You’re 19. A few minutes ago you were chosen to come up on stage, in front of 300 people, and speak for ten minutes on a controversial topic. Only fifteen minutes to prepare. Then just three minutes in, a man in the audience jumps up and starts yelling at you. He’s incoherent – and he won’t stop.

Happen to you? No? That’s because you’ve never been at a Campusalam event, facing an Embedded Heckler.

But you’ve had to deal with some very difficult people, whether you’re 19 or 39. And when you were at university, did anyone teach you how to communicate in difficult situations? How to prevent those difficult situations happening in the first place? All those things that a BA just doesn’t give you. Like how to create a team from people who dislike and mistrust one another, then motivate them to achieve a challenging goal.

This is what you’ll need for the rest of your life.

What is Campusalam?

Campusalam is not a leadership course. We work directly with you on campus over the year, laying on the knowledge and skills you need, right when and where you need it. Helping you put it into practice to achieve things that mean something to you.

Campusalam has pioneered the art of inspiring and equipping people to create lasting change. But being a change-maker is not all about you. Campusalam fosters positive relations on campus: we want you to have the skills you need to manage conflicts of beliefs and values – for the sake of others.

Universities are intense places, full of passion and debate. Building resilient relationships can come a distant second. But more and more we learn the importance of campus relations, of preserving freedom of thought and speech without conflict with those who are distressed or offended.

The Equality Act of 2010 expects universities and colleges to foster good relations between people of different groups. How many campuses really know how?

Stories of campus success

• Over 1,500 students have attended Campusalam events – like our groundbreaking comedy show Comedislam.
• 2010-2011 was our year for students creating interfaith events together – like MythBusters in Birmingham and Under:Stand:Up in Leeds.
• 90 student leaders on 30 campuses have used our FlashPOD method to generate instant constructive dialogue when critical issues arise.
• We’ve posted over 300 pages of resources on our Campusalam website, with toolkits on communication, event organising, vlogging and problem-solving.

Right now we’re working with University of Bedforshire, University of Birmingham, and King’s College London giving students and staff an intensive, personal support package. Training they want, and on call whenever they need us.

Over three years we have observed the changes our Campusalam partners have achieved. We’ve seen the improved atmosphere on campuses. Our next aim is to embed a new vision and a new way of working across British university campuses.

What’s your vision?

This is the question we start with on every campus. Then we work out how to help students achieve that vision together.

A shared vision, founded on collaborative work and collaborative dreaming, is the one that will become reality. If you want to go far, you have to take people with you. It is the first step to convert ideas into real impact.

To see our student debaters coping with embedded hecklers onYouTube, click here.

Tell us what your vision of better community or campus relations looks like by writing to us or coming to one of our events. Or if you would like to learn more about Campusalam, please email Lokahi's Campusalam team at: campusalam@lokahi.org.uk