Students’ film has role in helping to promote diversity

Creative Teesside University multi-media journalism students have created a film to help promote social inclusion.

Sam Bradley and Jack Franks worked with Stockton based charity, Justice First, to put together the film which aims to promote and celebrate community cohesion and diversity. The film features a football tournament which brought together refugees from war torn countries.

Sam and Jack are both are passionate about football and as part of their second year degree studies they set up a You Tube channel to discuss football. They jumped at the chance combine their passions for journalism and sport by filming the tournament which brought together teams made up of refugees and players from Cleveland Police and Teesside University.

Sam said: 'It has been one of the highlights of my time studying at Teesside University. I never thought I would get to meet local footballing hero such as Curtis Fleming.'

Former premiership football player Curtis Fleming spent ten years with Middlesbrough Football Club and is now involved in football coaching. He is also a Patron of Justice First, which helps refugees in the North-East.

It is the second year in which journalism students from the University have worked with Justice First to showcase some of the positive work being carried out locally to promote diversity.

Mark Handscomb, Senior Lecturer in Online Journalism at Teesside University, said: 'Tackling the prejudice and negative perceptions which some people have about minority communities is an important part of teaching students how to behave as professional journalists. The most effective way is for students to make factual programmes, so they can learn by doing.

'Working alongside Justice First, along with the Police and Crime Commissioner who sponsored the event, creates a unique learning opportunity to show students why being a journalist can be the best job in the world.'

The film also features interviews with Adam Cooper, head teacher of Abingdon Primary School, along with Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger and Justice First’s Barbara Hungin.

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