LA communications to schools
Title:
The Heartstone Odyssey Project – Challenging Hate Crime and
Building Community Cohesion/Integration. A Project for Schools.
Summary:
‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ is a funded project for schools which can be
built into an existing curriculum. It introduces the issue of hate crime and
promotes an understanding of tolerance, acceptance and identity.
The project helps schools to fulfil their duty to promote fundamental British
values including mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths
and beliefs.
The project centres around a story of multiple fictional scenarios which
inspires children to:
1. identify what constitutes intolerant behaviour, and
2. explore how they would deal with incidents of intolerance/hate
crime in a safe and sensitive way.
Target school(s):
Primary (Years 5 &6), Secondary (Year 7)
Specific schools
For attention of:
Heads, PSHE Leads,
Author:
Beth Morgan, Community Safety Unit
Contact:
Beth Morgan
Email:
[email protected]
Telephone:
0746 7734 646
Newsletter date:
22 May
Action required/
due date:
There are only 10 funded spaces available for LBHF schools to be
involved in the project. If your school is interested in participating, please
read the attached document and contact Beth Morgan on the details above
by MONDAY 12th JUNE 2017.
The Heartstone Odyssey Project – Challenging Hate Crime and Building
Community Cohesion/Integration
A Project for Schools
Participating schools are encouraged to:
1. Read the book with the participating pupils and discuss the issues – usually allowing an hour
once a week for the activity.
2. Create their Charter – a document defining ‘values’ that they have all agreed to.
3. Incorporate the above into an exhibition to be placed prominently in the school.
4. Undertake an environmental project set up by Heartstone. This involves selling Heartstone
cards and making a small profit that is donated to either a tiger or elephant scheme (both
animals featured in The Heartstone Odyssey). This raises self-esteem, confidence,
empowerment and a feeling of having undertaken a practical activity to influence their world.
Why Should Your School Participate?

The organisation leading this project, Heartstone, is a non-profit national organisation which
uses story - fiction, photodocumentary and historically based story themes - to raise social
and environmental issues with children and young people.

Over 300 schools nationwide have been involved in the project to date along with public,
private and third sector organisations, MP’s, actors and artists.

Funding is in place from the Scottish Government and the Mayor of London through
1. Transport for London who have set up exhibitions relating to the story on the London
Underground and other parts of the transport network and
2. Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime to extend this project into additional boroughs
of London.

Curriculum connections: The story is an adventure in its own right and can be incorporated
into Literacy or other appropriate parts of the curriculum. Some schools may opt to
incorporate it under RE or just as a special thing to do on a Friday afternoon. The Charter
element is particularly valuable for schools/groups all of whom now have a requirement to
deliver a curriculum section devoted to ‘British values’.

Sustainability: Once in place, the project pack can be used year after year with new classes.
Heartstone will maintain contact to ensure schools are aware of all updates and new
resources so that this becomes an ongoing and growing resource.
What is the Project About?
It is the way in which the story deals with the issue of identity, how historical events affect society’s
tolerance of difference (or racial and religious intolerance) and its core messages of ‘live and let
live’ that make it of particular value in the current time as a practical mechanism through which to
discuss difficult issues naturally and comfortably within the setting of a classroom.
London Underground
The Heartstone Odyssey recently launched a
‘Chandra’s London’ installation across the
London Underground. The latest installation
opened in Hammersmith Station on 30th March
2017. The installation is a photo-documentary –
a visual story of the city and the many different
people who live and work in the city.
If your school is interested in taking part, please read the
following document for full details of the project,
what is involved and what is required:
THE HEARTSTONE
ODYSSEY - SCHOOLS PROJECT 2017 H&F.docx