EQUALITY and anti-hate rehabilitation workshops aimed at women caught up in the civil disorder that shook the North East last summer, are to be rolled out across the force area thanks to a new funding initiative introduced by Northumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth.

Although men dominated the scenes of civil disorder in Sunderland, and elsewhere in the country, there were women involved too, committing acts of violence and spreading hate online.

In response, Sunderland’s award-winning social enterprise organisation, Media Savvy CIC is collaborating with Changing Lives and Northumbria Justice Services to work with 100 women who are currently under probation supervision or out of court resolutions.

The bespoke sessions will cover the importance of equality and diversity, challenging stereotypes, recognising misinformation, and how to be an ‘upstander’ against discrimination.

Announced today, Media Savvy is one of 44 organisations set to benefit from the Commissioner’s £150K funding pot. Money has been awarded to a mix of youth clubs, community groups, arts projects and victim support services across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.

The fund was set up following discussions with faith and community leaders from across the region and aims to promote community cohesion and support those affected by hate crime and anti-social behaviour. Successful bids ensure geographical coverage across the whole police force area and will deliver a range of support and preventative initiatives.

Examples of other groups set to benefit from the Commissioner’s Community Fund include:

  • Gateshead – The Comfrey Project – activities delivered by asylum seekers to help integration into the community
  • North Tyneside – LD North Tyneside– hate crime workshops for people with disabilities to help improve reporting
  • Newcastle – Company of Others – community cohesion events to build confidence following last summer’s disorder
  • Northumberland – Beyond Youth – youth diversionary activity in ASB hotspot area
  • South Tyneside – Al Azhar Mosque – educational sessions to inform around cultural awareness, respect and community cohesion

Speaking on a visit to Media Savvy, based in Sunderland City Centre, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Susan Dungworth, said: “I want Northumbria to be a place where everyone is welcome, and everyone can thrive, and that’s why I’ve made community cohesion and tackling hate crime a top priority in my new Police and Crime Plan.

“We can’t just push the events of last summer under the carpet without looking at why they happened. If anything, the unrest showed that more needs to be done to understand community tensions and challenge the ideologies and beliefs some might have about others – different backgrounds and cultures and so on.

“How Sunderland showed community spirit and strength in the aftermath of the violence and how thousands came together in Newcastle to prevent violent protests spreading to their city – these really were things to be proud of.

“But we don’t want a repeat of last August again. There is a real job to do, educating people on the consequences of their hateful behaviour and online abuse – and this project from Media Savvy is designed to do just that. It’s exactly the type of positive project I wanted my new fund to support.”

Congratulating the successful bids made to the Commissioner’s Community Fund, Susan added, “We were inundated with applications, and I wish I had been able to fund them all. What really came through, with the applications, was how proud people are of their hometowns and their communities and there is a real determination to work together to achieve safer streets and stronger communities for everyone.”

Dan Makaveli, managing director of Media Savvy which has been awarded £5K through the Commissioner’s Community Fund said:

“We are delighted with the award, which will enable us to proceed with a hugely relevant, worthwhile and hopefully highly impactful project. The funding also enables us to reconnect with Changing Lives; an organisation with whom we have enjoyed over a decade of positive partnership working. We are hopeful the outcomes and evidence of this might act as a pilot for longer-term and even more expansive projects in this subject area.”

Lisa Boyack, Strategic Criminal Justice Business Development Manager at Changing Lives, said: “Changing Lives are thrilled to be working with Northumbria Police Crime Commissioner and Media Savvy on this much needed project.   We hope that by working with the women to make better informed choices this project will make a real difference to local communities,  the women who participate and those around them.”

Police Commissioner Susan Dungworth has made hate crime and community cohesion a top priority for Northumbria Police to deliver on in her new ‘Safer Streets, Stronger Communities’ Police and Crime Plan. She has outlined plans to measure progress in this area by closely monitoring hate crime offences and satisfactions levels with services provided to victims of hate crime.

A full list of beneficiaries will be made available here.