Students Together Against Discrimination

International School of Helsinki

At the International School of Helsinki, the student equity team is leading the way to diversity and inclusion. They were part of a hiring committee for a diversity trainer for the staff, and have worked with the marketing department to create an international student organization called STAND.

The name STAND is an acronym for Students Together AgaiNst Discrimination. The purpose of this group is to open up discussions regarding students’ own experiences relating to discrimination or equity across a range of issues, such as gender equality, LGBTQ+ issues, racial bias/discrimination or ableism.

‘‘We believe that discussing these issues, whether they occur in the school community or not, is important and by raising awareness and recognising them, the entire school community can improve.‘‘

‘‘By creating a STAND Instagram page, we can communicate our ideas across the school population in an efficient manner. For example, a poster campaign in which students can photograph themselves holding a sign saying "I stand to change ______" or "I stand for _____" to provide examples of issues that our community is passionate about.’’

In the coming weeks, the students will organize student-led workshops exploring themes such as Women in Leadership, Integration and Inclusion, Empathy and Action, Gender/Sexuality and Equity, Cultural Diversity, Recycling at ISH, Racism or Racial Profiling.

Learn more here: www.ishelsinki.fi