12th October 2023

Blog | If at first you don’t succeed; try and try again!

Jade Hunt is a nursing student from the University of Plymouth. In this blog, Jade shares her story from getting accepted in the programme on her second attempt, to attending the Welcome Event in Manchester in September 2023. Jade explains how formative this journey has been for her.

 

In the first year of my nursing degree, I was encouraged to create a Twitter (now known as X) account to network and share my learning journey. As it was 2021 and much of my learning was still online, I took this opportunity to connect with people and threw myself into it. Soon I saw the 150 Leaders welcome conference coming up on my feed. I just thought to myself this looks amazing, I want to be there. I researched online and made a note of when I would be able to apply for the next cohort. However, I applied and was unsuccessful. This was a knock to my confidence, but I followed the journeys of this next cohort and the amazing things they achieved in awe via social media. Again, the deadline came, and I applied. This time I focused more on what I wanted to achieve through the 150 leader’s student leadership programme; having the opportunity to network and connect with other passionate healthcare students and to have a knowledgeable coach who can support me in completing my own leadership project. To my complete surprise, I was successful. I am still so shocked and privileged to have this incredible opportunity.

I waited with anticipation for the welcome conference, a two-day event that took place in Manchester this year. Prior to the conference, we had a virtual information session, and this meant we could ask questions, prepare for the conference, and create a WhatsApp group for this year’s cohort. It was so lovely to have this space connect and introduce ourselves. Finally, the day came to travel to Manchester, I was equal parts excited and nervous. I still didn’t really know what to expect! Once registered, we had to queue for a photo to put on our feedback boxes. These feedback boxes were one of the highlights of the event. During the conference you wrote positive feedback to people and posted it anonymously in these feedback boxes. In the queue, I was immediately put at ease meeting a lovely member of my cohort who was so welcoming, and we chatted and after taking our photos got lunch. At my lunch table, I chatted with others, introducing ourselves, our fields, and where we were based. Everyone appeared to be as enthusiastic and excited as I was.

The conference started with an icebreaker task (which wasn’t as cringy as I was expecting) that highlighted the diversity of our cohort. We then had talks from three 150 Leaders alumni. Raymond Amoako talked passionately about his achievements but for me, I really took away from it the power of saying no and knowing when to pass the baton on. Shannon Gorman shone through her passion for ensuring equality for Deaf British Sign Language users in accessing healthcare. She showed how your project doesn’t need to be one big achievement but lots of smaller wins and opportunities. Finally, it was Allyson Omoniyi who just blew me away such a compassionate confident leader. She showed that nursing is a global profession and there are opportunities all around the globe to lead.

The conference continued over the two days with learning about navigating imposter syndrome, strategic networking, being a compassionate and entrepreneurial leader, and goal setting. I learned so much, far too much to put into words here. However, sitting in that room for two days with professionals who were excited for the future, passionate about healthcare, and focused on making a positive change. It inspired me and lit a fire in my belly. On the train journey home, I read all these lovely things from my feedback box and I felt.

 

21st April 2023

Combatting Racism in Professional Practice

Our next 150Leaders webinar will take place on 23 May on Zoom. Michelle Mello and Anne Trotter discussed antiracism in professional practice. Register now!

Anti racism in professional practice

23 May 2023, 15.00-16.00

This interactive session focused on the  anti-racism resource published in November 2022 NHS England Combatting Racial Discrimination against minority ethnic nurses, midwives and nursing associates Guide. The resource was developed in partnership with the Nursing & Midwifery Council and NHS Confederation. It is firmly rooted in the Code. Speakers will share professional expectations around anti racist practice and give you opportunity to discuss what this means for you and the teams you work in.

 

Missed an event? Watch again:

 

More webinars to be advertised soon!

19th April 2023

Why you should apply for the Student Leadership Programme.

Michael Bartholomew is an Operating Department Practitioner student at the University of West London and one of our 2022-23 #150Leaders. Here he describes how he managed to overcome his fears and attend the welcome event, where he met like-minded students and healthcare leaders. Lastly, he explains how the programme has opened him up to new opportunities.

Michael with Prof Nigel Harrison and ex Council of Deans’ CEO Katerina Kolyva

It’s difficult to explain why I was so excited when I watched the webinar featuring members of the 2021 #150Leaders cohort, describing the Student Leadership Programme. I just really felt that this was something I needed to do, and I applied immediately. I was so delighted to be accepted onto the programme, but in the weeks leading up to the opening conference, I became very apprehensive and doubtful for some reason, and in the final few days, I seriously considered not attending. I am extremely proud of myself for pushing through those feelings, because I have previously caved in to them and missed out on great opportunities as a result.

I was naturally nervous about attending the conference because it was the first time I had exposed myself to this type of event and environment. I made a concerted effort to meet a few people, and once the conference began, I found the guest speakers and their ideas very engaging. I was still a little sceptical, especially when we were asked to complete the ice breakers and elevator pitches, because I was initially quite embarrassed, but after we finished the activities, I felt a lot better because they were actually very fun and allowed everyone at each table to come out of their shell.

Outcome of the entrepreneurial game at the welcome event

There was an entrepreneurial activity in which each table was tasked with developing a product to promote student wellness and then pitch the idea in the style of Dragons Den. My group developed the concept of a ‘HelloFresh’ style box for students, complete with online resources, and we discussed a variety of issues such as diversity, promotion, scalability, funding, target audience, versatility, product placement, celebrity endorsement, online presence, and social media hashtags. I felt I made an important contribution to the group project, and I was confident that my ideas would be heard and respected because we were all like-minded individuals brought together by this programme.

Everyone was extremely pleasant, and I didn’t feel compelled to try to stand out. In the end, I was proud to have come up with the name “#StudentChef”, but I was extremely nervous about having to present our idea in front of the other groups, so I was relieved when two other members of the group volunteered. Their confidence and presentation skills were incredible, and I admired them greatly. Happily, our group won the task and we were all given certificates, and I learned from it that I would like to improve my public speaking skills and confidence.

Carrie Biddle

Throughout the conference, we had the opportunity to listen to a number of excellent guest speakers. I really enjoyed Professor Adele Nightingales’ talk about ‘resilience and leadership’ because it helped me understand what ‘leadership’ meant and what was expected of us as future leaders going forward in our careers. Carrie Biddles’ talk on ‘everyday leadership’ was packed with useful information, and I’ve since been working on my own ‘One Page Profile,’ an idea she shared that helps others understand your personality quirks, motivations, and support needs.

Prof Calvin Moorley

Professor Calvin Moorley’s personality was contagious. He was animated, engaging, funny, and candid about his own personal journey. He talked about mental health, and it was strangely reassuring and refreshing to hear such a high performer discuss the difficulties he has faced throughout his career. It was also very inspiring to hear the stories of #150Leaders alumni Ben Potts and Nicolette Porter, who both conveyed well how the Student Leadership Programme changed their lives.

But it was Professor Nigel Harrison’s pre-dinner speech in the evening of the first day that was a major turning point for me, and ultimately the highlight of the entire experience. His story was very candid, personal, and emotional, and it made me glad to be a part of the programme, even if only to experience that.

Feedback boxes

I went away from the conference with my special little box full of comments and compliments, and I was full of elation and optimism. I had met some great like-minded people and expanded my network massively. I couldn’t wait to get started and meet my leadership coach and squeeze all the knowledge I could from them. This feeling lasted a good while, but inevitably began to wear off as I was sucked back into the ‘real world’ of University studies and clinical placements. However, every opportunity to engage with the programme renewed a spark of energy to try harder to develop my leadership skills.

Michael Bartholomew

Because I was part of the programme, I was provided an opportunity via email to share advice with new healthcare students as part of a Health Education England online campaign using the hashtag #HEEWelcomesLearners. Off the back of this campaign, I wrote a brief article titled “Ten Top Tips from an ODP Apprentice: How to Make the Most of Your Clinical Practice”. This article was chosen for publication in the Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) supplemental magazine ‘Innovation, People, and Practice’ (The IPP) in March of 2023. The goal of the article was to help the next generation of students by sharing my first-hand experience as a student apprentice, and writing it confirmed to myself how far I have progressed in my journey to become a better leader. I learned that I should share the information and experiences that are unique to me in a clear, concise, and honest manner, because others may benefit from this knowledge on occasion.

To conclude, I’d like to express my gratitude to the Council of Deans for accepting me into the programme and providing such an enriching learning experience. I’d like to thank Adele Nightingale for her time and for being an excellent leadership coach. I’d also like to thank the rest of the 2022/23 #150Leaders cohort for being so warm and welcoming. I wish everyone the best of luck in their future endeavours.

The 2022-2023 Cohort

 

😊

Michael Bartholomew
#150Leaders

6th February 2023

Blog | Promoting Professional Relationships Through Neurodiversity Awareness, Webinar

A guest blog from Jade Wareham, adult student nurse apprentice at The Open University and one of the #150Leaders. The blog presents Jade’s personal project to promote professional relationships through neurodiversity awareness with The Florence Nightingale Foundation. Jade will hold an interactive webinar for any individual who would like to learn more about neurodiversity on Thursday 30 March. Find registering link at the end of the blog.

Through conversations, connecting with other students and educators, I have learned that many individuals experience prejudice and discrimination due to their neurodivergent condition.

Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the range of cognitive abilities that individuals hold. Neurodivergent is a term used to describe one singular person with a neuro condition such as ADHD/Dyslexia. With most labels, these terms can be adapted with personal preferences.

Neurodivergent conditions are considered as a disability to ensure individuals are protected by the equality act. Personally, I do not like to consider myself as disabled. I prefer to use the term neurodivergent.

Since receiving my dyslexia diagnosis at 29 years of age, I have become extremely passionate about promoting professional relationships by utilising neurodiversity education. I experienced negative attitudes whilst I was undiagnosed but, since my diagnosis, I’ve found more people have been understanding. Why did I need a diagnosis to receive understanding and support?

The Student Leadership Programme by the Council of Deans of Health paired me with an incredible coach! I have been given the tools to create a presentation for my upcoming webinar, Promoting Professional Relationships Through Neurodiversity Awareness, hosted by Florence Nightingale Foundation. I have designed the webinar to be an interactive session and as universal as possible. Meaning, anyone can attend. The webinar will include activities, guest speakers, myth busters and an awareness of what neurodiversity is and how we can support meaningful conversations with our managers and/or the team we work with.

By the end of the session, the goal is to have gained an understanding of what neurodiversity is, appropriate legislation, associated personality traits and barriers, including positive aspects, and how awareness can influence profession relationships. The webinar will be held online, Thursday 30th March 2023, 11am – 12 noon. Register now!

If you would like to learn more about other projects I have been involved with, you can follow this link or go to my personal page.

Follow Jade on twitter: @jade_w08 / @SSHINE_Students / @FNightingaleF

1st February 2023

Blog | Setbacks have led to an amazing opportunity

A guest blog from Monique Cleary, podiatry student at the University of Southampton and one of the #150Leaders. The blog presents Monique’s personal project to develop a image bank of pathologies and symptoms of the foot with diverse skin tones, which health professional could refer to, to help diagnose all patients.

I was made redundant while 8 months pregnant and three months prior to the first wave of the pandemic hitting. All the plans I had went out the window and there was no clear path for me to follow. I decided to return to study as a mature student. While my first choice and local university took months and months to offer me an interview for radiography, I decided to rethink my project. After a many deliberations, I eventually chose Podiatry. It was a longer commute, making things more difficult, especially with a young baby. I honestly wasn’t sure what I would be like touching people’s feet all day. However, I decided this was the best choice for my family. Podiatry is one of the few NHS roles which does not involve evenings, weekends, or bank holiday shifts, this was a clear winner in my eyes.

Fast forward a year later, I was living my best life as a podiatry student and loving the course. placement I was then selected to be one of the Council of Deans, 150Leaders and attended the opening conference in September 2022. In that residential event, I really felt I was part of something bigger than myself. I was being given skills and communication styles that would shape and mould the direction I could continue throughout my student and professional career. The talks were engaging and empowering. I left the residential really motivated to make something happen. Being in a room full of likeminded, highly esteemed, and highly motivated people was so humbling. I was the only podiatry student present, so I had real value to input from my differing experience.

I had the privilege of being paired for coaching with the acting CEO and Clinical Director of the Royal College of Podiatry, which meant that any project I decided to take on had the possibility of making an impact. Being a student parent and having to go on placement takes a lot of planning and support from those around you. However, I was motivated to show my coach what I might be capable of, with a potential to work for the college in the future.

It was another setback that gave me my 150Leaders project idea. As a woman of colour, I wanted to do a placement in a very diverse area like London, so that in the future I could go back to my local community to help patients with diverse skin tones. Unfortunately, all my hopes to do a placement in London rather than the southwest of England didn’t happen due to staff shortages in these areas. Disappointed is an understatement for how I felt, but this set back, made me think bigger. How do podiatrists diagnose patients with differing skin types? How confident do people feel when looking for the classic symptoms of ‘redness, cyanosis’ on darker skin? It was silly for me to think that educating myself on what these pathologies and symptoms looks like would help anyone but myself. What I really needed to do was to try and take everyone on this journey with me.

The aim of my project is to create an online image bank of pathologies and symptoms of the foot for diverse skin tones which podiatrists and other health professionals can refer to. It would more accurately help diagnose all patients encountered in practice, and better represent the world we live in. The concept and the idea are big but also could have a huge impact on the accuracy of correct diagnosis within podiatry for people of colour. I have amazing support from my coach and university faculty who are helping to answer my many questions and read through the work I am creating.

My initial aim is to outline a full framework of the project so that it can be launched. This includes securing funding, marketing, designing web pages and outlining staff required to manage the site for the future. This initial aim does not tie me to staying with the project till completion as university and personal life may not allow me to do so. I have been realistic with what I can achieve within the leadership’s timelines. However, my personal aim and long-term hope is to stay within the mix of this project and help get it off the starting line and hopefully see it expand. I hope my project to foster partnerships with universities and institutes around the world, widening our image portfolio, and becoming a go to for podiatry pathology images globally.

Without the opportunity to participate on the 150 Leaders programme I would not be on this remarkable journey. I have the extraordinary opportunity to make an enormous impactful contribution towards a health profession I truly love and I am so grateful. Without the leadership programme I may never have tapped into the skill sets and learning I am encountering on bringing this project to fruition.

Follow Monique on Instagram 

12th January 2023

Blog | From dental to mental: raising awareness on dental wellness for mental health patients

A guest blog and testimony from Soneika “Sunny” Atkinson, Mental Health Student Nurse at University of Essex and one of the #150Leaders. The blog aims to present Sunny’s experience and personal project to promote and develop good dental care for mental health patients in hospital settings. Soneika’s project has the support of the Student Education Facilitator for the Essex Partnership University. 

Soneika’s SLP personal project presentation at University of Essex, 11 January 2023

I am Soneika, second-year mental health nursing student at the University of Essex. My mum nicknamed me Sunny.

Mental health, alongside all it entails, is very personal to me. I am from a culture that doesn’t acknowledge mental health challenges. This is the main reason I decided to build my life’s career around public health.

Mental health is a complex topic to discuss, and sometimes it is even hard to diagnose mental issues because, most times, mental health symptoms are not physical. It is a general tendency to believe there is nothing wrong with a person because they do not look ill. I wanted to work in healthcare, particularly with people suffering from mental health issues.

I am incredibly interested in the mental health aspect of public health. I intend to help others understand and overcome this issue that only a handful of people understand or see as relevant. Studying for a BSc in public health and health promotion gave me the essential skills to explore and further understand mental health.

I have worked in the primary care sector for over 15 years and have acquired a good understanding and a deep passion for the healthcare industry. I started working in the dental nursing field in 2005. So am ‘from dental to mental’.

I started my university education as a mature student with two young children. I was aware that it would be arduous. But I was surprised that I could use my time management and organisation skills from my career as a dental nurse to survive university life and being a mum. I also became the student voice, raising issues and concerns affecting students. My participation as a student’s voice greatly developed my leadership skills who would help me make a difference in dental health among mental health patients.

My Student Leadership Project: Dental Mental Wellness

Recently, I have been accepted on to the Student Leadership Programme (#150Leaders) who have given me the opportunity to attend several conferences and being coached by a healthcare sector leader. #150Leaders has allowed me to be more confident, leave the relationship with imposter syndrome behind, and further develop my leadership skills. I feel included when I am among my fellow students because I am able to share my views without being misunderstood.

The Programme has given me a platform to raise my voice further and advocate for positive change, which will help vulnerable people. I also created a student leadership project based on my experiences, with the help of my coach. While I was in placement, my dental nursing background helped me identify gaps in dental care for mental health patients receiving treatments in hospitals.

With this project I want to introduce:

  • dental charting to mental health patients who receive mental health assessment or treatment in a hospital setting.
  • dental screening among mental health patients to help the multidisciplinary team provide prompt solutions to save the patients’ oral health. Dental screening can also contribute to a more patient-centred approach depending on the patient’s oral health needs.

The rationale for this project is that many patients in the ward have oral problems due to mental illness. Mentally ill patients are often unable to effectively maintain oral care due to their poor oral hygiene and consumption of unhealthy foods. They, therefore, greatly need oral care under close supervision. Sometimes, these patients cannot express that they are having toothaches or other pain. Therefore, this project is crucial because it can provide prompt solutions to saving the oral health of mentally ill patients. The project will also contribute to a more patient-centred approach depending on the patient’s oral health needs. Most patients need oral health awareness in community settings and healthcare centres. Therefore, this project aims to create oral health awareness among patients in the hospital and community settings. The project will focus on a patient’s dental chart, which views the dental anatomy to check the condition of the teeth.

The project will identify if the patient is wearing a denture, has a bridge crown, has a decayed tooth, or has dental decay. Gum health is also crucial in oral health and shall also be addressed. Through different professionals in the health sector, the project will get access to patients’ dental records. Have they been treated for dental conditions? Have they encountered difficulties in chewing because of oral problems? If the record is unavailable, the patient should get a dentist appointment for a dental examination.

Currently, the project is in its initial stages. I am researching how the project can be funded and looking at the other vulnerable groups with dental care in their setting. My expectation for the future is that the project will have a great impact on the dental health of mentally ill patients. No recent research on the topic creates a gap that can be further examined. However, the project has the support of the Student Education Facilitator for the Essex Partnership University Trust. I also have three presentations at my university: a leadership conference, an advocacy and activism lecture, and a presentation with first-year students. So far, my university has acknowledged my project, and I plan to continue to work on it.

Soneika “Sunny” Atkinson, Mental Health Student Nurse at University of Essex and one of the #150Leaders

16th December 2022

Blog | Improving clinical education and practice on children’s end of life care for undergraduate nurses

A guest blog from Tim Walsh, Children’s Nursing student at London South Bank University and one of the #150Leaders. The blog aims to present Tim’s personal project to develop and improve clinical education and practice on children’s end of life care for undergraduate nurses. For this initiative, Tim has been nominated for a Student Nursing Times Award.

 

As a mature student, I knew that from the start of my child nursing career I would be someone that would thrive and be further motivated by being busy and developing on my current knowledge.

My previous career experiences within education and my NHS job during the pandemic highlighted my feelings of wanting a career with children, reigniting my passion for wanting to be able to make a real difference to the lives of children and families and overall leading me to apply for the BSc Child Nursing course at London South Bank University (LSBU).

The start of my final year as a student child nurse was then where I sought further student leadership opportunities alongside my degree, with the idea that I still wanted to make a real difference to child and family lives, but I wanted to start while I was still a student. I was successful with becoming the Cohort Rep for my year group, I joined the Health Education England’s (HEE) Nursing & Midwifery Student Council and was then invited by HEE to become the UK’s nursing student representation for the Quality Committee.

I then further discovered the success of my application of becoming part of the Council of Deans Student Leadership Programme. This programme allowed me to develop my leadership skills and ultimately provided a platform to which I would use to implement a positive change out in practice for nursing students that would improve patient and family care. My Student Leadership Project is still ongoing, however it is largely based on my recommendation for developing and improving clinical education and practice on child end of life care for undergraduate nurses, which Great Ormond Street Hospital has accepted as a educational project idea and has been fully supportive of since.

The project aims are:

  • To support Undergraduate Child Nurses (2nd and 3rd years) in developing a clinical education, both theoretically and practically, in regards to End of Life Care.
  • To improve patient and family care within Great Ormond Street Hospital, including those specifically involved with a child at End of Life.
  • To highlight Palliative and End of Life Care as a career option to Undergraduate Student Child Nurses.

The project idea was developed because I recognised that as Student Child Nurses, we receive very little clinical education and training in end-of-life Care, both at university and within trusts. This project, within Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), will be the start of developing an undergraduate clinical education on end-of-life care, both theoretically and practically. The project will be in line with the Pan London E-Pad competencies, set out by the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC), directly aimed at undergraduate nurses in 2nd and 3rd year of clinical practice.

It is hoped that through this project, using a collaborative Multidisciplinary approach, that a permanent teaching session will be created, explaining the legal and practical requirements related to the care of a child’s body after an expected and unexpected death. The teaching session should also include parent/ guardian and family care, and how student and staff wellbeing is cared for and managed. Alongside this teaching will also include an End-of-Life workbook to review and evaluate student knowledge. All areas of this project will be delivered as mandatory through the support of the Student Practice Facilitators.

By doing this project it is hoped that End of Life Care is improved for those patients and families receiving it, and that undergraduate student child nurses are more empowered and confident in supporting the delivery of End-of-Life Care. This project will also aid 2nd and 3rd year Undergraduates with completing and signing off competencies surrounding palliative and End of Life Care. Lastly, through this project it will also promote and highlight Palliative and End of Life Care as a future career option that undergraduate student nurses may wish to pursue, supporting England’s shortage of child nurses being skilled in palliative and End of Life Care.

The project is currently within its initial stages, collecting evidence-based practice research and resources to facilitate a presentation and the development of the workbook. It is hoped that this project will be functional during 2023. My expectations for the future are that my project idea creates a lasting impact on future undergraduate nurses within my trust, creating confident newly qualified nurses on palliative/ child end of life care.

My project has not gone unnoticed, being recognised by both my trust and by my university as a positive contribution to Child Nursing. As a result, I have been nominated by them both for a Student Nursing Times Award and I am hopeful to be shortlisted.

 

7th November 2022

Blog | What more can be done at university to support and celebrate diversity in dietetics?

A guest blog from Fatimah Khathun, dietetics student at Leeds Beckett University and one of the #150Leaders. The blog follows her recent attendance at the BDA Yorkshire Celebrating Diversity in Dietetics event.

I recently attended the BDA Yorkshire Celebrating Diversity in Dietetics event. It was an eye-opening event which gave me the opportunity to hear from inspirational speakers from a variety of diverse backgrounds and also network with students and healthcare professionals. Attending the event enabled me to gain better insight into what diversity actually means within healthcare and the challenges individuals from diverse backgrounds potentially face in practice.

Truthfully, before attending the event, I had minimal knowledge on a few areas covered such as Invisible Disabilities, Autism, Ableism, Diverse Diets, and NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES). Although challenges were shared by speakers for each topic, it was equally incredible to hear their encouraging stories. It has made me appreciate how they are paving the way for the next generation of students with their inspiring work. It is important awareness of diversity is raised and universities can even make small changes to further support and celebrate diversity. More education around diversity can have a positive influence on future professionals, expose students to new perspectives, and challenge their belief systems.

It was fascinating to hear from individuals with lived experiences of disabilities sharing their honest stories. To enable students to learn more about challenges around disability, universities could incorporate these topics in lectures and provide extra reading resources. It would also be valuable to host workshops, possibly led by students or professionals with lived experiences, to share both the positives and challenges that they face. This can educate students and staff to be able to have open conversations with individuals living with a disability and find out more about their experiences in a safe environment.

Another talk by a South Asian dietitian on diverse diets made me more aware that future professionals need to be educated around different foods, traditional beliefs around different cultural diets, and how to overcome any barriers faced in practice. They could also share and discuss innovative cultural resources such as the South Asian and African and Caribbean Eatwell Guide, which can equip students to have better conversations about cultural diets with patients in future practice. Students could be encouraged to join university cultural societies which often host festive events and would allow students to learn more about different cultures.

A talk on race and change included data from the NHS WRES. The data highlighted how BME staff within the NHS are less likely to access development opportunities than white staff and that BME staff are underrepresented at senior level roles. It was surprising to witness this especially being a student from ethnic minority. Understandably, there are a variety of reasons linked to this. Universities could raise more awareness of this by having open conversations with students from ethnic minority backgrounds to ascertain exactly what may discourage them from taking advantage of leadership opportunities now and  in the future. Staff could provide information on the importance of representation within senior roles in healthcare or host guest speaker talks including ethnic minority staff in senior roles to motivate students to develop in their future careers. Personally, I am inspired and motivated when I can see people from ethnic backgrounds in senior leadership roles in healthcare. They act as role models for future professionals and, if they can do it, so can I.

There were lots of takeaways from the event for me but, reflecting on the whole event, hearing from knowledgeable healthcare professionals with lived experiences was truly inspirational. It has inspired and has prompted me to learn more about these topics to educate myself. There is no doubt that little changes could also be made by universities to support and celebrate diversity.

Fatimah Khathun, dietetics student at Leeds Beckett University and one of the #150Leaders

11th January 2022

University is for all

By Sianne Chinwuba, #150Leaders alumna

They said that universities are open and inclusive for everyone who wishes to further their education and start a new career or progress in their current one. But as we know, there are still difficult issues surrounding the topic of race at universities across the country. Of course, there have been many conversations surrounding race, equality, and diversity but what are the outcomes of these discussions? Where are the conversations leading to?

Universities across the UK need to work better with students who experience racism to create better understanding and real feelings of belonging for those student groups. University staff need to proactively acknowledge the disadvantages and difference minoritised groups face.

Change starts with recognising mistakes and taking accountability for actions. It also means drastic and practical measures need to be put in place to meet the needs of a diverse student population and work towards closing the attainment gap.

What can universities do to improve inclusivity and belonging for its minoritised students?

  • Take accountability for their own actions.
  • Allow minoritised groups to take the lead by allowing them to have more control over what they feel will benefit them at university.
  • Work better and closer with minoritised students to meet their demands and desires. E.g. greater representation across the university, work and placement opportunities, open and honest communication without gaslighting.
  • Pushing for representation of race and skin tone in healthcare textbooks
  • Improve the diversity of leadership teams and university boards to make them more inclusive and representative of wider society.
  • Put in appropriate consequences towards staff who continuously fail to listen and work towards appropriately dealing with the issues and complaints from students who experience racism.
  • Create a system where minoritised students can submit complaints respectfully and freely. Complaints should be reviewed anonymously so that it prevents racial discrimination and neglect from higher authorities within the universities.
  • Proactively recruit a diverse range of professionals to give a talk at lecturers, particularly in the courses with fewer minoritised students.
  • Prioritise minoritised groups onto courses where they have traditionally been underrepresented.

Raising awareness and having the same conversations aren’t enough anymore. Words hit and can bounce off the walls, but actions can break down walls.

Change and improvements start with actions. It starts when we look inwardly and decide to open our minds and openly challenge the situation right in front of us, instead of being embarrassed and afraid of the truth, especially if it hits close to home.

 

#race4all #conversationsarejustnotenough

Follow Sianne on Twitter.

 

 

18th October 2021

What Does Black History Month Mean to Me?

Chelsea Beckford-Procyk, third year student midwife at the University of Bedfordshire explains what Black History Month means to her.

When I look in the mirror, I see several things. I am a woman; I have a gapped tooth smile and I’m black. All these things go towards making me who I am, and I am fiercely proud of them. Pride and my blackness go hand in hand as I’ve experienced life growing up in a place where I never fully felt like I belonged, but this wasn’t always the case.

I remember how much I cringed and sank in my seat at school when they showed that awful video about the Trans-Atlantic slave trade in our history lesson. That lesson being the sum of any black history taught. Why not show videos about the Kingdom of Kush, Toussaint Louverture or rebellions led by Queen Nanny of the Maroons? Why should black history be reduced to dehumanisation and subjugation?

There’s richness in my Jamaican heritage, from the way we celebrate the lives of departed loved ones on nine nights, to dressing up for Gran’ Market Night, to the music and not forgetting the food. All these things are steeped in history and tradition and that’s incredibly special to me. It connects me to my ancestors, the ones who not only survived but thrived.

So, while I feel like black history should be a permanent feature in history lessons and not just something wheeled out and acknowledged for one month of the year, I also know it is an opportunity for many people like myself who are growing up in the diaspora who need a link, a connection to where their ancestors are from. Marcus Garvey wrote: “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. By learning about black history, you feel closer to it and see the value of not only your culture but that of others too.

It should also go without saying that Black History Month is not just for black people. In order to live in a more cohesive multicultural society, having an understanding and appreciation for the history and cultures of people who are different to you is vital. We know simply living alongside each other is not enough as it can lead to misunderstanding and creation of biases and stereotypes.

I say all this to say Black History Month means so much to me. And it should also mean something to you too.

 

You can follow Chelsea on Twitter.