The "Yellow Flag" programme?The Yellow Flag Programme provides a practical series of 8 steps that brings issues of interculturalism, equality and diversity into the whole-school programme and allows schools to apply them to the day to day running of the school.
It works with students, staff, management, parents and wider community groups so that issues of diversity and equality are not merely seen as "school subjects" but can be understood and taken outside the school setting into everyone's personal lives. In parallel with the Green Schools, the Yellow Flag Diversity in Schools is both a practical programme and an award scheme, therefore; on completing these steps, and being assessed externally, the school is awarded its "Yellow Flag" in recognition of its work in promoting diversity & inclusion. The award is publicised locally, and the school can fly its flag with pride and use the logo on its official correspondence.
1. Intercultural and Anti-Racism Training for Staff and Management
2. Going beyond the School’s Walls: Engaging with the Community 3. Establishing a Diversity Committee 4. Conducting an Intercultural Review 5. Formulating an Action Plan for a Diverse School 6. Monitoring and Evaluation and Information Dissemination 7. Curriculum work 8. Production of a diversity code and anti racist policy for the school |
Newtownmountkennedy P. S.
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8 Steps of the Yellow Flag Programme
1. Intercultural and Anti-Racism Training for Staff and Management
The initial step for a “diverse school” is for staff and management to undergo Anti-Racism and Intercultural Awareness training in order to be equipped with new skills and to be provided with a suitable environment to discuss issues that may arise over the course of the Yellow Flag Programme.
2. Going Beyond the School Walls: Engaging with the Community
Yellow Flag schools will make direct links with local Traveller/ Minority/ Migrant organisations in their area to gain from their expertise and foster new relationships in their community. The Yellow Flag Schools begin to utilise press and other forms of local media to publicise the successes of the school and enable the wider community to recognise their work in promoting interculturalism.
3. The Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee, to ensure that the programme will meet the needs of everyone, will consist of pupils, teachers, parents, other school staff and management of the school and will meet on a regular basis to drive the project forward.
4. Intercultural Review
Staff and students, working alongside parents and other relevant stakeholders, look to identify the intercultural and diversity issues that exist in the school.
5. Action Plan for a Diverse School
The Diversity Committee, informed by the work of the Intercultural Review, devises an action plan for a specific time-period and sets themselves realistic targets to improve the whole-school environment.
6. Monitoring, Evaluation and Information Dissemination
This ensures that progress towards the self-evaluated, as well as the externally evaluated targets is made.
7. Curriculum work
Classroom study on diversity, covering race and ethnicity will be carried out by all students.
8. Diversity Code and Anti-Racism Policy
After completing all the other steps, the school now produces its Diversity Code. This is developed primarily by the students and states what the school as a whole are trying to achieve on a day-to-day basis. The school also produces an official Anti-Racism Policy to formalise their best practise in the area. Both documents are then publicised widely throughout the school building and included in various school publications.
Yellow Flag Award
On completing these steps, the school will be awarded its “Yellow Flag” in recognition of its work in becoming a school committed to interculturalism.
The initial step for a “diverse school” is for staff and management to undergo Anti-Racism and Intercultural Awareness training in order to be equipped with new skills and to be provided with a suitable environment to discuss issues that may arise over the course of the Yellow Flag Programme.
2. Going Beyond the School Walls: Engaging with the Community
Yellow Flag schools will make direct links with local Traveller/ Minority/ Migrant organisations in their area to gain from their expertise and foster new relationships in their community. The Yellow Flag Schools begin to utilise press and other forms of local media to publicise the successes of the school and enable the wider community to recognise their work in promoting interculturalism.
3. The Diversity Committee
The Diversity Committee, to ensure that the programme will meet the needs of everyone, will consist of pupils, teachers, parents, other school staff and management of the school and will meet on a regular basis to drive the project forward.
4. Intercultural Review
Staff and students, working alongside parents and other relevant stakeholders, look to identify the intercultural and diversity issues that exist in the school.
5. Action Plan for a Diverse School
The Diversity Committee, informed by the work of the Intercultural Review, devises an action plan for a specific time-period and sets themselves realistic targets to improve the whole-school environment.
6. Monitoring, Evaluation and Information Dissemination
This ensures that progress towards the self-evaluated, as well as the externally evaluated targets is made.
7. Curriculum work
Classroom study on diversity, covering race and ethnicity will be carried out by all students.
8. Diversity Code and Anti-Racism Policy
After completing all the other steps, the school now produces its Diversity Code. This is developed primarily by the students and states what the school as a whole are trying to achieve on a day-to-day basis. The school also produces an official Anti-Racism Policy to formalise their best practise in the area. Both documents are then publicised widely throughout the school building and included in various school publications.
Yellow Flag Award
On completing these steps, the school will be awarded its “Yellow Flag” in recognition of its work in becoming a school committed to interculturalism.