Social Inclusion in AKS – What do we do
We from AKS, Aktion Kritischer Schüler_Innen, clearly have a vision of changing schools and the society to a democratic environment, where no-one is discriminated and where everyone has the same chances and opportunities. The topics we tackle very often are sexism, racism, fascism, homophobia and transphobia. In order to abolish discrimination we regularly hold workshops in schools, where young activists try to break stereotypes and prejudices in their classrooms. Furthermore, we also support school student councils in planning projects concerning different forms of discrimination and related topics. For example we have had “Days of Tolerance” in a few schools already, during which school students attended antidiscrimination workshop for an entire day.
Apart from our work directly in schools, we also plan different activities in our local branches ranging from flash mobs on the streets or a music festival against racism to workshops with other organisations in local youth centres. Through these actions we try to reach as many young people as possible, showing them that discrimination has no place either in schools or in society in general.
Within AKS we try to make our events as cheap as possible so that is also affordable for young people with low socio-economic background and everyone can participate. We often organise seminars lasting from one weekend up to one week where school students come together and discuss different topics concerning democracy, discrimination and so on. We specifically support young women within AKS, having in mind that women are still discriminated in nearly all parts of society. We train the young women for example in speaking in public, breaking up men-dominated knowledge areas such as economy and organise networking among young women in order to enable them to take their place in society in general and fight for their rights.
Summing up, we in AKS try to do much anti-discrimination work in schools and with young people in general, as this is mostly missing in the curricula. For us it is essential that young people know about different forms of social exclusion and are able to identify discriminatory acts aimed against them. There is still plenty to do for our vision of a socially inclusive schools and society is fulfilled. In our eyes networks with other school student organisations are very important, because just together we are stronger when fighting for social inclusion!
Written by Larissa Nenning, AKS
