A wise man once said ‘In reality, there are as many religions as there are individuals’. These are the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who stood for peace in a world of conflict. It is a lesson we can still learn from today, particularly when it comes to the dynamics of faith. Within all worldwide religions we can find different, standing up for their different beliefs about tradition and origin. In Islam, it can be generally split into two groups known as Shia and Sunni Islam. These differ in many ways. For a teacher in a classroom environment, it can be challenging to not only introduce these differences to students, but also to emphasise the deeply rooted history between the two sects. The tensions underlining these differences have unfortunately caused a lot of violence throughout history – but there are many who seek common ground, mutual respect and compassion between the two groups. The importance of tolerance for opinions different to our own is at the heart of peace. It is when we listen to each other, that we discover that we may have more in common than we might think. Not just in religion, but in all realms of life.  
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In our new film Shia // Sunni at TrueTube, we have attempted to capture the importance of these humanitarian principles within the newly formed relationship between our two dynamic characters. In a Romeo and Juliet style drama, Fatimah (a Shia Muslim) and Abubakr (a Sunni Muslim) discover a surprising connection they didn’t think would be possible. Fatimah goes to help Abubakr when she notices him suffering from an asthma attack. This kind gesture grows into polite conversation which then develops into a spirited argument covering the main differences and misconceptions surrounding the two groups. With both characters defending themselves, they slowly discover that their passion for their faith and equally matched human spirit, unites them much more than it divides them. This story demonstrates the power of kindness and strong communication when it comes to all forms of conflict. If you’re looking for a warm-hearted teaching resource to introduce the complicated dynamics between Shia and Sunni Islam, then this film is definitely worth a try. The accompanying teacher’s notes will also offer key questions and lesson activities to make this topic come to life in your classroom. Let us know how it goes. 

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity to be kind. There is a chance to put ourselves in another’s shoes and try to understand what they may be experiencing. We may not always get to the core of what’s happening in their world but it is important to try.

When we hear about devastating world events on the news, it is easy for us to read the headlines, be appalled for a few moments and then switch back to our own world. We all do it. However, even though self-indulgence is a natural human trait, so is empathy. Great suffering should not and does not go unnoticed and many people around the world are trying to help.

The refugee crisis is the perfect example of such a case. With such a dynamic, complex issue, it is easy for us to disconnect from the situation. It is easy to forget that countless children have lost their parents on  the desperate journey to a better life and are now caught up in the world of sex trafficking. It is easy to forget how many parents and grandparents have sacrificed their own lives in order to give their families a chance to live in a better world. We must not disengage with what’s happening to humanity at the present time because we are part of it. Our team at TrueTube have attempted to translate the importance of empathy in our short drama on the refugee crisis. It explores the hypothetical concept of our country becoming a warzone and a family having to leave their home in search of refuge. It takes us on an inverted journey and reveals how even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference.

This film offers a powerful way to focus on the refugee crisis with your students, by making them think how they might feel if it happened to them. It will provide you with a platform to discuss the topic openly as a class. Teacher’s notes, an assembly script and another film on the same issue are also available on our website.

Many students around the world may feel confused and overwhelmed by the refugee crisis – as do many adults. Whatever their opinion may be, this film will connect your students to the complex situation on a human level and stir the emotion needed to keep humanity from breaking. It is a type of connection which makes us human in the first place.   

We have come to the end of LGBT History Month – four weeks bursting with events and discussions, all of which challenged prejudiced ideas. Our work continues beyond this time of year however, as we continue to break down barriers between people which sometimes seem impossible to break. The theme of LGBT History month this year was Religion, Philosophy and Belief.
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TrueTube’s free teaching resources embrace a wide range of subjects, including Religious Education, PSHE and Citizenship. This encompasses LGBT equality and explores its relationship to different religious traditions. It is widely thought that the relationship between LGBT equality and religion is a generally negative one. If we look closer, we can see that there are a range of religious perspectives on this topic, not just the orthodox view. Religious texts can be seen as “written in stone”,  but for many they are open to interpretation. People of faith often interpret religious texts by taking into account the time when they were written and the original audience. Many people interpret the texts in their own, personal way. There are countless groups of religious people who are proud of both their sexual orientation and their faith. They do not feel conflicted between the two aspects of their character because they are at peace with who they are. They have been met with acceptance, kindness and open minds –traits which can be easily forgotten or pushed aside, by louder, less understanding voices.

For LGBT Month 2016, we wanted to spread an important message. For the student in your classroom who may be struggling with the relationship between their faith and their sexual identity – we wanted them to be proud of who they truly are.  We did this by producing a short documentary about a courageous young woman called Katie. Katie is a nurse on a children’s ward and a practising Christian in the Roman Catholic Church. She is also gay. She talks honestly and movingly about how she struggled to reconcile her faith, and about the welcome she eventually found in the church community.  Part of my role with TrueTube is to go into schools across the UK and do workshops with the students based on the subjects we cover. During LGBT History Month, I did several workshops on ‘Katie’ which focussed on the relationship between Human Rights, LGBT equality, and religion. I was overwhelmed by the countless open minds I met in the classrooms, and the compassion each student showed. I want to say a big thank you to Whitefield School, Bullers Wood School and Finham Park School for being so welcoming. If we can all find the kindness shown by the students I met in these workshops, there would be no need for struggle at all.

Courage can show itself on a spectrum of colours. It can exist on a social, emotional and intellectual level. These are the forms that need to be deeply considered and respected when it comes to the subject of mental health. It is a subject that our team at TrueTube are proud to focus on when it comes to producing free teaching resources.

Apart from my passion for the subjects we cover at TrueTube, my other passion in life has always been songwritting. I was lucky enough to write the soundtrack to our short film on the nativity last Christmas, and have been given an amazing opportunity in the world of film scoring once again. This time round, we are covering the importance of relationships when it comes to mental health. I have written a song based on this topic and as a team, TrueTube will be producing a music video for it. I am lucky that my cousin, Anna Toogood, is a very talented singer who has just finished performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I asked Anna to provide the vocals as I knew she would perform it perfectly.The main message from the project is the need to be open- minded and considerate when relating to friends with mental health problems. In turn, this will encourage young people with mental health issues to feel safe and confident when talking about such personal matters with other people. They should not feel judged or ashamed, but comforted by the fact that their friends would respond with compassion and empathy. Discussing your own problems with others can take a lot of courage, whatever your age and this is something we want to raise in the classrooms across the world. The song has now been professionally recorded at Resident Studios, who have recently been a great support to TrueTube. We used the same studio to record our previous film score, and both sessions have proven to be a great experience with the help of an efficient, talented team. Students across the UK will take part in our music video, and help us spread this important message. Watch this space. 

The word ‘journey’ transcends any definition you will find in a dictionary. It does not simply have to translate into ‘travelling from one place to another’. For many people, a journey can imply something far more emotional than a trip from A to B. Yes – it can mean a simple trip to the shops on a Sunday afternoon, but the word implies so much more than what the initial terminology suggests. It implies something that defines the very essence of what it means to be human.  My journey might be very different to yours. We face our own challenges in life and confront our own fears. These are the journeys that count. For someone with severe anxiety for example, that trip to the shops on a Sunday afternoon may just be the one journey that matters most. For others, it may be going to university, travelling around the world, getting married or even having children. There are endless possibilities. We all have our own path and face our own demons. Whatever the journey may be, finding courage and being kind along the way should be lessons passed down from generation to generation.  They are two characteristics I found in abundance at one of the schools I had the pleasure of visiting last week…

Last Monday morning, Little Heath School - a special needs school in the London Borough of Redbridge , welcomed me into Class 14 RE to do a TrueTube workshop. I was greeted by not only the lovely Ms Anne Krisman, but a homemade chocolate cake. (which I strongly suggest should be the standard welcome gift in all social situations) As If this didn't make me feel welcomed enough, I was then introduced to one of the most helpful students I have encountered so far in my job. One of the boys had arrived at least fifteen minutes early to my session. He walked straight up to me, shook my hand and introduced himself with a beaming smile. Ms Krisman suggested he helped me set up the room for my workshop, and inevitably made my session look a lot more colourful and intriguing for the students than I could have done. Within a few minutes, he had laid my worksheets out on each desk in a colour co-ordinate format and had even sharpened all the pencils for his class mates who were about to arrive. The bell went. I was then greeted by a dozen more handshakes, a dozen more friendly faces, and felt like I had known all the students for ten years instead of ten minutes.

The TrueTube workshop focused on religious and personal journeys. To learn about religious pilgrimages, we played a card game in teams of five. The atmosphere was electric as the student’s sense of competition and enthusiasm gradually built as the game went on. The next part of the lesson involved watching the TrueTube animation ‘Life is a Journey’ as a class. This short, light hearted film introduces stages of life we all might face one day.This was the trigger for the last part of the lesson and the part which has imprinted on my memory. Each student had been asked to write down either their biggest journey so far, or what journey they want to take in the future. The results were humbling. One student said his biggest journey so far had been moving house. He showed profound articulation as he gave a thorough account of the challenges he faces and how he overcame them. The students who expressed their journeys for the future ranged from becoming an actress to getting married. The detailed ambitions and recollections expressed by the whole class emphasised the diversity of characters found in just one classroom. Their sense of passion and vision was a joy to work with, and a gift that should be treasured when it comes to the world of education. It was clear that their learning disabilities were not a barrier when it came to their creativity. On the contrary, it was a power which underpinned their inventiveness and gave them the honesty and imagination, others sometimes struggle to find.

Without a doubt, it was one of the most inspirational days working for TrueTube so far. The altruism that surrounded me that morning is something you cannot overlook. A landmark now, on my very own journey. 

This time last year, I was quite a different person. Many people who know me may say I was slightly more reserved, others would say I lacked confidence in my own ability when I was, in fact, perfectly capable of achieving the goals I set out to achieve. They were right to make such judgements. I had graduated with a degree in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics, and was searching for a job where I could apply my knowledge of the subjects to a working environment. I knew I should try to challenge myself but still lacked a key ingredient – self-belief. A characteristic you need to find for yourself.
Last December, I received a phone call from an unknown number on a frosty afternoon. I had been waiting for the phone to ring all day. It was a call from the TrueTube team offering me the position of ‘Marketing and Research Assistant’ on a twelve month basis. I have held this position within the team for almost a year now and can not believe how much has happened within such a short space of time. From sailing across the rough English seas to presenting TrueTube at The University of Oxford, I can confidently say it has not been your average internship.

If you asked me last Christmas if I was capable of doing such things, I would have responded with an adamant ‘No’. After putting myself out of my comfort zone several times, I can confidently say I would give a very different response this time round. By the time I sit back with mulled wine and a mince pie this year, I will have presented at over twenty schools, thirteen universities and several other educational institutions. I will have stories of sailing a tall ship, stories of playing the voice of a cartoon character and even stories of how I wrote the music to a film on the TrueTube website. Writing the music to the film ‘Mary’s Lullaby’ has got to be the highlight of the year for me. I have always had a keen interest in song writing and have played the piano since I could remember. Being able to combine my passion for both religious education and music is something I never thought would be possible until I worked for TrueTube. When I’ve written my own music in the past, there were no rules to follow, so creating a song and simultaneously following the rules of timing and relevance to a film, was a challenge in itself. This time I was put out of my comfort zone in terms of music, and as before with TrueTube, I ended up thoroughly enjoying myself. From writing the lyrics, to working out fitting harmonies, I did my best and put everything I had into it. It didn’t take much to persuade my dearest sister to sing the melody in the recording studio and after a lot of hard work; we had a finished track for the Nativity film which is now live on the website and available to watch here. Having a job where you can be that creative and combine the subjects you love, is a rare thing. I have recently been offered a position within the TrueTube team for another year, and could not be happier.

I would like to thank The Rank Foundation and TrueTube for giving me this amazing opportunity. I am not the shy, slightly self-doubting graduate that I was a year ago, but a confident, happy and valuable member of a hard working team. I am proud to work for a company that promotes an understanding of such important subjects and am already looking forward to what the New Year brings.

As human beings, we express ourselves in many different ways.  We translate our emotions to others through speech, body language, paintings, music, literature, dance, sculptures and many other forms which grasp the essence of our imagination. All of which, are unique in their own right...but we’re missing one. Whether you want to educate, inspire or move your audience to tears, creating your film can provide you the key in doing so.

When you have an idea, it doesn’t just have to stay locked up inside your head.  You have the power to illustrate your idea into some kind of creation that the world can see and share with you. If you wanted to shout out to the world about how much you love chocolate for example, you would have endless options on how to go about it.  You could write a song about how it was your favourite thing in the world, draw a picture of an imaginary chocolate land, or bake your own chocolate cake.  You could even spread a picture of the masterpiece all over social media. Or, you could make a film. You could make a film about where chocolate comes from, using actors, animation and music. This allows you to combine many art forms into just one performance. Enough about chocolate though and onto more serious matters.  After all, you could make a film about anything you wanted. There is a challenge coming up which you can be part of. First of all, you need to ask yourself a couple of questions. Do you have an imagination? Do you have your own view of the world and know what we could all do to make it a better place?  We all have the potential to make a difference and even a short film can have a huge impact. You could engage people with your ideas all around the world and inspire them to make a difference in the same way you are.

Parliaments’ Education Service has launched a competition called ‘Light’s, Camera, Parliament’ which gives you the opportunity to speak out. The challenge is to produce a three minute film on what new law or amendment to the law you would introduce. You will need to think of the story you want to tell, what genre it would be and how this would demonstrate your new law. Take a look at the winning film from last year below. Entries can be submitted from the 12th of January until the 27th of February 2015. Handy tips and resources on making the film can be found on the competition website to give you a helping hand. Imagination, passion and an eye for style are a necessity for this task. Think you have all three? Then get started and make your voice heard.