Racism and religious discrimination examined by Youth Select Committee

The Youth Select Committee hears oral evidence from a range of witnesses on the topic of racism and religious discrimination on Friday 8 July in the Grimond Room, Portcullis House.

Inquiry

The Youth Select Committee, now in its fifth year, is exploring how to tackle racism and religious discrimination, particularly focussing on:

awareness and education
services
prevention

Further information on the topic is available in the inquiry's terms of reference.

Representatives from civil society, race and faith organisations, the police, and the education sector will give evidence on this topical issue. Martin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, will also discuss tackling race and religious discrimination with the Committee.

Witnesses

8 July 2016, The Grimond Room, Portculiis House

10.30am, Panel 1 - Education: organisations

Troy Townsend, Education and Development Manager, Kick It Out
Kim Johnson, President, National Association of Head Teachers
Jenny Barksfield, Deputy Chief Executive, PSHE Association

11.30am, Panel 2 - Young People's Panel

Hania Sulaiman, member of youth cabinet, Trafford Youth Cabinet, and Mark Bailey, Advocacy and Engagement Manager, Children's Rights Services, Trafford Council
Zena Al-Sadoun, MYP for Plymouth, and Jenny Way, youth worker, Plymouth City Council
Iqra Al-Sadoun, Campaign representative for Youthforia, and Elizabeth Harding, Chief Executive, Youth Focus North West

At 1.30pm, Panel 3 - Education: projects

Alex Raikes, Director, Stand Against Racism and Inequality
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol
Irene Hewitt, Secretary, Derry office, Ulster Project
Amanda Naylor, Senior Manager of the Children and Young People's Programme, You & Co

At 2.30pm, Panel 4 - Community: projects

James Kingett, Campaign Worker, Show Racism the Red Card
Jill Wilson, Communities Together, and Director of The Equality Practice Ltd
Piotr Teodorowski, Ethnic Minorities Health Link Worker, Grampian Regional Equality Council

Chair's comment

Bronagh Hughes, 17, Chair of the Youth Select Committee from Northern Ireland said:

"In the UK today, racism and religious discrimination are ever more prevalent and divisive issues in society that need to be addressed. The fact that this topic was chosen by the UK Youth Parliament in their debate last November, highlights that young people today feel that more must be done to tackle it. It's important that young people engage with politics and as a Committee we looking forward to hearing from a range of individuals and organisations on the work that they do to help tackle these issues."

Background

The Youth Select Committee is a British Youth Council initiative, supported by the House of Commons. The Committee has eleven committee members aged 14-19 and includes Members of the Youth Parliament (MYPs), youth councillors, a young mayor and one elected representative from each of the devolved nations.