OUR STORY
Nil by Mouth is a registered Scottish Charity (SC030375), existing for the sole purpose of achieving a society free from sectarianism where cultural and religious diversity is respected and celebrate by everyone. We believe that Scotland can succeed in this goal if we unite together to tackle the problem as a nation.
OUR MISSION
Vision
Nil by Mouth is committed to a Scotland free from Sectarianism
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Purpose
Nil by Mouth will promote the elimination of Sectarian attitudes and behaviours in Scotland with a view to the advancement of greater understanding and respect.
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Aims & Objectives
1. Campaign for greater recognition of the damage caused by Sectarianism and promote positive change.
2. Work with legislation and policy developers to support the eradication of Sectarian attitudes, language and behaviour.
3. Develop, promote and deliver education and training to promote good relations and challenge Sectarian attitudes, language and behaviour.
4. Provide support and resources for individuals and organisations to challenge Sectarianism
OUR HISTORY
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What is sectarianism?
Sectarianism is defined as: ‘Bigoted or narrow minded in following the doctrines of one’s sect’ (Oxford English Dictionary) and in Scotland has traditionally been viewed through the prism of disputes between members of the Protestant and Catholic communities.
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NbM define sectarianism in Scotland as a confusion of religion, politics, cultural identity and ignorance which draw on religious traditions but are not simply limited to them. At its core lies a ‘fear of difference’ and a failure to understand why others may choose a different path or view of the world from our own.
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It can take the form of verbal abuse, mistrust between individuals and communities, bullying, online hatred, tensions in the workplace or the home and on, occasions, acts of violence.
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NbM does not deal in absolute truths; our workshops begin by asking participants to define what sectarianism means to them in 21st century Scotland. Some of the most regular themes include football, religion schooling, marches, history and cultural intolerance. While there is often strong views and frank debate we stress the importance of participants asking as many questions of their own actions & beliefs as they do others.
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NBM was set up by Glasgow teenager Cara Henderson in response to the brutal sectarian murder of her friend Mark Scott in 1995 as he made his way home from a football match in Glasgow.
Mark was killed simply because his attacker viewed the colour of his scarf as symbolising a different religion and culture from his own. It was a crime that shocked the country. He had never met his killer before the events of that tragic day and during the trial it emerged that the motive for the attack was religious hatred.
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Rather than seek vengeance Cara sought change.
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She began campaigning in the media; telling her story at community events and lobbying politicians and policy makers. She launched a ‘Charter for Change’ which outlined our vision for challenging sectarian attitudes in Scotland. This was a bold step and it is important to note that after decades of religious intolerance in Scotland the first person to really stand up and do something about it was a teenage girl. Cara won a Philip Lawrence Award for her work in empowering young people. She remains our Honorary Patron. Everyone involved in NBM has drawn inspiration from Cara and we seek to remain true to her values and beliefs in everything we do.
Mark Scott
Cara Henderson
The Scale of the Problem?
Former First Minister Lord Jack McConnell once described sectarianism as Scotland’s ‘Secret Shame’ and the arrival of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 presented an opportunity, indeed a challenge, for a society which had collectively shied away from this deep seated and complex problem. Like any bout of individual or collective introspection this has not always been an easy process. Grudges are passed down from one generation to the next, often with limited understanding of why they ever existed in the first place, each passing year adding new pages to an already depressing chapter of Scottish history.
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We've taken our campaign to the corridors of power in Edinburgh and London.
In recent years sectarianism has once again become a topical issue following the conviction of two men for sending suspected parcel bombs to three prominent public figures and a number of incidents in and around Scottish football. In response the Scottish Parliament passed the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act which sought to address the issue in and around football matches and on the internet.
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However, laws alone can never solve the problem. The real battleground is the hearts and minds of our people. Thankfully, we are seeing change in the national mindset: a 2011 survey, carried out by TNS-BMRB, showed that 91% of Scots recognised the negative impacts of sectarianism and wanted to see action to address it.
Nil by Mouth has aways believed education is key to defeating sectarianism and working to support the leaders of tomorrow
What do we do?
We seek to work with people to break the depressing cycle of bigotry which has plagued Scotland for too long.
We are currently deliver workshops and our ‘Champions for Change’ accreditation scheme in schools. This scheme recognises and develops best practice and encourages regular contact between young people from different religious and cultural traditions. We recognise that change cannot be limited to the classrooms and involve teachers, parents and local communities in order to embed values of respect within school and wider society.
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We also deliver similar sessions in colleges, prisons, young offender institutions, community education projects, workplaces, midnight leagues and youth groups across Scotland.
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We seek to use these sessions as opportunities to break down many of the mental barriers which have divided communities and families for too long. Our workshops begin by asking participants to define what sectarianism means to them in 21st century Scotland. Some of the most regular themes include football, religion, schooling, marches, history and cultural intolerance. We then explore these themes through interactive activities, group work and personal reflection. While there is often strong views and frank debate we stress the importance of participants asking as many questions of their own actions & beliefs as they do others. We believe that before anyone can truly possess respect for others they must first possess respect for themselves.
We continue to deliver our pioneering ‘Beyond Religion and Belief’ workplace package which seeks to provide employers with training, advice and a framework for tackling intolerance in the workplace. We also offer ‘train the trainers’ sessions providing advice and support to nominated staff who in turn will go back to their organisations and create their own approaches to tackling sectarianism.
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Additionally, NBM actively campaign in the media, engage with academics and researchers and last year published a nationwide ‘Action Plan’ to tackle sectarianism. We regularly appear in the media to provide informed comment and analysis of incidents, policy decisions and to promote our own campaigns. We also engage with politicians and NGOs to build alliances in order to defeat religious bigotry once and for all.
We have launched numerous campaigns across a range of platforms to raise awareness of our work.