Promoting British Values at City College Plymouth

At City College Plymouth, we promote an ethos of respect in preparing our students for work and life in Modern Britain. Our work with students helps them to develop an awareness and understanding of the following fundamental values in British society so that they become thoughtful, caring and active citizens. The College shall promote the basic British Values of:

• democracy

• rule of law

• individual liberty

• mutual respect

• tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

to ensure students understand the importance of respect and leave our College fully prepared for life in modern Britain. Examples of the understanding and knowledge the College wants its students to develop include:-

• an understanding of how citizens can influence decision-making through the democratic process;

• an understanding that the freedom to hold other faiths and beliefs is protected in law;

• an acceptance that people having different faiths or beliefs to oneself (or having none) should be accepted and tolerated, and should not be the cause of prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour;

• an understanding of the importance of identifying and combatting discrimination.

The College actively promotes and enjoys an inclusive culture that demonstrates the integration of equality and diversity, embraces British Values, safeguarding and respect for everyone into each aspect of our work and learning. We will challenge opinions or behaviours in College that are contrary to this ethos and these values. British Values are discussed and promoted to students during induction and through curriculum and enrichment activities such as Freshers’ Fair, themed tutorial weeks, campaigns, and activities that promote safeguarding, equality and diversity and a strong Student Voice. Embedding British Values also provides an opportunity to increase the resilience of students to challenge extremist ideology, including far-right extremism.

Democracy

Students are encouraged to influence decision-making through democratic processes such as Students’ Union elections, group rules, elected course representatives, student governors, and through the student involvement strategy. Prior to the 2015 general election, students arranged a Hustings event and widely promoted the Register to Vote initiative.

Rule of Law

Students receive clear information about College expectations of student and staff behaviour and conduct, through the Student Disciplinary Procedure, safeguarding procedures and the College Charter. Expectations of behaviour and conduct are reinforced and the importance of laws that govern the class, the College, or the country, are consistently reinforced when dealing with behaviour. The College has good links with community PCSOs.

Individual Liberty

Students are supported to make informed choices about their future progression pathways. Students are encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe a supportive environment. Students are encouraged to know and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and how to do so safely, for example through inductions on safeguarding, e-safety etc.

Mutual Respect, Tolerance and Acceptance

The opinions of our students are respected and valued. The College continues to develop its successful student voice strategy to ensure that students are fully involved in shaping their own experiences. Students are encouraged to show initiative and understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the College locality and to society more widely, for example through community challenges, and volunteering opportunities. We celebrate diversity and inclusion and the breaking down of barriers to success.The College promotes an ethos of respect in preparing our students for work and life in modern Britain through student participation in activities that raise awareness of and promote diversity and an acceptance that people have different faiths or beliefs.

What is Prevent?

Prevent is about safeguarding and supporting those vulnerable to radicalisation. Prevent is 1 of the 4 elements of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

What does Prevent do?

Prevent responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views. Prevent provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support.

Prevent works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health) where there are risks of radicalisation that we need to deal with.

What do we do?

We promote Prevent and Fundamental British Values to develop student resilience to extremism and radicalization and preparation for work and life in modern British society.

What is CHANNEL?

Channel is a voluntary, confidential programme which safeguards people identified as vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. It is a multi-agency process, involving partners from the local authority, the police, education, health providers and others.

Referring possible cases of early-stage radicalisation is similar to safeguarding processes designed to protect people from gang activity, drugs, and physical or sexual abuse. Many types of support are available as part of the Channel programme, addressing educational, vocational, mental health and other vulnerabilities.

The Channel programme is:

• voluntary

• confidential

• a support programme – not a criminal sanction and it will not affect a person’s criminal record

A referral can come from anyone who is concerned about a person they know who may be at risk of radicalisation, whether a family member, friend, school leader, colleague or from a wide range of partners. Channel addresses all forms of terrorism, including Islamist, extreme right-wing, mixed and unclear ideologies, and others.

When someone makes a referral, lots of agencies work together to offer support where they consider it necessary and proportionate to do so. This involves a number of steps:

1. The local authority and the police carefully assess all referrals to see if they are suitable for Channel or whether a different type of support is more appropriate, such as mental health support.

2. If suitable, the referral is discussed with all relevant partners at a meeting called a Channel panel to decide if an intervention is necessary. The individual who has been referred to Prevent is informed and must give their consent (or via a parent or guardian if they are children) before an intervention can take place.

3. If Channel intervention is required, the panel works with local partners to develop an appropriate tailored support package.

4. The support package is monitored closely and reviewed regularly by the Channel panel.

The type of support available is wide-ranging, and can include help with education or career advice, dealing with mental or emotional health issues, drug or alcohol abuse, and theological or ideological mentoring from a Channel intervention provider (a specialist mentor).