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‘We are not thugs and hoods’ - New course empowers young people to use their voice rather than violence

Developed in collaboration with a group of teenage boys from the Shankill area of Belfast, Why Riot? Community, Choices and Aspirations supports young people to stop, think and use their voice, rather than violence, to work positively for change in their communities.   

Why Riot? is a new short course on The Open University’s free learning platform OpenLearn. It offers a framework for young people to think critically about the world around them, providing educators and youth/community workers with a resource kit to help learners seek alternatives to violence, supporting them to develop the skills needed to express themselves in a more positive way.  

The course draws on the experiences of a group of pupils from Boys Model School in Belfast in the aftermath of violent street disturbances in the spring of 2021 and was co-produced by The Open University’s Time to Think project and Action for Community Transformation Initiative (ACT) and was part-funded by the International Fund for Ireland. 

Designed for young people aged 14 upwards, the course evolved from a school engagement programme run by William Mitchell, project director at ACT Initiative with eight pupils from Boys’ Model School. 

“This course aims to build the skills and widen the horizons of young people to improve their resistance to negative influences in their lives,” Williams begins. “It supports young people, particularly from communities who have experienced conflict and are suffering the residual effects, to explore avenues other than violence, to have their voices heard. 

“In doing so, those who participate in this course, either as individual learners or in a group setting, will pursue opportunities to understand and contribute to community life, think differently about the choices in their lives, especially those on social media platforms, and raise their aspirations about the future.” 

For the eight boys who participated in the ACT workshops and went on to help develop the course, the impact has been extremely positive as Mary Montgomery, Principal at Boys Model School explains: “Rather than being out on the streets, the boys were engaged with the ACT Initiative programme learning non-violent alternatives to getting their voices heard. They have benefitted in terms of their self-esteem and aspirations, but they have also left a legacy. The Why Riot? course can be used in any area of conflict or divided society where there are difficulties for young people on the periphery of society where the tendency to be drawn into violence exists. 

Explaining the development process of the OpenLearn course, Gabi Kent, Senior Lecturer in Knowledge Exchange at The Open University says: “William and I wanted to use the ACT Initiative programme, and the experiences of the young men from the Shankill area, to create an innovative short course that would encourage critical thinking in young people, to broaden their horizons and open their possibilities. To provide a framework for young people to think critically about the world and act positively to change it. 

Gabi continues: “It’s been wonderful to watch the young boys on the course flourish and grow, to see them find their voice and develop the confidence to say what they think. Young people today are navigating a very difficult world, especially online. The tools and resources that this course gives them will help them to change conversations both on and off-line so they can act constructively for change in their communities.” 

Stephen McAllister, a former pupil from Boys Model School, was one of the boys that helped develop the course: “I joined the ACT Initiative programme to stop me from getting into bad habits and doing bad things in the Shankill, because there’s not much to do in the area as a young person. It’s developed my confidence and I’m now a mentor on the programme, helping other young people see that they have choices and encouraging them to make the rights ones.”    

Another participant Matty Tyrie, who is now studying A-levels at Boys Model School, said: I don’t want to be looked upon as a young hood or a thug, because I’m not. I took part in this programme to get the voices of the young people in my community heard. Taking part has inspired me to go to university and become a youth worker. It made me think about the benefit I can bring to young people and helped me see a future for myself.” 

Why Riot? Community, Choices, Aspirations’ has been designed as a flexible educational resource that can be taught in a range of individual and small group settings across diverse audiences and communities. The course is approximately 12 hours long and is divided into three sessionsCommunity, Choices and Aspirations 

Content includes considering what community means to them and their identity; exploring different perspectives; critically evaluating influences and information sources; decision making; finding their own voice and becoming positive changemakers. Topical subject matters covered include: fake news, filter bubbles, and echochambers; how to question and fact check online information; and how young role models such as Marcus Rashford have used their voice to influence change. 

The Why Riot? course is available on OpenLearn https://www.open.edu/openlearn/why-riot  

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