recruiting girls (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0009b47) 
Girls in gangs literature review: Author – Nickola Holmes, NHS Coventry and Rugby and NHS Warwickshire North Clinical Commissioning Groups
'Falling through the gaps' young women transitioning to the adult justice system 
BBC 'Hidden Girls' documentary (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0010dbw) 

Support services:


The Survivors Trust is a hub of organisations who provide support to anyone who has experienced sexual harassment (https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/)
Childline information/support for young people who are experiencing school exclusion (https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/school-college-and-work/school-college/excluded-from-school/)

Episode 10 continues to explore school exclusions from the perspective of young people with lived experience. This episode features Johnathan, Angel and Chantelle, 3 young campaigners from the Just For Kids Law steering group. The JfKL steering group consists of young people with lived experience of school exclusions that are aged 14- 24 years across London. They receive support and training to run their own campaign for a more inclusive education system for all. This steering group is co-ordinated by Michaela Rafferty the young people's development worker at JfKL, who also features on this episode.

*Trigger warning: this episode contains references to sexual violence that some listeners may find distressing. Please see below for dedicated support services.*

This episode covers:


The purpose of the JfKL steering group
Why it's important to address school exclusions
How fair the school exclusion process is
How schools can improve
The link between schools exclusions and child exploitation

To sign up to the JfKL steering group please find further details on the website (https://justforkidslaw.org/school-exclusions-hub/young-people-and-families/join-our-school-exclusions-campaign-steering-group) where you can call, whatsapp or email Michaela Rafferty.

Articles/series referenced in the episode:


JfKL report 'Excluded, exploited, forgotten: Childhood criminal exploitation and school exclusions' (https://www.justforkidslaw.org/sites/default/files/fields/download/JfKL%20school%20exclusion%20and%20CCE_2.pdf) 
Glasgow the Nurture Programme (https://truevisiontv.com/films/details/58/the-nurture-room) 
'The ripple effect of poverty on children in London' Angel Beddelem (https://cpag.org.uk/news-blogs/news-listings/ripple-effect-poverty-children-london) 

Support services:


JfKL legal support for young people (https://www.justforkidslaw.org/contact-us)
NSPCC support for young people who have experienced sexual harassment in education (https://www.nspcc.org.uk/about-us/news-opinion/2021/sexual-abuse-victims-schools-helpline/)
The Survivors Trust is a hub of organisations who provide support to anyone who has experienced sexual harassment (https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/)
Childline information/support for young people who are experiencing school exclusion (https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/school-college-and-work/school-college/excluded-from-school/)

Episode 9 continues to explore school exclusions, looking at disproportionately and racism in the education system. This episode features Kitan Ososami a youth advocacy worker from BLAM (Black, Learning, Achievement & Mental Health), which aims to support the social inclusion of the Black British community by championing Black British culture and ensuring that education is more diverse. 

BLAM has a range of support services:


Grounded Project: KS2/3 school-based project teaching Black history. 
Rooted Project: Summer school teaching Black history to KS2/3.
Zuri therapy: racial wellness therapy workshops and a range of free virtual group sessions for Black British people.
School Exclusions appeal service: education advocacy service for young Black British students facing school exclusion.

This episode covers:


BLAM's services and position on school exclusions
Windrush generation 
Racist stereotyping
Discrimination in punishment
UK curriculum too Eurocentric
Education a microcosm for wider systemic racism 
Lack of diverse staff
Transformative Justice Approach

BLAM's website with more details about services: https://blamuk.org/

Articles/TV series/podcasts referenced in the episode:


Small Axe series Steve McQueen: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/p08vxt33/small-axe
The Windrush generation: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43782241
Runnymede report 'Race and Racism in English Secondary schools' https://www.runnymedetrust.org/uploads/publications/pdfs/Runnymede%20Secondary%20Schools%20report%20FINAL.pdf
Glasgow the Nurture Programme https://truevisiontv.com/films/details/58/the-nurture-room

Organisations referenced in this episode:


The Prosperity Consultancy project: https://www.tprosperityproject.com/who-we-are
Frontline https://thefrontline.org.uk/why-we-are-here/
Just For Kids Law https://www.justforkidslaw.org/what-we-do/fighting-change/campaigning/school-exclusions
Insitute of Race Relations https://irr.org.uk/resources/

This is part 2 of episode 4 exploring ways to prevent school exclusions. This episode features Ed Kirwan founder of Empathy Week a global annual education program that uses the power of film to inspire, engage and empower young people into empathetic action.

During Empathy Week, students watch 5 real-life cinematic stories; with empathy at the core, they will participate in active-discussions around social issues and then take on their own Empathy in Action project. This year’s theme is ‘Resilience and Diversity’. 

**Empathy Week resources are free to all state schools.**

This episode covers: (1) Empathic vs. punitive approaches in schools, (2) empathy as a skill that needs practice, (3) real-life stories from Empathy Week films, (4) Empathy In Action project and (5) Global Empathy Awards.

If you are an educator and would like to access these resources:


Go on the website https://www.empathy-week.com/
Register and download free school brochure and all educational material

Support for young people at risk of exclusion:


Cape Mentors (https://www.capementors.com/) provides tuition and mentoring services to children at risk of exclusion and those permanently excluded without school placement.
Elevated Minds (https://www.elevatedmindscoaching.com/) give young people alternative strategies to improve Mental Health & Wellbeing, focusing on social and emotional development, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial skills.