Cardiff and Vale College Assistant Principal, Yusuf Ibrahim, yesterday gave evidence on behalf of the FE sector to the Senedd Equality and Social Justice Committee, providing details of how colleges across Wales are taking a pro-active approach to anti-racism.
Yusuf spoke of the collaboration across colleges on a shared vision to eradicate racism in FE and to further the interests and diversity of our learners, colleagues and leaders. He also detailed how Cardiff and Vale College are leading by example in this area, with the development of anti-racism resources and playing a key role in developing curriculum materials for the sector. Yusuf called for a crucial and sustainable support package to enable colleges to continue this important journey.
Sector commitment
Every FE institution in Wales has agreed their own Anti-Racism Action Plans to take this work forward locally and are collaborating across the sector to develop shared resources for learners and staff. This has led to the delivery of bespoke training and development of anti-racist action plans specific to each college.
Working with Black Leadership Group (BLG) on behalf of Welsh Government, we are helping to better understand the current picture across the FE sector and specific actions that we can take together, to build a Wales that is anti-racist and help meet the ambitions of an Anti-Racist Wales by 2030.
The FE sector in Wales is showing real leadership in its journey towards anti-racism, and we have a chance to make a real impact, building on the Welsh Government’s commitment to create an anti-racist Wales. We are not complacent about scale of the challenge, but there is a genuine and meaningful commitment to change and to creating environments that are inclusive and responsive to the needs of all learners.
Leading by example – Cardiff and Vale College
Cardiff and Vale College is leading on the development of anti-racism resources and playing a key role in developing curriculum materials for the FE sector. In doing so, they are sharing best practice to support FE in taking an all-encompassing approach to managing and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion across the sector.
Working together for change
The Welsh Government has provided funding to colleges to support this support the journey, and going forward, the Welsh Government should continue to commit resource to this area. Colleges are committed to working with the Welsh Government across the protected characteristics, and it is vital appropriate resource is allocated to the delivery of equalities plans.
As a sector we recognise the importance of intersectionality, and that learners and staff may face multiple forms of discrimination. Colleges in Wales are committed to progressing the Anti-racist Wales agenda and will continue to work with Welsh Government and other partners towards building an anti-racist Wales.
Further Information
ColegauCymru Equality and Diversity Network
ColegauCymru convenes the Equality and Diversity Network, which brings together Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) leads and representatives from across the FE sector in Wales, to monitor, oversee and progress issues surrounding the nine protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010 - and expanded to include the Welsh language and neurodiversity in its widest sense.
Welsh Government Policy and Strategy
Anti-racist Wales Action Plan What we are going to do to make Wales anti-racist.
11 October 2023
Hwb
Anti-racist action planning guidance for further education institutions
Amy Evans, Policy Officer
Amy.Evans@ColegauCymru.ac.uk
