Prejudice-based bullying in education is a persistent problem for certain equality groups. Alan Meban visited Lina Zeimiene at the South Tyrone Empowerment Programme. Lina works with minority ethnic young people, including Travellers, who experience racially motivated bullying. They discussed the effects of bullying and how it can be addressed by parents, teachers and government.

This series of podcasts looks in more detail at some of those areas. Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

We know that prejudice-based bullying in education is a persistent problem for certain equality groups. Discussing the type of bullying seen among young people, its effects, and what needs done to address it, broadcaster Maggie Taggart is joined by Jo McParland from Cara Friend who works with young people experiencing LGBT motivated bullying.

Presenting the Commission’s view is policy officer, Aisha O’Reilly, who shares what ECNI wants to see for wider equality groups and what schools can do to help with this problem.

This series of podcasts looks in more detail at some of those areas. Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

How will the 2021 Addressing Bullying in Schools Act help address prejudice-based bullying and challenge stereotypes in schools? Dr Noel Purdy, Director of Research and Scholarship & Head of Education Studies at Stranmillis University College – he’s also Director of CREU (the Centre for Research in Educational Underachievement) – tells broadcaster Maggie Taggart how the Act will make a difference for young people’s protection against discrimination and prejudice-based bullying, and how we’ll know if the Act is working.

They are joined by Aisha O’Reilly, policy officer with ECNI, who shares the Commission’s view on what needs to happen next, including the role of schools.

This series of podcasts looks in more detail at some of those areas. Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

How can we address prejudice-based bullying and challenge stereotypes in education? Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum co-ordinator Aoife Nic Colaim tells broadcaster Maggie Taggart about the work of the Forum in tackling this problem. She outlines the achievements of the forum and is joined by three members of the Forum’s Young Person Advisory Group, Christo, Lorcan and Sean, who explain why they got involved in the Forum and why they see it as important to promote an anti-bullying culture in schools.

Policy officer Aisha O’Reilly explains why the Equality Commission is interested in prejudice-based bullying and what it wants to see schools doing to tackle prejudice-based bullying and challenge stereotypes. This series of podcasts looks in more detail at some of those areas.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Would a Single Equality Act be the answer to Northern Ireland’s sagging patchwork of equality laws? Barrister Catherine Casserley of Cloisters, London tells broadcaster Maggie Taggart about the opportunities for Northern Ireland to lead the world with new legislation. She also outlines some of the lessons of Great Britain’s Equality Act 2010. And Kathryn McNickle, ECNI’s Senior Policy Officer, explains why the Commission advocates the move to a Single Equality Act.

The Equality Commission is recommending a Single Equality Act for Northern Ireland and, in the meantime, some fixes for specific pieces of legislation. This series of podcasts looks in more detail at some of those areas and what can be done to improve protection against discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Reporting on pay gaps between men and women in organisations or sectors to identify the problem is the first step to eradicating the gender pay gap. In this episode, Maggie Taggart talks to Alex Shepherd of the Fawcett Society in London and Kathryn McNickle of the Equality Commission about what Northern Ireland can learn from the experiences of Great Britain with mandatory gender pay gap reporting and how we could make our legislation amongst the best in the world.

The Equality Commission is recommending a Single Equality Act for Northern Ireland and, in the meantime, some fixes for specific pieces of legislation. This series of podcasts looks in more detail at some of those areas and what can be done to improve protection against discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Equality Legislation – racial harassment at work by third parties: how could a change in the law help?

Broadcaster Maggie Taggart talks to Coumilah Manjoo and Wai Fun Wong from the Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, as well as Beverly Simpson, a care home nurse in the north west, about their experiences of racial abuse and harassment by patients, clients and visitors. They discuss how enshrining protection at work in the law would mean policies and procedures would be put in place; everyone would know what is and is not acceptable; and failure to take reasonable steps to protect staff could be legally challenged. Kathryn McNickle from the Equality Commission’s Policy & Research team explains how the Commission wants racial equality law to change.

The Equality Commission is recommending a Single Equality Act for Northern Ireland and, in the meantime, some fixes for specific pieces of legislation. These podcasts look in more detail at some of those areas and what can be done to improve protection against discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Broadcaster Maggie Taggart talks to Karen Wilson (education advocate at Angel Eyes NI) about her work to help children with visual impairments achieve their full potential in school, and the role of auxiliary aids and services and the difference they can make. Kathryn McNickle from the Equality Commission’s Policy & Research team outlines how the law stands today, the change the Commission wants to see, and how it would change the lives of all disabled children at school.

The Equality Commission is recommending a Single Equality Act for Northern Ireland and, in the meantime, some fixes for specific pieces of legislation. These podcasts look in more detail at some of those areas and what can be done to improve protection against discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

London based barrister Dee Masters joins former BBC NI education correspondent Maggie Taggart for the first in a series of Equality Commission for Northern Ireland podcasts exploring equality legislation in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has a patchwork of equality laws, unlike the rest of the UK which has had a single Equality Act since 2010. There are some gaps in our equality laws which mean that people here have less protection against discrimination than those in England, Scotland and Wales.

The Equality Commission is recommending a Single Equality Act for Northern Ireland and, in the meantime, some fixes for specific pieces of legislation. These podcasts look in more detail at some of those areas and what can be done to improve protection against discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Ali Goddard (a teacher at Malone Integrated College) along with pupils Sidra Alsaidi (Year 11) and Omar Ghannam (Year 13) join our host Maggie Taggart, former BBC NI Education Correspondent, as part of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland’s series of podcasts to explore tackling inequalities in education.

Mr Goddard is responsible for pupils in Malone Integrated College who speak English as an additional language and for the school’s Bilingual Centre. He is joined by pupils Sidra and Omar who talk about what can be achieved by supporting and nurturing pupils through the Bilingual Centre both in terms of helping them to integrate into the school and to perform academically.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Betty Carlisle (manager) and Joan Mercer (education manager) at Shankill Women’s Centre join our host Maggie Taggart, former BBC NI Education Correspondent, as part of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland’s series of podcasts to explore tackling inequalities in education.

Betty and Joan talk about the work they do with women and mothers from the Shankill area and the wraparound service they provide to encourage more women to re-enter education. They discuss the barriers to education faced by women in the Shankill community and their firm belief that “if you educate a woman, you’ll educate a family”.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Ann Pendleton is project manager at the Full Service Community Network, and Sharon Nelson is the family learning manager at Whiterock Children’s Centre. Ann and Sharon join our host Maggie Taggart, former BBC NI Education Correspondent, as part of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland’s series of podcasts to explore tackling inequalities in education.

Ann and Sharon discuss their work and the educational support services provided by their individual organisations, the challenges they face and how they work together in partnership to support children and families in the west Belfast area to tackle inequalities in education.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Jackie Redpath, Chief Executive of the Greater Shankill Partnership talks about his experience of the designation of the Shankill area as a Children and Young People Zone, and its long-term approach to bringing together home, community and schools to positively impact educational outcomes. 

This is part of a series of podcasts from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, hosted by former BBC NI Education Correspondent Maggie Taggart, exploring how to tackle inequalities in education in Northern Ireland. 

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Michele Janes, Chief Executive of Barnardo’s NI talks about Barnardo’s work with refugee and Traveller families. Drawing on her wide-ranging experience, Michele highlights the importance of community engagement, and getting the right supports in the right place at the right time.

This is part of a series of podcasts from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, hosted by former BBC NI Education Correspondent Maggie Taggart, exploring how to tackle inequalities in education in Northern Ireland.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Rachel Hogan from the Children’s Law Centre joins our host, former BBC NI Education Correspondent Maggie Taggart, as part of a series of podcasts to explore tackling inequalities in education.

Maggie and Rachel talk about how families in Northern Ireland are coping following the Covid-19 pandemic. They discuss the types of issues that have arisen in relation to education including mental health and what is needed as we move forward to support both families and communities to continue to tackle inequalities in education in Northern Ireland.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Noel Purdy (Director of the Centre for Research on Educational Underachievement at Stranmillis University College and lead author of the Fair Start report) and Dale Heaney (Head of Tackling Educational Disadvantage at the Department of Education with oversight responsibility for implementation of the Fair Start report) join former BBC NI education correspondent Maggie Taggart.

They discuss how the actions of the Fair Start report will make a difference, particularly to those children facing educational underachievement, and how the Department of Education is working to implement the strategy, what challenges they face and what success will look like.

This is part of a series of podcasts from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland exploring how to tackle inequalities in education in Northern Ireland. Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

School principals Mary Montgomery (Belfast Boys’ Model School) and Chris Donnelly (St John the Baptist Primary School) join former BBC NI education correspondent Maggie Taggart to discuss how their schools have engaged with their local community and their pupils’ families to improve educational outcomes.

This is part of a series of podcasts from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland exploring how to tackle inequalities in education in Northern Ireland. Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Ulster University’s Susan Morgan and Andy Hamilton join former BBC NI education correspondent Maggie Taggart for the first in a series of Equality Commission for Northern Ireland podcasts exploring how to tackle inequalities in education in Northern Ireland.

Susan and Andy discuss their current research “Taking Boys Seriously – The Next Steps (TBS2)” which explores how to better engage boys in education and how this should impact on community and family engagement.

Subscribe to hear the whole series, or check out previous podcasts at https://equalityni.org/podcasts

Are you a member of the LGBTQI community in Northern Ireland? Do you know how the Equality Commission can support you if you believe you have been discriminated against because of your sexual orientation or gender? As part of this summer’s Pride events, our Senior Legal Officer Mary Kitson talked to Aisling Twomey, Policy and Advocacy Manger at the Rainbow Project about what your equality rights are and how the Commission can help you. Further information available online at https://equalityni.org

Michael Holden MBE, entrepreneur, business man, wheelchair user and disability activist joins us for the first of our Making it Work podcast episodes. Talking about disability and employment, Michael provides some personal and valuable insights from his own experience in the world of work. He talks about being an employer with disabled employees and provides some interesting ideas on how government could help employers improve the employment rate of disabled people through training schemes and support.