This Bystander/Upstander workshop, with Hate UK, focused on how upstanders make a difference in their lives and the lives of others. They explored the safe ways young people can go from being bystanders to becoming upstanders, taking on an active role over a passive one when dealing with incidents of discrimination or hateful behaviours, both inside schools/colleges and outside within their communities. The workshop empowers young people to safely challenge incidents and recognise the positive impact upstanders have in society. The event had a number of speakers including:
Dawn Dines, CEO and Founder of Stamp Out Spiking, is the national lead on spiking-related issues in the UK. With over two decades of campaigning, she has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about spiking, advocating for changes in legislation to better protect and support victims.
Jesse Ngoma – Youth Engagement Officer: Jesse is a Youth Engagement Officers at People Arise Now and works collaboratively with the local police to create a safer borough, ensuring young people have opportunities to thrive in a secure environment.
Sarah Lumgair – Operations Manager: Sarah oversees People Arise Now’s strategic programs, including its Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award initiative, which starts in February 2025. Passionate about ensuring the opportunities of the DofE is accessible to all, Sarah is dedicated to nurturing young people’s development especially within poorly reached areas and communities.
Kamaria Ahmad is based in West Midlands, and joined Stop Hate UK on an internship in 2021 and has continued working for the charity since. She is passionate in her work to protect the inherent human rights and dignity of all and is fully committed in the goal of eradicating hate crimes, discrimination, and intolerance in society.
Christabel Yeboah [she/her] is one of the Founders & Chief Vision Officer of the first national Gender-based Violence Support Service for Black femmes in the UK. Christabel has over ten years’ experience of working in the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) sector in legal, frontline, leadership and strategic roles and her mission is and has always been to centre Black women in every narrative.
Michael Conroy is founder/director of Men At Work CIC, which trains professionals in Education, Social Work, Early Help, Mental Health, Youth Justice and Youth Work in having constructive dialogues with boys and young men about what the world is inviting them to believe, to do and to want – as men – and the implications this has for women and girls.
