Six Quick Things About Diversity and Inclusion

A leading MAT client asked us to put on a leadership conference on the vitally important topic of Diversity and Inclusion.

We asked Associates Rhia Mutombo and Ian Timbrell to step up and share their ideas, advice, expertise and lived experience, especially around the Black experience of education and all matters LGBTQ+ respectively.

Our Ian Gilbert had the pleasure of chairing the day, sharing some of his research from the book The Working Class.

Here are Six Quick Things we picked up from what was an amazing day.

ONE: It takes five to ten years to get it right

This is no tick-box exercise and there are no quick fixes. Getting diversity and inclusion right takes effort and commitment and you need to do the work. But the benefits are well and truly worth it.

TWO: If you get it wrong, you’ll be able to get it right

Fear of getting it wrong is one of the leading reasons why people do nothing. But doing nothing is not an option. Know that you will make mistakes and that's OK. It's all part of getting it right.

THREE: Intersectionality means you can’t just look through one lens

None of us are just 'one thing'. The experience of a woman of colour will be different to that of a man of colour. A gay man of colour will have a different experience to a straight man of colour. And so it is and so it goes. Don't just lump people together under simple labels.

FOUR: Embrace change as progress

If things are moving in the right direction, celebrate them. You may have a long way to go but enjoy the journey and remember that every win, no matter how small, is still a win.

FIVE: Inclusion is a well-being issue

If you don't feel safe, seen and supported, then your well-being and emotional health is going to suffer. All organisations have a duty of care towards everyone in the building and ensuring everyone feels safe and valued is vital.

SIX: It’s not about stopping the bullying but creating an inclusive culture 

Bullying – by staff, parents or children and students – needs to be addressed on an ongoing basis, of course. Better still, head 'up river' and do what you can to address it at source by creating a culture where everyone is accepted and valued for who they are. 

To explore booking Ian or Rhia or any of our other Associates helping schools and other organisations address diversity and inclusion, please get in touch for a no-obligation chat.