AN anti-racism charity has embarked on an innovative project testing the DNA of young volunteers to reveal their worldwide ancestry.

Newcastle-based Show Racism the Red Card will work with schools in the North-East to compare participants’ DNA to more than 300,000 different population groups.

The project will show young people that everyone has ancestors from around the world.

The charity, which is working with scientists from DNA Worldwide on the project, has received more than £3,000 in lottery funding to launch the scheme.

Laura Pidcock, education worker for the charity, said that by getting young people to understand that Britain had a long-standing history of migration, and that inward and outward migration was beneficial to Britain, the charity hoped to reduce the pull to far-right movements which drew support from notions of “Englishness, Britishness and cultural erosion”.

She added: “Some of the young people we meet have very fixed views on immigration, views which are often comprised of untruths and myths.

“We feel these tests will really open their eyes to the history of migration and their own heritage being not necessarily 100 per cent British and questioning why this would matter.

“We hope that this unique approach will have a long lasting impact, changing perceptions of themselves and the world around them and challenging the ‘us and them’ racist ideology.”

David Nicholson, director of DNA Worldwide Group, said young people were faced with a barrage of images, text and beliefs which were imposed on them.

He added: “Most of these views are tinted by the ideals of those delivering them.

“With a simple DNA test and the amazing work of them at Show Racism the Red Card they will soon have their genetic history in their hands.

“They will discover what part of the world has influenced their DNA and with that - a little more about the diversity of cultures. This will provide the young people with the freedom to make their own choices."

Show Racism the Red Card said it was looking for schools interested in taking part in the project, which will run over the next three years.