In a recent piece for FE Week, award-winning EDI specialist and co-director of Aspire Black Suffolk, Ellisha Soanes, shared her thoughts on how educators can go beyond Black History Month and embed Black history into the curriculum year-round. Reflecting on her experience as the first FE lecturer to incorporate Black history into the curriculum at West Suffolk College, Ellisha offered practical advice for creating a more representative and inclusive learning environment.
Start Small and Build Momentum
Ellisha highlights the importance of starting with small steps within your department. Engaging the entire organisation in discussions around equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) can help generate support for long-term change. She encourages institutions to implement EDI and anti-racism training for staff first, before moving on to students, and stresses the need to create champions and ambassadors for the cause across the college.
Reaching Out and Sharing Stories
Ellisha also emphasises the power of outreach, whether by inviting diverse voices from across the sector or by spotlighting inspirational figures from local communities. "People in your local community also have stories to tell that can be so powerful and inspirational," she notes. Engaging students in these stories is a key part of supporting the next generation of changemakers.
Sustaining the Work Beyond Black History Month
For Ellisha, Black History Month is a launchpad, but the work shouldn’t stop there. She advises organisations to take regular action to promote diversity, whether it’s a monthly, fortnightly, or weekly commitment, until EDI becomes a natural part of year-long conversations about curriculum and staff development. Institutionalising this work by embedding it into policies, strategies, and action plans is the ultimate goal.
To read the full article, click here.
Looking Ahead
Ellisha Soanes will be launching a podcast with the Association of Colleges later this year, focusing on gamechangers in the Further Education world.
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