Glasgow Study Visit

GLASGOW STUDY TRIP PROVIDES TEACHERS WITH VALUALBE ‘SENSE OVER SECTARIANISM’ CLASSROOM RESOURCES

Twenty one teachers and Peace III Project Workers from Co. Monaghan travelled to Glasgow on June 1st 2010 to view at first hand the resources developed from, and the impact generated by, Sense over Sectarianism (SOS) Projects in Schools.

On arrival the participants were brought to Glasgow City Council Chambers where they were greeted by Alison Logan, Social Inclusion Officer with Glasgow City Council Education Service Alison gave an historical overview of Glasgow, the divisive relationships that emerged overtime, the background to the SOS Projects, an overview of the Projects and their impact in schools. Presentations by Celine McKay, Headteacher of Garscadden Primary and Geraldine Parkinson, Headteacher of St. Thomas’s Primary, followed. They spoke in particular about combating the culture of sectarianism in Glasgow by using resources including the ‘Divided City’ project, School Twinning, Count Us In, Don’t Give it – Don’t take it, Determined to Succeed, Rangers and Celtic Study Centres and the Dance Leadership Programme.

The next day the Co. Monaghan VEC Peace III participants travelled to two schools, St. Anne’s Primary and St. Thomas’s Primary. During the visit to St. Anne’s the participants heard how a catholic school is implementing various programmes to help manage religious diversity and the associated conflicts. The group spoke to class teachers, the Campus Police Officer and representatives from F.A.R.E., a community organisation seeking to improve life in neighbourhoods by offering activities that improve people’s aspirations, enhance people’s standards of living and tackle territorialism and related violence. Discussions on gang wars and territorialism dominated the conversations and it was interesting to hear from a former gang member on the impact gang wars had on his physical and mental wellbeing. The visit concluded with the opportunity to view both a DVD that was made by the school children to address sectarianism and young people participating in drama workshop using SOS resources.
During the visit to St. Thomas’s Primary the Monaghan group witnessed teachers and young people using the SOS Drama Resources. The young people, directed by the teacher, participated in a range of activities including role play and freeze frames. This visit helped the Monaghan contingent to see at first hand how the resources worked in practice. Copies of the lesson plans were made available.

Lunch was provided at Rangers Study Support Centre which is located within the Ibrox Stadium. Dominic Sharkey, the Centre Manager, outlined the work of the Study Centre and the ability to use football to cut through many social barriers and reach excluded people. The Centre is staffed by qualified teachers and support staff who work closely with Rangers employees. Students enrol in a ten-week course in the Centre which is designed to enhance and complement the young people’s school work while also presenting them with new and exciting ways of learning.

A tour of the stadium followed and this included a visit to the Manager’s Office, the trophy room, the dressing room and of course the pitch.
On returning to the study centre, the group was addressed by Theresa Breslin, author of the book ‘Divided City’. Theresa outlined the background to the book, the motivation for writing it, the research she conducted with young people during the writing process and her research visits to football grounds. The teachers were enthralled at the depth of research undertaken by Theresa and consequently were not surprised that the book is now used is schools as a catalyst for addressing issues around religious and ethnic diversity.
The group was then taken on a Tour of Glasgow to see the city through the eyes of Theresa and the characters in her book Joe, Graham and Kyoul. Each participant had read the book prior to departure and thus could relate to the facts and locations referred to by Theresa. It was fascinating to bring the events of the book to life by visiting the streets, estates, monuments and shops mentioned in the book.

Next stop was Celtic Football Study Centre where the manager outlined the various programmes on offer to young people. The courses include web design, literacy, mixed sports and anti sectarianism workshops. A tour of the stadium followed and included a visit to the changing rooms, the boardroom, trophy displays and the commemorative sculpture of Marist Brother Walfrid, who founded Glasgow Celtic in 1987 with the aim of alleviating poverty in Glasgow’s East End parishes.

On Thursday June 3rd the Monaghan teachers were divided into groups and went to visit various schools in the area to talk directly to the pupils and to view the outcomes of the SOS projects. The schools visited included Scotstoun Primary, Yoker Primary, St. Ninian’s Primary, Garscadden Primary, St. Brendan’s Primary, Crookston Castle Primary and St. Marnock’s Primary. Everyone was impressed with the standard of the work created by the projects and the ability to address sectarianism through the medium of maths, drama, music, art, language, geography, history, ICT and social tours. This whole school approach means that everyone accepts responsibility for, and is willing to address, values attitudes and behaviour that lead to the existence or development of negative relationships.

The teachers concluded their tour of Glasgow with a return visit to Glasgow City Council Chambers and conducted a review of the study tour.
The study trip was organised by Maeve McCabe Youth Officer with Co. Monaghan VEC and facilitated by Alison Logan, Glasgow City Council Education Services. The participants were supported by Co. Monaghan VEC Peace III Project with funds received from the European Union’s Regional Development Fund through Monaghan Peace III Partnership.
Schools and education settings that sent representatives to Glasgow were Inver College Carrickmacross, St.Tiernach’s Primary School Clones, Bunscoil Lughaidh Naofa, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney College, Ballybay Community College, Largy College Clones, Scoil na gCailini Muineachan, Model School Monaghan, St. Mary’s Boys School Monaghan, St. Joseph’s Boys National School Carrickmacross, Castleblayney Youthreach, Monaghan Youthreach, Cambridge House Grammer School Belfast, Co. Monaghan VEC and Monaghan Education Centre. All the participants previously participated in Peace III initiatives. These initiatives include the VEC Reading and Reflection Project, the VEC Diversity Awareness in the Classroom Project and Monaghan Education Centre’s Embedding Tolerance in Schools.

A    

B 

C    

D

E

A The VEC Peace IIII Project participants making a presentation to Alison Logan, Glasgow City Council Education Service

B Observing Sense over Sectarianism Resources in use in a Glasgow Primary Schools

C Participating in a stadium tour of Glasgow Celtic Football Club

D In the Trophy Room of Glasgow Rangers Football Club

E In Glasgow Rangers Study Centre receiving an address by Theresa Breslin author of Divided City.