Engaging Young People on FGM in the UK Peggy Mulungo – NESTAC Dina Baky- FORWARD

About the New Step for African Community (NESTAC) NESTAC is a Refugee Community Organisation that aims to support refugees, asylum seekers and other new migrant communities, especially from African origin, across Greater Manchester. Our focus and vision: Educate through Cross-cultural awareness trainings Support, Advocate and Empower clients to fulfil their potential Research, Inform and Share learning on Cultural issues Health and wellbeing, using trans-cultural therapeutic approaches NESTAC started running its FGM programme initiatives in Greater Manchester since 2008.

About FORWARD FORWARD is an African Diaspora led charity working to safeguard and advance the health and rights of African girls and women. We focus on FGM, child marriage and related health concerns. Our vision is that women and girls live in dignity, are healthy and have choices and equal opportunities

FORWARD’s work Different Programme Areas: Africa EU and UK – policy work Frontline Professionals Training Community Engagement Young People Speak Out!

What is FGM? The terms “female genital mutilation","female genital cutting“; female circumcision” and "female genital mutilation/cutting"refer to: all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons Adapted from World Health Organization 2008

Why is it important to engage young people on FGM? What might be potential challenges to engaging young people on FGM? General discussion for 2-3min

Core Principles Always YOUTH led Creative Empowering Collaborative Engaging in discussion FGM in Context Break up into group and give each group one core principle and ask them to brain storm how you would practically ensure this principle was being adhered to. Then go back and go through and discuss this. 7

Young People Speak Out AIMS: Engage young people from FGM practicing communities in the UK, Build their knowledge, skills and confidence to advocate against FGM, Provide a platform for their voices to be heard. www.forwarduk.org.uk

Young People Speak Out Youth Led Advocacy: Schools Programme Participatory Research Training and Youth Advocates Public Awareness Events Creative Campaigning Projects Youth Friendly Resource Production Schools Programme Support and Outreach work to provide and advice for those affected by FGM.

Youth Led Advocacy www.forwarduk.org.uk

Participatory Research Participatory Research with young people National Youth Survey on FGM Focus Group Discussions: Manchester, Sheffield, London and Birmingham European PEER Research Forced Marriage and FGM Portugal, Netherlands and UK Importance and linking it to the key principles. Why this approach – the necessity of it Ownership; authority; tailoring services 11

Training Training: provides young people skills e.g. leadership skills, GBV and FGM. Youth Groups Specific Projects Work with Universities Empowered Youth Advocates: Peer education through workshops and events. Skill building; empowering and engaging; placing it in context; youth led; access 12

EMPOWERED ‘One thing I liked was the ‘bringing together’ of other females and the importance of being a female’

Creative Campaigning Creative Campaigning Projects Think Again These are our Friends – National CREATIVE Insert lo 14

These Are Our Friends Video /www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMbKqS5KtI

Public Awareness Events Public Awareness campaigns and events: National – X takes the Stand Woman Whose Canvas – London Karibu – Manchester FGM Youth Conference – Birmingham FGM is Everybody's Business – Bristol

Youth Advocacy Café ‘This event proved that advocacy can happen at any age and begin from anywhere in the world. It is something we can all do.’

Woman; whose Canvas?

Youth Friendly Resource Production Information Resources for young people: FGM FAQs, ISS Guide 16 Ways to help end FGM Campaigning Resources developed by young people These are our Friends - National FGM Factfile: Interactive Teaching Resource FGM Song – Manchester FGM Play – Middlesbrough

Practical Considerations Creating a safe space Language Sensitivities and Appropriateness Demographics: age, gender, community Incentives Accessibility Supporting young people to negotiate age/power structures Support structures in place for young women Safeguarding and referral pathways Support for young people 23

Engaging Schools on FGM

What needs to be put in place to enable schools engagement on FGM? Why is it necessary to work with schools? What are we hoping to achieve? What needs to be put in place to enable schools engagement on FGM? What might be some of the concerns/challenges with engaging schools on FGM?

FORWARD’s Schools Programme - Aims Equip teachers with the knowledge to better respond to FGM in their schools Support schools to create an ‘open environment’, one that is safe and one in which girls and young people know they can receive support around FGM Raise pupils awareness of FGM.

FORWARD’s Schools Programme Staff Training on FGM Student Awareness Sessions Youth Friendly Resources Out-reach or Drop in Sessions One-to-one Support Advice and Guidance Parents’ Session Supporting pupils to take further action

Schools work in Manchester FGM Awareness Training delivered to school staff across Greater Manchester. Provision of advice, guidance and support to school staff when dealing with a case of FGM Students’ awareness sessions (secondary schools) starting in January 2015.

FGM Schools resource pack The FGM Schools Resource Pack aims to facilitate effective school wide engagement on FGM. It includes: FGM Lesson Plan: with materials and teaching aids FGM Support Resources for young people FGM Resources for Teachers: FGM information Support and safeguarding FGM Resources for Schools

That’s how you do it! – Examples of good practice Whole school approach Mandatory training of ALL staff Safeguarding procedures and point of contact Engaging young people in the campaign Setting context – does this make sense to the young people Emphasising importance – why do young people need to know Working in partnership Knowing what support is out there Teachers not being trained on FGM – so not able to respond to safeguarding or support concerns Teachers not in the room Lack of consideration of the appropriateness of the session Targeting specific pupils to attend No awareness of safeguarding procedures on FGM No knowledge of local support services Silo approach to FGM FGM work in isolation Insufficient time allocated Inappropriate setting 30

Learning and Challenges lessons need to be more interactive and activity focused Language and imagery: stigma and safety Need to get staff on board and prepared: Several of the sessions led to disclosures Schools need to create an enabling environment Awareness should also include focus on support services Where is the YOUTH – need for youth friendly resources and services Need to support schools to engage on the issue and build their capacity Split to two slides 31

Student Feedback “If I had a friend with this problem with the things that I learnt today I would help my friend with the doctor or police” “One thing someone could do is make sure that there is somewhere for victims of FGM to go and talk about it e.g. youth club or a specific centre” “One thing I can do is to be aware it happens in the UK and to write to David Cameron to ask him to do some work on it. I would ask him to get more involved with the FORWARD organisation.”

Staff Feedback “I spoke yesterday with my class about the sessions – and the AMOUNT of information between them that they came up with is excellent – I was so proud and impressed with them and that is all down to what you taught them. They even taught me some things I wasn’t aware of. Despite my initial reservations, I would definitely have you back in our school”

Successes Confidence building Skills development “All of our confidence has grown so much since doing this, we feel like we now know what we are talking about, so we feel comfortable and confident talking about it.” “We were able to motivate each other, as soon as I saw Naima do her poem I was like, yeah I can do that! I didn’t feel alone, I had the whole group with me.” Skills development “I learnt something new everyday” www.forwarduk.org.uk

Changing attitudes “They said I was disgracing Somalis for talking about stuff like this.” “Some people didn’t know about it and some had been through it and so I thought it was good that those girls were comfortable enough to talk to me.” “At first they were laughing but now they actually want to have conversations and get more informed. So it feels good to be able to talk about it.”

effective they are to deliver messages.’ Young people influencing their community “I really enjoyed the event, we feel like that was the best part, the way the people were happy and overwhelmed and looked like they actually learnt something” ‘I learnt tonight how important young people are as Ambassadors and how effective they are to deliver messages.’ Member of the audience

NESTAC: E-mail: info@nestac.org Tel: 01706 868993 / 07862279289 Web: www.nestac.org FORWARD: E-mail: youth@forwarduk.org.uk Tel: 0208 960 4000 Web: www.forwarduk.org.uk THANK YOU ! 37