Anger, frustration, fear, indifference. These are the complex but potent combination of emotions regularly displayed by young people during conversations about racism. Since 1996, Show Racism the Red Card have been engaging young people in discussions about the nature of prejudice and a cross-section of their attitudes towards life in Britain has been captured through a unique piece of research.

In the latest study, we captured the attitudes of young people in England over a two-year period, surveying almost 6,000 10- to 16-year-olds on their perceptions of Britain.

The results provide cause for concern – 60% of the children questioned believed it was true that “asylum seekers and immigrants are stealing our jobs”, while 35% agreed or partly agreed that “Muslims are taking over our country”.

Through Show Racism the Red Card’s work in schools, we have found that there is a large amount of negativity when young people are asked questions about “immigration” or “Muslims”. The survey shows that this is fuelled by a totally distorted view of the number of immigrants and Muslims in the UK.

By building the capacity for critical thinking among young people they can be encouraged to challenge media narratives

It does not show that we have large numbers of “racist” young people in England, but rather that as a society we can be guilty of misrepresenting what racism is. Many of the young people questioned appear to understand and agree with the notion that racism is bad, but reveal gaps in their understanding by displaying prejudice towards particular religions or nationalities, particularly with regard to immigration.

Overall, this research illustrates that more needs to be invested in developing the critical thinking skills to prevent potentially racist attitudes developing. This is best achieved through providing teachers with the dedicated training and resources to provide the opportunity for young people to discuss these issues in a safe and nonjudgmental environment where self-discovery and the importance of thinking, as opposed to being told what to think, are valued.

The media and the political system play a role in shaping the worldview of young people, with many of the respondents to the survey using language and arguments that appear to have been lifted from television and newspapers, or perpetuated by peers and adults. The young people who took part in this research demonstrated an awareness of media bias and their own susceptibility to influence by the media, but correlations remained between the type of media consumed and the attitudes held by the consumers.

Show Racism the Red Card believes there is a need to build up resistance to far-right ideologies that may be used by future groups to create further divisions among communities and foster hatred, prejudice and discrimination. This process will be supported through the greater provision of antiracism education. By building the capacity for greater critical thinking among young people they can be encouraged to challenge media narratives and take a proactive role in shaping their own futures and the future of the country in which they live.

The effectiveness of these practices is demonstrated by the change in attitudes of over 1,000 young people captured following their participation in antiracism workshops with Show Racism the Red Card. While 60% of young people believed it was true that “asylum seekers and immigrants are stealing our jobs” prior to undertaking dedicated programmes of antiracism education, the figure fell to just 17% after participation in the workshops.

By equipping young people to better understand the world around them, we hope that they will recognise the benefits of multiculturalism, choosing to celebrate difference and recognise the positive aspects of diversity, enabling them to participate in the development of a more equal Britain.