Awareness Raising (in Latin America its called conscientização / concientización) is raise the consciousness of and consciencence to the real life struggles of ourselves and our neighbours, the neighbourhood and the world community. It involves awareness of discriminations and privileges, solidarity and competition, differences and commonalities, that is, where we are in relation to one another within the society, and what we have to work together for in our neighbourhoods.
SEMA has been working on Awareness Raising since February 2020 with the Borders X Belonging Conference focused on Black Education in the UK, the first event of its kind on Shropshire (see Academics).
Our mainstay Awareness Raising efforts are represented in two programs offered to organisations and individuals:
Exploring Whiteness Course
This six week course is an opportunity to start with the only logical beginning point — ourselves.
“It was challenging to explore what White Privilege actually means, generally and personally. The course has really helped me understand this better and make a conscious decision stay alert, to acknowledge and question it in everyday situations.”
Participant, May 2021
It is a safe and brave space in which to engage, connect and reflect, getting ready to engage in anti-racist work in whatever way.
This course, delivered previously on April 01-May 06, July 06-August 10, and September 30-November 04 in 2021, is now open again for online and face-to-face participants, 2024.
Anna Gillions is SEMA staff (and one of our directors) and runs the Exploring Whiteness Course. With over 25 years experience in the health and social care sector Anna has particular expertise in mental health, neurodivergence, trauma, conflict, and communication. As such, Anna was commissioned by Shropshire Supports Refugees to run workshops on Trauma and on Conflict.
To get involved or to book our workshops on Trauma, Conflict, and a number of other related topics, please visit our contact page and tell us a little about your community context.
[Description of collaboration with Serbian students, also to be mentioned in Academics]
Shropshire Equality Means Action 