COALITION REPRESENTING YOUNG VOICES CALLS ON THE PRIME MINISTER TO TAKE RACISM SERIOUSLY

Today, a powerful coalition of organisations representing young voices, formed by The Diana Award, is calling for urgent change in how we support young people impacted by racism.

Organisations include The Diana Award, Everyday Racism, Centre for Mental Health, Not So Micro, The Black Curriculum, UK Youth and the African Caribbean Education Network.  

Racism is holding young people back. There is longstanding evidence of the harmful outcomes caused by bias and a lack of racially inclusive practice.  The coalition, representing young voices, is calling on the Government for urgent action with four key changes:

1. For the review of the national curriculum to take an explicit anti-racism focus and to include Black history as a compulsory subject.

2. For the upcoming Race Equality Act to require schools to have an action plan for addressing race inequality alongside their enhanced collection and reporting of ethnicity and race data.

3. For racism to be recognised by the Department of Education as an explicit safeguarding issue and included in mandatory school staff training.

4. For anti-racism guidance to be published for schools and colleges, including how to respond to peer-to-peer racism, mental health effects of racism and racial trauma.

In a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, young people have shared their lived experiences to show how important anti-racist practice is to them:

‘‘There is a severe lack of education on important topics that shouldn’t just be a ‘‘pop up event’’ e.g. Black history month. It should be embedded in the curriculum so that there is no excuse for discriminative discussions. People should be well-versed in certain topics around gender, race, sexuality etc. There needs to be understanding before there can be acceptance and this is the only way we can make society into a better and safer place for everyone.’’ - Year 10 student, 14

"Racism in schools can really negatively impact kids' mental health and how they see themselves. I’ve seen how feeling excluded or targeted can make young people anxious or lower their confidence. It’s so important that we tackle this, so every student feels safe, supported, and able to be their true selves." -Kaslinne, 22

‘‘I would like to learn about Black history in all forms. The good and the bad. The negative and positive. I would like to see Black history the same way that we white history. We should see it as it is.’’ - 6th form student, 17

Members of the public are being encouraged to sign an Open Letter – diana-award.org.uk/takeracismseriously

ENDS_

Further info:

Emma Pelling: 07958 558172, emma@pellingpr.co.uk

About – The Diana Award
‍
The Diana Award benefits from the support of HRH The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and was founded as a lasting legacy to their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales’ belief that young people have the power to change the world.

The charity fosters, develops and inspires positive change in the lives of young people through four key programmes which include; a mentoring programme for young people at risk, a youth-led anti-bullying ambassadors campaign, a collaborative Changemakers programme that aims to reimagine mental health support for young people with black and black mixed race heritage and a prestigious award which publicly recognises young changemakers – The Diana Award.

About – African Caribbean Education Network

‍ACEN, a network of over 8,000 Black parents, students, educators, and professionals, was born out of a collective call for anti-racism practice following open letters detailing experiences of racism in educational institutions in summer 2020. Responding to this need, ACEN developed an evidence-based anti-racism framework addressing the recurring experiences, challenges, and concerns expressed by the network.

With a team of educators and senior leaders as partners, ACEN brings research-informed strategies, the collective network voice, and extensive experience to our programs. Our highly regarded work has engaged over 20,000 students, teachers, and workplace staff through events, training, and consultancy on racial equity, literacy, microaggressions, and the case for inclusion. We also support organisations on race equity initiatives where students of African Caribbean heritage are underrepresented.

About - Everyday Racism‍

Naomi and Natalie Evans are a dynamic duo who are making a powerful impact on the fight against racism. They are speakers, authors, educators, and award-winning influencers for their Instagram platform Everyday Racism, which serves as the largest anti-racism platform in the UK.

EDR is an inclusive, impact-driven organisation that seeks to educate and facilitate how to be actively anti-racist. EDR runs a series of workshops, training courses, a book club and provides a range of resources. EDRs mission is to provide accessible education and training for all, providing a safe space to learn and the confidence to impact change.

About - Centre for Mental Health‍

Centre for Mental Health is an independent charity. We take the lead in challenging injustices in policies, systems and society, so that everyone can have better mental health. By building research evidence to create fairer mental health policy, we are pursuing equality, social justice and good mental health for all.  

“Racism in schools profoundly affects the mental health of both pupils and staff, undermining educational outcomes. We urge the Government and schools to adopt a comprehensive approach to addressing racism and ensuring effective support for those impacted.” – Andy Bell, Chief Executive, Centre for Mental Health

About - Not So Micro

Microaggressions, often dismissed as minor slights, can have a profound and long-lasting impact on young people's mental health, starting as early as their school years. Not So Micro CIC, founded in 2022, is dedicated to making racial microaggressions a mandatory component of teacher training. Our organisation believes that for teachers to truly safeguard the mental well-being of students, they must be equipped to recognise and address these subtle forms of discrimination, which are proven to contribute to chronic stress, feelings of isolation, and reduced self-worth. By tackling these issues directly, we aim to foster inclusive school environments where mental health is prioritised, helping young people build resilience and thrive.

About - The Black Curriculum

The Black Curriculum founded by Lavinya Stennett is a UK-based social enterprise dedicated to addressing the lack of Black British history in the national curriculum. Founded in 2019, we aim to empower students and educators by delivering inclusive educational content, training, and resources that reflect the rich and diverse histories of Black people in Britain. Through advocacy, research, and partnerships, we work to ensure that every young person has access to a curriculum that promotes a balanced understanding of British history, fosters inclusivity, and combats racial inequality.

About - UK Youth

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever.

“One in five young people in England have experienced mental health issues, with young Black people disproportionately affected, leading to higher criminalisation rates and a lack of suitable mental health support. That is why we must act now." - Jacob Diggle, UK Youth Chief Impact Officer