: 🌍 Community, Culture & Inclusion 🌍 from Still I Rise

[Studio NI]

Hello Risers! As we move through June, we’ve been reflecting on the power of community, connection and the incredible people who make positive change happen every day.  [Download thenclusive Calendar 🌍 Celebrating Volunteers’ Week with Home-Start 🌍 This week, we were delighted to deliver a workshop with Home-Start as part of Volunteers’ Week. Together, we explored identity, culture, privilege and inclusive language, creating space for meaningful conversations, learning and reflection. These conversations matter because inclusion starts with understanding. When we take time to explore our own experiences and listen to the experiences of others, we build stronger communities where everyone feels valued, respected and able to belong. Change doesn't happen in isolation – it happens when people come together with curiosity, empathy and a willingness to learn. A huge thank you to all volunteers everywhere. Your generosity, compassion and commitment make our communities stronger and our world a better place every single day. 🎪Culture Day at Stranmillis IPS🎪 We were also proud to deliver our Skin Tones Workshop at Stranmillis IPS Culture Day this weekend. What a fantastic celebration it was! The day was filled with inclusive food, music, dance, storytelling and such a powerful energy of learning and belonging. Events like these remind us that diversity is something to be celebrated and that every culture brings richness, perspective and joy to our communities. Seeing children, families and educators come together to learn from one another was truly inspiring. Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month June marks Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) History Month, an important opportunity to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities while also raising awareness of the challenges and discrimination many continue to face. Representation matters. Learning about diverse communities helps challenge stereotypes, promotes understanding and ensures that all children and young people can see themselves reflected in the stories we share and the history we teach. To support your learning this month, we've included a selection of recommended books and resources below. 🚀 Introducing The Inclusion Lab 🚀 We are incredibly excited to be taking the next step in our mission with the development of The Inclusion Lab... Northern Ireland's classrooms are changing faster than ever. Schools are becoming increasingly culturally, linguistically and socially diverse, yet teachers are under growing pressure to meet diverse needs with limited time, training and resources. Too often, inclusion learning happens once and then disappears. Over the last few years, through Still I Rise Stories, we've worked with more than 10,000 children and young people and supported organisations representing over 25,000 people globally. We've seen first-hand both the need for this work and the impact it can have. The Inclusion Lab is our next step. The platform will combine live workshops with digital learning resources, classroom activities and impact measurement tools that help schools embed inclusion learning throughout the year rather than as a one-off event. Our vision is simple: when inclusion is embedded early, children grow into curious, compassionate and confident global citizens, helping build a society where everyone belongs. 📋 We Need Your Help 📋 We are currently looking for primary school teachers to take part in a short survey that will help shape the future of The Inclusion Lab. ⏰ It takes around 10 minutes to complete. By registering your interest, you will have the opportunity to: ✅ Help shape the platform from the very beginning ✅ Become part of our pilot community ✅ Receive free access during Term 1 of the next academic year ✅ Help create a resource that genuinely works for teachers and children If you're a primary school teacher, we'd love to hear from you. You can complete the survey here! Our calendars for 2026 - 2027 continue to fill up, and we would love to work with more schools, organisations, and community groups next year. 🌈 Our Services Include: 📚 Learning Through Story sessions for primary & post-primary 🎤 Staff Training & CPD on diversity, equity, active bystanding & allyship 👨🏽‍🏫 Workshops for children on identity, belonging, and inclusion 📘 Inclusive book curation, school library support & consultancy 🎙️ Speaking engagements, storytelling events & festival programming 💬 What People Say: ⭐ “It was lovely to have you at our assemblies this morning. The pupils were captivated by the themes. The staff gave me such positive feedback and thoroughly enjoyed your stories too. ” ⭐ “Still I Rise has made a lasting impact on my journey towards becoming an antiracist ally.” ⭐ “We are looking forward to more next year!” ⭐ “Orla brings such warmth and depth – our pupils absolutely loved it.” ✨ Thank you as always for continuing to support Still I Rise – together, we are amplifying voices, bridging gaps, and helping children embrace the power of stories.✨ If you’d like to bring Still I Rise to your school, workplace, or community: 👉 Visit www.stillirisestories.org 👉 Or email us directly at stillir...@gmail.com 🌍 Together, let’s keep building a culture of empathy, equity, and inclusion. 🌍 ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ Still I Rise Belfast, North of Ireland