NO RADIO SILENCE - An educational resource produced
by Unity Sisters and Govanhill Baths Community Trust
as part of the 'Our Rights, Our Communities' project, October 2021 - November 2022.
With support of Clare Harker, Head Teacher at
St Albert's Primary School, Glasgow.
Based on the film 'No Radio Silence', 10 mins, 2021.
by Unity Sisters and Govanhill Baths Community Trust
as part of the 'Our Rights, Our Communities' project, October 2021 - November 2022.
With support of Clare Harker, Head Teacher at
St Albert's Primary School, Glasgow.
Based on the film 'No Radio Silence', 10 mins, 2021.
The project is part-funded through the European Union Asylum Migration Integration Fund. Making management of migration flows more efficient across the European Union.
NO RADIO SILENCE - Educational Resource
Human Rights for New Scots
Migrant, Refugee and Asylum Seeking Women
Human Rights for New Scots
Migrant, Refugee and Asylum Seeking Women
Contents
1. Introduction
2. The film: summary, message, and why is it important
3. Facts about refugees and asylum seekers in the UK
4. Who are the Unity Sisters? What is their message?
5. Suggested activities
Activity 1 - Film Literacy Comprehension
Activity 2 - Leaving
Activity 3 - Travelling
Activity 4 - Arrival
Activity 5 - Survival
Activity 6 - Settling
Activity 7 - Rethinking Our Questions
6. Further information
7. Feedback
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1 - IntroductionLoading...
Dear Teacher,Loading...
Welcome to the Teachers’ Pack for this project created by the Unity Sisters!
We are delighted to share this resource with you and your class.
The activities proposed form part of ‘Our Rights, Our Communities’ , a project that is looking into ways of developing peer-led advocacy amongst New Scots women, as well as engaging the wider community towards creating solidarity and allyship to Human Rights causes.
The Unity Sisters, with support from Govanhill Baths Community Trust and under the mentorship of filmmaker Bircan Birol, created and directed the short film No More Radio Silence. This is part of the Sisters’ process of reclaiming the narrative over what being a New Scot really means, with the intention of creating understanding, connection and integration.
In this educational resource we invite you to show a short film to your pupils as a way of initiating a group conversation around various topics, including the amazing community response against a dawn raid that happened in Kenmure Street on the 13th of May 2021.
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As you can imagine, there are lots of topics within this resource that can be matched with the Curriculum for Excellence, and we have proposed a number of associated experiences and outcomes to support your planning. There are hyperlinks throughout the text for further information provided by reliable sources, including the Scottish Government and prominent charities that work with New Scots issues.
Please bear in mind that there may be New Scots pupils in your class, or children of New Scots. Some elements of these conversations may be emotionally triggering for them, so it would be advisable to create a safe container for these activities, where ground rules based on respect, active listening and kindness are agreed in advance.
If you have any questions about the content and activities of this resource, you can contact the Unity Sisters by emailing unitysisters15@gmail.com, or the Govanhill Baths’ Community Engagement and Capacity Building Officer, by emailing community@govanhillbaths.com.
We hope this resource is helpful to you. We would be very grateful if you could fill a short online feedback questionnaire about this resource pack, which you will find at the end of this e-book. Thank you!
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2 - No Radio Silence
The film
The film
You can access the film through this link.
No Radio Silence follows an asylum seeker woman as she receives an eviction notice. In distress, the woman starts listening to the radio to take her mind off the situation. As she walks in the city centre, by the hotels where asylum seekers are kept, the radio broadcast gets interference - and she starts listening to the voices of women that are in a similar situation to hers. She then goes to Kenmure Street, where the community came together to stop a dawn raid.
Message of the film:
The film discusses the integration of refugees and asylum seekers, particularly women, in Glasgow. It talks about the challenges they face in their everyday lives, even though most people think that they are happy to be here.
The voices in the film call for change and propose solutions, from individuals, communities, policy makers and ultimately the whole current system that does not allow full integration of refugees and asylum seekers in our society.
Message of the film:
The film discusses the integration of refugees and asylum seekers, particularly women, in Glasgow. It talks about the challenges they face in their everyday lives, even though most people think that they are happy to be here.
The voices in the film call for change and propose solutions, from individuals, communities, policy makers and ultimately the whole current system that does not allow full integration of refugees and asylum seekers in our society.
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Why is this important?
First and foremost, refugees and asylum seekers are human. They have the right to be treated with dignity and be allowed to manifest their full potential.
Glasgow is one of the largest refugee dispersal centres in the UK. The voices of the women going through this process are largely unheard.
Those on the asylum system live in fear of the ‘dawn raids’ – where enforcement officers force their way into a house while the occupants are still sleeping to find and detain asylum seekers who had unsuccessful claims and exhausted their appeals.
Glasgow is one of the largest refugee dispersal centres in the UK. The voices of the women going through this process are largely unheard.
Those on the asylum system live in fear of the ‘dawn raids’ – where enforcement officers force their way into a house while the occupants are still sleeping to find and detain asylum seekers who had unsuccessful claims and exhausted their appeals.
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On the morning of the 13th of May 2021, in the middle of Eid al-Fitr, two of our neighbours living on Kenmure Street in Pollokshields, Glasgow, were taken from their home and detained by the Home Office in a van on the street.
In response, the community organised a spontaneous sit-in protest, surrounded the van and occupied the street for eight hours, until the men were released.
This was a historic event - the people of Glasgow responded in true solidarity and the plight of refugees and asylum seekers finally made the news.
In response, the community organised a spontaneous sit-in protest, surrounded the van and occupied the street for eight hours, until the men were released.
This was a historic event - the people of Glasgow responded in true solidarity and the plight of refugees and asylum seekers finally made the news.
There are still many more stories and voices in Glasgow's streets waiting to be heard. This film and the activities we are proposing will help in the discussion of these important Human Rights issues and the integration of New Scots in our community.
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4 - Facts about refugees
What is a refugee?
The UN Refugee Convention defines a refugee as someone who: ‘owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country’ (Article 1, 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees).
What is an asylum seeker?
An asylum-seeker is someone whose request for sanctuary has yet to be processed. Until they receive a decision as to whether or not they are a refugee, they are known as an asylum seeker. In the UK, this means they do not have the same rights as a refugee or a British citizen would. For example, people seeking asylum aren’t allowed to work.
The UN Refugee Convention defines a refugee as someone who: ‘owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country’ (Article 1, 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees).
What is an asylum seeker?
An asylum-seeker is someone whose request for sanctuary has yet to be processed. Until they receive a decision as to whether or not they are a refugee, they are known as an asylum seeker. In the UK, this means they do not have the same rights as a refugee or a British citizen would. For example, people seeking asylum aren’t allowed to work.
Refugees and asylum seekers are not beggars. They are often highly educated people that are seeking a safe refuge.
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Are there many refugees and asylum seekers in the UK?
No. Four out of five refugees stay in their region of displacement.
In 2020, there were around 6 asylum applications for every 10,000 people living in the UK. As of June 2021, the total ‘work in progress’ asylum caseload consisted of 125,000 cases. Of these, 57,000 cases were awaiting an initial decision at the end of 2020, 5,900 were awaiting the outcome of an appeal, and approximately 39,500 cases were subject to removal action.
No. Four out of five refugees stay in their region of displacement.
In 2020, there were around 6 asylum applications for every 10,000 people living in the UK. As of June 2021, the total ‘work in progress’ asylum caseload consisted of 125,000 cases. Of these, 57,000 cases were awaiting an initial decision at the end of 2020, 5,900 were awaiting the outcome of an appeal, and approximately 39,500 cases were subject to removal action.
That’s less than one quarter of a percent (0.25%) of the UK’s total population.
Is the number of people seeking asylum in the UK increasing?
Asylum applications to the UK are relatively low: the annual number of asylum applications to the UK peaked in 2002 at 84,132. After that, the number fell sharply to reach a twenty-year low point of 17,916 in 2010.
It rose steadily again throughout the 2010s. In 2021 there were 48,540 applications, which was the highest annual number since 2003.
Asylum applications to the UK are relatively low: the annual number of asylum applications to the UK peaked in 2002 at 84,132. After that, the number fell sharply to reach a twenty-year low point of 17,916 in 2010.
It rose steadily again throughout the 2010s. In 2021 there were 48,540 applications, which was the highest annual number since 2003.
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