Stop the Hate Campaign (2019)

‘Stop the Hate’ features eight champions from the SEND Young Persons Network, and launched on the 16th October to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week (Oct 12-19).

A group of young people from Suffolk with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are the brave stars of a hard-hitting video aimed at raising awareness of hate crime.

They asked SEND leaders in Suffolk to help them co-produce the video after talking about their experiences of learning disability abuse at a networking meeting last year.

They talk about how being subjected to the abuse has affected them.

The video ends with one of them being comforted by a youth leader after breaking down in tears when thinking about the time hurtful comments were aimed at her.

A social media and poster campaign featuring some of the West Suffolk College students who took part will signpost people to the video on YouTube.

The video will also be shown on screens in West Suffolk college’s reception area during the week, included in the future inductions of all new students and used to educate staff around disability discrimination.

Going forward, it will be shown in schools across the county to raise awareness of hate crime among young people.

All the youngsters featured joined the SEND Young Persons Network so they could have their say in helping shape the services and support provided in Suffolk for children and young people with SEND.

Amanda O’Neill, Head of Supported Learning at West Suffolk College, said: “I am so proud of the students from our supported learning programmes at WSC for raising the issue of hate crime with SEND leaders and then participating in this film. They have each shown great strength of character in sharing their stories to make sure other young people understand the impact hate crime has had on their lives.”