The BMet Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Staff Network was established in 2018 by a group of six staff members from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Over the past seven years, the BMet BAME Staff Network has grown in both size and influence, becoming an integral part of the strategic management at Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet). We are key influencers in developing racial equity for students and staff across the Further Education (FE) sector.
Today, we serve as an advisory board to the BMet Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the Association of Colleges (AoC), Colleges West Midlands, and various FE institutions. Our mission is to support FE leaders and stakeholders in ensuring racial equity, equality, diversity, and anti-racist educational policies, procedures, and practices. Our membership has grown to over 60 members, along with numerous external industry contacts. We support ongoing support to our college’s 68% BAME student and 28% BAME staff.
Below is a summary of our key achievements and initiatives to date:
1. We are proud winners of the Black Talent Award for Employee Resource Group 2023! This recognition by Evenfields honors our ongoing work, which continues to positively impact equity, diversity, and inclusion within both curriculum and non-curriculum areas at BMet and across the broader UK FE sector.
2. Staff and Student Mentorship Programs: Recognising the importance of guidance and support, we have designed and implemented coaching and mentorship programs for staff and students at BMet. This includes the BMet BAME Supported Leadership Programme (2019), which was developed based on our Network’s research and actions to increase employment and leadership opportunities for BAME staff. This was the first program of its kind in the UK FE sector. We have since consulted with FE leaders from 12 colleges within the Colleges West Midlands group to support the development of their current Future Leaders Programme.
3. Realise BAME Mentoring Programme: Developed in consultation with Leaders Unlocked and members of the Student Commission for Racial Justice, this program aims to proactively address instances of academic underperformance and low attendance among BAME students at levels 1 and 2. Using coaching and mentoring, we successfully help BAME students achieve and progress to their next steps at BMet and beyond.
4. Elevating BAME Staff & Student Voices: We create safe spaces and opportunities for BAME students and staff to share their lived experiences, elevate their voices, and speak truth to power. We are key stakeholders in representing BAME voices at BMet and work alongside Leaders Unlocked and other organizations to ensure that staff and students can take action against racial injustice
5. Creating Networking Opportunities for BAME Staff and Students: We understand the significance of networking and work closely with organizations and individuals across the UK FE education and wider sectors to promote anti-racism and enhance equitable experiences for BAME students and staff.
6. Promoting Psychological Well-being: Our network provides guidance and support to the SLT to prioritize BAME health and mental well-being, understanding the unique challenges and experiences faced by black students and staff. This support helps BAME students and staff at BMet feel safe, navigate stress and discrimination, and bring their best selves to their educational or work environment.
– Our Contributions to the BMet Response to COVID-19: As the college prepared for the return to face-to-face learning following the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020, we highlighted the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on BAME staff and students. It was imperative that we presented research evidence to the SLT to ensure their duty of care included considerations for BAME individuals in the return-to-college plans.
7. Raising Awareness on Racial/Cultural Literacy & Cultural Capital:The network designs and implements regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) sessions for senior leaders and staff to educate and inform them about racial literacy and cultural capital. We also host regular staff and student focus groups to explore these topics and support the development of equitable student experiences.
8. Safeguarding Against Racism: We identified inconsistencies across campuses in handling reports of racism from students and staff. We recommended prompted a review of the processes and policies for addressing racism to ensure consistency across all campuses. Our research highlighted gaps in staff awareness of the official processes, the need for improved execution of these policies, and a lack of guidance available to staff, students, and parents.
9. FE Governance: Since 2020, individual members of our network have held both curriculum and non-curriculum governor positions. This involvement allows us to bring our perspectives to a range of strategic and operational college developments