Classroom-based interactive lessons on Diversity and Equality topics

We at Cydradd Cymru believe it is vital that discrimination in our society is completely eradicated. The best way to help our local communities embrace each other’s cultures and traditions is too “start early”, inform, by educating the schoolchildren.

Through interactive workshops, discussions are encouraged to foster community cohesion and to understand why people have migrated to Wales over many generations, usually to seeking gainful employment either formally in the coal and steel industries or in today’s manufacturing base.

Some people have stereotypical images of what people are like from certain countries.

If I were to ask people to describe a typical Frenchman they may well say, he has a beret, a bicycle, and a string of onions around his neck. Similarly, a Scotsman is permanently in his kilt paying the bagpipes!

However, some images are not so comical and may be very offensive. In our workshops we examine such topics and advise the children of the “real world”

We also examine appropriate terminologies to be used by people in 2008. What was acceptable in 1978 is totally inappropriate and unacceptable in 2008. We discuss with the children language used today to describe people of different cultures and religions and advise them of the correct language to use.

Many TV shows of not so long ago portrayed images of people in often demeaning situations and we look at how times have changed in our society.

We also provide workshops to children and staff on issues such as disability discrimination, sexual orientation, gender, and ageism.