Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
(Narrator) The Bristol legacy commission was set up by Bristol City Council in the aftermath
of Abolition two hundred. It consists of nine community members and three political party
members. The commission was tasked with helping the city tackle the cultural, political and
economic legacy of its role in the trans-atlantic slave trade. It set out to change the way
the City understood its legacies. The commission wanted to take on the inequalities and social
fractures that undermine communities in Bristol. To do this it set out to tackle questions
of race and racism in a way that took account of the fact that Bristolians of different
ethnic and racial backgrounds share common histories of disadvantage and marginalisation
that continue today. A critical strand of the commission's work was the funding of community
based projects which address these concerns. Throughout the four year period the commission
funded over one hundred projects and has brought in much funding of over half a million pounds.
One of the projects was a charity organisation Unchosen which promotes awareness of human
and civil rights exploitation today. (Marta Benedick) Not many students know human
trafficking occurs in their local area and that's why we're trying to um let them know
about this. For example it can happen it Horfield or Branley Stokes where a lot of students
from our school actually are. (Maria Patsia) You should be aware of human
trafficking from an early age cos I think then we can combat it more rather than even
even us now you know sixteen seventeen whatever even somebody who's older they may not know
that much about human trafficking and the fact that it is happening all over the world
er and its erm a obviously a very um it's a very um awful thing to be happening.
(Marta Benedick) It doesn't matter about anyones background or ethnic groups it could happen
to anyone. (Maria Patsia) I don't think we would have
done any of this if there wasn't an organisation like Envision to um originally support us
and let us go in with you know the idea of helping er raise awareness of human trafficking.
But then Unchosen as well if they weren't if they weren't as supportive as they are
then we wouldn't have had many of the er different pieces of information that we do then we wouldn't
have had the DVD's and yeah I don't think we would of come about doing it the same way
or probably at all. (Narrator) For the Bristol together football
championship schools were paired. Aston Gain Primary school was teamed up with Eastern
CE. They trained together and took part in the tournament and learnt more about each
other than just how they play football.
(Ryan Clarke) Bristol together football championship was like the chance to meet new people and
see how they felt and thought about different things. Because I'm like new to the new to
meeting new ethnic groups I was like kind of shy like nervous but then once I got to
train I got like kind of friendly so like when I come to this school I knew there was
nothing to be scared of cos I've already met these people and like people from the same
ethnic groups so I weren't shy at all and I came in
(Saffron Drive) It made me more confident somehow so it was quite it was good for me
and like you could definitely see the confidence in other people coming out.
(Mark ***) Me and the ethnic groups was good like making new friends and experiencing
other peoples cultures like with the um the head headwear that some of the women wear
and like just experiencing it was really good. (Saffron Drive) Everyone reassured each other
and so that was the sense of security which just made them realise that everything was
like fine that your friends were your friends and so it just gave them a new confidence
to approach them and just play the game of football like it should be played.
[Crowd cheers] (Narrator) Another project funded was Architecture
for everyone. Which is a nationwide campaign in partnership with the Stephen Lawrence charitable
trust. [School bell can be heard]
(Narrator) The campaign designed to empower and support young people from black and minority
ethnic backgrounds to consider a career in architecture.
(Sunchi Chen) We all picked er GCSE art for this year this was last year when we were
in year nine we picked our options (Javonte Langlais) Got involved with in the
architecture for junction three by our art teacher Mr Thomas
(Sunchi Chen) We created our own designs for shelters and then designs for play areas and
parks and um sculptures that would be by the library
(Javonte Langlais) I'm proud that I was like a part of this opportunity to do junction
three because it makes it look like someones noticed our opinion and I love designing
(Shaieke Granston) The project was good because they had us um because it was in our community
so when we were um structuring it we thought about play areas and stuff that we might enjoy
doing so everybody in the community had something to do .
(Sunchi Chen) There was one architect there that he was an architect for like twenty years
I think it was and he explained to us how long it took him to get to where he is but
then told us that it's worth it and that's what inspired me to be an architect was him.
(Shaieke Granston) I think there should be more projects like this cos then there's more
people who can get involved in things that they are interested in and then its also helping
where we live so they'll have honest opinions. (Sunchi Chen) It makes me proud to know that
I was part of this like whenever I go past it now I'm thinking that I was part of that
and I can help a lot of other people so it's like knowing that I was part of something
that's bigger. (Narrator) Voluntary support projects friends
of Hannah More School run various activities for parents from art days to yoga classes
and much more. (Ruth Cochran) I set up two courses first
was an English course where people can build confidence and um really explore ways of getting
more involved in school. The second of the groups was about people looking for their
aspirations were um and what roles they might want to take on in their community.
(Ethnic minority lady in class 1) I ask if can you like tell me if um bank no I can tell
them (Ethnic minority lady in class 2) Before I
can't do my daughters teacher but now I can talk to her
(Ruth Cochran) Both of these groups have been really important for people um they've they've
gained support friendship and ways of getting involved in other things people have been
so posted to other activities and people have taken on roles in school which is great as
well. (Ethnic minority lady in class 3) From England
they say hello hello but now yeah we can just Ruth Cochran: The school wants to be part
of the community and it wants to engage with the community and I think whilst whilst of
course childrens attainment is important we mustn't lose sight of the fact that um working
with parents and partnership with parents is a key ingredient of that.
[The Beacon Centre 93.2fm BC FM, Bristol is our community, www.bcfm.org.uk (music playing)]
(DJ) BCFM 93.2 FM voices of black British soldiers we heard we heard
(Patrick Cyrus) It was about voices from infantry soldiers all black from the sixties right
up to this very day and serving in Afghanistan and from about their experiences within the
British army past present and future. (Narrator) The project was well received by
the black member of the public. Radio four broadcast a series on Remembrance Sunday and
the show contributed to BCFM winning the Sony aware for community radio. The participants
benefited personally from the experience. (Michael Jenkins) I never done anything like
that it was a it was a new experience for me doing the whole um going to we went to
London to um get all the interviews and um I was just starting up my media company so
it was it was all experience for me. It's sort of led me on to um think about other
projects where um we can sort of let black people or expose the voice of black people
and let let their stories be told more more often than in a way which is not um being
censored by the mainstream so that's sort of inspired me to do more to do more projects
like this. (Narrator) The commission has supported many
community initiatives that have had a similar impact on individuals. One of them is the
positive action training home which enabled Fatoum Hussain to be in the position to work
as a teacher. (Fatoum Hussain) When I first came to this
country you know um I was a qualified teacher in my country um I've been teaching there
for twelve years and when I came over here they organised my qualification so I had to
do again my degree and everything I needed to become a teacher. In this country they
only recognise one qualification from Canada, New Zealand, Australia and I think South Africa
but I'm not sure but that's the only qualification that are fully recognised which are not from
Europe and here. At that time I did not have the chance to pay for them and if Pat wasn't
there you know I wouldn't be able to pay it. There are children you know if schools that
are from you for example one community they need you know those children need to have
their own mother in their school so this is a good way you know you know to support their
self esteem and confidence of those children you know the minority to you know to learn.
It would help not only the children but also the teachers to understand those communities.
It was hard for me to accept me being an NSA when I had that feeling you know that I was
able to teach that's what pushed me you know gave me that you know power courage to do
my course. Fourteen years but you know I'm there now I'm there now which is good
[Video of Orchard School Bristol cheering can be heard a poem is faded in]
"No one caring not trying to stop em this is our poem here we go this is our poem now
lets flow another subject about the use of people judge without knowledge"
(Four school girls) Together we are young inspirers lyrics so hot we be causing fires
four girls from Bristol winning a trophy shining like a crystal poets slam came to our school
we got involved cos we thought it sounded cool. It was the first time got on stage and
performing in front of people . Each school had a three team so it was equal our poetry
had flare so we thought we would have a go. From joining together and forming a crew in
this way our confidence grew. We proved our teamwork and speaking more activities like
this we're seeking. We felt strongly because we are part of the youth. We just wanted to
spread some truth our aim was to quit stereotyping hoping that awareness will be rising so if
the poets slam was to come again we would give it a ten out of ten
(Narrator) The poetry slam and other examples shown are just a few of the many successful
projects funded by the commission. The results are supporting these initiatives have opened
up a dialogue in respect of race relations created an awareness of ethnic groups formed
a stronger environment for inclusion and set up a framework for future black and minority
ethnic leaders and made a difference to peoples lives.