The Evolving Accomplice - anti racism in higher education

In creating safe space for black students and students of colour to discuss issues of racism and anti racism to be part of a collective and use the group as a form of action, t he Global Majority Collective has been formed and today exists as a thriving student group, but this wasn't always the case. Through my leadership drawing on models of community engagement and my background of persistence and empowerment developed through a 20 year career of Assertive Outreach the group has maintained itself to it's success of today.  The group started as a 'Black students support group' around 20 years ago, and folded, and was re injected with life when funds were successfully secured in my cluster from a teaching and learning project to  evidence the support needs of our students from BME backgrounds that resulted in this paper being published. Bunce, L, King, N, Talib, N & Saran, S (2019) Experiences of black and minority ethnic (BME) students in higher education: applying

You can watch the awards ceremony here. We are strong and proud to be awarded for our innovation for our approach to widening participation with our students. Our award!  

Awarded here it is! After 5 years of leading the work Accolade for work to decolonise the curriculum and support diverse students  

Talking at the Open University  Once i've dusted myself off and having been made the stronger and wiser as a result.....Click here to see me talking about our work and how I have led anti racism in my work - at the Open University 'Online Webinar: Part 2 - Avoid photocopying the past: Re-designing HEIs to reduce inequitable outcomes for BAME students'.  

 Watch this to see as our journey unfolded, how we have been bruised, picked ourselves up and carried on... This presentation really explains our work our journey and our approach

This is how it began as an attempt to find a way to work in partnership as a leader with students. The need to make my intention visible , needed to be well timed, well focussed, sensitive  and with the best of intentions. My team were and are my shapers, supporters, critics and my friends. Working on a daily basis with the incredible people that are both my students and my team is the very best example of 'Ubuntu' - I am because  we are. Dear Students, For us as Social Workers and as a team the events that have unfolded since the death of George Floyd in the last week or two are central in our thoughts, and anti-racist practice and decolonised teaching is at the heart of our provision as we move forward into the next academic year. Last week I delivered a presentation the Brookes Teaching and Learning conference on the journey we have travelled as a programme in our work to Decolonise the Curriculum in Social Work, including reflecting on all the bumps that we have experienced

  As an anti racist leader this blog has started as a place to influence, stimulate and inspire others about the things I see happening around me working in Higher Education and beyond my own institution in my journey to lead a diverse set of programmes and to create an outstanding and lasting contribution as a professional Social Worker and academic. My commitment to the continuing development of anti racism and the capacity and acceptance of responsibility for contributing through being an explicit, action focussed, credible Anti Racist accomplice. This blog is  intended as a guide for anyone (white aspiring accomplices in particular) who might want to begin to work on anti racism and don't know where to start - I hope it will help you. It is intended as a place to locate and develop my ideas as I continue to develop my leadership work to create a ‘place to inhabit’ in my provision for students who come from diverse backgrounds. It is a way to map and plot my growth as an authen