TW: A case Study

Shades of Noir (SoN) was established in 2009 by Aisha Richards after discovering some startling statistics relating to the attainment figures of students of colour within Higher Education. In response, the organisation was developed to ‘provoke, challenge and encourage dialogue and cultural value on the subjects of race within Higher Education, the creative and cultural sectors’, through digital content, events, advocacy and support networks. Richards is the Director of Shades of Noir, managing a team of academics and students at the University of the Arts London in initiating and supporting activities around social justice, inclusion and representation that affect policies, processes and people.

What challenge did you want to address?

‘Teaching Within’ seeks to address the underrepresentation of people of colour as academics within the University, and wider cultural and creative sector, and the knock-on impact this has on BAME students’ attainment and career opportunities. Richards found through research that People of Colour (PoC) were over-represented in administrative roles within the institution but seldom found in academic ones. In a bid to change this she developed the programme.

‘Teaching Within’ is a development programme for aspiring teachers of colour in creative arts and design in Higher Education. The programme was designed by Richards and is delivered by SoN within the university to address the low employment rates of academics of colour in elite staff categories within higher education institutions (Adams, 2017). SoNs works supported by, but independent from, the University.

What did you do?

Teaching Within provides paid teaching placements with a comprehensive and layered support package, including a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) in Academic Practice and access to networks of academics of colour. A key characteristic of this programme is it not based on a deficit model – most participants are alumni of the University and are successful in their creative careers and high achievers academically. All participants have found that while they successfully completed degrees, they were unable to transition into sustainable teaching posts.

Richards negotiated host courses with the University and pulled together existing training and support mechanisms, which includes bursaries. Now onto its 4th cohort, the programme takes in 20 new academics a year and lasts 18 months.

What barriers did you face?

The main barrier faced in establishing the programme was the pre-existing culture of the university (and sector, and society), i.e. low awareness of the barriers faced by people of colour, and a lack of understanding about why an intervention was needed. Some participants faced challenges in engaging with, and being valued by, the wider team.

This was explored through a workshop developed by Richards and based on the accounts of participants, 60 university staff attended and were able to work through issues without personal judgments. The event proved to be a learning experience for all at which unconscious/conscious biases were challenged, microaggressions (Gabriel & Tate, 2017) unpacked and white fragility (DiAngelo, 2011), managed, as well as the affirmations as to the importance of the positive experience and retention of programme participants reinforced by both Richards and senior members of staff for the changes in culture to take place.

What were your measures of success?

The main goal was that course participants completed their teaching hours and PG Certificate, and are retained as academic staff at UAL or another university. Over the first two completed cohorts, 33 out of 40 completed the PgCert successfully and 29 of the 33 have been retained as lecturers at UAL.

The positive impact on participants’ careers in teaching is evident, and increased diversity within the University has taken place. As the programme continues further impacts will be measured over time, but the feedback from programme members speaks of an enriching experience that is radically improving the prospects of minority groups and attitudes towards diversity within the University. Additionally, areas of research, curriculums and teaching practices are evolving around social justice which can in part be attributed to the Teaching Within programme and its participants.

What advice would you give to organisations wanting to do this themselves?

This approach – of providing specific roles and training support to broaden workforce diversity – could be applied to any organisation, not just a University. However, a fundamental issue to consider is that there is simply no point in introducing diverse initiatives without at the same time looking at the broader culture which is in play. Additionally, it is important not to underestimate the need to train the existing staff who will also need support with any initiatives in diversity.

With adequate training that is fit for purpose in inclusive practice, issues around subconscious or conscious bias can be effectively dealt with over time with existing staff, which will create necessary space to introduce new measures to combat pre-existing biases as a collective community. Organisations that attempt to deal with the complexities surrounding barriers faced by minority groups are making an investment for the future that will be of benefit to everyone especially as society continues to evolve.

References:

Adams, R. (2017). British universities employ no black academics in top roles, figures show. The Guardian. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/jan/19/british-universities-employ-no-black-academics-in-top-roles-figures-show [Accessed 14 Aug. 2018]

DiAngelo, R. (2011). White fragility. The International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 3

Gabriel, D., & Tate, S. A. (2017). Inside the Ivory Tower: Narratives of Women of Colour Surviving and Thriving in British Academia. Trentham Books. Available from: UCL IOE Press, UCL Institute of Education