Equalities PLE films

In 2010, Advicenow worked with eleven local advice agencies setting up new equalities public legal education projects. The projects received financial support from the European Commission under the Progress initiative and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. They focused on providing information, education and outreach on discrimination and human rights.

A range of excellent materials relating to discrimination were produced including guides, art, leaflets, postcards, stickers, videos, and films. Here we highlight two films, produced by the Disability Law Service and Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau.

Disability Law Service

Disability Law Service (DLS) worked with a local arts organisation, Green Shoes Arts and a support group for Asian people with learning difficulties, Apasenth to explore discrimination against people with learning disabilities.

‘What gives us most satisfaction is that as well as learning about their rights at work the group had fun and got confidence. At the midpoint of the project lots of the group were not confident to make a film, four weeks later they had made a great film and performed a part of it in front of hundreds of people at a public event. That was a fantastic achievement for them'.
Quote from DLS website

DLS ran ten two hour workshops with a group of young Asian people with learning disabilities. During the workshops participants explored what discrimination means as an idea, experience and feeling; and learnt about how they can respond to it, the legal protections that are available and the importance of seeking advice. Role play was used to develop the young people's confidence and skills by giving them an opportunity to 'practise' responding to situations involving discrimination.

The group played improvisation games, discovered how to act and make a story and then created a short film reflecting their experiences of discrimination and what they learnt about how to respond to it.

The learning was supported by an easy words and pictures guide to rights at work produced by the Disability Law Service.

Find out more about the Disability Law Service

Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau

Birmingham CAB produced a DVD to highlight discrimination in employment. They asked people in central Birmingham what they thought discrimination was and how it might affect them. The presenter then explains the different types of discrimination and each type is illustrated by a professional actor. They were able to draw on the expertise of Birmingham Repertory Theatre who supported the project by advising on the recruitment of the professional actors and directing the film. It will be screened in the waiting room of the bureau's busiest outlet and has been uploaded to Youtube.

They also put on workshops for people seeking work which focused on enabling people to recognise discrimination in the workplace, to understand that there are laws to protect them and to know where to go for help and advice if they experienced discrimination. These took place at the offices of employment training providers.

Watch the film: ‘Employment discrimination’

More about Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau

Agencies worked with a range of groups: young people from a wide range of backgrounds, including Black and Minority Ethnic communities, migrant workers, students, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, people with mental health problems and Gypsies and Travellers. They use a variety of methods including workshops, campaigns, games, quizzes and outreach, such as setting up stalls at community events or in NHS hospitals.

The projects and DLS’s microsite were funded by European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity - PROGRESS (2007 - 2013).

More about Advicenow's Equalities and discrimination awareness-raising project