The Heartstone Odyssey - A new Community
Cohesion and Integration Project for Schools
Background:
‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ project follows out of a fantasy story centred on a female heroine,
Chandra, and documents her quest to overcome intolerance, prejudice and racism in collaboration
with her allies – the mice.
The book is designed for 8-12 year olds, an addictive epic adventure story in its own right which
works on different levels, equally appealing to adults given the issues it covers and historical context.
It has secured the interest of Barrie Osborne, producer of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, who is
currently working on taking the story to the big screen as a major motion picture series produced as
a collaborative project between the UK, India, the US and New Zealand.
Sailvoyage Stonekeeper is pictured above as he sets off with a single fragment of the broken
Heartstone in 1796 on board a tall ship bound for England.
The story extends into the current time and centres on Chandra, the heroine, who will follow the
clues left for her and the mice to find the pieces of the broken Heartstone and fulfil the prophecy
carried down over the years by successive generations of the Stonekeepers, the guardians of the
Heartstone.
The proposed film project is longterm and by no means certain, but in the meantime, it has raised
significant momentum and funding for the Heartstone Odyssey Cultural Programme, the exhibition
and stage show based on the 3 books, and has led to the formation of the project described here
which works with schoolchildren in Years 5, 6 and 7, thereby addressing the critical transition phase
between primary to secondary education.
The story combines fantasy with real locations and history. It is the way in which it deals with the
issue of identity, how historical events affect society’s tolerance of difference (or racial and religious
intolerance, with potential to lead to violence and extremism) and its core messages of ‘live and let
live’ that make it of particular value in the current time. The story also provides multiple fictional
scenarios which allow children to explore how they would deal with racism / incidents of intolerance
that they encounter from any perspective and background and confronting other uncomfortable
ideas in a safe and sensitive way.
It is also unusual in that it has an Asian heroine, a young woman who is strong, independent,
comfortable in both traditional circles as well as the wider world of contemporary Britain in the
1980’s. This makes Chandra a powerful role model for girls and young women, another aspect that
brought the attention of Barrie Osborne and all those he has brought globally to this project.
These elements have led to the most recent endorsement at national level through the National
Policing and Counter Terrorism HQ and a recognition that the book, and its accompanying package
of resources including teacher’s notes, can provide an effective tool to help break down barriers,
build an integrated cohesive community whilst also raising these very sensitive issues with an age
group that has been recognised as crucial but for which there are very few relevant resources
/approaches currently available.
Heartstone:
The organisation leading on this project is Heartstone, the 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. All Heartstone stories are intended to help
build greater contact, communication and understanding across different nationalities, cultures and
backgrounds, to recognise the common human experience and see past stereotypes and prejudice.
‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ was Heartstone’s first story and helped to found the organisation in 1990.
Partners:
There is considerable momentum behind ‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ project already in place in
London, Scotland and Liverpool, now extended by recent Arts Council funding which has allowed
Heartstone to acquire new partners - Liverpool’s Hope University, World Museum, Liverpool
Cathedral and Liverpool Muslim Society based at Al Rahma Mosque. Funding is in place from the
Scottish Government and from the Mayor of London through Transport for London who have set up
exhibitions relating to the story on the London Underground and other parts of the transport
network.
The Heartstone Odyssey Project with Schools in Central Bedfordshire:
‘The Heartstone Odyssey’ was presented at National Police HQ in London in the context of the
current Prevent agenda at the end of 2015. This meeting led to the full endorsement from NCTPHQ
that the books and linked resources will provide a practical route to address the serious issues
surrounding the early development of extremist ideologies, build tolerance, greater community
cohesion and challenge bigotry / prejudice on all sides and support children in the critical years 5,6
and 7 ie. top two years of primary and first year secondary, including those arriving in the UK as
refugees where a further need to successfully build integration has been recognised. However, it
was also recognised the project would be best placed under a cohesion/integration heading, as
Heartstone were stipulating, and not under a Prevent heading in order to ensure positive
involvement of all communities and to protect the wider envelope in which this project is placed
which cannot see a ‘counter-terrorism’ label attached.
It is worth noting The Heartstone Odyssey was first used as a vehicle for schools to address prejudice
/ intolerance in the 1990’s, particularly in the context of challenging the far right. A major grant from
the DFE under Citizenship and Literacy followed in 2000 and ensured it was introduced into all UK
regions through a programme of national conferences, teachers’ courses and project packs. This
ensured the book was introduced into almost all teachers’ centres and libraries throughout the UK.
This project has been developed at a time when the issues the book deals with have become
relevant once again and the new pack reflects the current priorities.
The NCTPHQ assessment stated:
The Heartstone Odyssey is capable of engaging young audiences and enabling difficult
conversations to be had around the sensitive Prevent agenda. This would be achieved by exploring
issues indirectly without any obvious targeting of communities or ideologies associated with the
current CT threat to the UK. The fantasy world setting created by the author would enable a safe
space for those discussions around the intolerance issues that lead to extremism.
The project which has now been shaped is therefore not branded under ‘Prevent’ although it can be
used to fulfil many of the objectives under this agenda. It focusses on community
cohesion/integration and designed to challenge racism, xenophobia and intolerance as described
below. The process helps build literacy, communication and presentation skills with the children
participating and thus can be incorporated into the core curriculum.
Schools
This project will be delivered with a group of upto 10 schools, covering an age range across Years 5,6
and 7. This may be middle schools or 2 or 3 secondary schools and their feeder primary schools as
another example. The schools are most often recruited by the local authority with the assistance of
Heartstone wherever necessary.
Project resources
The project is centred on the resource pack which comprises:
1. a class set of books (30);
2. Teachers’ notes – these are emailed to schools as they are constantly updated to reflect
discussion topics as relayed back to Heartstone from project areas;
3. Small-scale exhibition of 15 photographs covering some of the real locations featured in the
books allowing each school to construct a display in their lobby or corridor to ensure work
done within the classroom reaches out to the whole school community – many of these
photos have been gathered with ‘special access’ by a range of global partners;
4. Access to the Heartstone photolibrary for additional images from other relevant
photoassignments eg. ‘Testimony’ (related to Auschwitz), Balkans Stories, Faces of Kabul and
others, to be downloaded and printed by the participating schools to add to their exhibition.
Training
One teacher’s course will take place in the local area for the schools participating, led by a
Heartstone trainer for approximately 2 hours. Schools will need to send at least one person to this
session where they will also be able to collect their packs.
The project is delivered usually for a period of one hour once a week ideally over a period of 2 terms.
The time devoted to the project is flexible and ultimately down to the individual school. At the
session, curriculum areas where this can be incorporated will be discussed, most often English.
Details of support, monitoring arrangements and evaluation feedback questionnaires will be
discussed at this session and how the emphasis is on the school delivering the project, building the
confidence of the teachers involved, facilitated by Heartstone. This provides the best route to ensure
as far as possible the project is incorporated into the curriculum as a longterm concept.
Local authority contact point
Heartstone will need to work with a single contact point in the authority whose role will be to:
1. Recruit the schools – this can be done by Heartstone if a list is provided but better done by a
local contact since they are familiar with the area and know which schools they may want to
2.
3.
4.
5.
involve in this pilot initiative. Wherever additional contact is required, this will be provided
by Heartstone;
Organise the introductory training session;
Maintain contact with the schools over the period of the project. This is not a major task.
The person in touch with the schools is someone who has good contact with them anyway
as a normal part of their job. For this project, what they will need to do is maintain ad hoc
telephone contact informally over the period which will ensure any problems needing to be
dealt with are picked up quickly and efficiently. This may be, for example, the loss of a staff
member and thus the project lapses. What may be required is to identify an alternative
member of staff who may then need telephone input from Heartstone to assist;
Help arrange a second training session if required or ‘sharing’ opportunity between the
schools part way through the project;
Help arrange a finale event when the individual exhibitions created can be brought together.
Support
Following the training session, online support and support through the Heartstone Advisory Team
who represent different faiths, backgrounds as well as areas of expertise is present throughout the
period of the project. Teachers are given guidance at the training session on how to access the
support available and who to contact locally.
The Project
1. Reading the book:
The project is designed to be implemented by a class group in each school drawn from Years 5, 6 or
7 and led by a teacher the children already know. This is an essential component to ensure
discussion takes place naturally and with ease. A class set of book (30) is provided in each pack. The
schools need to allocate approximately one hour a week to read the story and discuss the issues
raised with the children. Teachers will find the story helps to raise a range of difficult issues as
described above, safely and sensitively. The story also allows children to explore and define:
(1) what constitutes intolerant actions;
(2) beliefs behind these actions
(3) ‘live and let live’
(4) being proud of yourself, exploring identity
(5) responsibility – as a bystander, what do you do in the face of intolerant actions
(6) seeing a story and history from different perspectives recognising there is often more than one
way to see a story depending upon historical, cultural and other angles
(7) clearly setting out the group’s conclusions on their ‘human values’ and what they feel is a just
and moral society In Britain today representing and respecting the different cultures who live here.
A particularly valuable element to the story is its presentation of different fictional scenarios which
allow children to put themselves in the shoes of victim, perpetrator or bystander.
At the end of the project, the children will not only have a clear understanding and definition of
what constitutes ‘intolerant’ behaviour, they will also have worked out appropriate interventions.
The project (1) supports young victims, (2) challenges perpetrators and (3) raises awareness of
bystanders to the point where they are more likely to take appropriate action in the face of incidents
they come across. The process helps children and teachers explore the ideologies behind actions and
challenge those which can lead to extremist/intolerant behaviour.
It is a sustained concept, taking place over a period of around 1-2 terms (or 10 weeks but depends
upon how many chapters are read each week – there are 22 chapters in the book), and as such, can
lead to change in behaviour as has been seen and documented over many years. However, where it
is not possible for a school to devote a sufficient period of time to the project, it will still have a
benefit in whatever time is available for its use. The more time given to it, the greater the outcomes
seen.
The story is an adventure in its own right and can be incorporated into the Literacy or other
appropriate parts of the curriculum, so it is not an ‘extra thing to do’.
2. Putting up the exhibition:
The joint activity for the class group is putting up their exhibition. Heartstone provides a set of
photographs and access to the Heartstone Photolibrary, connected to the characters and locations
in the story which will create a framework to be mounted in the corridor or lobby of the school. Into
this, the children will be able to add their own pieces of work which come from each session –
thoughts, ideas, conclusions, experiences they want to share, artwork, poems etc.
The exhibition images are all drawn from the main Heartstone Odyssey exhibition which is being
exhibited at high profile locations in different parts of the UK, including installations on the London
Underground. This will also further help to give the schools a sense of connection with the ‘bigger
picture’ thus enhancing the project in their own setting.
3. Creating the Heartstone Charter
Following out of the children’s discussions, the group will create their ‘Charter’ which describes what
they feel constitutes a just society which recognises and respects different cultures, faiths,
backgrounds etc. These ‘human values’ as agreed upon by the class will be placed prominently in the
exhibition being created so that it is visible for the rest of the school and those who visit. It can also
provide the basis of assemblies or presentations for parents.
4. The environmental activity
To connect with the characters in the story, the theme of environmental awareness and the concept
of working towards a ‘common goal’, the children will participate in a simple activity with an
environmental connection eg. fundraising to adopt an elephant, which they will enjoy but which will
also give them a sense of having, in a small way, ‘changed their world’, building a sense of
empowerment and pride in what they have achieved.
Building Contact and Reducing Isolation
The above process provides multiple opportunities for the group to invite people of other
backgrounds, faiths, cultures to meet with them thus breaking down isolation and building greater
contact with people they would otherwise not meet.
The Heartstone Advisory Team
To further support the schools in this project, without taking over from the class teacher leading it,
in addition to their existing roles as part of the Heartstone Committee, each of the following
members in this group will be available for telephone / email advice for teachers, alongside the
officers we are working with at the Liverpool Muslim Society and trainers drawn from Liverpool
Hope Uni as well as our existing trainers. Their input, given their areas of expertise, will help provide
additional guidance and answer specific questions which may arise:
Sitakumari - has been the Director of Heartstone since its creation in 1990 and experienced in all
facets of delivery of Heartstone projects over this time;
Dr David Rose – has known and supported Heartstone since its earliest days, former Principal
Lecturer at Roehampton Institute (now retired), member of SACRE, introduced The Heartstone
Odyssey to both undergraduate and postgraduate teacher training students whilst at Roehampton
Institute and has continued to support with advice and guidance for teachers;
John Niblock – former Merseyside Police Officer, now retired, has extensive experience of delivering
Heartstone Odyssey training sessions with children in the age group targeted in this project, Years
5,6 and 7, was part of the initial DFE 2000 project and has since provided training and support for
Heartstone projects nationwide;
Nina Rahel – has supported Heartstone projects since its earliest days, currently Diversity Officer for
University of the Arts in London, formerly Lead Officer on a Culture and Diversity project for Camden
Council, experience in initiating and running projects particularly with community groups;
Catherine Odita-Sani – leading on Educational visits at Al Rahma Mosque for many years, with
schools from all key stages, organisations and businesses from around the region working with
Heartstone to update the teachers’ notes to reflect current issues and priorities.
Katie Lambie – former secondary school teacher in Preston part of the initial DFE 2000 project, and
has since been involved in providing training and input for Heartstone projects;
Karen Baldry – former primary school teacher, part of the initial DFE 2000 project, subsequently
undertaking training sessions for Heartstone with both primary and secondary schools reaching all
ages.
Bennett Obong – former Manager for the Hate Crime Forum, Metropolitan Police who secured the
support of the Met for this project to see it initiated across London with a launch event at New
Scotland Yard in 2010.
Elena Noel – current Co-Chair of the Safer Southwark Neighbourhood Board associated with MOPAC
(Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime), adviser on all aspects of Hate Crime.
A longterm resource, intervention and practical route to involve other
experts/speakers in the area:
The Heartstone Odyssey and the associated resources will provide a longterm resource and practical
intervention to help build greater community cohesion and integration both for the children and the
wider school community. This has been built into the design of the project ie. it is not reliant on
Heartstone trainers other than to facilitate the process in each school.
Schools may wish to contact Heartstone for additional workshop sessions in school eg. a storytelling
session led by one of Heartstone’s trainers or someone with a specific area of expertise who can add
to each session eg. a local police officer who can talk about hate crime, local historian who can talk
about their own area to connect with the Heartstone Odyssey and other experts who can provide a
beneficial input.
Once in place, it 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.
As with the original DFE 2000 project, we will encourage schools to share what they have done so
that their plans can be added into the pack and shared with other schools picking up the project. In
this way, the pack becomes a developing resource reflecting experiences of a wide range of areas,
ages, backgrounds, faiths and cultures. This proved to be one of the most successful aspects of the
2000 project and we hope would be the same once again.
Current Partners
Heartstone is working with the following authorities in this project, most of whom will be starting in
the autumn term thus capitalising on the current momentum behind the film/media project and
opening of installations on the London Underground at several stations across the capital:
Kirklees, Calderdale, York, Manchester, Bury, Wigan, Oldham, Salford, Blackburn, Lancashire, W.
Midlands (Birmingham and surrounding authorities), Liverpool, Chester and Cheshire West, Slough,
several London boroughs and Plymouth.
Luton, Slough, Southwark and Calderdale have started the project and delivered outstanding results.
Children from Slough and Southwark were part of the launch of the installation on the London
Underground at Whitechapel Station on July 18 and highly commended. This has led to Louise
Ellman, Liverpool Riverside MP and Chair of the Transport Select Committee sponsoring a House of
Commons showcase event on November 15.
If a Central Bedfordshire project can be initiated in the autumn, we would welcome a presence from
the authority at the event.
Timeline:
Autumn term – recruitment of schools
December – training session
January – project start
June (before SATS) – conclusion of project with first class group. Finale local event at Town Hall or
equivalent space when all the individual school exhibitions are brought together
The project can then start again with a new class in the autumn of 2017 as resources remain with
the school and the teachers have experience in delivery.
BUDGET
10 project packs @ £500
£5000.00
Each project pack contains:
30 copies of The Heartstone Odyssey
Teachers’ notes
Exhibition resource:
-
15 SA3 size images
Support for period of project via Heartstone Advisory Team
PLUS
1 Introductory Teachers’ Course
500.00
(Includes travel / expenses)
Administration for period of project
10 days @ £200
2000.00
Access to Heartstone Photolibrary for year of project
and contribution towards origination of material
2500.00
TOTAL
£10000.00
Heartstone grants / sponsors
£5000.00
(private sector photographic sponsors associated with Heartstone)
Balance required from local area:
£5000.00