The Face to Faith schools programme is helping to create a generation at ease with difference, working to secure an

open-minded society and preventing religious conflict and extremism.

1 . 1 T H E V I S I O N

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation provides the practical support required to help prevent religious prejudice, conflict and extremism. We work with current and future leaders to tackle this issue in the present and with the next generation to secure peace in the future. Our work with students and young people is provided through our Face to Faith programme.

The Face to Faith programme, designed for 12-17 year olds, is already active in more than 20 countries across the world including in some of the world’s most challenging areas, using the latest technology to connect more than 50,000 students with their peers all over the world. Our work is increasingly being recognised by governments that see how

Face to Faith can equip their younger citizens with the knowledge and skills to secure an open-minded society and be at ease with difference.

1 . 2 T H E C H A L L E N G E

Over recent years we have witnessed deplorable acts of violence in the name of religion. Conflicts between and within religious groups in countries across the world continue to rage, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands and displacing millions of people. There is an urgent need to replace intolerance and disrespect towards those of a different faith with respect and understanding. The world faces a choice – an open-minded approach to the world, to others, to diversity, to difference or the alternative close-minded approach, where globalisation is seen

as a threat, difference as a danger and diversity as a weakness.

The scale of the challenge we face cannot be underestimated. The fight back begins with combating the intractable mindset of extremist religious groups. The work we do, and the work of many others, is not just about the uprooting of extremism, but uprooting the thinking and philosophy behind it.

There is no answer to this problem that does not start, and continue, with the education of our young people and their exposure to the views of others. Any long term solution needs to educate future generations to an open-minded view of the world. Our prospects for peace rely on helping our young people become a generation at ease with difference, global citizens working to secure an open-minded society.

1 . 0 T H E V I S I O N The Vision & Challenge

2 . 0 S T R A T E G Y

2 . 1 O U R M O D E L

Our unique model combines education and exposure as a means of preventing religious conflict and extremism.

Through education we provide young people with the knowledge and skills to understand other religious and cultural perspectives and to resist extremist voices. This requires the acquisition of a very specific skill set but it also requires opportunities for students to have positive exposure to those unlike themselves.

2 . 2 F A C I L I T A T E D D I A L O G U E

To do this we facilitate interactions between students of different cultures and beliefs that have lasting attitudinal change and emotional resonance. This combination of education and exposure is a profound way of learning – one that produces deep understanding and recognition of the Other. We bring them together through a process of facilitated dialogue, which allows students to draw on the knowledge, skills and competencies they are developing in class as they come face to face with their peers around the world through videoconferences and our online learning community.

When thinking about dialogue it is useful to think of it in terms of a process – a flow

of meaning between students. This means that students are not passive consumers of information, using one another as resources, but engaged in a vital exchange where they are empowered to feel that they have a voice that can be heard around the world.

Dialogue also lays the groundwork for significant and authentic relationships between students where they recognise each other as individuals. This recognition is vital for peace building, when the alternative is too often an objectified view of the Other, where the individual is seen and understood only in terms of its utility. Students often speak of the way this sparks a moment of insight, of profound understanding, a recognition of the Other.

Education & Exposure

Education

Classwork, including lessons and activities, that develop knowledge, skills and competencies

Exposure

Encounters with others through cooperative class exercises, videoconferences and an online learning community

Challenge Goal

Exposure

Education

Students at risk of religious prejudice, conflict &

extremism

Students working to secure an open-minded society and to prevent religious prejudice,

conflict and extremism

Working with current leaders

Working with the next generation

Exposure

Education

Process of Facilitated Dialogue

Combines the strands of education and exposure

2 . 3 M O D E L O F L E A R N I N G

Education

3 . 1 F L E X I B I L I T Y

We have developed teaching modules, each composed of a set of flexible lessons, which can be incorporated into existing courses and curricula. The modules are designed to suit a wide range of different educational systems and cultures.

The programme has been devised by an international group of educational experts, academic advisors and religious leaders to ensure that it reflects the needs of different school systems around the world. It has been created as a flexible modular programme, so that it accommodates a wide range of learning requirements and starting points.

We listen carefully to our teachers and are open to adapting our approach to support

the different education cultures around the world.

In the end delivery comes down to the teachers who know the needs of their students and understand the unique requirements of their local context. The materials are a toolkit for teachers, rather than a mandated curriculum. As with any toolkit, the professional is able to choose the precise tool necessary for the job. Ultimately, each Face to Faith teacher engages their own professional judgment and expertise to get the best possible outcome for their students.

3 . 2 T H E J O U R N E Y

There is no one single path through Face to Faith. Every school takes a different route. For teachers this journey begins

with having the confidence to deliver the programme. Face to Faith provides a variety of ways to support teachers to develop their understanding of the programme and to build their confidence. For students the journey begins with teachers delivering the Introduction Module helping students develop the most essential skills while taking vital lessons on identity, influences, dialogue and faith.

Following the compulsory Introduction Module teachers can tailor the programme to suit their needs. They can begin any of a number of new complementary modules, the world of the online learning community is opened to students and participation in a variety of special days and projects is offered.

3 . 0 D E L I V E R Y Face to Faith in Practice

Introductory Module

Lesson One:Identity & Respect

Lesson Two:Faith & Dialogue

Lesson Three:Influences

Lesson Four:Who to Trust?

Lesson Five:Dialogue Skills

Lesson Six:Videoconference Preparation

Lesson Seven:The Videoconference

Lesson Eight:Review & Reflection

Going DeeperTeacher Training

Online Resources

Professional Development Videoconferences

Coordinator Support

Additional Module 1: A Common Word

Additional Module 2: Wealth, Poverty & Charity

Additional Module 3: The Art of Expression

3 . 3 C O M P O N E N T S

Teacher Workshops

Additional Module 4: The Environment

Online Learning Community

Special Days & Projects

3 . 4 T E A C H E R T R A I N I N G

We support teachers to run the programme in four different ways: through teacher workshops, through a rich variety of accessible online resources, through professional development videoconferences and through team and country coordinator support.

Teacher workshops provide in-depth expert training from a variety of professionals. Online resources include a number of how-to videos and resources which cover everything needed to get started. Through regular teacher-only professional development videoconferences teachers have the opportunity to share with their colleagues around the world their experiences and good practice. Finally, where appropriate,

teachers are supported by both their country coordinator and by the members of the Face to Faith team. We have a dedicated team that can help with online enquiries and a number of helpdesks, including one in Arabic, for registered schools.

3 . 5 I N T R O D U C T I O N M O D U L E

The Introduction Module is an indispensable part of Face to Faith, which is why it is the only compulsory module. Students take part in lessons that explore topics on vital issues such as understanding the faiths and beliefs of others, the facets of identity, respectful dialogue and its role in peacebuilding, power and influence and the requirements of global citizenship. The lessons also use activities to introduce students to the core

concept of respectful dialogue. They do this by identifying and building a number of key skills required to prepare students for meaningful and respectful dialogue on faith and beliefs.

Our experience has been that many articulate students are well equipped to take part in discussion and debate, but that building mutually respectful and meaningful dialogue, even amongst those same students, requires careful focus. This is why the Introduction Module focuses almost entirely on these skills.

Once students are properly prepared, the module introduces students to their first videoconference with another school that is part of our global network. The videoconference in the Introduction Module allows the students the opportunity to explore and articulate their own values, as well as encounter and consider those of others.

3 . 0 D E L I V E R Y Components of Face to Faith

Following this we conclude the module with opportunities for detailed and full reflection. This encourages both self and peer assessment, as well as providing students and teachers with the opportunity to explore their own learning in a variety of ways.

3 . 6 G O I N G D E E P E R

Following the Introduction Module teachers are able to select from a variety of complementary additional modules, access the secure online learning community and engage in their own community activities.

There are a number of other issue modules that can be taken following the Introduction Module that examine specific global issues from a variety of faith perspectives, enabling students to explore diversity. These modules include: A Common Word, which explores the significance of the teachings of

compassion; Wealth, Poverty & Charity, which explores the different meanings of wealth and poverty; the Art of Expression, which explores truth and beauty in the world’s religions; and Environment which examines a range of ideas about the environment and human responsibility.

The online learning community is a secure website that allows students to continue dialogue through forums, blogs and instant messaging. Our online learning community is another safe space for dialogue, in that access is limited to teachers and students taking part in the programme and the content is monitored and moderated.

Special Days are learning opportunities that build on either the United Nations Special Days or Special Events run by other partners. Typically the Special Days are marked with a combination of videoconferences and community activities.

“I observed

friendships between

citizens of countries

between which

there are active

conflicts. That

convinced me that

most of the world

desire peace, and

that if you want to

talk with people

who want peace,

just join the Face to

Faith project.” S T U D E N T I N I S R A E L

students tell one another about their communities and experiences of life. Discussion about religious ideas can often take place at this level.

One of the most important things which facilitators remind students is to speak for themselves, to use “I” language. Here students are able to share their own point of view or opinion which is different to the sharing and telling kind of dialogue. This means that students are free to express their own individual opinions, and helps to reduce generalisations and confusion.

Having heard students talk about what their communities do, facilitators, and other students, often press for explanation, moving from saying “this is what we do” to “this is why we do it”. This is when they move from reporting to unpacking and elucidating the ideas. This represents a shift up into understanding – students are going beyond reporting information, into more complex thinking. This shift is

see other classrooms across the world. Videoconferences always have a trained facilitator to manage the flow of the discussion, to ask probing questions, and to ensure that the discussion does not go into uncomfortable areas.

Nearly all videoconferences contain an element of sharing and telling where

T H E V I D E O C O N F E R E N C E

Videoconferences are an integral part of Face to Faith, allowing schools to connect directly with schools in different locations across the globe. Using simple internet technology, a classroom can speak to and

“...they felt awesome at

the end of the VC, when

they found out they

could be persuasive and

change for a moment

the opinion of their

counterparts in the US

towards Egyptians.

There were some very

challenging questions

from their counterparts

which allowed my

students to discover

themselves more than

ever.”

T E A C H E R I N E G Y P T

frequently enabled by questioning. Students often bring prepared questions into a videoconference, and therefore we differentiate between asking questions that have been prepared and response questions, which arise spontaneously and are based upon what students have already heard, and which take the dialogue deeper into more profound and personal learning.

Deeper engagement with the material under discussion is signalled when we see students identifying similarities and differences, and while students often find it easy to find and comment on the similarities in their experiences and views, the differences are important too. The process of dialogue is about learning to live with, and negotiate difference, so recognising and valuing difference is an important step to take.

It is quite a significant step for students to move beyond this and to express agreement and disagreement with one another. This demonstrates that students

have understood and taken ownership of the similarities and differences which they may have originally identified in an abstract sense.

T E C H N I C A L S U P P O R T

Permanent technical support is also provided throughout the videoconference to ensure as high a quality of signal as possible and to deal with technical issues. We connect all our schools through the Blue Jeans video collaboration service, which accepts signals from many different kinds of hardware and software (most of our schools use Skype). It is usually simple to connect, and we offer full technical support to ensure that schools are able to get videoconferencing quickly and easily. Schools with limited or no internet connection are supported to have audio-only dialogue. Where we can, Face to Faith attempts to find local places to host video-conferences for schools to use.

this may be common across other websites, it is not how things work in the Face to Faith community, where students have been trained in using dialogue, and are working within a shared set of expectations. We encourage all students to comment frequently on one another’s work, and have expectations that a good comment should either be enquiring, asking for more information or clarification, or reflecting, talking about the ways in which this resonates with the writer’s experience or beliefs.

The online learning community is a secure website that allows students to continue dialogue through forums, blogs and instant messaging. When people talk about online dialogue, they are often expecting to see a typical forum discussion between two individuals arguing opposing points of view. While

O N L I N E L E A R N I N G C O M M U N I T Y

The online learning community is an exciting tool that ensures that dialogue between students does not end when the videoconference cameras shuts down.

An excerpt from a blog on our online learning

community, with comments

...we judge people by their appearance which I think is so not so good because appearance can’t tell how a person is actually from inside. What I want to say is that after hearing something we should not judge things only through the perspective of its teller instead we should do some research and get to know about its genuinity. People should be practical. This had happened to me a lot until one day I realized and stopped making judgments on something through others perspective. Have you too fallen into the cobweb of stereotypes? If yes, then please share and also let me know what you think about this topic :-)

This blog is so honest and full of truth I am amazed. I personally hate stereotyping because it causes lots of damage to people’s confidence and makes them feel insecure. And I speak from experience...THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BLOGS SO FAR.

Like your blog...My friends and I are victims of prejudism...I hope all the people have the same perspective as you do.. :)

Thank you so much. Even i hate stereotypes as it can reduce the level of confidence in one’s life. :)

Amen (India)

William (United Kingdom)

Louis (Philippines)

Yaser (United Arab Emirates)

We are committed to making a tangible difference, changing the way individuals understand and interact with the world around them, but we are also keen to know where we can improve, that is why the need for evidence and attitudinal change underpins all our work.

4 . 1 E V A L U A T I O N

The evaluation of the programme’s impact is done through a variety of means. The programme has been endorsed by international educational establishments. It has been accredited by the International GCSE, recognised by the International Baccalaureate and is regularly independently evaluated in order to refine further and improve the programme. We also advocate the use of self and peer

assessment in the classroom so that both students and teachers can measure the success of the programme.

An international advisory board of renowned educational experts helps assess and guide the pedagogy and robust internal audits are carried out by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and its trustees.

4 . 2 M E A S U R I N G I M P A C T

With regards to the need for robust evidence of attitudinal change we measure a number of indicators graded against a scale. We track school and student progress through this scale. Getting students and schools into Level 3 and Level 4 is the aim of our efforts. At Level 3 a student or school is demonstrating

that they are engaged in dialogue, either through a videoconference or through the online learning community. At Level 4 a student or school is reaching out into their community, using the skills they have learned in their community and doing dialogue with people of other faith traditions.

We back these measurements up with further empirical research. We know measuring attitudinal change takes time. We are working with independent partners to deepen our evaluation of student assumptions and beliefs at the start of the programme and monitoring how participation in Face to Faith transforms their attitudes.

4 . 0 M A K I N G A D I F F E R E N C E Evaluation & Impact

L E V E L 1

A school or student is registered in Face to Faith.

L E V E L 2

A school or student is teaching or being taught Face to Faith.

L E V E L 3

A school or student is demonstrating that they are engaged in dialogue, either through

a videoconference or through the online learning community.

L E V E L 4

A school or student is reaching out into their community, using the skills they have learned in their community and doing dialogue with

people of other faith traditions.

4 . 3 I N D I C A T O R S I N D I C A T O R S

# of “Level 1” Schools

# of “Level 2” Schools

# of “Level 3” Schools

# of “Level 4” Schools

# of schools offering Face to Faith to all students

% of schools returning from previous year

# of students to reach Level 3 or 4

“The opportunity

to participate

in this program

has blown all the

misconceptions

that I had out of the

water and caused

me to try harder to

understand people

from all places and

circumstances.”S T U D E N T I N

T H E U S A

Face to Faith is active in more than 20 countries across the world including in some of the world’s most challenging areas – connecting more than 50,000 students. We are operating in a growing number of countries that include, amongst others: Australia, Canada, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Italy, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Kosovo, Mexico, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the Ukraine, and the USA.

Currently the Face to Faith programme is offered free to schools. This is made possible by the generous donations of individuals, trusts, governments and educational bodies with an interest in religious literacy, global citizenship and peace education. If you are interested in funding Face to Faith email us at:donations@tonyblairfaithfoundation.org

5 . 1 L O N G - T E R M S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

Increasingly, our work is being delivered by governments that are recognising the way Face to Faith helps equip their younger citizens with the skills to secure an open-minded society.

It is part of our strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of the programme to work with governments and international institutions to incorporate the values of the programme into their education systems. To do this we gather evidence of impact and present that evidence to governments and other organisations so they can replicate the work at a larger scale.

Along with this evidence we work with

government partners to provide advice and consultation as they implement the programme.

Already we are working with the Philippines, Italy and the government of the Palestinian Authority to include it in national curricula and schools nationwide. Our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Italy is an example of the impact of working side by side with government partners. Working together with the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research we are supporting the sustainable implementation of Face to Faith in Italian public schools.

If you are a government or organisation interested in replicating Face to Faith you can contact us at:info@tonyblairfaithfoundation.org

5 . 0 G R O W T H Future Growth & Sustainability

G E T I N V O L V E D

Interested in teaching Face to Faith? Email us at: helpdesk@facetofaithonline.org

Interested in funding Face to Faith? Email us at: donations@tonyblairfaithfoundation.org

Is your government or organisation interested replicating Face to Faith? Email us at:

info@tonyblairfaithfoundation.org

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation is registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales with the number 1123243. We are a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales with company number 06198959. Our registered office is 66 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3LH. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation US has been determined by the IRS to be a publicly-supported 501 (c) 3 organisation which can receive tax-deductible contributions from US donors. As an independent US tax-exempt organisation, TBFF US shares the goals of, and provides support to, the Tony Blair Faith Foundation based in London.