Registered Charity No. 1011222 Charity Registered in Scotland SC039725
“I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives” – R.J.Palacio, Wonder
changingfaces.org.uk
Changing the way we see people who look different In partnership with the film Wonder and Changing Faces:
ONLY IN CINEMAS #ChooseKind wondermovie.co.uk
Are you ready to change the way you see?
Are you ready to change the way you see?
In Wonder, Auggie was born with a condition affecting his face. ‘Disfigurement’ is the term used to describe any mark, scar or condition that affects appearance. Although not everyone likes or identifies with the term, Changing Faces uses the word ‘disfigurement’ as it is a succinct general term, widely understood by the public and enshrined in law in the Equality Act 2010. In the United Kingdom it is estimated that about 1,345,000 people have a significant disfigurement to their face or body. Many conditions like Auggie’s, such as cleft lip and palate can lead to hearing difficulties, requiring specialist medical treatment, and sometimes requiring hearing aids to be worn. Auggie’s type of condition is called a cranio-facial condition. Many children born with similar conditions undergo surgery throughout their childhood to help development. • Get inspiration from our website. If Wonder has inspired you let us know you’d like to support us by calling 0207 391 9270, changingfaces.org.uk/donate, or Text WOND37 followed by the amount you wish to donate on 70070. • Every time you raise awareness about face equality you will make a huge difference to people’s lives and any donations (big or small) will make a big impact on the services we can offer nationwide. • Our young people’s and teachers’ resources aim to increase your knowledge of the negative bias some people hold about people who look different. Face equality encourages us to stand up to discrimination at school or college, in the workplace, or when socialising with friends.
About Changing Faces and what we do
Changing Faces is the UK’s leading charity for everyone who has a medical condition, mark or scar that makes them look different. We are there for people at the key moments in their lives, whether that’s starting school, going for an interview, during their medical journey, or if they experience bullying or harassment. Looking and feeling different in a society where beauty is valued very highly can be extremely difficult. We provide advice and support for people with a disfigurement and campaign against discrimination and prejudice to change the world that they are living in. Young people are under such pressure to look a certain way - we want to move towards a society that values difference so that everyone can live confident and happy lives. Changing Faces is all about building strong, resilient, confident people with the same ambitions and aspirations as any other person, regardless of how they look. • Every year, around 15,000 children in the UK are born with a disfigurement and many more children acquire a disfigurement during their childhood. 86,000 are estimated to have a disfigurement, that’s one in 124 in the under-16 school population. • Our research shows that almost half of young people with visible differences are bullied about their appearance at school. The vast majority – nearly 90% – say their primary school did not succeed in stopping the bullying. • Nearly half (46%) of the 1,000 people we supported directly were children, young people or their families or schools. •
Our views on the film
Looking and feeling different in a society where beauty is valued very highly can be extremely difficult. We really hope that Wonder will be another positive step in our campaign against discrimination and prejudice, so that we can move towards a society that values difference. Changing Faces has long championed the book and its sequels, and we have created resources for schools so that they can teach children to understand and value difference. Quite often people just don’t know how to start having those conversations because they’re worried they’ll get it wrong, and we hope our resources will make people more confident.
Guidelines on how to talk about disfigurement It is important to note that not everyone likes the word ‘disfigurement’, preferring instead words like ‘visible difference’ or ‘unusual appearance’, or simply the name of the condition. The term that is preferable to use also varies depending on the country it is used in, with the film being American there may be other words used, but as a UK charity we choose to respect what is widely accepted in the UK. Where possible, we encourage the cause of the disfigurement to be explained (i.e. ‘Amina has a cleft lip’, ‘Gary sustained burns in a house fire’) because this is an informative way of describing the person’s condition. Marks, scars or conditions that affect appearance: scars, burns, skin conditions such as vitiligo, psoriasis, acne, alopecia, cancer, craniofacial conditions like Treacher Collins Syndrome or neurofibromatosis. ‘Disfigurement in the UK’ Report 2017 This report came as a result of a survey of over 800 respondents.
• 49.5% of those who had a disfigurement when they were in primary school said that they experienced bullying that targeted their appearance • Four out of ten (41.6%) of respondents said they felt their appearance affected how well they did at school and 43% said it had an impact on their ambition or aspiration in relation to college or university • 96% had seen a photo, meme or other content online mocking someone’s appearance.
Questions you might get asked, and how to answer them
Why don’t people who look different just get plastic surgery? Just as Auggie says, he has already had many operations. Plastic surgery is not a miracle/ cure. In fact, many people who look different are very happy with the way they look and wouldn’t necessarily want to change their appearance or spend any prolonged time in hospital. It is up to each individual which treatment they choose. Why doesn’t Auggie just stay at home and not go to school and then he won’t be bullied? Auggie deserves to go to school as much as anyone else. Many people who look different are confident, happy people, who live fulfilled lives and have learnt to be tough against the way other people might treat them or react to them. Society should accept and value us all, regardless of the way we look.
changingfaces.org.uk
Activities for Young People based on the film Wonder – 45 mins
Introduction to appearance and Wonder the movie: This is an opportunity for young people to discuss in small groups some of the issues in the film. You can do this in pairs or in small groups.
Resource: Information on looking different. After film activities. Guidelines for visible difference discussion points. Length: 5 mins
What makes you, you? With a balloon and craft material we are looking for young people to create themselves with words that sum up who they are (5 mins). Resource: You will need balloons, post it notes, tape and other craft materials (not supplied). Length: 15 mins
Agree – Disagree This is the opportunity to find out what young people think about appearance and appearance related bullying. It will involve running around. Resource: Agree / Disagree support sheet. Length: 5 mins
Bullying Behaviour An opportunity in small teams to explore bullying behaviour. Resource: Case study sheets. Length: 5 mins
Creative Time Opportunity to draw a face as per the Wonder logo. Think about the film, what they have just spoken about and ask young people to create a short poem or story on appearance. Resource: Pen, paper, template. Example for reference. Length: 10 mins Feedback session: Length: 5 mins changingfaces.org.uk
After Film Discussions
Run through the questions as a group and hold a discussion on the film/book. Take note of what’s discussed and send back to us so that we collect feedback on the film/book and our work around Wonder. Email: phyllida.swift@changingfaces.org.uk
Question 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Possible answers:
Possible answers:
Possible answers:
What was your favourite thing about the film? • The jokes that Auggie’s Dad makes
• Getting to see Auggie enjoying school and making friends
• Seeing Auggie stand up for himself
Discussion notes
Try to get everyone to talk about the more profound meaning behind the film, rather than just the jokes or the happy ending. Get them to talk about the characters and why they liked or disliked the way they acted.
What did you think when you first saw Auggie? • Surprised at how different he looked to the other kids
What do you like about Auggie? • His strength and confidence
• His sense of humour
• Surprised by his scars and unusual features
• His friendliness to others
Discussion notes
Discussion notes
• Didn’t see him as any different to the other kids It’s okay to be surprised by Auggie’s appearance, this is a natural reaction. It’s what you do next that matters – you should not make assumptions or make fun of Auggie or anyone else you meet who looks different. If you encounter someone who looks different then it is normal to be caught off guard, but you should not stare or react negatively as this could impact on the person and hurt their feelings.
Try to get the focus to be on all the different positive aspects of his personality, and get them to see that he is not defined by his looks. This might be where he’s good at science or making people laugh, or it could be about his ability to combat the negativity he has had to face at school from his peers through his positive attitude.
Key points Inclusion, laughter, humour, happiness, family, achievement, diversity, acceptance, confidence, friendship, enjoyment, fulfilment, managing surprise, fairness, respect, sensitivity, personality, character, self-confidence, positivity.
changingfaces.org.uk
Question 4:
What do you think the main message of the film was? Possible answers:
• To treat others well, regardless of the way they look
• To value and respect each other
• To be accepting of difference Discussion notes
Try to delve deeper than just being kind to each other and focus on accepting difference and ‘looking different’ as a whole. The film touches on some fundamental issues of inclusion and diversity which need to be explored and promoted amongst its young viewers.
Question 5:
Question 6:
What do you think the film can teach people about how we see people who are different?
How did you feel when you saw other characters treating Auggie badly?
• Ultimately, we are all the same
• Felt sorry for him
Possible answers:
Possible answers:
• We all deserve to be treated well
• Angry that they were treating him so badly
Discussion notes
Discussion notes
• We all look different in some way, Auggie is not an exception
Try to get viewers to think about the wider picture and the lessons that can be learned from the film and taken forward into their lives. Changing Faces wants to create a society that values and respects all, irrespective of appearance. This film acts as a great way of raising awareness and promoting respect and kindness for young people in their schools and wider community. Try to discuss what the young viewers have learnt, and how they will act in the future.
Aim to get viewers of the film not to pity Auggie because he looks different. It should not be believed that this is the reason he is bound to be treated badly. We shouldn’t pity people who look different. Instead encourage viewers to feel a sense of injustice. No one deserves to be treated badly, regardless of the way that they look.
Key points Respect, acceptance, diversity, inclusion, prejudice, stigma, discrimination, anti-bullying, fair, friendly, injustice, bullying, lack of respect, harshness, saddening, hurtful. changingfaces.org.uk
Question 7:
Question 8:
Do you think bullying that targets people’s appearance happens in your school?
Imagine someone who looked different came up to you and asked you a question. How would you react?
Possible answers:
Possible answers:
Possible answers:
• I felt pressured to go along with the crowd
• Yes, but it’s more targeting people’s traits like hair colour, skin, size etc.
Have you ever gone along with something your classmates/friends were doing that you thought was not okay? If so why do you think you did that? • Yes, because everyone else was doing it
• I thought it was okay because everyone else said it was
Discussion notes
Try to encourage people to be free to chat as honestly as possible. They will not be punished for being honest. It is important to understand why people go along with the crowd to encourage them not to. We must encourage young people to make their own decisions to treat others fairly and with respect, and not feel pressured by others who might want to misbehave, just as Jack Will does in Wonder.
• Yes, all the time
• No, I’ve never experienced this
Discussion notes
Try to get a discussion going about why people bully each other because of the way they look. Discuss why it is just as unacceptable to treat someone badly because they have a visible difference as it is for any other reason. Encourage young people to stand up against bullying if they see it.
Question 9:
• I would treat them the same as anyone else
• I would be a bit awkward and wouldn’t really know what to say
• I would try to not to stare at them
Discussion notes
Try to encourage viewers to not feel awkward or uncomfortable, and to see everyone as the same; regardless of the way they look. Encourage young people to talk to this person, ask them questions like what’s their favourite film or sport; and talk as you would in any other situation. Do you think the film has encouraged you to behave differently in the future?
Key points Inclusion, kindness, fairness, independence, strength, confidence, bravery, anti-bullying, respect, equality, honesty, engagement, openness, welcoming, thoughtful. changingfaces.org.uk
Have your say – agree / disagree
Mark three meeting points in the room: Agree, Disagree, Unsure. When a statement is read out, walk to the section that you feel is most relevant to your answer. One person is required to read out the statements and to facilitate the discussions once people are at the meeting points.
Statements to be read out are in bold:
1. Should we feel sorry for people who look different?
Disagree: As a society we should welcome everyone regardless of their appearance. We should never feel sorry for anyone with a visible difference. We know from the experiences of the people we work with at Changing Faces, that people can experience staring, negative comments or bullying. 2. Looking at someone who is different to us is natural, however we should not stare and make fun of those who look different.
Agree: If you do find yourself looking at someone then ‘own it’ and smile. Do not look away if the person you are looking at catches you. Staring at someone with a visible difference is not fair. We should treat everyone with respect and not make fun of anyone. 3. We all look different, however we are ultimately the same.
Agree: Agree – even though someone might look different they are still the same as us... a human. 4. 10,000 people in the UK have a significant difference to their body or face.
Disagree: 1,345,000 or 1 in 111 people in the UK have a significant disfigurement.
5. Having a condition, mark or scar that affects appearance was most likely caused by a fire or car accident?
Disagree: There are many causes of disfigurement, including medical conditions such as cancer, scars from burns, accidents and skin conditions such as acne or eczema and some people are born with conditions such as a cleft lip or cleft palate or a birthmark. 6. Many books and films use villains who have a scar or disfigurement, this is unfair?
Agree: We see many films and books that use scars and disfiguring conditions to highlight a villain or someone who is evil. As a charity we believe this is wrong and is not the case. People with scars and conditions are just like you and me, therefore singling them out is discrimination and should be challenged. changingfaces.org.uk
Bullying Behaviour Resource
Use the case studies details below as basis for discussion in small teams to explore the bullying behaviour.
Case Study 1
Claire is 13 and is part of a WhatsApp group chat with ten people from her local school. Claire was in a house fire as a child and has burn scars on her face and body as a result The group chat is usually about music and dance and Claire considers everyone in the group to be her friend. One day someone shared a photo of a character from a horror film who has facial scars, along with the message, “Claire, you’re famous!” Claire sent a message to say that she didn’t think that the message was very funny. Three people from the group then replied to say that Claire should learn to take a joke and that she shouldn’t be so sensitive. When Claire went on to the group chat the next day, someone had changed the group chat image to the horror film character.
Questions to consider:
What is the bullying behaviour that is taking place?
Case Study 2
Amina is 16 and wants to be a hairdresser. She has started posting video tutorials for different hairstyles on YouTube (she has a cleft lip and palate). She was pleased to see lots of positive comments about her hairstyling skills, but suddenly, she started to receive large numbers of negative comments about her appearance. One of these comments said that Amina “shouldn’t be allowed to show her face in public as it will give children nightmares”. Amina was really upset by these comments and told one of her friends how she was feeling. Her friend told her that she had overheard a girl in their year at school talking about her “disgusting face”. Amina looked at the girl’s Twitter feed and saw that she had tweeted a link to her videos and encouraged people to leave negative comments. She also saw that some other people in her year had shared this message and when she went to school the next day, heard people laughing about her in the corridor.
Questions to consider:
What is the bullying behaviour that is taking place?
What could friends in the group do that would be unhelpful or make that situation worse?
What could friends do that would be unhelpful or make that situation worse?
What could friends in the group do that would be helpful or make the situation better?
What could friends do that would be helpful or make the situation better? changingfaces.org.uk
Bullying Behaviour Resource
Case Study 3
Peter is 13 and has just moved to a new youth club, he has severe acne on his face. Peter has made some friends but notices that other young people from group stare at him. He also overheard some of his friends talking about how he “must never wash his face” and that he should “sort his face out”.
One day, after a swimming session, Peter went into the changing rooms and found a bottle of face wash on top of his bag. He asked the other boys if they knew who had put it there, but the other boys all shrugged and said they didn’t know. Peter was sure that someone must know who did it and felt really upset that no-one would say.
The next time Peter went to the youth club he saw a group pointing at him and giggling. One of the group then shouted over to Peter, “I hope you liked your present last week” and then laughed.
Questions to consider:
What is the bullying behaviour that is taking place?
What could friends do that would be unhelpful or make that situation worse?
What could friends do that would be helpful or make the situation better?
Case Study 4
Louise is 15 and has a large birthmark on her face. Louise sometimes feels self-conscious about her appearance. Louise walks to and from school with two of her friends every day and notices that some people stare at her as she walks past.
One day, Louise and her friends walked past a group of older young people from her school who were standing outside a shop. One of the group stepped in front of Louise and asked her, “what’s wrong with your face?”
Louise tried to walk past, but the older pupils surrounded her to stop her from leaving. Louise’s two friends shouted at the older pupils to leave Louise alone, but they were pushed to the ground and told to “shut up”. The group of older pupils continued to make negative comments about Louise’s birthmark and threatened to beat her up if she told anyone. Eventually, the shop owner opened the door and shouted at the group to “stop hanging around outside my shop”. The older pupils left, and Louise made her friends promise not to tell anyone about what happened.
Questions to consider:
What is the bullying behaviour that is taking place?
What could friends do that would be unhelpful or make that situation worse?
What could friends do that would be helpful or make the situation better?
changingfaces.org.uk
Creative Time: Wonder Template Think about the film, what you have just spoken about and ask young people to create a short poem or story within the template to display. As part of an art lesson – draw or paint a self-portrait and discuss the differences between everyone’s picture.
After this activity please take pictures of your artwork and put them on social media using #FaceEquality.
“I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives”
– R.J. Palacio, Wonder
changingfaces.org.uk
How your donations help us Our ambition is to create an enlightened society, which fully accepts and values people who look different and enables them to live the life they want. You can help us achieve this by donating today. Here’s how to pay in your donations
Cheque Presentation: Call the Changing Faces’ Fundraising Team who will be happy to attend your school, and accept your cheque and say a big thank you to all involved.
By post: Please do not send cash in the post. Send a cheque, postal order or CAF voucher to: Changing Faces, The Squire Centre, 33-37 University Street, London WC1E 6JN, making your cheque payable to Changing Faces. Please include your full name and address in your correspondence. At any bank or building society you can pay your money direct to Changing Faces’ bank account. Please contact the Fundraising Team for details, by emailing fundraising@changingfaces.org.uk or by calling 0345 450 0275. By credit/debit card: Donations can be accepted over the phone by calling 0345 450 0275. On the website: Donate by visiting changingfaces.org.uk/donate. Text us: WOND37 followed by the amount you wish to donate on 70070.
We rely on donations from local communities, businesses and trusts to support our services and campaigns.
changingfaces.org.uk
Thank you for supporting Changing Faces Contact Us
Registered Charity No. 1011222 Charity Registered in Scotland SC039725
changingfaces.org.uk
Changing Faces The Squire Centre 33-37 University Street London WC1E 6JN
T: 0207 391 9270
E: info@changingfaces.org.uk
F: facebook.com/ChangingFacesUK
T: twitter.com/FaceEquality
I: Instagram.com/changingfacesuk
ONLY IN CINEMAS #ChooseKind wondermovie.co.uk