6th March 2024
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The best education is when students are exposed to diverse viewpoints, critical-thinking skills, and are allowed space to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions. After 100 school tours across nearly 15 years, we have seen how powerful this can be. Our work in schools continues and Solutions Not Sides have 25 tours planned in 2024-25, double the number of tours this academic year, to meet demand.
Sharon Booth, Solutions Not Sides’ Founder & Director, on SNS’ work after 100 Tours: “In so many schools across the UK now, particularly in our Olive Branch Schools but also in lots of other schools where we have worked, the topic is now being taught, it’s now being discussed and students are learning about all of the issues to do with peace and justice that are connected to Israel-Palestine”
Young people like Jonny or Miriam, who took part in SNS programming, are more likely to be effective citizens in shaping the world of tomorrow that they want to see. Without our work in schools and communities, a common experience for young people is seeing discussions shut down and banned from raising the issue, at school or elsewhere, or persuaded to accept whatever one-dimensional political view they are fed. We’ve now worked with almost 70,000 young people in thousands of workshops, across the aforementioned 100 tours around the UK since 2011.
It is the job of the education sector to give young people the opportunity to make informed decisions on how they want to think about and approach this issue. It is also their legal obligation. Government guidelines about impartiality on political issues are clear, and teachers certainly should not be advocating for political positions in schools.
How does Solutions Not Sides values-based approach work?
This is why Solutions Not Sides is an educational methodology that does not take a political position on anything to do with this issue, but instead provides a values framework, and a skills-based approach. Our three key values are non-violence, equality for all, and the rejection of hatred.
Understanding various perspectives on both sides does not mean that international involvement and power dynamics around this conflict cannot be explored. The all-important values framework underpins the approach and attitude of all our speakers and facilitators, and the human rights and safety needs of civilians caught up in this issue are a core part of our programme.
Key skills
The skills that we provide include communication and active listening, conflict resolution, and critical thinking. ‘Not taking sides’ does not mean refraining from expressing solidarity or calling for people’s human rights, nor does it mean depoliticising people. It means understanding that pushing for a win-lose outcome, and supporting one side to beat the other like this is some kind of football match, is likely to lead to lose-lose - a refrain we regularly hear from our Palestinian & Israeli speakers. Empathy towards the people of Israel-Palestine and what that truly means for their lives is of paramount importance within a framework of human values.
That is why, most importantly, Solutions Not Sides is giving students the opportunity to meet young Palestinian and Israeli peace builders face-to-face, so that they can hear firsthand experiences and can incorporate listening to the people of the region into their learning on this issue. All of our speakers are committed to discussing and learning about possible win-win outcomes, and how young people can play a part in making progress towards justice and peace for all. After 100 tours and nearly 70,000 young participants across thousands of workshops, we know the positive impact this is having.
What are the results?
Equipped with diverse narratives about the history, and the skills to understand how complex geo-political situations are navigated and negotiated, young people who participate in our sessions are more likely to be able to make their own decisions about what political opinions they want to hold and what activism they want to undertake, which may or may not echo the views of those around them.
We urge schools to encourage students to diversify their news sources, question one-dimensional narratives, and apply the above-mentioned values and skills for themselves to make up their own minds. We’re here to help make that possible - schools are encouraged to get in touch now to book workshops, download classroom resources and speak to us for advice and teacher training opportunities.
If they do this, our society will become a fairer, more educated, and more compassionate one, and the next generation will be one that is empowered to play a constructive, active part in our democracy to affect the political changes in the world that they wish to see.
Contacts:
Sharon Booth
Founder & Executive Director
Ali Amla
Youth & Partnerships Director
Josh Dubell
Education Director
Solutions Not Sides
P: +44(0)20 7074 4357
W: www.solutionsnotsides.co.uk
A: Solutions Not Sides, Haskell House, 152 West End Lane, NW6 1SD