Engaging young people in the fight against Hate Crime

19 July 2018 was a historic day for Milton Keynes, when five primary schools came together for the first-ever Milton Keynes Schools 'Fight Hate' Poster Competition Awards Event. Hosted and sponsored by The Open University, they welcomed 40 primary school children, 20 of whom were shortlisted finalists for a prize-giving event. The Children, although very excited, were extremely well behaved and credit both to their respective families and schools. The Open University was also delighted to welcome fellow sponsor of the Awards: Arriva Buses represented by General Manager Kieran Lawson. 

The poster competition forms part of a campaign by Citizens:MK's Fight Against Hate Crime, initiated by a team of Citizens:MK members including The Open University, the Church of Christ the Cornerstone, the Milton Keynes Muslim Association and St Friedswide’s Church.

Members came together with a resolve to take action to address the widely reported increase in hate crime in the UK and especially in Milton Keynes in the wake of the Brexit vote. The group's chief aims are to:

• raise awareness
• influence those who can do something about tackling Hate Crime
• inspire the leaders of tomorrow and help bring closure to those who have been subjected to Hate Crime and hate incidents locally.

Traditionally, Libraries are quiet, sombre places; not so at The Open University Library on the Poster Prize Giving Awards event. The building was filled with the beautiful singing of the Summerfield School Choir whose leader, Nikki Elgar, had composed a song ‘Love Is Stronger Than Hate’ especially for the occasion (and which also featured on BBC Three Counties Radio after the launch).

Dr Fidèle Mutwarasibo, Visiting Fellow in the Sector for Voluntary Sector Leadership, planned and oversaw the event. He told us:

Every pupil from every school shone on the day and they were proud to be ambassadors for their schools. The most wonderful thing was that every one of them cheered for all three prize winners. We have so much to learn from our future leaders.

The Fight against Hate Campaign is one of a number of campaigns spearheaded by members of Citizens:MK this year. It set 4 major campaign goals:

1. To engage Arriva Buses to help raise awareness by displaying posters on its buses serving Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas
2. To engage young people who are our future leaders through a poster competition
3. To work with key influencers who can help make a difference, e.g. MK Council, Thames Valley Police, Community Leaders, to set up some peer support for those who have been subjected to hate crime and hate incidents
4. To partner Thames Valley Police and Milton Keynes Council in organising a conference on best practice in restorative justice

All of this could not have happened without the pledges given by the Leader or MK Council, The Acting Commander of Police at Thames Valley Police, The regional General Manager of Arriva Buses, and councillors representing the three main political parties in MK and, of course, The Open University.

Fidèle reminds us, "The achievements of the fight against hate campaign highlight the importance of partnership building and engaging with institutions that have the ability and powers to effect change. The involvement of young people in promoting equality and combating discrimination has given impetus to the campaign. At the Prize Giving Ceremony, the Summerfield School Choir also sang ‘We Built This City Called Milton Keynes’".

The campaign team has expanded and now includes representatives of 7 organisations and a number of interested individuals. The leaders of the campaign have expertise covering the range of grounds covered by the hate legislation i.e. race, religion, disability, sexual identity and sexual orientation, the team has also gained the trust of those who have been subjected to hate crimes.