Creative practice and research Creative practice and research synergies: changing lives through synergies: changing lives through

mentoring and listening to the mentoring and listening to the voices of potentially excluded voices of potentially excluded

learnerslearners

Nasra Bibi, Linda Douglas, Nasra Bibi, Linda Douglas, Mo McPhailMo McPhail

Identified needIdentified need….….

• BMEG - Black and Minority EthnicBMEG - Black and Minority Ethnic Action plan Sub-Group (SSSC 2006)Action plan Sub-Group (SSSC 2006) recommends:recommends:• Employers and education providers.. “ should Employers and education providers.. “ should

promote the diversification of the social promote the diversification of the social services workforce byservices workforce by

• Considering what action they should take to Considering what action they should take to encourage and support people from BME encourage and support people from BME communities into the workforce , eg. communities into the workforce , eg. Targeted trainee schemes, support for Targeted trainee schemes, support for students applying to courses and while on students applying to courses and while on courses”…..courses”…..

Research –based practiceResearch –based practice

• 1. Educating Sita: Black and1. Educating Sita: Black and Minority Ethnic entrants into Minority Ethnic entrants into social work training in social work training in Scotland ( Singh, 1999)Scotland ( Singh, 1999)

• 2. Listening to the Silence; Black and 2. Listening to the Silence; Black and Minority Ethnic People in Scotland Minority Ethnic People in Scotland talking about social work ( Singh, 2005)talking about social work ( Singh, 2005)

Educating Sita: Black and Minority Educating Sita: Black and Minority Ethnic entrants into social work Ethnic entrants into social work training in Scotland training in Scotland

• An overview of social work An overview of social work education for BME students in Scotlandeducation for BME students in Scotland in 1999 indicated;in 1999 indicated;

• ““the importance with which the issue of equal the importance with which the issue of equal opportunities is taken by those involved in social opportunities is taken by those involved in social work education and training in Scotland”…work education and training in Scotland”…

• And thatAnd that “ policy and practices are of a piecemeal “ policy and practices are of a piecemeal fashion, fragmented in approach and uncoordinated fashion, fragmented in approach and uncoordinated in strategyin strategy” (Singh, 1999 p. 20)” (Singh, 1999 p. 20)

As a direct result of this research…As a direct result of this research…

• A consultancy service was set up for BME social A consultancy service was set up for BME social work studentswork students

• Characterised by;Characterised by;• Partnership with a community based Multi-Cultural Partnership with a community based Multi-Cultural

family support and practice learning resource, a family support and practice learning resource, a BME consultant and social work education providersBME consultant and social work education providers

• Partnership between 4 universitiesPartnership between 4 universities• A rolling programme of support and consultancy, A rolling programme of support and consultancy,

based on a strengths based approachbased on a strengths based approach• See Seminar report :” Have we got it Right?( 2006)See Seminar report :” Have we got it Right?( 2006)

Listening to the Silence; Black and Listening to the Silence; Black and Minority Ethnic People in Scotland talking Minority Ethnic People in Scotland talking about social work (Singh, 2005)about social work (Singh, 2005)

• An action research based approach, employing BME An action research based approach, employing BME researchers to research within own community researchers to research within own community networksnetworks

• Looked at historical context of social welfare and the Looked at historical context of social welfare and the context of racism in Scotlandcontext of racism in Scotland

• Findings – difficult to get a clear perception, very Findings – difficult to get a clear perception, very vague notion of social work and some inaccurate ideasvague notion of social work and some inaccurate ideas

• Identified paradox that BME communities are the Identified paradox that BME communities are the most disadvantaged communities across a range of most disadvantaged communities across a range of domains but have little understanding or contact with domains but have little understanding or contact with social services social services

Signposts from this research…Signposts from this research…

• An understanding of the need for accurate An understanding of the need for accurate

information of social work relevant to the needs of BME information of social work relevant to the needs of BME communitiescommunities

• Universities should develop links with local BME Universities should develop links with local BME communities, developing networks and relationships, open communities, developing networks and relationships, open day events, seminars in partnership with BME organisationsday events, seminars in partnership with BME organisations

• Social work programmes should consider how BME students Social work programmes should consider how BME students are supported from access through to employmentare supported from access through to employment

• Importance of a strengths based approach as opposed to a Importance of a strengths based approach as opposed to a ‘deficit’ model‘deficit’ model

The resultant model:The resultant model:

• Partnership between social work providers and Partnership between social work providers and local BME organisationslocal BME organisations

• Shared networking, community based Information Shared networking, community based Information EventsEvents

• BME mentoring and language support services for BME mentoring and language support services for BME learnersBME learners

• Theoretical basis : Black Community development Theoretical basis : Black Community development model and a strengths based approach, in model and a strengths based approach, in recognition of institutional barriers in recognition of institutional barriers in predominately white education providerspredominately white education providers

• Understanding of complexity of potentially Understanding of complexity of potentially excluded learners across race and ethnicity, excluded learners across race and ethnicity, gender, disability and socio-economic classgender, disability and socio-economic class

• Importance of influencing a social services Importance of influencing a social services curriculum that connects to Scotland’s diverse curriculum that connects to Scotland’s diverse communitiescommunities

Ideas into Practice – the Project Worker’s Ideas into Practice – the Project Worker’s storystory

• The experience of co-ordinating ideas into The experience of co-ordinating ideas into practicepractice

• Achievements and challengesAchievements and challenges

• Focus on the voices of potentially excluded Focus on the voices of potentially excluded learnerslearners

The experience of co-The experience of co-ordinating ordinating

Ideas into practiceIdeas into practice• Taking a community development approach -Where in black people are the Taking a community development approach -Where in black people are the

experts and catalyst for experts and catalyst for bringing about change, learning is a tool used bringing about change, learning is a tool used to strengthen communities by improving people's knowledge, skills to strengthen communities by improving people's knowledge, skills and confidence. organisational ability and resources.and confidence. organisational ability and resources.

• Developing partnerships with mainstream providers was crucial in Developing partnerships with mainstream providers was crucial in our overall goal regarding institutional responsibility and change our overall goal regarding institutional responsibility and change

• MCFB role in accessing community networks and history of working MCFB role in accessing community networks and history of working with local families, relationships built on trust.with local families, relationships built on trust.

• Continuous evaluation with mentors and learners helped develop Continuous evaluation with mentors and learners helped develop appropriate curriculum which does not place black people in the appropriate curriculum which does not place black people in the place of ‘other’ – different or deficientplace of ‘other’ – different or deficient

• Role of BME mentors and language support tutor evolved through Role of BME mentors and language support tutor evolved through experience, traditional concept of mentor didn’t transfer neatly to experience, traditional concept of mentor didn’t transfer neatly to learners needs – mentors useful at different pointslearners needs – mentors useful at different points

• Language support tutor influenced curriculum content as a direct Language support tutor influenced curriculum content as a direct result of listening to the voices of learnersresult of listening to the voices of learners

• Importance of having BME mentors as positive role models.Importance of having BME mentors as positive role models.

ChallengesChallenges

• Community Development with people who Community Development with people who have been excluded is a long term have been excluded is a long term process, doesn’t fit in neatly with a target process, doesn’t fit in neatly with a target driven economydriven economy

• Encouraging an intersectional analysis of Encouraging an intersectional analysis of inequality and securing commitment to inequality and securing commitment to embedding learning within mainstream embedding learning within mainstream providersproviders

• Resources, adequate funding and timeResources, adequate funding and time

The voices of learnersThe voices of learners

“I enjoyed Understanding Society because it made me think, read and write in English, but I could not do this course without the language support.”

Black learner “The Understanding Children reader was really good. It’s been useful

for my own children and for my job as a crèche worker”Black learner

– ‘‘For the first time a student used the telephone to communicate For the first time a student used the telephone to communicate in English’.in English’.

– ‘‘A very shy woman now comes regularly into MCFB and A very shy woman now comes regularly into MCFB and communicates with Project staff’.communicates with Project staff’.

Feedback from mentorsFeedback from mentors

““I couldn’t have done it without all the support but I did do it”I couldn’t have done it without all the support but I did do it”

ParticipationParticipation

• November 2005-March 2006 November 2005-March 2006 – 9 participants in the first short course9 participants in the first short course

• September 2006-January 2007 September 2006-January 2007 – 11 participants in the second series of courses11 participants in the second series of courses

• June 2007-October 2007June 2007-October 2007– 6 participants in the third services of courses 6 participants in the third services of courses

Service users include 26 individuals from Service users include 26 individuals from North African, Asian, and Polish backgroundsNorth African, Asian, and Polish backgrounds

BME mentoring and supportBME mentoring and support

• The experience of mentoring/The experience of mentoring/

consultancyconsultancy

• The experience of being a mentorThe experience of being a mentor

• Focus on the voices of potentiallyFocus on the voices of potentially

excluded learnersexcluded learners

Identifying individual and institutional Identifying individual and institutional challengeschallenges

• Consider the following Consider the following • case studies;case studies;

• What action could be taken to support the What action could be taken to support the BME students in these situations?BME students in these situations?

• What action does the course provider need to What action does the course provider need to consider?consider?

• What learning from this workshop can you What learning from this workshop can you take back and apply in your own take back and apply in your own organisation?organisation?