Education Matters

Following OBV’s recent launch of the Wolverhampton Civic Leadership Programme 2013 last month, the Wolverhampton Programme Members have now embarked upon their courses. The programme aims to address the deficit of BME representation by observing four areas of public life – School Governors, Councillors, Trustees and Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

Those interested in the office of school governor recently had their inaugural observation day. A frequently overlooked and misunderstood position in BME society, thought to be reserved for overly zealous parents or white academics, we seek to redress the balance by educating the Civic Leadership Programme Members about the actualities of the role. Participants start their courses often with only a general interest and limited knowledge in the chosen area of civic life, however by the end of the programme it is hoped that they will decide to take up a formal role in public office. And they are certainly needed.

Minority ethnic school governors are significantly under-represented in every type of authority, both governors and chairs of governors across the UK. A survey found that even in vast sundry and renowned multicultural London, with by far the highest proportion of governors, only 23% of school governors are from black or ethnic minority backgrounds despite the fact that almost half of all pupils in the capital’s schools are from these groups, with few strategies for future recruitment. The situation is more dire in relation to further education, surveys indicating that little more than 8% of governors in further education colleges were Black, making programs like these vital in rectifying the severity of this disproportion.

We spoke to three Programme Members, Dominic Smith, Sundeep Dhadley and Trishna Burke-Braham, to get their take on the initial experience. There was a general consensus that they found it very interesting and useful. Easy to grasp and informative, Sundeep reported that the day yielded a “wealth of knowledge” for him to utilise moving forward in civic life. Dominic described it, “as an effective role with more to it than many may realise and was surprised by the sheer volume of committees”.

As for the notion that school governor positions are relegated to particularly vocal parents, Trishna told us that whilst aware this is often the most common incentive that despite not having any children of her own, it is still an opportunity she would consider pursuing based solely on its strong beneficial community value. There was however unfortunately only one elected school governor from a BME background in a group of seventeen which accents the significance of this programme and it would seem that our members are off to a blinding start with one already being asked to consider applying for a vacancy on his very first day!

Keep up the good work, and watch this space as we keep a keen eye on their future.

Ashlea Williams