GOT (Getting On Together) www.got.uk.net

Getting On Together

GOT is a not-for-profit consortium of key representatives of faith, communities, teachers-practitioners, academics and school/college inspection services. It is a limited company.

Type of Organisation: Other

The GOT project comprises a series of formal and informal interlinked programmes which challenge all forms of extremism and promote integration. The target audience ranges in age from schoolchildren to adults.

The project was conceived as a result of concern over community tensions in Cardiff, Wales following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Its objectives, differentiated by target audience, aim to:

• counter intolerance and extremism through independent and critical thinking;
• facilitate knowledge and understanding of the non-violent message of the Islamic faith;
• reduce prejudice and discrimination across all cultures, faiths and creeds;
• promote integrated and cohesive communities.

Programmes

Cardiff-GOT-Germany-Slovakia 'challenging extremism' programme (2019) for primary school children aged 8 to 11 in Wales (lead partner), Germany and Slovakia, is funded through Erasmus+ and comprises a series of six lessons complementing the primary school curriculum. Resources, including filmed lessons, are available free online.

This programme:

• complements the UK government's 2015 legislation concerning preventing violent extremism (PVE) and the revised school inspection framework on the obligation to create safe spaces that facilitate challenge and debate on extremism through critical thinking;
• was independently evaluated in all three countries, and was shown to influence attitudes and behaviours (see Wales report attached (1));
• was rolled out in all three countries (see quantitative and qualitative data attached (2)).

Cardiff-GOT-Poland-Spain ‘challenging extremism’ programme (2021) for pupils aged 11-14 in Wales (lead partner), Poland and Spain is funded through Erasmus+ and comprises a series of 6 lessons for the secondary curriculum. Exemplar lessons are free to download here. Filmed lessons will be uploaded to the website in the autumn term 2021.

The development of this programme through European cooperation means that there now exists a continuum of learning through the school curriculum on the theme of ‘challenging extremism’ from pupils aged 8 years to 16+ years (see below).

GOT 1 (2009-2014), for secondary school children aged 14 to 16, was funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the Home Office.

This programme:

• challenged radical, religiously inspired, malicious ideologies;
• promoted respect and tolerance for all;
• was fully resourced, including filmed, taught lessons featuring renowned Islamic scholars;
• was independently evaluated by Cardiff Metropolitan University (Report attached (3)).

GOT 2 & WBQ (Welsh Baccalaureate) (2011-2019), for high school and college students (aged 14 to 19) is funded by Safer Capital/Welsh Assembly Government. Complementing the national curriculum, the programme is designed to assist teachers in challenging sensitive issues relating specifically to all forms of (violent) extremism. In three sections, it features an integrated 'challenging extremism' DVD and a fully resourced teaching programme.

This programme has been:

• approved by the Department for Education;
• independently evaluated by Cardiff University (See attached (4));
• used to compile a batch of 25 lessons that has been accepted by the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) as an optional module in the Welsh Baccalaureate. This is the only one of its kind in the UK.

GOT 3 Youth & Community (2011), for children and young people aged 11 to 25 years, is funded through Cardiff Council. It is a bespoke programme targeting youth and young adults in informal settings through the 'Needs – Aims - Objectives – Methods – Implementation – Evidence' format (NAOMIE ).

This programme is:

• interactive, comprising 10 modules that facilitate self-exploration and rationalisation of thoughts and feelings around extremism in society today, within a safe and informal environment;
• fully resourced, with a programme manual and 'Challenging Extremism' DVD.

GOT 'Supporting Muslim Students' (2017), published by John Catt, is a reference guide for teachers, trainers and lecturers. To provide enhanced affective and cognitive support for their Muslim students, it addresses an increasing number of requests for additional knowledge and understanding.

All programmes feature a combination of teaching manuals, DVDs and resources; extensive training materials have been developed to facilitate delivery of all programmes linked to the UK Prevent legislation, the Wales incoming CfW (Curriculum for Wales) and the Wales schools inspection framework.

Contact person: Barrie Phillips, GOT Director
Telephone: (+44) 07 800 711 318
GOT [dot] Project [dot] 1gmail [dot] com (Email) | Website